Actor Pete Postlethwaite dies, aged 64
Monday 3rd January 2011, 12:00PM GMT.
The Oscar-nominated Shropshire actor Pete Postlethwaite has died following a lengthy illness. He was 64 and died in hospital yesterday.
Mr Postlethwaite had fought a long battle against cancer and is survived by his wife Jacqui, his son Will, 21, and daughter Lily, 14. He was famously described by the film director Steven Spielberg as “the best actor in the world”
He won an Oscar nomination for his 1993 role as Guiseppe Conlon in the film In The Name Of The Father.
Mr Postlethwaite was proud of his Shropshire connections and had lived in the county for two decades, having settled in Minton, near Church Stretton, before moving to the outskirts of Bishop’s Castle.
He became unwell during his 2008 and 2009 performances as King Lear, initially at Liverpool’s Everyman Theatre and then in London, at the Young Vic Theatre.
In recent months, Mr Postlethwaite paid tribute to medical staff at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and local surgeries.
“They have been wonderful and I am grateful to them,” he had said.
“I cannot thank them enough for everything that they have done for me.”
Mr Postlethwaite supported the Ludlow Assembly Rooms, Ludlow Arts Festival and the Caitlin Kickstart Award, raising cash for south Shropshire students keen to pursue a career in the performing arts.
Mr Postlethwaite was also a big supporter of libertarian causes and marched against the War in Iraq, spoke publically at the 2004 Make Poverty History demonstration, in Edinburgh, and campaigned for other social and environmental issues.
He won permission from the former South Shropshire District Council to convert his home into an environmentally-sustainable dwelling, with a wind turbine.
At the UK premiere of The Age of Stupid, Mr Postlethwaite tackled then-Energy and Climate Change minister Ed Miliband, threatening to send back his OBE if more was not done for the environment.
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A true star sadly missed!
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True class! We’ll not see his like again I fear.
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Very sad news. – I was a big fan of the ‘Sharpe’ tv series in which he played the Obadiah Hakeswill character so brilliantly.
Rest in peace, Pete.
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So sad. We were so grateful and enormously impressed by his telling of the tales of the Stiperstones on the All Access trail up on the Hills. He gave his time freely and his magnificent voice will continue to be heard there.
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rest in peace pete,the acting world will be poorer with your loss
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A truly great talent–no matter what character he played he was totally believable. I feel for his Family–may their hearts be eased by the affection that the public felt for this
man.
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A really believable actor in everything he did. We were lucky to have him God Bless him and his family.Bring on all his films please.
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Have known Pete since he moved to Shropshire, a great character actor and good friend. Never to stop and talk to anyone and not standoffish like so many stars.
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SO SAD THE WORLD HAS LOST A GREAT ACTOR WE WIL ALL MISS HIS GREAT TALENT R.E.P
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Met Peter briefly when my daughter Bethany appeared in a play with Will (His son) nice family, very grounded. He will be much missed.
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Yeah he was lovely. My sons went to school with Will and we often used to see him around. Lovely bloke :)
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Very sad news indeed.
My condolences to the family.
I hope one of the breweries in BC brews a memorial ale.
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With special thoughts to all your close family, what a sad loss, and what a brilliant life. Fare thee well Pete.
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This is so sad. He and his family were/are lovely people. He was a top bloke.
Obadiah Hakeswill…..brilliant job!!
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We used to see Pete regularly around Church Stretton where he lived near us.
He always had a smile and a hello in the shops etc.
A very down to earth lovely man and we’ll miss seeing him around here.
A sad day. x x x x x
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Really sadly missed, a fantastic actor and proud to have him living in our locality. RIP
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what a dreadful start to 2011, the death of the brassed off star pete postlethwaite is very sad news indeed, i wish his widow and children much comfort at this time. may he conduct forever.
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I fell out of Will’s treehouse when I was very little and got a thorn in my thumb for a week.
Unfortunately, since I moved down south at a young age, I don’t remember much more about him except seeing him in films, but my parents know him, and my dad in Church Stretton saw him about every so often.
He will be sadly missed.
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I always remember Pete to be a most versatile actor who took on any role with a passion and always produced the goods
Apart from memorable performances on screen I remember him as an excellent Banquo in Macbeth and as Ragueneau in Cyrano de Bergerac opposite Sir Derek Jacobi.
These productions were both with the RSC in the early eighties
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May such a wonderful actor and all-round campaigner for a better way of life rest in peace. In every role he played, he was truly superb: an incredibly gifted actor and antidote to many of our shallow “celebrities” today.
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I trained at Simmaries with Pete and was amember of the college 3rd Rugby Team “The Vipers” with Pete. Thoughts and prayers to his family.
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With deepest condolences to the family and your community from here in Canada. I had the pleasure of seeing Pete in his one-man show “Scaramouche” a few years ago in Toronto. A wonderful legacy of film and stage work he has left all of us. Must watch “Brassed Off” today in his honour – with pint(s) in hand.
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A great actor! Always was very pleased to see him on screen. Such a ‘real’ person, very sympathetic. A true loss! Want to pay my regrets to his family..
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A remarkable actor, and a unique talent. He will be irreplaceable.
My deepest condolences to his family.
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I never met Peter Postlethwaite, but I saw him from the back of the hall at a Stretton Climate Care meeting when Mark Lynas came to Church Stretton to speak about ‘6 Degrees’. He seemed unassuming and self-effacing. On hearing this sad news one thinks of his brilliant perfomances on screen in Brassed Off or The Usual Suspects, but I will remember him on that evening as a down-to-earth, thoughtful bloke, listening intently to the talk and the discussion which followed, in his thick, woolly jumper, wanting to contribute to his community in his own quiet, modest way. An inspiring man. Condolences to all of his family.
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A real diamond rest in Peace Pete
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I am shocked to hear he has passed away. I remember him in the film Alien R I P
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When you saw his name in the credits of a movie, you knew it was going to be good. A talented actor, and a friend to the earth. Rest in Peace – we will remember.
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I was also a Physical Education student at St. Mary’s College in Twickenham, along with Pete, who was taking drama as well. Will never forget the results of one of his teaching practices which resulted in his bringing a group of youngsters into college to perform a superb “Zorba the Greek” item. So impressive that I almost switched to drama!
“Brassed Off” also one of my favourite films of all time. Spielberg 100% c0rrect!
I consider myself hugely fortunate to have known Pete, and am immensely saddened by his passing. Rest in Peace, friend.
Condolences to Pete’s widow and to his children.
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A true Gent and a class actor, sadly missed
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saw pete in church stretton a number of times over the years and he always said hello and lifted his hat like a true gentle man…
your going to be so missed by all ur family, friends, and fans.. RIP pete a true shropshire lad xx
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I was first introduced to Pete via the BBC series “Sharpe’s Rifle’s” when it was shown on my local National Public Television station here in the United States. I was completely taken by his acting ability. There was something about him that just captured me. I followed his career thereafter and he continued to amaze me with his acting. I and the world will miss him.
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Very sad news…. sorry for the loss of an inspiring actor xxx
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R.I.P Pete, such a tragic loss.
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gone but never will be forgotten rest in peace pete
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I hail from Lincolnshire, but I just had to contact your newspaper to add my heartfelt tribute.
What a truly great actor he was, but also a very human person, with a wickedly dry sense of humour. Described as a ‘chracter actor’ and that may be true, but any part he played became an absolutely believable character. That is truly the mark of a great actor. Mr. Spielberg was correct, and he should know – he has worked with the best.
Pete you will live on in the hearts and minds of all who saw you perform. Rest in peace and wander your beloved Shropshire hills forever.
To his family – we share your grief.
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rip
ledgend
ususual suspects still my fav film ever largely down to his performance too!
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Pete was once of the world’s finest actors. When you saw him on screen you knew you were watching how it should be done. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends, God Bless you Mr Postlethwaite.
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such a sad loss to all of us
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Pete Postlethwaite was a great actor, seemed to be a great human being and I am glad to know how people are conscious of the big loss for the movie acting comunity.
With respect, admiration, and sadness
Vera Green
Brazilian living in Houston, Texas
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Pete Postlethwaite was one of the best actors of the world. I am sad and sorry fot this great loss.
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so sad, what a terrificly talented man, his acting was superb. sincere condolences to his family.
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top bloke, excellent actor, what a shame,
condolences to his family, RIP
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Am totally devastated that such a brilliant actor has been taken from us at such an early age. Each of the many parts he played, he was that person and for me, no more so than the Bandmaster in ‘Brassed Off’.
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RIP Pete. Very sad news. He was such a great actor.
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Met him briefly at a Shrewsbury Town football match he seemed very down to earth.He will be sadly missed,a Great Actor.
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Pete Postlethwaite was a fabulous actor and will be terribly missed all over the world. I remember his understated, strong perfomance in the movie “Brassed Off”, he made that film memorable to me for a lifetime.
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A sad, sad loss to the world of acting.
R.I.P. Pete, remembered – by me – for your key role in possibly my favourite film: The Usual Suspects.
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Although I am not a movie buff, and while I presume he did not play brass, Pete’s performance in Brassed Off was part of the inspiration for my wife and I coming to England many times thereafter to hear brass bands. Having since joined one myself, here in the USA, the movie and his penetrating acting have remained vividly with me ever since. Reading more about him now, it appears he was a gem in many respects. I am grateful for his wonderful acting, and am sorry, for his family and friends, for your loss.
Allen Tollen, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA
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His performance in “Sharpe” was unforgettable with the picture of his mother inside of his helmet. “Mother” he would scream with canon fire dropping all around him,complete raving loony of a soldier. Great actor, I for one am very sad to see him pass! Sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Phil Dunham
Nova Scotia
Canada
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A superb actor who made every role he played utterly convincing.
I would love to have had the opportunity to have a pint with him in a local pub.
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Here in the mountains of NC,USA our family 1st became familiar with Peter as George Merry in Treasure Island and there-after his other roles in Alien, Last of the Mohicans, In the Name of the Father, Jurassic Park, Amistad, Inception… as well as others. The man was a genius actor who was unique in every part. I grieve for his family as well for the rest of us who will miss him in roles never to be known. May the loss and emptiness his family feels be filled by the loving memories of a man who’s life was well lived!
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Everyone who met him came away with pleasant feelings; he was a very amiable, sociable human being and a great actor.
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I was listening to RTE, the national radio station in the Irish Republic yesterday.
Throughout the day they were reporting numerous fulsome tributes to Mr Postlethwaite, and he was clearly held in high regard there – particularly after his Academy Award nomination for portraying Guiseppe Conlon.
The entertainment business isn’t often known for its sincerity and is perhaps better known for its artifice.
What a pleasure to hear that in his life away from work, Mr Postlethwaite was a genuine character who was proud of his family and highly regarded by the people in the area he lived in. Quite apart from his acting skills, it is probably these personal qualities for which he will be fondly remembered.
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I remember drinking in the Ragleth after a walk and one of our party came through and said ‘Pete Postlethwaite’s in the bar with a couple of famous mates’. None of us bothered to go and look, too tacky….but I wish we had. Especially when we heard that Steven Spielberg had been spotted in Minton on another occasion.
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Met Mr Postlethwaite only once it was up on the Burway, I was trying out a GPS device and he asked me what I was doing and why did I need such a device when all I had to do was follow the other walkers-point taken-never did get on with the GPS and sold it shortly after.
He was a very genuine, warm and friendly person who put people at their ease-a peoples actor who will never be replaced and will be very sadly missed.
My condolences to his family-another star joins the night sky. RIP my “friend”.
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Cysga’n Dawel Pete it was a joy to know you. Love and strength to Jacqui, Will and Lily xx
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Death means leaving the stage long enough to change costume and to come back as someone else and we know you will.
Bye bye for now mate.
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Pete’s heart and soul will always remain in his adored hills of South Shropshire where we had the priveledge of knowing a most unusual and remarkable man and one who will never be fogotten. May his onward journey be as fulfilling as the one he has just completed.
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Pete will be missed he was a truly talented person and liked by everyone who knew him. Every role was so believable, my personal favourites are Brassed off, The usual suspects and Romeo and Juliet. Rip pete and i am thinking of his family at this time.
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