Rutger Hauer, famous for roles in films such as Blade Runner (1982) and Ladyhawke (1985) has died at the age of 75 in the Netherlands. The Dutch actor was born on January 23, 1944 in Breukelen. Hauer was known as an environmentalist and founded the Rutger Hauer Starfish Association, an AIDS awareness organization. He was married to Ineke ten Cate for 34 years and had one child, a daughter, from a previous marriage. Hauer also had one grandchild.

The Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror communities have long hailed Rutger Hauer a hero with his many roles in the genre(s). Besides Ladyhawke and Blade Runner (for which he was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor), Hauer also starred in the horror classic The Hitcher (1986) and as bad guy vampire Lothos in the film Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992).

Ruter Hauer was best known for his role playing Roy Batty in Blade Runner. The cult film star wrote much of the dialog for his character, a ‘Replicant’ (cyborg). Of all the films he made (at least 74 films), Hauer was quoted as calling Blade Runner his favorite.

Hauer passed away peacefully after a short illness at his home in Netherlands on Friday. His funeral took place on Wednesday.

‘I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.’ -Roy Batty, Blade Runner

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Sidney Fraser

Sidney Fraser is an American transplanted to a new life in London, where she explores fannish and geeky places, events and creations, which she relates in the continuing True and Proper Adventures of Sidney Fraser.