Robbie Coltrane was born OTD in 1950 - Mini Thread Fitz from Cracker remains one of TV’s all-time great characters. From the birth of alternative comedy to standout British films (including James Bond), he later became bona fide acting royalty. I still miss Robbie.

Robbie’s Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky is a rare kind of James Bond ally: a recurring friend outside the MI6 orbit. He’s also the first recurring character to die on-screen. Robbie also walked off with all the best lines.

Cracker is still peak British TV. Fitz is Robbie’s career-defining role: a chain-smoking, gambling-addicted, abrasive alcoholic, broken genius. Cracker was also fearless. Remember when British TV had guts? No? Same.

I'm going to show off a wee bit. I knew Robbie, drinking acquaintance and sofa supplier when he was skint, he was everything you'd hope he was. Unbelievably funny, incredibly humble and an all round decent guy. Even when he made it big he'd still visit my mum when he was up here.

That's lovely. I'm honestly a massive fan. I was really young when I started watching Comic Strip Presents... then I was a student when Cracker came around. I really mean it when I say it's peak British TV, and Robbie's Fitz is still the blueprint for every "damaged" TV genius

@WalkAlanWalk Cracker was appointment television Robbie was an incredible actor - a darling man, dearly missed ❤️

@WalkAlanWalk You could hear a pin drop in my house when Cracker was on. Truly unmissable.

One of his finest moments

Nuff said

Cracker and Tutti Frutti are brilliant, not to mention Dr Johnson.

I miss him too. My most treasured line of his was playing the Pirate Cyclops in The Young Ones.. "..human beings the size of amoebas..* Marvellous 😀

He was a perfect Rubeus Hagrid!!🎥🍿🎬🙏🏻🙌🏻🍀

Nuns on the run is so much fun

When he passed, the first role I thought of him in was The Ghost of Christmas in the Blackadder special

The fact that Coltrane and Blessed never appeared together in Blackadder made me sad.

Oh man he is missed to this day. One of the very best to grace the screen. A true artist

I was playing poker the other day and another guy at the table said I look like him. Wasn’t exactly pleased to hear it.

Quintessential Robbie

I was first introduced to him in National Lampoon’s European Vacation when I was a kid—I didn’t understand the context then, but I do now 😅 (and still have no idea what my parents were thinking letting me watch it at such a tender age of 9, but that was the 80’s for ya…)

Super talented!!

Tutti Frutti is the greatest TV programme to come out of Scotland

Incredible talent 😪

CRACKER was an amazing show & Robbie Coltrane an amazing actor. His death scene in The World Is Not Enough was more sad than the entire No Time To Die!

Guy was great in every role he did,so underrated

Thanks for this I loved The Fruit Machine as a nipper but no one I knows has ever seen it.

Forgot how good he was in Mona Lisa.

Cracker was absolutely incredible. I watched it on its first run here. I can’t even remember how I discovered it

Small part, he crushed it

Great actor and sublime in National Treasure. And Julie Walters as well.