Bob Hoskins died last night following pneumonia at the age of 71, it has been revealed.
It comes two years after the much-loved actor announced he was retiring from showbusiness after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Hoskins's silver screen career spanned four decades and included Hollywood hits such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
His most recent appearance was in Snow White and the Huntsman, released in 2012 and starring Kristen Stewart.
His second wife Linda and children Alex, Sarah, Rosa and Jack said: 'We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Bob.
'Bob died peacefully at hospital last night surrounded by family, following a bout of pneumonia.'
The family also thanked well-wishers for their 'messages of love and support'.
Hoskins revealed his battle with the brain disorder several months after his diagnosis.
Actor Stephen Fry said on Twitter today: 'Oh no, Bob Hoskins. Gone? That’s awful news. The Long Good Friday one of the best British movies of the modern era. A marvellous man.'
And actor Martin Kemp added: 'RIP Bob Hoskins - Long Good Friday [is] one of the best movies ever made. You will be missed.'
Hoskins began his film career in the 1970s and found fame playing Harold Shand in the iconic 1980 gangster film The Long Good Friday alongside Helen Mirren.
An Oscar nomination for best actor and further critical acclaim followed his lead role in another British film, Mona Lisa, in 1986.
He went on to play Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988, and Smee in both Hook (1991) and Neverland (2011).
In the 1980s and 1990s he was also famous for his adverts for BT, and his ‘It’s good to talk’ catchphrase became well-known.
He had four children and lived in East Sussex with second wife Linda for more than a decade.
Asked in May 2012 if acting was still a passion, Hoskins replied: ‘Acting is a lark but I’m trying to work less.
'They say: "Bob I know you’re trying to retire but we’ve got a little swan song here which is the business..." and I get talked into it.
'The more you don’t want to work, the more work you get. I want to be at home with the wife but she doesn’t want me to retire, she wants me out of the house.'
Bob Hoskins was born in October 1942 in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.
His mother Elsie Hopkins, a nursery school teacher and cook, had been living in the market town after being evacuated as a result of heavy bombings during the Second World War.
As a child Hoskins grew up in London leaving school at the age of 15.
Before embarking on his acting career Hoskins had a string of unusual jobs including looking after camels in Syria and later packing fruit on a kibbutz in Israel.
He is also known to have worked as a porter, lorry driver and window cleaner and attempted a three-year accounting course but dropped out, before he discovered acting.
But a passion for language and literature inspired by his former English teacher, saw the teenager dream of a career path that would lead him on to the stage.
Hoskins stumbled into acting at the age of 26 when he accompanied a friend to watch a series of auditions at the Unity Theatre in 1969, only to be confused for one of the actors taking part.
A script was pushed into his hands and Hoskins ended up being given the role.
On getting his first role, Hoskins, said: 'I was three parts pissed. We were going to a party. And this bloke comes around and says: "Right. You're next. Have you seen the script?"...And I got the leading part.'
He spent several seasons with the Royal National Theatre and the Old Vic Theatre in London, where his credits included everything from a range of Shakespeare to Chechov to Shaw.
After some success on the stage, he moved to television securing roles in the series Villains (1972) and Thick As Thieves (1974). He launched his film career in the mid-70s.
His first role was a stand-out performance alongside Richard Dreyfuss in John Byrum's Inserts (1974), followed by a smaller part in Richard Lester's Royal Flash (1975).
His big break came when in 1978 he stared in Dennis Potter's mini TV series, Pennies From Heaven, playing the role of Arthur Parker a doomed salesman.
That performance secured Hoskins a string of film offers.
His debut in a major blockbuster came in 1980 when he secured the role of Harold Shand in gangster film The Long Good Friday, alongside actress Helen Mirren.
An Oscar nomination for best actor and further critical acclaim, including a BAFTA award, followed his lead role in another British film, Mona Lisa, in 1986.
He went on to play Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988, and Smee in both Hook (1991), Cold War Soviet Union politican Nikita Khrushchev in Enemy At The Gates (2001) and Neverland (2011).
In the 1980s and 1990s Hoskins also became known for his adverts for BT, and his ‘It’s good to talk’ catchphrase became well-known.
Hoskins announced his retirement after being diagnosed with Parkinson's in the Autumn of 2011 and his last film, Snow White And The Huntsman was released in 2012.
Speaking about the acting profession, Hoskins said: 'I came into this business uneducated, dyslexic, 5ft 6in, cubic, with a face like a squashed cabbage and they welcomed me with open arms.'
In 1988, he said the profession had become one of the great joys of his life.
'My life has taken off - my life, my career - everything. I can honestly say I've never been happier. I'm walking around thinking any minute now, 25 tons of horse-s*** is going is going to fall on my head.'
It comes two years after the much-loved actor announced he was retiring from showbusiness after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Hoskins's silver screen career spanned four decades and included Hollywood hits such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
His most recent appearance was in Snow White and the Huntsman, released in 2012 and starring Kristen Stewart.
His second wife Linda and children Alex, Sarah, Rosa and Jack said: 'We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Bob.
'Bob died peacefully at hospital last night surrounded by family, following a bout of pneumonia.'
The family also thanked well-wishers for their 'messages of love and support'.
Hoskins revealed his battle with the brain disorder several months after his diagnosis.
Actor Stephen Fry said on Twitter today: 'Oh no, Bob Hoskins. Gone? That’s awful news. The Long Good Friday one of the best British movies of the modern era. A marvellous man.'
And actor Martin Kemp added: 'RIP Bob Hoskins - Long Good Friday [is] one of the best movies ever made. You will be missed.'
Hoskins began his film career in the 1970s and found fame playing Harold Shand in the iconic 1980 gangster film The Long Good Friday alongside Helen Mirren.
An Oscar nomination for best actor and further critical acclaim followed his lead role in another British film, Mona Lisa, in 1986.
He went on to play Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988, and Smee in both Hook (1991) and Neverland (2011).
In the 1980s and 1990s he was also famous for his adverts for BT, and his ‘It’s good to talk’ catchphrase became well-known.
He had four children and lived in East Sussex with second wife Linda for more than a decade.
Asked in May 2012 if acting was still a passion, Hoskins replied: ‘Acting is a lark but I’m trying to work less.
'They say: "Bob I know you’re trying to retire but we’ve got a little swan song here which is the business..." and I get talked into it.
'The more you don’t want to work, the more work you get. I want to be at home with the wife but she doesn’t want me to retire, she wants me out of the house.'
Bob Hoskins was born in October 1942 in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.
His mother Elsie Hopkins, a nursery school teacher and cook, had been living in the market town after being evacuated as a result of heavy bombings during the Second World War.
As a child Hoskins grew up in London leaving school at the age of 15.
Before embarking on his acting career Hoskins had a string of unusual jobs including looking after camels in Syria and later packing fruit on a kibbutz in Israel.
He is also known to have worked as a porter, lorry driver and window cleaner and attempted a three-year accounting course but dropped out, before he discovered acting.
But a passion for language and literature inspired by his former English teacher, saw the teenager dream of a career path that would lead him on to the stage.
Hoskins stumbled into acting at the age of 26 when he accompanied a friend to watch a series of auditions at the Unity Theatre in 1969, only to be confused for one of the actors taking part.
A script was pushed into his hands and Hoskins ended up being given the role.
On getting his first role, Hoskins, said: 'I was three parts pissed. We were going to a party. And this bloke comes around and says: "Right. You're next. Have you seen the script?"...And I got the leading part.'
He spent several seasons with the Royal National Theatre and the Old Vic Theatre in London, where his credits included everything from a range of Shakespeare to Chechov to Shaw.
After some success on the stage, he moved to television securing roles in the series Villains (1972) and Thick As Thieves (1974). He launched his film career in the mid-70s.
His first role was a stand-out performance alongside Richard Dreyfuss in John Byrum's Inserts (1974), followed by a smaller part in Richard Lester's Royal Flash (1975).
His big break came when in 1978 he stared in Dennis Potter's mini TV series, Pennies From Heaven, playing the role of Arthur Parker a doomed salesman.
That performance secured Hoskins a string of film offers.
His debut in a major blockbuster came in 1980 when he secured the role of Harold Shand in gangster film The Long Good Friday, alongside actress Helen Mirren.
An Oscar nomination for best actor and further critical acclaim, including a BAFTA award, followed his lead role in another British film, Mona Lisa, in 1986.
He went on to play Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988, and Smee in both Hook (1991), Cold War Soviet Union politican Nikita Khrushchev in Enemy At The Gates (2001) and Neverland (2011).
In the 1980s and 1990s Hoskins also became known for his adverts for BT, and his ‘It’s good to talk’ catchphrase became well-known.
Hoskins announced his retirement after being diagnosed with Parkinson's in the Autumn of 2011 and his last film, Snow White And The Huntsman was released in 2012.
Speaking about the acting profession, Hoskins said: 'I came into this business uneducated, dyslexic, 5ft 6in, cubic, with a face like a squashed cabbage and they welcomed me with open arms.'
In 1988, he said the profession had become one of the great joys of his life.
'My life has taken off - my life, my career - everything. I can honestly say I've never been happier. I'm walking around thinking any minute now, 25 tons of horse-s*** is going is going to fall on my head.'
Source : DailyMail , Entertainment.stv
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