Alan Rickman (1946-2016)
Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 8:30AM 
Heartbreaking. Alan Rickman, one of the UK's most treasured showbiz mainstays has passed away at the age of 69. Though he occassionally dabbled in directing (The Winter Guest and A Little Chaos) he was best known as an actor of stage, tv, and big screen. He's inarguably best known and beloved for the many years as Professor Snapes in the Harry Potter series. But for me, his career always makes me nostalgic for the early 90s. His career was energized by the success of Die Hard which led to a bunch of movies.
When I saw Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) I was shocked that any film could contain so many performances that were all over the map in terms of quality - a chaos of acting styles and fumbles but he was always fun hamming it up as the Sherrif of Nottingham. I immediately typecast him as a villain. A year or two after Robin Hood I discovered in short succession the intense incest drama Close My Eyes (in which he is horrified to discover that is brother-in-law Clive Owen is sleeping with his wife), the claustrophobic thriller Closet Land in which he terrorized my then obsession Madeline Stowe (at the peak of her powers from roughly 1990-1994). But all my limiting ideas that that inimitable voice and the stern face meant he was a screen baddie were blown apart by this next one. My best girlfriend had fallen for this romantic comedy Truly Madly Deeply in which he plays Juliet Stevenson's ghost lover and demanded I see it. I fell hard. For them and the movie.
It's a great rental / streaming idea if you haven't seen it. This scene, which gives it its title, is my single favorite moment in Rickman's filmography.
What's your strongest memory of Alan Rickman's career?
Reader Comments (23)
One of my favorite Brit actors, with the uncanny ability to make Professor Snape talk... even... more... slowly... in... each... Potter... film.
Early standouts to me were Alexander Dane/Dr. Lazarus in Galaxy Quest, and Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility. But he was always brilliant!
By Grabthar's Hammer, by the Suns of Warvan, you shall be avenged!
Truly, Madly, Deeply was my first Alan Rickman movie. I have loved him ever since. My one trip to New Yirk City a few years ago, I bypassed a lot of other Broadway shows to go see "Seminar"...because it starred Rickman.
Oh no. I went to your blog to see the Oscar news, and instead to read this headline is heartbreaking.
I fell in love with him in "Sense and Sensibility". I saw "Die Hard" afterwards and was so much rooting for Hans Gruber and not the annoying McClane. All the power of Alan Rickman.
This is heartbreaking. So few actors have had such an ubiquitous presence in the films I have loved throughout my life. From my introduction to him in Die Hard and Robin Hood to his perfect embodiment of Severus Snape that lasted a decade, I will forever be grateful for his output
by grabthar's hammer, you shall be avenged...
I literally gasped out loud, came for the Oscar news and read this.
Loved him in "Truly,Madly,Deeply", "Die Hard", "Galaxy Quest", right through to Harry Potter.
He was truly unique and I don't want this news to be true.
Absolutely devastating news - please somebody wrap up all my remaining heroes in cotton wool for the remainder of 2016...
What a singular talent, always elevating any film he appeared in. Like many, I first fell in love with him as the villain who was a hundred times more charismatic than the supposed hero of the piece - Robin Hood was my initiation. However, I quickly received an education on the subtlety, wit and humanity of his range in films like Close My Eyes and Truly Madly Deeply.
I have always cherished this entry from Emma Thompson's Sense & Sensibility diary:
TUESDAY 16 MAY: This was the day a very sodden Greg bounded up to Alan and asked, with all his usual ebullience, how he was. Long pause as Alan surveyed him through half-closed eyes from beneath a huge golfing umbrella. Then - ‘I’m dry.’ Sometimes Alan reminds me of the owl in Beatrix Potter’s Squirrel Nutkin. If you took too many liberties with him I’m sure he’d have your tail off in a trice.
Such a loss! I think like most I discovered him in Die Hard and he was a perfect villain but my favorite performance of his is the complete about face in Sense and Sensibility. Once he put his stamp on a role you could never imagine it played any other way.
Appalling that he was never even nominated for an Oscar! He should have won at least two for the above performances and had multiple nominations besides. Hollywood screws up again.He will be sorely missed.
He was so funny and great in Robin Hood. I have been in love with his voice ever since Die Hard and Robin Hood.
Thanks Rickman for your talent
I somehow always pictured "Love Actually" whenever I thought of Rickman. I think my main exposure to him was first through "Galaxy Quest" and then the whole "Harry Potter" series. Finally saw "Die Hard" for the first time last year and I couldn't believe how different he could be from the roles I'd seen. Do hope to check out "Truly Madly Deeply" (although it seems to be out of print AND not on the streaming services), "Close My Eyes" and his Golden Globe-winning "Rasputin." Any other recommendations?
Galaxy Quest and Love Actually. "What... Are you going to dip it in yogurt and cover it in chocolate buttons?!"
Sad news but good memories :)
I've just recently seen "A Little Chaos" - he directed and was in it with Kate Winslet. Can't believe he died.
Awful news. My friend is devastated. She saw him on stage a couple of times and she always described it as a transcendent experience. That voice!
An Awfully Big Adventure. Mesmer. Rasputin. Blow Dry. Sweeney Todd. But especially the first two.
Aw, this is sad. Somehow always both underrated and iconic in many ways.
Thought to his family and Emma Thompson, they were absolute best friends for decades.
7bice, I was thinking of the exact same quote! I need to go back and reread those S&S diaries (for like the umpteenth time).
This is the kind of actor who deserves (deserved? :-() an honorary Oscar. Solid support in everything he ever did. I wish I could have seen him in Les Liasions Dangereuses (sp?) on stage.
And is it too early for me to see that I, possibly alone, found him very attractive? I think it's the strong nose, or maybe the imperious hauteur.
So much love and sorrow. My favorite Rickman moment is "Give me an occupation, Miss Dashwood, or I shall run mad", followed by his revelation in Dogma. So many others, though.
When I first read Harry Potter, I immediately visualized Rickman as Snape, long before a movie was made. Then I saw the rather appalling An Awfully Big Adventure, and I realized that J.K. Rowling must be a huge Rickman fan. There's Rickman, and a character named Potter, and an Uncle Vernon, and a Lily. I'm pretty sure she wrote Snape with Rickman in mind, hence his perfection in the role.
My favorite Alan Rickman movie is Blow Dry. He was so good in ensemble movies.
Oh no. I'm so sad. Shocked and speechless. I will be watching Sense and Sensibility today.
Sense and Sensibility, without a doubt. Saw him in John Gabriel Borkman at BAM a few years back and he was tremendous. Such a heartbreaking loss.
This is legit the only time I saw someone mention Closet Land . A brilliant film and so underseen along with other movies of Rickman - Dark Harbor, Snow Cake, Something the Lord Made....incredible actor and a terrible loss.
First Bowie and now him. Why?
For me, it was "Die Hard" as I just loved how cool he was. I liked how he confronted Takagi into giving him the codes and Takagi says "I can't give them to you, you'll just have to kill me". Hans replies, "OK.... *shoots Takagi in the head* we'll do it the hard way".