Anthony Head, the British actor widely known for his roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Ted Lasso, has died at the age of 72, according to Variety.
His daughters, Emily Head and Daisy Head, confirmed his death in a statement to the BBC, saying he “passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family.”
Known for iconic television roles
Head was best recognised for portraying Rupert Giles throughout all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer , where he starred alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar.
In Ted Lasso , he played Rupert Mannion, the former owner of AFC Richmond who transfers control of the club to his wife during their divorce. The role saw him share screen space with Hannah Waddingham.
His television career also included appearances as the Prime Minister in Little Britain and Uther Pendragon in Merlin.
Career began on the stage
Although he achieved widespread recognition through television, Head started his acting career in theatre during the late 1970s, performing in the musical Godspell.
He later appeared in stage productions of Chess, Peter Pan and Rocky Horror Show Live.
Before establishing himself as a television actor, Head became a familiar face in the United Kingdom through a series of Nescafe advertisements that aired between 1987 and 1993.
Family pays tribute
In their statement, Emily and Daisy Head described it as an honour and privilege to be his daughters and to witness the impact he and his work had on audiences.
They said he would be deeply missed by friends, colleagues and fans, adding that he loved his profession and always considered himself fortunate to have worked with talented people across productions spanning several decades.
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