His most famous role was that of Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, the most famous magical school in the world. Michael Gambon has died at the age of 82.
The Irish-British actor Michael Gambon is dead. He died at the age of 82 as a result of pneumonia, his family announced. Gambon shone in, among other things, “The King’s Speech”. He became known to a wide audience through his role as the wizard Albus Dumbledore in six of eight “Harry Potter” films.
Michael Gambon in his most famous role as Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Sir Michael Gambon,” his family told the British news agency PA. Her husband and father died in hospital after suffering from pneumonia in the presence of his wife Anne and son Fergus. “We ask that you respect our privacy during this painful time and thank you for your supportive and loving messages,” the statement continued.
From “Othello” to “Harry Potter”
Gambon was born in Ireland on October 19, 1940 and grew up in London. He later worked as an engineer like his father. Gambon made his theater debut in a performance of “Othello” in Dublin. His first breakthrough came in a small supporting role in “Hamlet” under the legendary director Laurence Olivier.
The versatile Gambon soon became a respected stage actor. His leading role in “The Life of Galileo,” directed by John Dexter, received rave reviews. He made a name for himself on television with the BBC series “The Singing Detective”. The actor starred in “Gosford Park” and “Brideshead Revisited”, but also took on roles on television, radio and the animated film “Paddington”. In 1998, Queen Elizabeth II knighted him.
Gambon took on the role of Dumbledore after the death of his predecessor Richard Harris in 2002 and became known to a new generation of fans. He later said that he had not read any of Joanne K. Rowling’s bestsellers beforehand so as not to be influenced by the novels in his film role.
Problems on stage
No matter what role Gambon took on over the course of his career spanning more than five decades, one trademark was always his succinct and deep voice.
After further productions, Gambon retired from the stage in 2015 because he had problems remembering his lyrics in front of an audience as he grew older. “It’s terrible to admit something like that. But I can’t do it. It breaks my heart,” he told the Sunday Times Magazine. Gambon largely shielded his private life from the public.