A Tribute to Bob Hoskins

I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way

Robert William "Bob" Hoskins (26 September 1942 - 29 April 2014) was an English actor known for playing Cockneys and gangsters.  He appeared and starred in movies and plays, and is best known for The Long Good Friday (1980), Mona Lisa (1986), Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988), Hook (1991), Super Mario Brothers (1993), Nixon (1995), A Christmas Carol (2009), Neverland (2011), and his final role, Snow White and the Huntsman (2012).

I never knew this man personally, I don't really know what his politics are, or what his religion was.  I don't even know whether or not he was a good man in life.  What I do know was that this gruff Englishman has a place in my heart for some of his more well-known roles he did.  He was Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, a man whose brother had been killed by a cartoon.  I remember that he was a gruff, and straight arrow in this movie.  A victim of circumstance.  A great performance, and certainly one that he should be proud of. 

I watched Hook for the first time in 1991, and I remember that while the movie itself was kind of so-so, Bob Hoskins and Dustin Hoffman had great chemistry together as Captain Hook and Mr. Smee.  The rest of the movie was a little bland, but watching Mr. Smee made it work.

In 1993, I watched the Super Mario Brothers Movie.  In a 2007 interview, Bob admitted that this movie was the worst thing he had ever done.  And while I agree with you there Bob, since the movie was rather shitty, It has gathered a cult following, and there have been way worse movies out there, since 1993.

Bob died of pneumonia on April 29, 2014.  He had retired from acting in 2012.  I still remember all the laughs, and the groans that your performances have given.  I have seen your best stuff, I have seen your worst.  I know that you have struggled, and you have clawed to get every ounce of respect that you have earned, and deserved.

So, Eddie Valiant, Mr. Smee, Mario Mario, and to all of your other memorable characters... thank you for all that you have given us.  You have been an inspiration to so many people.