Andy Hallett – best known for playing Angel‘s suave, friendly green demon Lorne with the ability to read people when they sang (most often at his violence-free karaoke club) — passed away March 29 following a five-year battle with congestive heart disease. He was 33. Fans will remember his voice (watch the clips below), his impeccable comedic timing ("Is there a Gepetto in the house?"), and his gift for making you see past layers of prosthetics and makeup. ("They have no music there. It doesn’t exist. Do you know what that’slike? No lullabies, no love songs. All my life I thought I was crazy,that I had ghosts in my head or something… simply because I couldhear music. Of course, I didn’t know it was music. All I knew was thatit was something… beautiful and… and painful and right. And I wasthe only one who could hear it. Then I wound up here and heard Arethafor the first time…")
Share your favorite memories below.
Loved Lorne! Angel was definitely a guilty pleasure for me. So sad to have lost someone so young!
RIP, Andy. You really brightened up the show Angel, and it’s a shame you won’t be able bring your wonderful comic gifts to the world.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Andy’s family and friends. He was a wonderful entertainer who will be missed greatly.
Oh no! He was truly amazing. I don’t even actually know what he looks like in real life, because he was just so freaking believable as a lovable demon.
I was so stunned and saddened to hear this news – he was brilliant as Lorne, one of my favorite characters on the show. He was queer and funny and talented. And he’s the second Angel actor to die young (Glenn Quinn, who played Doyle, died at age 32). Very sad. My thoughts are with his family and friends.
Aww, that’s so sad. Andy brought much of the humor and laughs to Angel and he will be missed. Sending my thoughts to his family.
Good bye Andy. You gave me many happy hours as Lorne and for that I’d like to say thank you.
Any time that Lorne got to sing….totally made the episode for me. Lorne was and will always be my favorite character from Angel. I don’t think the gag from the Pylea episodes (where he’s beheaded but still alive) will ever be funny again. That whole speech about music remains one of my most favorite monologues from all of Whedonverse (also right up there the Prima Ballerina’s about waiting).
I had the opportunity to meet Andy when he came to Toronto for a comic con in 2003. He performed a few songs at a bar, and hearing him live was amazing. I got to speak with him afterwards, and he was just as great in person as he was in the show. He will be missed.
I was blessed to have grown up with Andy and he will be deeply missed by all of his friends and family. There was no one else like him and nothing can fill the place he held in our lives.
This is so sad. Angel is one of my favorite shows, and he was always such a great part of it. RIP.
I know it’s blasphemous to say, but I wasn’t a fan, overall, of Lorne’s singing. It certainly had its moments, but more often than not, it bugged.
HOWEVER, I *loved* the character of Lorne and the humor and heart he brought to the show. I’m sorry we won’t get to see this fine actor in other roles.
Just remembered that the actor who played Doyle also died young… strange and sad.
This news makes me sad. Rest in peace Andy.
I was at work when I read this story and gasped quite loudly and shouted, “Oh NO!” I can’t believe this. I am so saddened by his death! The host was my favorite character on Angel(after Doyle). Does anyone know if they are taking donations in his memory at a charity?
Favorite Lorne memories: Anything with baby Connor, such sweetness.
Anytime he would let out a shrill note to stop bad guys
Meeting his mother and family in Pylia.
His suits. His harmless flirtations with everyone. One scene I believe in season 2 where he is teaching the new bartender at Caritas to make a sea breeze “Vodka, cranberry juice and FRESH grapefruit juice” (don’t know if these are the right ingredients but I remember the grapefruit juice(). Tonight at the bar I raise a seabreeze to you my friend!