British actor Alan Rickman dies

Alan Rickman died at his home in London, his agent said on Thursday. He was 69 years old and was reported to be suffering from cancer, British media said.

Rickman is remembered for his portrayal of villainous characters in several movies, including Bruce Willis' adversary in "Die Hard" and the sheriff of Nottingham in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves," for which he won a British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) in 1991. Rickman also won a Golden Globe for best actor in a television series for the title role in "Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny."

His most recent portrayal of Professor Severus Snape from the Harry Potter movie series earned him thousands of fans across the world.

Although popular for his negative roles, Rickman played a wide variety of characters. He appeared as the romantic Colonel Brandon in "Sense and Sensibility" with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet and delighted audiences with his comic abilities in "Dogma" and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." He was also known for his acting in "Truly, Madly, Deeply" and the romantic comedy, "Love, Actually."

Rickman was also a renowned stage actor and appeared in several plays, including "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" and Noel Coward's "Private Lives."

The veteran actor was born in February 1946 in Hammersmith, London. He began his acting career at the age of 26, when he received a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), also in London, according to the online movie database Imdb.

mg/jil (Reuters, AFP, dpa)