In Memory of Bob Hoskins (1942-2014)

Bob Hoskins (1942-2014)


Sorry for the delay in the

X-Men movie marathon.

The British actor Bob

Hoskins, known for

his roles in films such as Eddie Valiant in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and Mario in the infamous "Super Mario Bros.", passed away from pneumonia on April 29th, 2014. He was 71 years old. Hoskins was born on the Southern English border of Suffolk. He was two weeks old when he left his birthplace with his parents during the war, when bombing occurred in London. Bob was 15 when quitting school and began odd jobs, including performing in a circus. In his love of theatre, Hoskins's career began by accident when he accompanied a friend to auditions, was given a script by a director, and was told, "You're next."

This mistake would later kickstart his career in theatre plays and television. In 1975, he began his film career, landing supporting roles. In 1980, he received the attention his rising career was building toward with his role in the movie "The Long Good Friday." He is also famous for portraying characters in worthy films, such as "The Cotton Club" and "Brazil." Bob gets nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in "Mona Lisa." In 1988, Bob went to Disney and secured a leading role in a new motion picture by Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg. The movie would be about a cop teamed up with a toon, supposedly wanted for murder, entitled "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." This recognition earned him the chance to become a national star. His other prolific roles include "Mermaids" with Cher, "Hook," "Nixon," "The Inner Circle," "Enemy at the Gates," "Vanity Fair," and a voice role in "Balto." In 1993, he gained infamy from video gamers for being miscast as Mario in the underwhelming "Super Mario Bros." alongside John Leguizamo and Dennis Hopper. The film got squeezed to the point of financial ruin, and Bob grew to despise the adaptation. In later years, Bob made his farewell appearance in "Snow White and the Huntsman," playing one of the dwarfs. After this, health took its toll on Bob when he developed Parkinson's, which led him to a two-year retirement.

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