Iconic British actor Sir Michael Gambon has died, reportedly passing away peacefully in hospital after dealing with a bout of pneumonia. He was 82.
To a whole generation, Gambon will be remembered for his role as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore across six “Harry Potter” films (from ‘Prisoner of Azkaban’ onwards), taking over the role after original Dumbledore actor Richard Harris passed away.
One of the original members of the Royal National Theatre, Gambon’s career spanned six-decades over which he won three Olivier Awards, two SAG Awards, and four BAFTAs.
He made his film debut with a brief appearance in 1965’s “Othello” alongside Laurence Olivier and Maggie Smith, and was both a regular stage actor and TV guest star throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.
In 1986 he broke through with international audiences with Dennis Potter’s Peabody-winning mini-series “The Singing Detective” in which he played a hospitalised mystery writer with a skin disease who disappears into a Chandler-esque noir fantasy world.
From there he went on to multiple film and TV roles starting with the villain in Barry Levinson’s “Toys” and the Dana Carvey comedy “Clean Slate,” a memorable turn in “The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover,” and key roles in 1990s films like “The Insider,” “Sleepy Hollow,” “Plunkett & Macleane,” “Mary Reilly,” “The Gambler,” and “The Wings of the Dove” along with acclaimed mini-series “Wives and Daughters”.
In the 2000s his films included “Gosford Park,” “Layer Cake,” “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” “Open Range,” “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow,” “The Good Shepherd,” “The Omen” remake, “Brideshead Revisited,” “Amazing Grace,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “Sylvia,” “Being Julia” and several notable telemovies and mini-series including “Longitude,” “Cranford,” “Path to War” and “Angels in America”.
In the 2010s he voiced Uncle Pastuzo in the “Paddington” films along with roles in “The King’s Speech,” “The Book of Eli,” “Kingsman: The Golden Circle,” “The Death & Life of John F. Donovan,” “Hail, Caesar!,” “Johnny English Strikes Again” and “Judy”. He also did plenty of voice over work narrating “Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire,” a role in “The Elder Scrolls Online,” and TV work ranging from guesting on “Doctor Who” to a regular role on “Fortitude”.
He leaves behind a wife and son.
