In Memory of Actor Bob Hoskins - The Parts He Played & Didn't Play: 10 Years After His Tragic Death

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It's been ten years since British actor Bob Hoskins died at only 71 years old. He was best known for roles in The Long Good Friday and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (for which he adapted an American accent). This is his story.

A Closer Look

Bob Hoskins was born on October 26, 1942, in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England, but grew up in London. The only child of a bookkeeper (and communist) and nursery school teacher, he was raised an atheist.

A school drop-out at 15, Hoskins worked a series of odd jobs before acting. He looked after camels in Syria, packed fruit on a kibbutz in Israel, became a fire eater in a circus, porter, lorry driver, window cleaner, and more.

Although he once claimed to have never taken an acting lesson, Hoskins attended and graduated from the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England.

Hoskins formally commenced his career in live theatre before venturing onto television and the big screen. He spent several seasons with the Royal National Theatre and the Old Vic Theatre in London, where his credits included classics by Shakespeare, Chekhov, and Shaw, among others.

On TV, he appeared in shows like Play for Today, On the Move, Van der Valk, and the BBC drama The Street.

His motion pictures include Mermaids, Hook, Mrs Henderson Presents, and Made in Dagenham. His final film performance was playing one of the dwarves in Snow White and the Huntsman (2012).

The Replacements

In addition to the many roles Bob Hoskins played, there were several significant parts that he did not.

In 1991

He was considered for the role of Dr. Weeks in American Friends, which went to Alun Armstrong.

He was the first choice to play Pop Larkin in The Darling Buds of May, but it was eventually decided that his film fame would cause issues and David Jason was cast in the role.

He was considered for the role of Leo Lemke in The Butcher's Wife, but George Dzundza was hired instead.

He was considered for the role of Lt. Senna in Homicide, but Vincent Guastaferro won the role.

The Devito Pivot

Bob Hoskins was many times confused with pop-singer Phil Collins, while the similarly-looking actor Danny Devito gave him a run for his money in the acting department.

Case in point: Hoskins was offered the role of Ralph in Romancing the Stone, but decided not to take the job, and DeVito was hired in his place.

In 1992, Hoskins was considered for the role of The Penguin in Batman Returns, but Devito got the part.

One year later, in what may be considered in the universe of fair play (literally) and theatrical comeuppance, Hoskins replaced DeVito as Mario Mario in Super Mario Bros.

Other Mis-Plays

In 2004, Bob Hoskins was considered for the villainous role of Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man 2 but Alfred Molina was cast instead.

That same year, Hoskins was considered for the part of Senator Ralph Owen Brewster in The Aviator, before Alan Alda got the role.

In 2008, Bob Hoskins was considered for the role of Salvatore Maroni in The Dark Knight, but Eric Roberts (Julia's brother) won the part.

One Accolade after the Next

Despite the many roles he did not play, Bob Hoskins received much acclaim for the parts he did.

He received a BAFTA nomination for The Long Good Friday, which was released in 1980. A few years later, he received the same for The Honorary Consul.

He was also nominated for a TV BAFTA for his performance in Dennis Potter's BBC musical drama, Pennies from Heaven.

In 1987, the acclaimed actor won a BAFTA and received an Oscar nomination for the crime drama Mona Lisa, in which he starred opposite Sir Michael Caine and Robbie Coltrane.

His Final Years

In 2012, Bob Hoskins announced his retirement from acting after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

He was married twice: Jane Livesey, from 1967 until their divorce in 1978; and Linda Banwell, from 1982 to his tragic demise from pneumonia on April 29, 2014. Each union produced two children for a total of four altogether.