Bob Hoskins

Bob Hoskins was described by the director John Mackenzie as "an actor from the British tradition but with an almost American approach, an instinctive approach to acting and knowing how to work with the camera". He was born on October 26, 1942, in Bury St. Edmund's, Suffolk, where his mother was living after being evacuated as a result of the heavy bombings. He is the son of Elsie Lillian (Hopkins), a nursery school teacher and cook, and Robert William Hoskins, Sr. , who drove a lorry and worked as a bookkeeper. Growing up, Hoskins received only limited education and he left school at 15, but with a passion for language and literature instilled by his former English teacher. A regular theatre-goer, Hoskins dreamed of starring on stage, but before he could do so he had to work odd jobs for a long time to make ends meet. His acting career started out more by accident than by design, when he accompanied a friend to watch some auditions, only to be confused for one of the people auditioning, getting a script pushed into his hands with the message "You're next". He got the part and acquired an agent.

In 1967, aged 25, Hoskins spent a short period of time volunteering in kibbutz Zikim in Israel, and also herded camels in Syria.

Father of Alex Hoskins (born 1968) and Sarah Hoskins (born 1972) with Jane Livesey.

His acting career began in 1969 at the Unity Theatre. One evening, he was waiting in the Unity Theatre bar for his friend, the actor Roger Frost, to finish an audition. Whilst drinking at the bar, he was given a script and told "You're next.".

After some stage success, he expanded to television with roles in television series such as Villains (1972) and Thick as Thieves (1974).

In the mid-'70s, he started his film career, standing out when he performed alongside Richard Dreyfuss in John Byrum's Inserts (1975) and in a smaller part in Richard Lester's Royal Flash (1975).

Hoskins broke through in 1978 in Dennis Potter's mini TV series, Pennies from Heaven (1978), playing "Arthur Parker", the doomed salesman.

After this, a string of high-profile and successful films followed, starting with his true major movie debut in 1980's The Long Good Friday (1980) as the ultimately doomed "Harold Shand".

He was awarded the 1982 Critics' Circle Theatre Awards (Drama Theatre Award) for Best Actor of 1981 for his performance in "Guys and Dolls" and "True West".

Father of Rosa Hoskins (born 1983) and Jack Hoskins (born 1986) with Linda Banwell.

This was followed by such works as The Cotton Club (1984), Mona Lisa (1986), which won him an Oscar nomination as well as a BAFTA award, Cannes Film Festival and Golden Globe), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) (Golden Globe nomination), Mermaids (1990), Hook (1991), Nixon (1995), Felicia's Journey (1999) and Enemy at the Gates (2001). Hoskins always carefully balanced the riches of Hollywood with the labor of independent film, though leaned more towards the latter than the former.

He was Brian De Palma's second choice for the role of Al Capone in The Untouchables (1987) if Robert De Niro was not available. Hoskins was reportedly given a six-figure paycheck by De Palma for "being a great standby".

Adopted an American accent for the role of Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).

He turned down the role of Harry Lyme in Home Alone (1990).

He played the role of Smee, Captain Hook's right hand man, in both Hook (1991) and Neverland (2011).

He was considered for the role of The Penguin in Batman Returns (1992) that went to Danny DeVito.

Replaced Danny DeVito as Mario Mario in Super Mario Bros. (1993).

He worked at smaller projects such as Shane Meadows' debut TwentyFourSeven (1997), in which he starred as "Allen Darcy".

Has portrayed four World War II leaders in films: Nikita Khrushchev (Enemy at the Gates (2001)), Winston Churchill (World War II: When Lions Roared (1994)), Benito Mussolini (Mussolini and I (1985)) and Lavrenti Beria (The Inner Circle (1991)).

Was considered for the role of Senator Ralph Owen Brewster in The Aviator (2004), before Alan Alda was cast.

According to Barry Letts in Beginning the End: Making 'The Time Warrior' (2007), Hoskins was his first choice for the role of Irongron in Doctor Who: The Time Warrior: Part One (1973). Hoskins was not available to take the part but recommended David Daker, who was cast instead.

He was considered for the role of Salvatore Maroni in The Dark Knight (2008) that went to Eric Roberts.

He was considered for the role of Horace Slughorn in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) that went to Jim Broadbent.

All the lines of the character Wermit in the film In Search of La Che (2011) are all quotes of Bob Hoskins.

(August 8, 2012) Announced his retirement from acting after the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in Autumn 2011.