Rob Knox

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For the producer, see Rob Knox (producer).

Rob Knox
Rob Knox.jpg
Born
Robert Arthur Knox

(1989-08-21)21 August 1989
Kent, England
Died24 May 2008(2008-05-24) (aged 18)
Sidcup, London, England
Cause of deathMurder by stabbing
OccupationActor
Years active2000–2008

Robert Arthur Knox (21 August 1989 – 24 May 2008) was an English actor who portrayed the character of Marcus Belby in the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,[1] and had signed to appear in the planned film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.[2]

Having studied at Beths Grammar School, Bexley, Knox began acting aged 11, gaining small roles in British television shows like The Bill, After You've Gone and Trust Me, I'm a Teenager. His first cinematic appearance was as an extra in King Arthur (2004).

Knox died after being stabbed outside a bar in Sidcup, Southeast London, in May 2008, when he intervened in a fight to protect his brother. His murder attracted widespread attention in the British press, and his assailant, Karl Norman Bishop, was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum 20-year non-parole period.[3] An annual film festival, the Rob Knox Film Festival [ru], was created in the year 2008 to commemorate him, by the Rob Knox Foundation which helps fund training for young local people in the arts.

A documentary on Rob Knox's life and death has been produced by The Rob Knox Foundation entitled (K)nox: The Rob Knox Story and is due for release soon.[4]

Early life and career[edit]

Knox was born to Colin and Sally Knox in 1989. He was a pupil at Beths Grammar School, Bexley. He had been acting since the age of 11, and his first credited role was a small part in an episode of the ITV police drama The Bill and he also appeared in the Channel 4 reality show Trust Me, I'm a Teenager, and the BBC comedy After You've Gone. He had previously appeared as an extra in a number of productions. The first film Knox appeared in was King Arthur in 2004. He also appeared on Tonight with Trevor McDonald.[2]

Harry Potter[edit]

In 2007, casting began for the role of Marcus Belby in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the film adaptation of British author J.K. Rowling's best-selling novel and the sixth instalment of the Harry Potter film series.[5]

Knox posthumously starred in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009).[1]

Although his character does not appear in the seventh novel, Knox had signed on to reprise his role as Marcus in the final instalment of the Harry Potter film series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.[2] The film was divided into two parts for financial and scripting reasons;[6][7] Part 1 was released in November 2010, with the second part in July 2011.[8]

Death[edit]

Murder[edit]

Knox died at the age of 18 after he was stabbed outside the Metro Bar in Sidcup, South East London, on 24 May 2008. He had intervened in a fight to protect his 17-year-old brother Jamie, who was being threatened by a man armed with two kitchen knives.[9][10][11] Warner Bros. released a statement concerning his death: "We are all shocked and saddened by this news and at this time our sympathies are with his family".[9]

Arrest and trial of Karl Bishop[edit]

Karl Norman Bishop (born 1987 in Lewisham,[12] Southeast London),[13] from Carlton Road, Sidcup, was charged with the murder.[2] He was taken into custody, and remained there until his trial, which began in February 2009.[14] Bishop was found guilty of murder on 4 March 2009,[15][16] and received a life sentence with a minimum of 20 years before being considered for parole.[17] Police reported that he showed no remorse for the crime and claimed he was being attacked because he was black.[18]

Documentary[edit]

In 2018, the Rob Knox Foundation commissioned a feature length documentary in Rob's name to highlight the growing number of knife related attacks in the UK.[19] Rob’s close friend, Aaron Truss[20], was bought on board to direct at the request of the family and to see production through from its early stages [21] through to post-production and release. (K)nox: The Rob Knox Story, also features key interviews with Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince cast members Jim Broadbent, Tom Felton with director David Yates[22][23], as well as other key interviews with Ray Winstone (who Rob appeared with in 2004’s King Arthur), Dani Harmer (who Rob appeared with in BBC’s After You’re Gone) and Blake Harrison.[24]

The documentary also focuses on the night Rob was murdered, with never before seen interviews with brother Jamie Knox and friend’s Nick Jones and Andrew Dormer [25]. (K)nox: The Rob Knox Story has currently been nominated seven film festival awards, winning three to date with its first public screening at the Soho London Independent Film Festival 2021 in London, with director Aaron Truss stating ‘I can guarantee that Harry Potter fans everywhere will not be disappointed […] I’m incredibly honoured to be helming this project and giving Rob the send-off he deserves – as well as raising the issue of knife crime and street violence in the UK’.[4]


Filmography[edit]

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2004 King Arthur extra Uncredited
2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Marcus Belby Released posthumously
2021 (K)nox: The Rob Knox Story Himself Released posthumously
Television
Year Title Role Notes
The Bill Unknown 1 episode
Trust me I'm a Teenager Himself
2007 After You've Gone Josh 2 episodes

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "More Potter film casting revealed". Newsround. 19 December 2007. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d Brown, David (26 May 2008). "Family of murdered Robert Knox speak out". Kent: Times Online. Retrieved 27 May 2008.
  3. ^ "Actor's Killer Smirks As He's Jailed For Life". Sky News. 5 March 2009. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014.
  4. ^ a b Murgatroyd, Georgia (27 October 2021). "Rob Knox Film "(K)nox: The Rob Knox Story" Gets First Public Screening Late Next Month".
  5. ^ Buchanan, Jason (2009). "Overview of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince". Allmovie. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  6. ^ Jack Malvern (14 March 2008). "Longer spell at box office for Harry Potter". The Times.
  7. ^ Olly Richards (14 March 2008). "Potter Producer Talks Deathly Hallows". Empire. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  8. ^ Boucher, Geoff (12 March 2008). "Final 'Harry Potter' book will be split into two movies". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
  9. ^ a b "Potter film actor killed in fight". BBC News. 24 May 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2008.
  10. ^ "Harry Potter film actor killed in fight outside bar in Sidcup, Kent". the Guardian. 24 May 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Harry Potter actor killed in Sidcup knife attack". www.telegraph.co.uk.
  12. ^ "Births England and Wales 1984–2006".
  13. ^ "Harry Potter Actor's Murder: Man In Court", News.Sky.com, 27 May 2008
  14. ^ "SIDCUP: Man to stand trial for murder of Harry Potter actor Rob Knox" Archived 4 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, ThisIsLocalLondon.com 6 February 2009
  15. ^ 'Potter actor's parents' anguish' BBC News, 4 March 2009
  16. ^ Bannerman, Lucy. "Karl Bishop guilty of killing Harry Potter actor Robert Knox" The Times, 5 March 2009
  17. ^ 'Life term for Potter actor killer' BBC News, 5 March 2009
  18. ^ "Actor accused showed 'no remorse'". BBC News. 20 February 2009.
  19. ^ "Rob Knox: Harry Potter actor's dad makes knife crime plea". 24 May 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  20. ^ Grace, Elizabeth (18 April 2021). "Interview: Director Aaron Truss and Producer Colin Knox on Getting "Harry Potter" into "(K)nox: The Rob Knox Story"".
  21. ^ Dunstan, Tracy (17 April 2021). "Movie Review: "(K)nox: The Rob Knox Story"".
  22. ^ O'Shea, Lucy (21 August 2020). "EXCLUSIVE: Tom Felton Joins Rob Knox Documentary".
  23. ^ "New documentary tells the story of 'Potter' actor killed in knife attack". Harry Potter Fan Zone.
  24. ^ O'Shea, Lucy (4 February 2020). "Rob Knox Documentary in Final Stages of Production".
  25. ^ Higgins, John (9 April 2021). "LIFF 2021 REVIEW: (K)NOX - THE ROB KNOX STORY".

External links[edit]

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