History Creator / AlanRickman

A classic anecdote told by John Sessions on ''Series/{{QI}}'', as seen [[http://youtu.be/Pc3OyvbJkj4 here]] described Alan's view on his roles. The quote is at 2:40, but Sessions is doing an impression for most of the clip.

* DramaticPause: Was... a... big... ''fan''. To the point J.K. Rowling admitting writing Severus Snape's dialogue in the later ''Potter'' books with Rickman's...''cadence'' in mind.

* DramaticPause: Was... a... big... ''fan''.

-->Mewes: I don't want to piss off that Rickman dude.

--->Mewes: I don't want to piss off that Rickman dude.

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-->''"[[Tearjerker/HarryPotter Always]]"''

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->''"[[Tearjerker/HarryPotter Always]]"''

* TheDreaded: In an amusing and unintentional way, he was this for Jason Mewes during the filming of Dogma. When Mewes was informed by Kevin Smith that he was going to have to be on point throughout the filming because this movie was going to have experienced and well-respected actors and ''Alan Rickman was one of them," Mewes took the filming so seriously that he not only memorized his lines, but everyone else's lines as well.

'''Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman''' (February 21, 1946 – January 14, 2016) was an English actor and director, known for playing a variety of roles on stage and screen, often as a complex antagonist. After doing the standard English Man In Hollywood origin full of Creator/WilliamShakespeare, theatre and single episode spots on the television, he managed to move over to the USA by serving his revenge cold as the Vicomte de Valmont (a very interesting man with some questionable morals) in ''[[Literature/DangerousLiaisons Les Liaisons Dangereuses]]'' on Broadway. He also starred in ''Film/TrulyMadlyDeeply'', a cultured version of ''Film/{{Ghost}}''. Then his first big screen role was the lovable MagnificentBastard Hans Gruber in ''Film/DieHard'', who set up a BatmanGambit in order to steal 600 million dollars in negotiable bearer bonds. He had to kill a few people to get the money, which was certainly not very nice, but he did so with memorable {{Bond One Liner}}s, and personally ad-libbed the infamous, "Mr. Takagi did not see it that way... so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life." To this day, Hans is still regarded as one of the greatest villains in movie history.

'''Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman''' (February 21, 1946 – January 14, 2016) was an English actor and director, known for playing a variety of roles on stage and screen, often as a complex antagonist. After doing the standard English Man In Hollywood origin full of Creator/WilliamShakespeare, theatre and single episode spots on the television, he managed to move over to the USA by serving his revenge cold as the Vicomte de Valmont (a very interesting man with some questionable morals) in ''[[Literature/DangerousLiaisons Les Liaisons Dangereuses]]'' on Broadway. He also starred in ''Film/TrulyMadlyDeeply'', a cultured version of ''Film/{{Ghost}}''. Then his first big screen role was the lovable MagnificentBastard Hans Gruber in ''Film/DieHard'' who set up a BatmanGambit in order to steal 600 million dollars in negotiable bearer bonds. He had to kill a few people to get the money which was certainly not very nice but he did so with memorable {{Bond One Liner}}s, and personally ad-libbed the infamous "Mr. Takagi did not see it that way... so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life." To this day, Hans is still regarded as one of the greatest villains in movie history.

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-->''When Alan saw the breadth of his article, he wept, for there were no more Tropes to conquer.''

* BadassBaritone: One of the reasons he was consistently chosen for villain roles.

* EvilBrit: One of the Trope makers.

* SecretKeeper: Creator/JKRowling told Alan Rickman Severus Snape's entire backstory - particularly, the content discussed in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' - as she felt it was crucial to his portrayal of the character in the films. He kept the fact that he had this knowledge secret from everyone until she revealed this herself, and even then, never revealed exactly what she'd said. Respecting his wishes, Rowling didn't tell anyone either until after his death.
-->''Twitter conversation, January 18, 2016''
-->'''@sarahrosefrank:''' Will you tell us the piece of information that you told Alan Rickman about Severus Snape? Or will that forever be a secret? :-)
-->'''Creator/JKRowling:''' I told Alan what lies behind the word "always".

* SecretKeeper: Creator/JKRowling told Alan Rickman Severus Snape's entire backstory - particularly, the content discussed in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' - as she felt it was crucial to his portrayal of the character in the films. He kept the fact that he had this knowledge secret from everyone until she revealed this herself.

He also played a bad guy in ''Film/QuigleyDownUnder'', as well as Judge Turpin in the 2007 Creator/TimBurton film version of ''Film/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet''. Regardless of these roles, there were plenty of clearly not villainous, still very interesting roles that he had performed.

'''Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman''' (February 21, 1946 – January 14, 2016) was an English actor and director, known for playing a variety of roles on stage and screen, often as a complex antagonist. After doing the standard English Man In Hollywood origin full of Creator/WilliamShakespeare, theatre and single episode spots on the television, he managed to move over to the USA by serving his revenge cold as the Vicomte de Valmont (a very interesting man with some questionable morals) in ''[[Literature/DangerousLiaisons Les Liaisons Dangereuses]]'' on Broadway. He also starred in ''Film/TrulyMadlyDeeply'', a cultured version of ''Film/{{Ghost}}''. Then his first big screen role was the lovable MagnificentBastard Hans Gruber in ''Film/DieHard'' who set up a BatmanGambit in order to steal 600 million dollars in negotiable bearer bonds. He had to kill a few people to get the money which was certainly not very nice but he did so with memorable {{Bond One Liner}}s, and personally ad-libbed the infamous "Mr. Takagi did not see it that way... so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life."

* SecretKeeper: Creator/JKRowling told Alan Rickman Severus Snape's entire backstory - particularly, the content discussed in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' - as she felt it was crucial to his understanding of the character. He kept the fact that he had this knowledge secret from everyone until she revealed this herself.

He starred as the title hypnotist in a 1994 biopic ''Mesmer'' about pioneering hypnotist Franz Anton Mesmer.

He played Colonel Brandon in a film adaptation of ''Film/SenseAndSensibility''. He played, of all things, a painter named Ed in the 1989 ''The January Man''. He was the Metatron, the angel people are really speaking to when they claim to speak to God[[note]]Or they're just talking to themselves[[/note]], in ''Film/{{Dogma}}'' (being on fire in his first on-screen appearance is certainly interesting), a role which he took after being a fan of Creator/KevinSmith's ''Chasing Amy'' but which he took with one strict condition: don't change anything in the script. He was also the voice of Marvin in the 2005 film version of ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''. In 1999 he starred in ''Film/GalaxyQuest'', where he played a Shakespearean actor slumming it in sci-fi. In 2003, he appeared in ''Film/LoveActually'' playing a caring yet utterly deadpan office boss who may or may not have had an affair with his assistant. He also played UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan in ''[[Film/TheButler Lee Daniels' The Butler]]''.

!!'''Mr. Rickman provided ''very interesting'' examples of:'''

After doing the standard English Man In Hollywood origin full of Creator/WilliamShakespeare, theatre and single episode spots on the television, '''Alan Rickman''' (February 21, 1946 -- January 14, 2016) managed to move over to the USA by serving his revenge cold as the Vicomte de Valmont (a very interesting man with some questionable morals) in ''[[Literature/DangerousLiaisons Les Liaisons Dangereuses]]'' on Broadway. He also starred in ''Film/TrulyMadlyDeeply'', a cultured version of ''Film/{{Ghost}}''. Then his first big screen role was the lovable MagnificentBastard Hans Gruber in ''Film/DieHard'' who set up a BatmanGambit in order to steal 600 million dollars in negotiable bearer bonds. He had to kill a few people to get the money which was certainly not very nice but he did so with memorable {{Bond One Liner}}s, and personally ad-libbed the infamous "Mr. Takagi did not see it that way... so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life."

He played Colonel Brandon in a film adaptation of ''Film/SenseAndSensibility''. He played, of all things, a painter named Ed in the 1989 ''The January Man''. He was the Metatron, the angel people are really speaking to when they claim to speak to God[[note]]Or they're just talking to themselves[[/note]], in ''{{Dogma}}'' (being on fire in his first on-screen appearance is certainly interesting), a role which he took after being a fan of Creator/KevinSmith's ''Chasing Amy'' but which he took with one strict condition: don't change anything in the script. He was also the voice of Marvin in the 2005 film version of ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''. In 1999 he starred in ''Film/GalaxyQuest'', where he played a Shakespearean actor slumming it in sci-fi. In 2003, he played a caring yet utterly deadpan office boss who may or may not have [[LoveActually had an affair with his assistant]]. He also played UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan in ''[[Film/TheButler Lee Daniels' The Butler]]''.

Further, Rickman [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw6Swr-ME40 recited poetry ]]. ''[[InsistentTerminology Very interesting]]'' poetry. And he made [[http://io9.com/5935919/alan-rickman-is-awesome-even-when-hes-making-tea-in-extreme-slow+motion tea]] in a ''very interesting'' way.

The world expressed collective sorrow to learn of Rickman's passing from pancreatic cancer, at the age of 69, on January 14th, 2016.

The world expressed collective sorrow to learn of Rickman's passing from cancer, at the age of 69, on January 14th, 2016.

* FakeNationality: His most iconic part in ''Film/DieHard'', he used it on a guest spot in ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill''.

* RealLife/MeanCharacterNiceActor: Look through his filmography on Website/{{IMDb}}. It includes [[MagnificentBastard Hans]] [[Film/DieHard Gruber]], [[Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves The Sheriff of Nottingham]], [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Alexander]] [[Film/GalaxyQuest Dane]], [[{{Jerkass}} Severus]] [[Film/HarryPotter Snape]], and Rasputin, who is... ''Rasputin''. Off-screen, Rickman was a low-key, modest man who stayed out of the limelight, avoided the paparazzi, and when it came to his fans, was a giant freaking teddy bear, quick with the jokes and hugs.
* ThoseTwoActors: With Creator/EmmaThompson.[[note]] They played an FBI/detective duo in ''Judas Kiss'', a married couple in ''Film/LoveActually'', Hogwarts professors in the ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' film series, two of the main characters in the 1995 version of ''Literature/SenseAndSensibility'', and ex-lovers in ''Film/TheSongOfLunch''.[[/note]]

* ThoseTwoActors: With Creator/EmmaThompson.

* SingleTargetSexuality: His widow Rima Horton became his first girlfriend in 1965 and has been the woman at his side all through until his death in 2016.

He played Colonel Brandon in a film adaptation of ''Film/SenseAndSensibility''. He played, of all things, a painter named Ed in the 1989 ''The January Man''. He was the Metatron, the angel people are really speaking to when they claim to speak to God[[note]]Or they're just talking to themselves[[/note]], in ''{{Dogma}}'' (appearing first on screen while on fire is certainly interesting), a role which he took after being a fan of Creator/KevinSmith's ''Chasing Amy'' but which he took with one strict condition: don't change anything in the script. He was also the voice of Marvin in the 2005 film version of ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''. In 1999 he starred in ''Film/GalaxyQuest'', where he played a Shakespearean actor slumming it in sci-fi. In 2003, he played a caring yet utterly deadpan office boss who may or may not have [[LoveActually had an affair with his assistant]]. He also played UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan in ''[[Film/TheButler Lee Daniels' The Butler]]''.

After doing the standard English Man In Hollywood origin full of Creator/WilliamShakespeare, theatre and single episode spots on the television, '''Alan Rickman''' (February 21, 1946 - January 14, 2016) managed to move over to the USA by serving his revenge cold as the Vicomte de Valmont (a very interesting man with some questionable morals) in ''[[Literature/DangerousLiaisons Les Liaisons Dangereuses]]'' on Broadway. He also starred in ''Film/TrulyMadlyDeeply'', a cultured version of ''Film/{{Ghost}}''. Then his first big screen role was the lovable MagnificentBastard Hans Gruber in ''Film/DieHard'' who set up a BatmanGambit in order to steal 600 million dollars in negotiable bearer bonds. He had to kill a few people to get the money which was certainly not very nice but he did so with memorable {{Bond One Liner}}s, and personally ad-libbed the infamous "Mr. Takagi did not see it that way... so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life."

Also, while Severus Snape in the ''Film/HarryPotter'' films is meant to be a [[JerkassWoobie sympathetic bastard with a not-so-happy past]], for some reason people kept feeling sorry for him, instead seeing Rickman's Snape [[TheWoobie as a normal guy who just needed a hug]] - as well as feeling [[DracoInLeatherPants a few other things]].

He also played a bad guy in ''Film/QuigleyDownUnder'', as well as Judge Turpin in the 2007 Tim Burton film version of ''Film/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet''. Regardless of these roles, there were plenty of clearly not villainous, still very interesting roles that he had performed.

He played Colonel Brandon in a film adaptation of ''Film/SenseAndSensibility''. He played, of all things, a painter named Ed in the 1989 "JanuaryMan". He was the Metatron, the angel people are really speaking to when they claim to speak to God[[note]]Or they're just talking to themselves[[/note]], in ''{{Dogma}}'' (appearing first on screen while on fire is certainly interesting), a role which he took after being a fan of Creator/KevinSmith's ''Chasing Amy'' but which he took with one strict condition: don't change anything in the script. He was also the voice of Marvin in the 2005 film version of ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''. In 1999 he starred in ''Film/GalaxyQuest'', where he played a Shakespearean actor slumming it in sci-fi. In 2003, he played a caring yet utterly deadpan office boss who may or may not have [[LoveActually had an affair with his assistant]]. He also played UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan in ''[[Film/TheButler Lee Daniels' The Butler]]''.

He also helped compile the one-woman play ''My Name Is Rachel Corrie'' out of the letters, emails, and journals of the title character. As of 2015, he had directed two films, ''The Winter Guest'' and ''A Little Chaos''.

A classic anecdote told by John Sessions on {{QI}}, as seen [[http://youtu.be/Pc3OyvbJkj4 here]] described Alan's view on his roles. The quote is at 2:40, but Sessions is doing an impression for most of the clip.

* FakeAmerican: His most iconic part in ''Film/DieHard'', he used it on a guest spot in ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill''.