A veteran of the London and Broadway stage, he abruptly left 'The Visit' in late May. The actor also was known for playing stuffy Englishman Robin Colcord on 'Cheers.' Roger Rees, the Welsh-born icon of the stage who gained fame for playing the title role in the original marathon Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, died Friday night at his home in New York after a brief battle with cancer, his representative said. Rees also famously played condescending English industrialist and Kirstie Alley suitor Robin Colcord on the NBC sitcom Cheers. Split Wide Open Movie more. He is survived by his husband Rick Elice, the playwright whose credits include Jersey Boys and the Peter Pan prequel Peter and the Starcatcher, which Rees co-directed.

(They each received a 2012 Tony Award nom for that 2012 production.) Rees’ press representative, Rick Miramontez, confirmed the actor’s death. In late May, Rees abruptly exited the Broadway production of the Kander & Ebb musical The Visit, in which he was starring opposite Chita Rivera. “Roger Rees is undergoing a treatment for a medical condition, and while the prognosis is bright, he’s currently unable to perform in the show,” producer Tom Kirdahy said in a statement at the time. “He’ll be back onstage as soon as he can, and we can’t wait to welcome him back.” He was unable to return to the production, which closed June 14. However, his performance was captured on the show's original cast recording, released July 10 on Yellow Sound Label/Broadway Records.

Rees, who spent more than two decades with the RSC, captured the Tony for best actor in a play in 1982 for his work in the RSC production of Charles Dickens’ The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.