Short, pudgy, balding, with a thick Cockney accent and a
booming, gravelly voice, Bob Hoskins was one of the unlikeliest stars in film
history, a magnetic character actor who became famous for playing leading
roles. After earning his stripes in countless theater and TV productions,
Hoskins landed his first major film role at the age of 37, starring as gangster
Harold Shand in The Long Good Friday (1980).
The ‘80s saw
Hoskins rise to the forefront of British film acting, before his role in Who
Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) turned him into an international star. Hoskins
continued working in a variety of roles—some big, some small—before a
Parkinson’s diagnosis led him to retire in 2012. Hoskins died yesterday of
pneumonia. He was 71.
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full article in the AV Club.