Star’s ashes spread in N.Y.
Robbie’s family visit fave Big Apple spots
The family of Killearn Harry Potter star Robbie Coltrane have scattered his ashes around his favourite places in the Big Apple.
His son Spencer flew to New York – his dad’s favourite city – to leave some of his ashes at his favourite spots, including Katz’s Deli which features in a famous scene from film When Harry Met Sally.
But it was the food, not the film, that Coltrane loved, particularly the deli’s world famous pastrami meat dish.
Filmmaker and family friend Amos Poe, who gave Coltrane his big break in the 1979 thriller Subway Riders, went on social media to say: “Look at who stopped by, like the lost Scottish son of sorts, Spencer Mcmillan. He brings his father’s – Robbie Coltrane’s – ashes to spread in his beloved New York. “Honoured and befitting. First stop Washington
Square Park … then Katz’s deli, pastrami counter … the Film Forum…”
Mr Coltrane, who died last year, aged 72, once revealed he “practically lived” in New York in the 70s.
He said of the 135-year-old sandwich institution: “Oh, the smell when they’d take the pastrami out of the oven. They put my photograph up, three down from Frank Sinatra. Proudest moment of my life.”
Amos took Spencer, 31, and actress daughter Alice, 25, around New York to commemorate their dad and scatter his ashes.
They first went to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, where they spread some of his remains on a patch of grass.
The group hugged in front of the Garibaldi statue in the Manhattan green space, posting images of the embrace on social media.
They visited Katz’s Deli on the Lower East Side where they visited the pastrami counter and then went on to New York Film Forum.
Mr Coltrane became world famous after landing the role of Hagrid in the movie adaptations of Harry Potter.
But he was already an established actor in the likes of Tutti Frutti, Cracker and as a baddie in two Bond movies.
The much-loved actor, who remained close to ex-wife Rhona Gemmell, passed away suffering from sepsis, lower respiratory tract infection, Type 2 diabetes, heart block and obesity at Forth Valley Hospital on October 14.
He was at one point a familiar face in Killearn and the surrounding villages, but in more recent years was rarely seen as he battled with his health.
At the time of his death last October villagers in Killearn paid their own tributes to the iconic actor.
One resident recalled a humorous tale at a village shop. They posted: “He was next to me in the Co-op line when the checkout assistant asked: ‘Do you have a Co-op members’ card?,’ I replied no, just a payment card. ‘Then you must die !!!! ’, he roared theatrically. Good memories.”
One other person added: “Met him many times when working in the Co-op. Always a big personality to go with his size and his cars that filled the streets of the village.
“Mum and dad were reminiscing on the time he knocked an old lady into the freezer in the Spar once by accident. Many happy memories of a lovely man. May he rest in peace.”