Out-gay Tony Award winning Brit actor 71 year old Roger Rees died last night in New York after a brief illness. Classically trained, he started his career with The Royal Shakespeare Company and created the title role in the original production of ‘The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby’, David Edgar’s stage adaptation of the Dickens novel, winning both an Olivier Award and a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in 1982. When it was subsequently filmed for TV, Rees won an Emmy Award Nomination for his performance.
 |
| Roger Rees as Nicholas Nickelby |
In 1995 he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role in ‘Indiscretions’, and he received a Tony Award nomination for co-directing the Peter Pan prequel ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’, which had been written by his playwright husband Rick Elice.
 |
| ‘Robin Colcord’ in ‘Cheers’ |
Rees also had a very successful career on Television too, and he is probably best remembered for playing the snobbish Brit Robin Colcord in ‘Cheers’ and the British Ambassador Lord Marbury in ‘The West Wing’ for six seasons. As well as appearing in movies such as ‘The Pink Panther’ and ‘The Scorpion King’, his most notable role was as the Sheriff of Rottingham in Mel Brook’s camp romp ‘Robin Hood: Men in Tights.’
From 2004 – 2007 Rees was artistic director of the prestigious Williamstown Theatre Festival, only the fourth person to hold the post in its half century history.
 |
| Roger Rees and husband Rick Elice |
Rees is survived by his husband Rich Elice who he married in 2010. Tributes have been pouring in all day for this well loved and respected actor. Sir Patrick Stewart tweeted earlier ‘Brilliant actor, dear friend and colleague, witty, kind, private man, Roger Rees died this morning. A space is left that cannot be filled.’
Labels: 2015, actor, gay, obituary, Roger Rees
