Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman was born on February 21 1946 on a council estate in Acton, west London. “My mother was Welsh and my father was Irish and I can speak both accents like a native, yet in my whole career I have never been asked to,” he later recalled.
Now there’s the beginning of a plot idea.
So, twins, adopted out, one brought up in Wales, one in Ireland……now adult. Both played by Rickman, obviously. Take it from there….
Set during the Troubles, obviously. One in the Irish National Liberation Army. The other with the Welsh Guards.
A comedy for the whole family.
A bit of a late bloomer really. Die Hard, believe it or not, was his first film. So he was over 40. It is hard to think of a better role although he clearly didn’t like it. It made him perfect for Galaxy Quest. He will probably be remembered for Harry Potter. I guess it paid a lot of bills. I don’t think I will be able to read the Barchester novels again without hearing him as Obediah Slope.
“. “My mother was Welsh and my father was Irish and I can speak both accents like a native, yet in my whole career I have never been asked to,” he later recalled.”
Well, the jury’s still out on his De Valera
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IOooSZbVA0
Die Hard, believe it or not, was his first film
Really? Wow. What a film to be your debut. If you don’t like Die Hard you are an idiot.
To be honest I can’t think of anything else I saw him in – haven’t seen any of the Potter films.
GlenDorran – “To be honest I can’t think of anything else I saw him in – haven’t seen any of the Potter films.”
As far as I know it was his first. All his famous roles came after that. So a really late bloomer. He must have got by on his wife’s income until Harry Potter.
You’ve not seen Galaxy Quest? A fan film but well worth seeing. See the BBC’s version of the Barchester novels.
He acted in Les liaisons dangereuses on the stage according to his obit. I can’t believe that anyone could do it better than John Malkovitch but it would have been worth seeing.
gunker – “Well, the jury’s still out on his De Valera”
Well Dev was likely the bastard son of a Spanish man who was born in America. I imagine his accent was difficult.
I am idling googling and someone has claimed that the film was re-written to include a scene with Willis and Gruber pretending to be a hostage – once they realised he could do a convincing American accent.
I don’t recall a convincing American accent myself. But that would make four. Which is about three more than Sean Connery can do.
Haven’t Plautus and Shakespeare already been there?
@SMFS
Galaxy Quest is a great film if you’re a Trekie – or if you think Trekies are a bit weird. Or if you like sci-fi or comedies.
All round I’m not sure why it isn’t a more well-known film. It’s very funny. and Sigourney Weaver sends herself up and her top gets ripped.
What’s not to like?
He could also do an American accent which is why the “Bill Clay” scene in Die Hard was extended.
SMFS: Actually, the reason he did Die Hard is because he liked the script. He threw in ideas that stuck (like Hans wearing a suit).
One thing with Alan Rickman: I can’t think of a single film where I thought he phoned it in, where he didn’t give a really good performance. I don’t like the Harry Potter series much, but he’s terrific in it. Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves is really only watchable for Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham. Whether the film around him was good or not, he always seemed to take his job seriously.
AndrewC – “What’s not to like?”
And for the very weird Japanese cartoon fetish market, it has something close to a tentacle rape too.
Ultimately it is not a film about Trekies but about decency, being a good person and all that. But it certainly helps if you recognise the genre and hence the jokes.
I agree it deserves to be better known!
GlenDorran,
The best films he’s in were Die Hard, Galaxy Quest, Dogma, Sense and Sensibility and Michael Collins. I like Truly, Madly, Deeply until Michael Maloney turns up and then it turns to complete shit. I also remember quite liking Close my Eyes, but it’s been a long time since I saw it.
Ah, Dogma! I’d forgotten he was in that. Yes, that is a great film.
@SMFS – I am not familiar with the expected patois of the sons of Irish women and Spaniards, born in the US and moved to Ireland at 2. But if you think Rickman is not trying to do an Irish accent, then I suggest a hearing test.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-icDyDHI29g
I watched Barchester Towers, and for me, he was the standout performer. As I remarked at the time to my mother, the role as the oleaginous Slope fitted him like a glove. I wouldn’t be surprised if JK Rowling had him in mind when she wrote the character of Snape.
RIP. Thanks for the memories. I’ve recently inherited my mother’s Trollope collection. Well worth a read/re-read FWIW.
He was also in Epic Tea Time.
“So, twins, adopted out, one brought up in Wales, one in Ireland……now adult. Both played by Rickman, obviously.”
No, you do triplets seperated at birth, one irish, one Welsh, one English. Or — seeing as some here say he could do a convincing American accent — quadruplets…
Should provide some good gags. Fine opportunity re-cycle the baloon script.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000614/
You’ve all forgotten his epic appearance in “Robin Hood” as a super bad Sheriff of Nottingham.
After bawling out some hapless underling for letting Kevin Costner escape, turns to two comely maidens.
To Comely Maiden1: “You! my room at 10 tonight”
To Comely Maiden2: “You! 10:30. Bring a friend”
He did start late but he did a couple of things before Die Hard which was his big debut to the world.
Actually I liked truly madly deeply, but I saw it with my wife and shortly after I was away with work and brought her back a book of Neruda poems so it has additional sentimental context.
Robin Hood also had the line of no more merciful beheadings and cancel Christmas, I can’t imagine anyone else delivering the dialogue from that film without appearing a scenery chewing hamming it up nutcase, yet Rickman pulled it off and made it memorable.
As others have said a true professional who never phoned in a performance, but always have his all.
Cuban?
No, Dutch-Irish, my father was from Wales.
almost….
Dear Mr Worstall
He was also the bad guy in Quigley Down Under.
When reviewing one of his films, Barry Norman advised: never work with children, animals or Alan Rickman.
DP
Elliot Marston is one of his good villain role. He thought he was the hero of his own story. Too bad the movie is Quigley Down Under.