Bob Hoskins
A bulldog of an actor from London's working class, he brought a raw, vulnerable humanity to every gangster and hard man he played.
1942–2014 (age 72)·English actor·Birthday: October 26·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bob Hoskins didn't look like a movie star, and that was his superpower. With a physique like a retired boxer and a face that could switch from menace to melancholy in a blink, he became one of Britain's most treasured character actors. He stumbled into acting almost by accident after an audition at the Unity Theatre, and his lack of formal training fueled an instinctive, powerful style. His breakthrough as a ruthless London gangster in 'The Long Good Friday' announced a major talent, his performance a masterclass in simmering violence. He found international fame as the weary detective Eddie Valiant in 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit,' acting opposite empty space with a gruff, hilarious sincerity. His role as a smitten chauffeur in 'Mona Lisa' won him a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination, revealing the tender heart beneath the tough exterior. Hoskins never lost his London grit, even when working in Hollywood, and his retirement in 2012 after a Parkinson's diagnosis marked the end of a uniquely earthy and compelling era in film.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bob was born in 1942, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1942
#1 Movie
Bambi
Best Picture
Mrs. Miniver
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1942Born
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1947Started school
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1955Became a teenager
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Could drive
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1960Could vote
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Turned 21
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1972Turned 30
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 40
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 50
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 60
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 70
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2014Died at 72
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role as George in 'Mona Lisa.'
- Won a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in 'Mona Lisa.'
- Starred as Eddie Valiant in the groundbreaking live-action/animation hybrid 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit.'
- Delivered a defining performance as gangster Harold Shand in the British crime classic 'The Long Good Friday.'
- Directed and starred in the film 'The Raggedy Rawney,' a project he also wrote.
Did You Know?
He was offered the role of Al Capone in 'The Untouchables' but turned it down; Robert De Niro later took it and won an Oscar.
He could not read music but learned to play the piano for his role in 'Pennies from Heaven.'
He was only 5 feet 6 inches tall and often played characters with much larger physical presences.
He was considered for the role of Wolverine in the 'X-Men' films before Hugh Jackman was cast.
He announced his retirement from acting in 2012 after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
“The thing about acting is, it's not about being someone else. It's about finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there.”
