Alan Rickman, much loved and hugely popular actor of such films as Harry Potter and Die Hard, has died Thursday January 14, 2016. The cause of death was reportedly cancer, and it is believed that Rickman will leave the bulk of his estimated $16 million net worth to his wife Rima Horton.

Born in London, England in 1946, Rickman studied at the Chelsea College of Art and Design as well as the Royal College of Art.

In 1982 he featured on the BBC's "The Barchester Towers", and five years later he was on Broadway for the production of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses", and he won a coveted Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award.

He will forever be known for his roles in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" where he starred alongside Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman, and "Die Hard" alongside Bruce Willis.

He became well-known for his portrayal of villains and was voted 46th best villain in movie history by AFI.

In more recent times he was seen as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series - yet another villainous role - as well as parts in "Alice in Wonderland" and "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street".

Other parts he performed in were for "Love Actually", "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and "Die Hard With a Vengeance".

It is believed that Rickman's movies have a combined box office taking of more than $3.4 billion, making the British actor the 20th highest grossing actor in movie history.

His busy acting schedule meant that his private life was often hidden, however, in 2012 he made his love life more public when it was found that he had secretly married his high school sweetheart, Rima Horton.

Rickman initially met his high school sweetheart in 1965 when he was just 19 years old. Horton at the time was one year younger at 18 years of age.

They are believed to have been close from the start but even though their relationship was always close they never moved in with one another until 1977. They remained a couple since then, and for nearly 50 years they remained with one another until his untimely death this week at the age of 69.

Rickman leaves behind his wife, but the couple never had any children together.