British Actor Tony Haygarth Passes Away Age 72

According to WhatsOnStage, British actor Tony Haygarth has passed away; he was 72. His death was announced by his ex-wife via Twitter. The actor had been suffering from Alzheimer's, and the details of his death have yet to be released.

Originally from Liverpool, Haygarth had a career that spanned stage and screen. He performed many times with companies such as the National Theatre and RSC, and starred in the 1979 film DRACULA with Laurence Olivier. He can also be heard as a voice in the popular family film CHICKEN RUN.

Haygarth was an Olivier Award nominated actor for his supporting roles in TWELVE ANGRY MEN and THE TEMPEST. More recently he was a regular on the television series EMMERDALE.

When he was first diagnosed with Alzheimer's, Haygarth reportedly said, "I felt a mixture of relief and trepidation when I got the diagnosis,...It meant that I got access to a lot of services and support which has been fantastic but feared that my life was going to change significantly, and that my work would be severely affected."

Haygarth was a respected member of the entertainment industry and he will be missed.

To read the full report from WhatsOnStage, click here.