At the age of 80, actor David Warner, who appeared in movies like The Omen and Tron, passed away from a cancer-related illness.
His family expressed their “overwhelming heavy heart” in announcing the news.
In James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster Titanic, Warner played Spicer Lovejoy, Billy Zane’s evil sidekick.
In Mary Poppins Returns, he most recently played the eccentric Admiral Boom, a naval officer.
At Denville Hall, a care facility for those working in the entertainment industry, Warner passed away on Sunday.
His family said that over the previous 18 months, he handled his diagnosis with his “typical grace and dignity.”
“We, his family, and friends will miss him dearly. He will be remembered as a kind-hearted, giving, and compassionate man, partner, and father whose extraordinary legacy of work over the years has touched the lives of so many. We’re devastated “It went on.
In movies like The Thirty Nine Steps (1978) and Time Bandits, Warner frequently portrayed the villain (1981).
Many will be familiar with his portrayal of photographer Keith Jennings, who met an unjust death in the supernatural classic The Omen in 1976.
When asked if he knew what had happened to his severed head during an interview for a horror movie program hosted by Mark Gatiss, Warner deadpanned, “I lost it in the divorce.”
In George C. Scott’s 1984 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Warner portrayed Bob Cratchit. He noted that it was enjoyable to play a character who wasn’t a villain for a change.
He also had a successful television career, appearing in shows like Penny Dreadful, Ripper Street, Doctor Who, the original Twin Peaks, and Wallander, in which he played Kenneth Branagh’s father.
In addition, Warner portrayed a number of characters in the Star Trek series and appeared in several Doctor Who audio plays.
The Mancunian’s work was recognized early in his career when he received a Bafta nomination for his lead role opposite Vanessa Redgrave in Karel Reisz’s 1966 film Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment.
In 1981, he went on to win an Emmy for portraying Pomponius Falco in the television miniseries Masada, winning for outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries or special.
Early in his career, the Rada-trained British actor gained notoriety for playing the lead roles in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Hamlet and Henry VI.
For the first time in more than 40 years, Warner visited Stratford in 2007 to perform as Sir John Falstaff in the Courtyard Theatre revival of Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2.
Warner was honored by RSC artistic director emeritus Gregory Doran in a statement.
“I was shocked to learn of David Warner’s passing.
“David’s most famous performance for the RSC was as Hamlet in 1965, under Peter Hall’s direction, starring Glenda Jackson as Ophelia, Elizabeth Spriggs as Gertrude, Brewster Mason as Claudius, and Brewster Mason as the Ghost.
“A tortured student, David appeared to embody 1960s youth and capture the radical spirit of a tumultuous era in his long orange scarf.
He had a kind heart, a lot of talent, and a generous spirit.
The actor once described his childhood as “messy” and his family as “dysfunctional,” adding that acting was “a means of escape” from these circumstances.
Warner claimed that a drama teacher who later served as his mentor inspired him to pursue acting, saying that the alternative was to “become a juvenile delinquent.”
His devoted partner Lisa Bowerman, his adored son Luke and daughter-in-law Sarah, his dear friend Jane Spencer Prior, his first wife Harriet Evans, and his numerous gold dust friends are his surviving family members.
