Former EastEnders actor Maurice Roëves has died aged 83, his agent has confirmed.
In a statement released on Twitter, Lovett Logan said: “It is with great sadness that we can confirm the passing of our wonderful client Maurice Roëves.
“We will miss him hugely and all our love goes to Vanessa and family.”
It is with great sadness that we can confirm the passing of our wonderful client #MauriceRoëves. We will miss him hugely & all our love goes to Vanessa and family. pic.twitter.com/Td4LRxiJYe
— Lovett Logan (@LovettLogan) July 15, 2020
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However, his cause of death is not yet known.
Who did Maurice Roëves play in EastEnders?
The Scottish actor played Geoff Morton, the alcoholic father of Kate Morton (Jill Halfpenny) in EastEnders in 2003.
He arrived for his daughter’s wedding day to Phil Mitchell and subsequently revealed he wasn’t at all pleased with her choice of husband.
Geoff was especially angry when he discovered Kate knew all about Phil’s criminal past and had left the police force in order to marry him.
He was disappointed Phil didn’t drink, but after a conversation about alcoholism returned to Newcastle to clean up his act.
However, in March 2004 Kate heard he had taken his own life.
Maurice Roëves’ other roles
After his popular appearance on stage in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, Maurice’s film debut was in the 1966 movie The Fighting Prince Of Donegal.
He was in hundreds of TV shows including for example Doctor Who, The Sweeney, Star Trek, The Eagle Has Landed and Tutti Frutti.
His most recent role was in The Nest, the BBC drama that aired earlier this year.
Maurice also had Hollywood roles in films such as Last Of The Mohicans alongside Daniel Day Lewis. He played Col Edmund Munro, who ripped the heart of a native American villain out.
Another of his notable film roles was as Jimmy Gordon in The Damned United.
Maurice Roëves’ personal life
The actor and wife Vanessa tied the knot in 2001.
She told the BBC Maurice had been in “ill health for some time.”
Vanessa also credited him as a “real softie” in real life, despite often playing tough characters on-screen.
Maurice was born in Sunderland in 1937, but his family moved to Glasgow when he was seven.
He won a gold medal for his acting while studying at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Fans pay tribute
Social media has been swamped with tributes to Maurice.
Sad to learn of the death of the majestic Maurice Roeves (1937-2020). A versatile actor, he was often cast as the ‘Glesga hardman,’ though his roots were in Glasgow’s theatrical traditions and he possessed a considerable gift for comedy. Vale! #DoctorWho #Ulysses #TwoDoorsDown pic.twitter.com/pAnsu2kskQ
— John J Johnston (@JohnJJohnston) July 15, 2020
What a great actor and lovely with it. RIP the Ealing bohemian, Maurice Roeves. pic.twitter.com/r07p4BzIM8
— Peter Curran (@curranradio) July 15, 2020
One of the greatest actors to ever grace the sets of Doctor Who. His performance in Caves of Androzani is incredible and shows you don’t need to be an elaborately designed alien to be a monster. A magnetic presence onscreen who will be missed. Rest in Peace.#MauriceRoeves https://t.co/FjeQJbFX4Y
— Conor Patrick Jackson (@SocialObscure) July 15, 2020
Aw, Maurice Roeves. Knew something was good when he was in it.
— Pete Tonkin (@pete_tonkin) July 15, 2020
RIP #mauriceroeves, a fine actor who cornered the market in quietly dangerous hardmen roles back in the day.
— Mark Barden (@MarkEBarden) July 15, 2020
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