Honey actor Rory Kinnear's famous comedian dad died after filming stunt that went horribly wrong: 'All for a thrilling shot'
Rory was just 10
Rory Kinnear joins the ensemble cast of BBC One spy thriller Honey this month, and it’s another masterful performance from the actor – but did you know his dad was even more famous?
Those of a certain age will remember Rory’s dad Roy only too well. The comedian and actor was one of the most bankable TV faces in the 70s and 80s. Like father like son, both Rory and Roy are known for straddling comedy and drama.
While Rory played Bill Tanner in the James Bond films Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre, his dad was also a regular in some huge films. But tragically he died on the set of his last film after a stunt went wrong.
Rory was just 10 at the time. He has since spoken out about safer practices on film sets. Here’s everything you need to know about the tragic death of Rory Kinnear’s dad Roy.
Who was Rory Kinnear’s dad Roy?
Rory Kinnear is an English actor and playwright who has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre – and won awards for it. It’s fair to say he followed in his father’s footsteps, and acting runs in his blood.
The Hammersmith-born actor, 48, is the son of the actor Roy Kinnear and actress Carmel Cryan. The couple had three kids – Rory and his two sisters Karina and Kirsty.
Although Carmen was a TV actress best known for playing Brenda Boyle in EastEnders, Roy appeared regularly on television and in films from 1955 until his tragic death in 1988.
Roy was most famous for playing Stanley Blake in World of His Own, George Webley in Inside George Webley, Alf Butler in No Appointment Necessary, and Joe Jones in Cowboys.
He was also famous for his film roles, including Mr Salt in 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Algernon in the 1965 Beatles film Help!, and Planchet in the 1973 movie The Three Musketeers.
In fact, it was while filming the sequel to The Three Musketeers that Rory Kinnear tragically died unexpectedly a the age of 54.
How did Rory Kinnear’s dad Roy die?
In 1988, Roy travelled to Spain to film The Return of the Musketeers in Toledo. Some of his cast mates included Michael York, Oliver Reed, Kim Cattrall, Christopher Lee, Richard Chamberlain, Billy Connolly, and Bill Paterson.
The film was widely expected to be a huge hit. However, tragedy struck on September 19, 1988, when Roy Kinnear fell from a horse during filming. He sustained a broken pelvis and suffered internal bleeding after the stunt went wrong.
Tragically, he died the following day in Ruber International Hospital in Madrid, from a heart attack brought on by his injuries. He was just 54.
They subsequently buried the actor in East Sheen Cemetery, London. Following his death, his wife sued the film’s production company and director, Richard Lester. They received a £650,000 settlement in 1991.
Lives at risk ‘all for the sake of a thrilling shot’
Talking to the Observer, Rory Kinnear revealed that his dad had dreaded shooting that particular scene because it involved having to “thunder” at speed across a cobbled bridge. This despite the danger and his lack of horsemanship.
His tragic death shocked the industry into realising the need for health and safety changes. But his son Rory Kinnear believes that lives are still being put at risk, with corners cut due to the pressures of time and budgets “all for the sake of a thrilling shot”.
He said: “No one has ever seen a shot and thought ‘that is worth the death of whoever made it’.”
Despite being an inexperienced rider, Roy was not offered a stunt double and his horse slipped after the film company put sand on the cobbles. They believed that would give it more grip, but it actually made it “slippier”. Roy was thrown from the horse, ultimately causing his death.
Rory added: “He wrote a letter to my mum just before he set off, saying, ‘just about to do a stunt that even the stuntmen have said is too dangerous’. They all knew, and yet the shot was still prioritised over the safety of actors.”
Rory Kinnear’s sister died of Coronavirus
It’s not the only tragedy in Rory’s life either. While his sister Kirsty works in the entertainment industry as a casting director, his other sister Karina died in 2020.
She suffered severe brain damage due to a lack of oxygen at birth. She later became paralysed from the waist down following spinal surgery at age 19, and lived at the Roy Kinnear House (named after her dad and founded for young adults with severe disabilities).
Karina passed away at age 48 after testing positive for coronavirus.
Read more: Lord of the Flies BBC cast includes Harry Potter’s new Draco Malfoy and unexpected cameos
