Anthony Head, Star of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ Dies at 72

A beloved actor instantly recognizable to fans of ’90s TV has died. Anthony Head, best known as Rupert Giles, the Watcher of Buffy on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, passed away this week, according to a statement released by his family.

Head was only 72 years old.

Head, “passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family,” per the statement (via BBC) from his daughters, Emily and Daisy.

They went on to say that “it has been, and forever will be, an honour and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many” and that he “loved his job very much” and “always considered himself incredibly lucky.”

Born in London in 1954, Head worked steadily in English theater and commercials before landing his international breakthrough role in Buffy. Head’s Giles was the wise advisor to Sarah Michelle Gellar’s vampire slayer, offering advice on supernatural monsters and arcane historical knowledge. Head appeared in 121 episodes of Buffy; he left the series after the fifth season, although he continued making guest appearances during its final years on the air.

At one point Buffy creator Joss Whedon wanted to spin Giles off into his own series, much as he did with Buffy’s love interest Angel. The proposed show, Ripper, would have involved Giles back home in England, appearing in a series of ghost stories. The project was developed for years but it never came together.

Instead, Head worked steadily in both film and television for the rest of his career, appearing on shows like Manchild, Merlin, and Little Britain, and in movies like Scoop, The Iron Lady, and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. 

In recent years, Head had a crucial recurring role (later upgraded to a series regular) on the Apple TV+ sitcom Ted Lasso. He played Rupert Mannion, the wealthy former owner of AFC Richmond, who lost control of the team to his ex-wife (Hannah Waddingham) during their divorce. Eventually, Mannion buys another football team that becomes Richmond’s key rival in Season 3 of the series.

Head was always a welcome addition to the cast of a TV series, bringing his charm and dry sense of humor to everything he did. He will be sorely missed, but I suspect his contributions to Buffy especially will stand the test of time.