Rutger Hauer RIP

I don’t know what my appeal is. I can see I’ve got blue eyes and don’t look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame but I can’t understand the fuss. Rutger Hauer

Sad.

I loved all of his work.

A bunch of years ago a woman, an associate, I knew in and around the ad biz and who I did some work with was telling me of a commercial she was trying to cast. She was working on getting the fabulous villain actor from Die Hard – Alexander Godunov – but was having scheduling issues. I said, “Why don’t you get the original?”

You see, Godunov had replaced or mimicked Hauer in his Guinness or Heineken commercials (I do not recall?) in Europe and although I thought Mr. Godunov was wonderful … there was no replacing Mr. Hauer in my books.

She called me a few days later and said she was successful in getting Rutger and he was very grateful that I had thought of him and recommended him to her and asked if I would like to come to the set during production?

I said I was more than flattered. But, I hate production sets. I, however, imagine he has to eat while he is here so could I treat you and Mr. Hauer to dinner and perhaps cocktails after?

My associate called me back right away and we scheduled the night a week out.

Well, sadly as in all things in the ad or movie biz everything got canceled. No shoot. No Rutger.

Sad.