Fans are lately expressing concerns about how their favorite actor, Leonard Rossiter, died. Even though he did great work at the theatre, he mostly earned fame from his comedy roles. Before diving into how we lost such an iconic British actor, let’s look at his prominence in the industry.
Leonard Rossiter was popularly known for his roles in Rupert Rigsby and Reginald Perrin in Rising Damp and The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, respectively. Between these two, which one do you like more? Besides these, some of Leonard Rossiter’s other works include The Pink Panther Strikes Again, Water, Britannia Hospital, Diamonds for Breakfast, Deadlier Than The Male, etc.
How can we forget to discuss some of Leonard Rossiter’s theatre works? The notable ones are Caesar and Cleopatra, A Taste Of Money, A Man for All Seasons, The Recruiting Officer, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, A Christmas Carol, etc. Little did you know Leonard Rossiter also had great writing skills. Also, he provided his voice for the character King of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland.
This iconic actor passed away at the age of 57, and it was very sudden and unexpected too. Still, not everyone knows about what happened to him. If you are looking for Leonard Rossiter’s death, you are at the right place.
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Meet Leonard Rossiter: The Legendary Actor
The British actor Leonard Rossiter was born on 21 October 1926. He hailed from Wavertree, Liverpool, United Kingdom. Leonard Rossiter was very much passionate about acting from a young age. But, right after finishing high school, he started working for an insurance company.
When he was 26 years old, he left his job to pursue acting as his full-time option. Little did you know, he stayed associated with the industry since 1954, more specifically for three decades until his death. By now, you already know some of Leonard Rossiter’s notable film, television, and theatre work. But are they all? A big no!
If you consider yourself a true fan of Leonard Rossiter, then you must have watched- A Kind Of Loving, Billy Liar, Barry Lyndon, The Year of the Sex Olympics, Tripper’s Day, and The Life and Death of King John. Well, by any chance, if you missed out on these mentioned ones, you should watch them now. It’s better late than ever! Did you know that Leonard Rossiter also hosted a few radio shows? He was also very much appreciated for his distinctive, a bit husky voice.
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How Did Leonard Rossiter Die?
It was on 5 October 1984 when Leonard Rossiter passed away, and it was at an early age. The cause of his death was a heart attack. More precisely, the actor died from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart becomes heavy without any obvious reason.
His death was a bit more pathetic as he was about to appear on the stage and was waiting in the dressing room. He was at Lyric Theatre, London, performing his play, Loot. His role was of a police inspector. He was found collapsed and was immediately taken to Middlesex Hospital by the staff members. There, the doctors declared him to be dead. They tried to resuscitate Leonard Rossiter for almost half an hour. But it was late. However, the doctors failed to detect the cause of his death right then.
With the news, the audience was not just shocked but also disheartened. People admired him not just as an actor but also as a person. It was very premature and difficult for the fans to accept his loss. Several years have passed, but Leonard Rossiter is still missed. His death has been a major loss to the English film industry. Also, in the theatrical world, We believe that Leonard Rossiter is still alive within us. Which is your favorite Leonard Rossiter work?
