Posted: 7/11/15 at 6:58am
So those people who hinted there was some scandal attached to his departure from The Visit- I hope you're feeling suitable chastened.
A very very talented- he will be missed.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 7:20am
My god. What a horrible ending for a sudden exit to a show! Most importantly, my heart and prayers go out to his family and friends. RIP, Roger
Posted: 7/11/15 at 7:41am
Rest In Peace. Last saw him in 'The Winslow Boy.' Great actor.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 7:42am
The world has lost a great talent.
His friends and family have lost someone very, very special.
I'm heartbroken.
RIP, dear man.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 7:51am
Everyone else has said it more eloquently than I could
Saw him in The Visit, The AAdams Family & The Winslow Boy. He was adept at comedy with Robin Hood which I have and will have to watch again now. Knew he was sick but not this bad. Whatever it was it was quick and he was surrounded by loved ones.
R.I.P. We have lost a great one . He was a Broadway luminary whose name was not that well known by many but his loss is a big one.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 8:02am
Truly a tremendous loss of an equally tremendous talent.
When I was in college, my acting teacher had struck up an acquaintance with him and he graciously offered to give a telephone conference with our acting class. What was originally planned to be about a half hour turned into a little over an hour.
So sad to hear this news.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 8:10am
I last saw him in THE WINSLOW BOY, and could not take my eyes off him whenever he was on stage. Magnificent actor. May he rest in peace.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 8:19am
Hopefully, we will not have another debate about dimming marquees. The only thing I want to know is when it will happen.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 8:23am
Such sad news to wake up to. I never had the opportunity to see him on stage, but loved his work on TV and film. My heart goes out to his husband and to the rest of his family. May they have some comfort in knowing that he left such a fine body of work behind and touched so many people. RIP.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 8:26am
My heart goes out to his family and friends. My daughter had the opportunity to work with him and so I met him a few times and he was indeed a very lovely and special human being. A great loss...and a sad day.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 8:49am
He and Rick shared a love for the ages. The New Yorker: Backstory
Posted: 7/11/15 at 9:23am
I saw him once at the Broadway Flea Market. Just seeing the gracious time he took with each of his fans was so admirable.
R.I.P. Roger. You will be deeply missed.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 9:51am
Hard to believe that two months ago he was onstage giving a lovely performance and now he's gone. But that's the way life works sometimes.
RIP to a man of rare character, charm, intelligence, and grace. You will be missed.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 10:17am
Posted: 7/11/15 at 10:30am
Oh my God. He must have known he was sick during the run of The Visit. Heaven rest him now.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 10:46am
What do you say when an actor who has given some of your favorite performances ever dies? Obviously the sadness I feel is nothing compared to that of his husband and family and friends.
I wish everyone could see the wonder that was his deep, humanistic performance in the marathon that was Nicholas Nickelby.
And to have gone from that to so many other great performances, from Cheers to Stoppard to Beckett to Chekhov and then to musicals.
It breaks my heart that I will not see him on stage again.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 10:46am
Thank you for sharing the New Yorker profile, NYadgal!
I'm quite sad about the loss of Roger, who I only had the pleasure of seeing once on stage, but so much appreciate his contributions to theater. I will be especially appreciating his wonderful performance on The Visit cast recording today.
May he rest in peace, and condolences to his loved ones and friends.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 10:53am
Is there any footage around of him getting the Best Actor Tony for Nicholas Nickleby?
He unfortunately couldn't make it to the Tonys that night as he was filming in Bangkok.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 11:12am
May he rest in peace. I saw him in what was to be one of his last performances ever (The Visit). The spec that was milling around was not nice, we know the truth now. May his family and close ones find comfort in knowing he touched so many people with his talents.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 11:17am
This saddens me deeply, he is gone far too soon. I had the great pleasure of seeing on stage several times at the RSC and in New York. Among them was an amazing performance as Malcolm in "Macbeth" and the title role in "Nicholas Nickleby" both in London and NYC.
One of my fondest theatre memories happened during the performance of "Nicholas Nickleby" in New York. During the intervals the actors strolled through the audience, talking to them. During the first interval I struck up a conversation with him. We were so engrossed in talking he hadn't noticed the act was about to begin. Another actor came forward to the edge of the stage and called out to him. He quickly said goodbye and ran up the aisle, jumped on stage and the act began immediately. He returned to me after each act and we continued our conversation. When he came back to Broadway in "Indiscretions" I actually waited at the stage door to say hi (I never stage door). He actually remembered me and he took me out for an after show drink.
He was an amazing actor and an even nicer person and he will be missed.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 11:19am
A friend texted me at 1:00am with the news. I was floored. Had just finished listening to THE VISIT. I was lucky enough to be in his company on a number of occasions and have a few very nice conversations with him. May he rest in peace.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 11:47am
I am so ashamed. I thought that the reason Roger Rees left "The Visit" was that the show wasn't doing well at the box office; and he knew it was destined to close. I never read that it was due to an unexpected illness.
What I admired most about Roger Rees was that he was open about his sexual orientation. While I saw him on stage in "A Man of No Importance," "Indiscretions," and "End of the Day," I don't remember his performances from those three productions as being exceptional; but I do remember his work on "Cheers" as Robin Colcord, in which he was totally convincing as a cad.
I am impressed by the affectionate comments made by members of the Broadway community as to what Roger Rees meant to them. What a wonderful legacy he leaves behind.
Posted: 7/11/15 at 12:04pm
He used to come into one of the restaurants I worked at with Bebe and he was always friendly and conversational. RIP
Posted: 7/11/15 at 12:35pm
So glad I got to see him in The Visit, very sad news
Posted: 7/11/15 at 12:42pm
This news absolutely breaks my heart. I never got to see him on stage which is something I will always regret. But I was a huge fan of his TV and film work. Season 8 of Cheers is my favorite just because his character was hilarious. He is gone far too soon and will be greatly missed. My prayers to his husband and family.
