Actor Alan Rickman, known for films including Harry Potter, Die Hard, Truly Madly Deeply and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, has died at the age of 69.

The star was suffering from cancer, his family said. His agent confirmed He was known by film fans for roles including Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films,

Hans Gruber in Die Hard and the Sheriff of Nottingham in 1991's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

He went on to play two more baddie roles - the sheriff of Nottingham in 1991's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and Rasputin in a 1995 HBO film.

A directorial debut happened in 1995 when he directed Emma Thompson and her mother Phyllida Law in The Winter Guest.He teamed up with Kate Winslet last year for period drama

A Little Chaos, his second filmas director.He was born in Acton, London, in 1946, to working class parents.

After college, he worked as a graphic designer for a radical newspaper, and later opened a graphic design studio.

Three years later he contacted the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) to request an audition, and won a place.

He studied there between 1972 and 1974, and went on to work with the Royal Shakespeare Company before moving on to television.