The 'Dam Busters' actor has died at the age of 89 in his house after returning from a hospital as his health was deteriorating amid his year-long struggle with cancer.
- November 11, 2020
AceShowbiz - British actor John Fraser has died.
The star, who shot to fame playing Flight Lieutenant J V 'Hoppy' Hopgood in the 1955 epic British war film "The Dam Busters", passed away on Saturday (07Nov20) following a year-long battle with cancer, his family has confirmed. He was 89.
Amid his health battle, Fraser had decided not to have chemotherapy and was discovered after peacefully passing away in bed by his partner, Rodney Pienaar, aged 68.
During his career, Fraser starred in more than 20 films, including "Tunes of Glory" in 1960 and "The Waltz of the Toreadors" in 1962, but he began turning down roles as he "got cold feet about Hollywood" in the 1960s.
In the 1980s, he stepped out of the spotlight entirely and only returned for one more role, in 1996's "Truth or Dare" before retiring completely.
In recent years he had been living in Tuscany with Rodney, an artist from South Africa.
According to Rodney, John Fraser passed away at home after previously being hospitalized. Although he was very ill, he didn't contract Covid-19. "He had oesophageal carcinoma for over a year and refused to have chemotherapy. It was an age thing, he never smoked," Rodney told the Daily Mail.
In the wake of the actor's passing, actor Mark Gatiss paid tribute on Twitter, "A very fine actor, a blistering Bosie, an outrageous memoirist and a beautiful, beautiful man. RIP John Fraser."
