Originally known mainly as a character actor in his native country, British actor Bob Hoskins took a major risk when he accepted the role of Eddie Valiant in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Not only was he playing against a non-existent co-star who would be added to the film later, he also had to deal with the murmurs around Hollywood that the film would be another big budget disaster like Howard the Duck. Of course, the film was actually something very special and Mr. Hoskins became a household name. It turned out he was perfect for the role of the hapless, drunken Eddie who needed the help of a special Toon to snap out of his funk and prove how valiant he really was.
Mr. Hoskins retired from acting in 2011 after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and passed away yesterday at the age of 71.