Maarten Spanjer
Dutch · 73 years old · Died 17 October 2026
Dutch actor and writer known for Spetters and the TV series Taxi
Cause of death
Bladder and prostate cancer
Maarten Spanjer was a Dutch actor, television maker and writer who became known through Paul Verhoeven's 1980 film Spetters and the programme Taxi, in which he talked with passengers as a taxi driver. He was diagnosed with bladder and prostate cancer in 2025. He died overnight from 16 to 17 October in a hospice at the age of 73, his partner Monique Waterham told the ANP news agency, as reported by NH Nieuws.
How common is cancer (all types)?
Maarten Spanjer died of bladder and prostate cancer. Globally, cancer (all types) kills 10,000,000 people every year. That is 27,397 per day, or roughly one person every 3 seconds. It accounts for 16% of all deaths worldwide.
Deaths / year
10,000,000
Deaths / day
27,397
Deaths / hour
1,142
Deaths / second
0.32
Share of all global deaths
Risk factors for cancer (all types)
Since Maarten Spanjer died
Live count since 17 October 2026
Total deaths worldwide since then
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Deaths from same cause since then
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