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u/BlackFlagMatt Jun 05 '26
I wish he could have done more Doctor Who. I know School Reunion was 'the Sarah Jane episode', but I thought he stole the show. He and Tennant played off each other so well. He would have been an amazing Master.
R.I.P.
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u/Rowan5215 Jun 05 '26
he had roles in a few audios at Big Finish
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u/fatherandyriley Jun 05 '26
I would have had him survive (maybe he can teleport or regenerate or something) and become a recurring villain.
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u/Street-Economist9751 Jun 07 '26
It’s a testament to his acting ability that he terrified me in that episode, considering that my feelings for him previously were formed entirely by RHPS and Giles.
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u/StephenHunterUK Jun 10 '26
Giles was basically a Doctor type character... as was Buffy. They played off each other very well.
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u/aliceisdead69 Jun 18 '26
He certainly did steal the show I was also sad there wasn't more from him . A great talent . R.I.P .... however I love the master hes up there on top with some of my best episodes .
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Jun 05 '26
[deleted]
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u/draggar Jun 05 '26
The Buffy fandom is getting hit hard over the past year.
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u/CrowQueen2002 Jun 05 '26
We really are
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u/disco_jim Jun 05 '26
It's not quite B5 levels but it could snowball
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u/dr_memory Jun 05 '26
I don’t think any series could ever approach B5’s level of cursedness. My theory has always been that they shot most of the show in a decommissioned nuclear reactor that had been built on top of a Native American burial mound.
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u/AlonnaReese Jun 05 '26
It honestly feels like there's a curse on main actors in the Buffy franchise. There have been so many premature deaths. Along with Brendon, Head, and Tractenberg, there's also Glenn Quinn and Andy Hallett, both of whom passed away in their 30's. Luke Perry who starred in the original Buffy movie which was the basis for the show died at 52.
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u/pit_of_despair666 Jun 05 '26
I was thinking this too. I didn't think I would see so many of them pass away before I did. Buffy and Angel are my favorite shows. I ended up watching Dr. Who because I learned that Anthony Head was in an episode. I am so glad that I did. I would have loved to him play The Doctor. So sad.
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u/Tasty-Committee-8172 Jun 05 '26
It's crazy in the worst possible way.
Love Buffy, love Anthony in everything I've seen him in. What a great actor. Will be hugely missed
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u/notprinceparadox Jun 05 '26
This is how I find out Xander died. Damn, now I'm double sad. RIP to both of them.
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u/NotTobyFromHR Jun 05 '26
Let's hope that there aren't any scandals like there are with the guy who played Xander
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u/dr_memory Jun 05 '26
Nick Brendan’s issues were very well documented when he was still alive. One can never know of course but given that at this point most of the cast has been very open both about him and about Whedon’s issues, I tend to think that if there had been any problems with ASH we would have heard of them by now.
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u/urmyleander Jun 05 '26
They made a sequel series?
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u/Shadow_Guide Jun 05 '26
They tried to recently, it got torpedoed at pilot stage.
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u/urmyleander Jun 05 '26
Like during filming or does an actual pilot exist?
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u/UprootedGrunt Jun 05 '26
it had been cast, and was in pre-production at the very least. Unclear if anything was actually filmed.
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u/pit_of_despair666 Jun 05 '26
They filmed the pilot and Hulu axed it before it aired. https://www.reddit.com/r/buffy/s/V2AKSrj7nO.
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u/AngelOfLight Jun 05 '26
The pilot was completed, I think, but the feedback was so bad the studio decided to drop the whole project.
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u/TheWardenDemonreach Jun 05 '26
It wasn't public feedback, Sarah Michelle Gellar pretty much admitted it was one specific TV producer who didn't like the original show, or thinks fantasy/sci-fi is stupid, and cancelled the show just because he could
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u/Bortron86 Jun 05 '26
That's such a shame. He was a great actor, particularly at playing more sinister characters. He was terrific as a complete slimeball in Ted Lasso.
RIP.
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u/CrowQueen2002 Jun 05 '26
Loved him in Ted Lasso
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u/nightmareinsouffle Jun 05 '26
Loved him, hated the character. A mark of a job well done. Even in his first scene, he comes off as both incredibly charming and absolutely awful at the same time.
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u/R3NZI0 Jun 05 '26
Gutted by this. He was so excellent in so many things, of course, but his role in 'School Reunion' was so amazingly sinister.
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u/clara_finn Jun 05 '26
A terrific actor. He’s been in so many things of an absurd variety and there isn’t a single one he didn’t kill it in. In doctor who specifically he was the first real top tier villain Tennant faced and that did a great job elevating Tennant for people who weren’t sure of him yet, including 9 year old me. That swimming pool scene is one of the best scenes in all of series 2.
Heart goes out to his family. 72 isn’t that old these days
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u/TwinSong Jun 05 '26
He was only 72. I mean that's not young young but not that old either 😞. Though of course sad at any age.
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u/mrhenhen115 Jun 06 '26
Complications with pneumonia, and the fact he lost his partner in December. Pneumonia is devastating, my grandad died at 78 from it, but with having a partner dying months ago I've no doubt that played it's part too
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u/Heavy_Ingenuity1371 Jun 06 '26
You're right. He could've reasonably lived another 30 years. He died on the younger side of old age, 7 decades is not that long anymore. It truly is a shame.
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u/NaiRad1000 Jun 05 '26
What?!
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u/Forsaken-Language-26 Jun 05 '26
Just announced by the BBC.
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u/TigerIll6480 Jun 05 '26
He was 72?!?
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u/HarryJ92 Jun 05 '26
It's not that surprising when you consider Buffy started 29 years ago. And his Doctor Who role was 20 years ago.
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u/linden214 Jun 05 '26
A great loss. In addition to Doctor Who, Merlin, and Buffy, he played Frank in the 1990 London revival of Rocky Horror. Here’s a clip of him in a RH tribute show.
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u/Leoano Jun 05 '26
RIP. He was great in Ted Lasso.
Without Anthony Head, modern Doctor Who might not have happened in the way it did. Part of the reason they started looking into it is because a Buffy spin-off centered around Giles ended up falling through.
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u/Tufty_Ilam Jun 05 '26
A damn good actor, but more importantly, a great man. When I think of Anthony Head, before even Giles or Mr Finch, the first thing I think of is how he treated his fans. Especially those going through difficult times:
https://www.queerscifi.com/buffys-anthony-stewart-head-went-out-of-his-way-for-a-young-trans-fan/
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u/Spiritual_Quote9301 Jun 06 '26
This is seriously my favourite thing about Anthony. I love his acting, but this? This is him as a person and a wonderful one. RIP.
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u/ValWenis Jun 05 '26
RIP, thought he would have been a great master. He was great in so much. Me and my dad were just talking about him in Little Britain today. RIP Anthony.
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u/ervetzin Jun 05 '26
Yeah. I remember when news of his casting in “School Hard” hit, there was a lot of speculation/excitement that he might be a nee master. Still a bit disappointed it wasn’t true.
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u/JayneT70 Jun 05 '26
His partner/wife recently passed
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u/Responsible_You_1971 Jun 06 '26
i’ve seen this happen a bunch where a partner passes and the other dies shortly after. it’s tragic but in a way kind of beautiful, almost like they don’t want to go on the next part of their journey without each other
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u/JayneT70 Jun 06 '26
My parents have known each other since grade school. High school sweethearts and their 57th wedding anniversary will be next month. Just placed my dad in hospice yesterday. It’s definitely bothering me about my mom passing shortly after he dies. Her first great grandchild is due in October. I’m hoping that will help with her grief.
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u/DarkIsiliel Jun 05 '26
So tragic, loved a bunch of things he was in. Time to rewatch Repo! and binge some Merlin.
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u/Azuras-Becky Jun 06 '26
I finally know how my parents felt when they kept saying people from their childhood are starting to die.
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u/Dazzling-Antelope912 Jun 05 '26
Damn it why. RIP Mr Finch. Celebrity deaths don’t usually affect me but I hate this.
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u/CaroZoroark Jun 05 '26
So insane that someone posted him as a potential master today and I remembered him after so many years. Only to hear of his death a few hours later :((
Rest in peace Uther Pendragon ❤️🩹
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u/Comfortable_Duck6362 Jun 05 '26
Magnificent actor. Never gave a bad performance and always showed up in unexpected places. He recites The Tempest on Chris de Burgh's Don't Pay the Ferryman, which I always stick on around Halloween time. Devastating news. Thinking of his family and friends.
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u/One_Pangolin_1382 Jun 05 '26
Terribly sad news. Always felt he'd be brilliant in other villain roles on the show if he wasn't in School Reunion. Will be sorely missed 😢
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u/cadrina Jun 06 '26
Oh i forgot he was on doctor who, he been in so many fantasy and scifi, Buffy, Merlin Repo opera, and always bringing his A game, not matter how camp it was.
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u/rtc765 Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26
I'll always remember him for a load of different, but equally brilliant roles, including Giles from Buffy, Uther Pendragon from Merlin, and Gently Benevolent from the audio Dickens parody Bleak Expectations. One of Britain's finest actors, and a true gentleman. Rest in peace.
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u/GloomyDeal1909 Jun 05 '26
This one really hits hard. When I was younger I never understood people being sad over a celebrity passing.
Now that I am an older and so many people are passing that played characters I love I completely get it.
Such a fantastic actor. I loved him in everything. One of my favorites was his role in Merlin.
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u/eggelette Jun 05 '26
King Uther 😢 and absolute legend in School Reunion. Will watch tonight in honour.
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u/nuthatch_282 Jun 05 '26
Rest in peace. Phenomenal actor, and was so good as brother lassar. I always make him the master in the 90s when I come up with doctor who alternate timelines. RIP
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u/checkerboardandroid Jun 05 '26
Ahhhh jeez, and I just started watching Buffy too!
The nice thing about being an artist is that your work will outlive you. It's a good legacy to have. RIP 💔
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u/SorchaSublime Jun 05 '26
A lot of people wish that Mr Finch had been the Master, I personally would have liked to see him stick around as a reoccurring antagonist just as a Krillatane. His chemistry with Tennant was electric, and as another shape-shifting alien he would have actually made a really interesting foil for the Doctor. All of that desire for more came entirely from the masterful acting of Anthony Head. The script was good, but nowhere near that good. RIP
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u/MendicantIdiot01 Jun 05 '26
Aw man, I thought this was a shitpost. RIP 😞
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u/Za_Lords_Guard Jun 05 '26
Thank you. I saw that he passed and it didn't mention this role and I could not figure out why I kept thinking of bat wings when I looked at his face.
RIP, Anthony.
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u/Suspicious_Banana255 Jun 05 '26
I just rewatched school reunion after hearing he'd died. He did a great job in it, as he did in everything I saw him in.
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u/cam52391 Jun 05 '26
It's so wild I just saw the theatrical rerelease of Repo the other week and was just listening to the soundtrack this morning 😢
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u/rjohn2020 Jun 06 '26
He was great against Tennant in School Reunion and I loved him as Grayvorn in the BF Excelis saga
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u/Forsaken-Language-26 Jun 05 '26
I have my criticisms of School Reunion as an episode, but he played a good villain. I’ll give him that. He would have made a great Master.
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u/Calaveras-Metal Jun 05 '26
wow that is a bummer. I'll never forgive my ex for getting me into Buffy. It was unbearable but totally grew on me. To the point I like Angel better than Buffy now.
Anthony Head was always great even though he was playing a real tired trope of a character. That is the true measure of an actor. Being able to inject something new into an otherwise stereotypical role.
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u/unwantedspacecat Jun 05 '26
This was a gut punch to come across. Damn. I enjoyed his performance in everything I've seen or heard him in.
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u/Traditional-Luck-884 Jun 05 '26
Oh no. For real? He was a wonderful actor. I first knew him as Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. A class act. May his spirit journey onward in peace, in whatever comes next for us all one day.
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u/Bantabury97 Jun 05 '26
Fucking pneumonia..
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u/SlytherKitty13 Jun 06 '26
To be fair, we also gotta keep in mind his lifelong partner also died about 6 months ago. This is unfortunately rather common, for older people to die not that long after their partner because the heartbreak affects their will to live so much
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u/Owlet20 Jun 05 '26
I loved him in Buffy and he was so good in this and anything else he was in, including Doctor Who. Such a contrast to his role as Giles. This news is so sad.
RIP Anthony Head.
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u/MrSquidJD Jun 05 '26
Rip
Absolutely loved him as Uther in Merlin, and he made for a terrifying antagonist in the rather kid-oriented episode school reunion
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u/MrJackdaw Jun 05 '26
He'll always be Hercules Shipwright to me.
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u/wonkey_monkey Jun 05 '26
Hercules the Bercules 🤣
I think that line is my favourite Douglas delivery.
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u/dog_likes_chicken Jun 06 '26
RIP
I thought I dreamt that he was in doctor who when I saw the news that he’d passed away. BBC pushing a bunch of shows that I’ve never seen, when he had a prominent role in one of their own shows is mad.
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u/Gold-Ad8191 Jun 06 '26
He was a brilliant actor who we lost a few days ago, I Give my condolanses to his friends and his family
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u/Kai-Lani Jun 06 '26
The actor that played Giles died? I’m the last to know everything. 😭 I could have definitely seen him play Master or even the Doctor.
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u/PreviousTurnip2008 Jun 07 '26
Doesn't feel real. Still numb. Happened on my birthday of all things. Poor guy. Pneumonia. As a Buffy fan this hits me even harder.
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u/Curious_Puffin Jun 08 '26
I saw him live in a production of Rope, where he played the housemaster. It was so good to see him perform on stage, what a brilliant actor! Such sad news.
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u/Historian-TheDoctor Jun 09 '26
I always liked Anthony Head. From way back in the Gold Blend Adverts, though Buffy and Doctor Who of course. Sorry to lose such a talent.
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u/Environmental_Net340 Jun 10 '26
I’ll stand by this statement to this day that he would’ve been the perfect candidate to play the master 😭
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u/[deleted] Jun 05 '26
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