The passing of a giant in the film industry is always a sad occasion. The man you may know as Professor Snape, or perhaps Hans Gruber, or maybe even one of his numerous stage roles, died of pancreatic cancer this past month at the age of 69.
Rickman was born in 1946 in Acton, London, to Margaret and Bernard Rickman, in a working class family with 2 brothers, David and Michael, and a sister Sheila. Unfortunately, his father died when Alan Rickman was only 8 years old. Throughout his school years, Rickman excelled in the visual artsm with an emphasis on watercolour painting and calligraphy. In secondary school, he became involved with drama; however, upon graduation he decided that graphic design was a more stable career than acting and studied at Chelsea College of Art, and later Royal College of art.
During his studies in visual art and graphic design, Rickman worked as a graphic designer for the Notting Hill Herald, and on the completion of his studies, he opened his own graphic design studio, called Graphiti, with several friends.
After 3 years of successful business at Graphiti, Rickman’s passion for the dramatic arts had not subsided, and he decided that if he was ever going to pursue a career as an actor, it was now or never. After auditioning at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, (RADA,) he was accepted and attended the school from 1972-1974. While studying Shakespeare in drama school, he worked as a dresser, (essentially a stage-hand whose sole job is to tend to costumes,) for two celebrated actors, Sir. Nigel Hawthorne and Sir Ralph Richardson.
After graduation from RADA, Alan Rickman performed with British repertory and experimental theatre groups in smaller productions. In 1985, he was given the male lead role in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, as Vicomte de Valmont. He would go on to receive nominations for both Tony and Drama Desk Awards for his portrayal of this role on Broadway in 1987.
Although Rickman’s career only took off in his 40’s, the man was an exceptionally talented actor who played a wide range of roles throughout his lifetime, despite the common perception of his being typecast as a villain. While his two most famous roles in Die Hard and the Harry Potter series may have been villainous, Rickman received over 16 awards in his acting career. In addition to being on stage and in front of the camera, Rickman was an accomplished director, having co-wrote and directed several major productions of his own, including The Winter Guest and My Name Is Rachel Corrie.
While the man with the near-perfect voice may no longer be with us, for his extraordinary talent, he will be remembered. Always.
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