Biography
Roger Rees (1944–2015) was a Welsh-American actor and director. Born in Aberystwyth, Wales, he trained as a painter at Camberwell College of Arts and the Slade School of Fine Art before moving into theatre, initially painting scenery at the Wimbledon Theatre and making his acting debut there in 1965.
Rees gained recognition for his stage performances, notably starring in the Royal Shakespeare Company's adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby, for which he received Olivier and Tony awards. On screen he appeared in films including Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), The Scorpion King (2002), Frida (2002) and The Prestige (2006), and in television series such as Cheers (as Robin Colcord), The West Wing and Oz, in which he also directed an episode. He became an American citizen in 1989 and was married to theatre writer Rick Elice from 2011 until his death from cancer.
