Michael Gambon, actor who played Dumbledore in the ‘Harry Potter’ films, dies at 82
Irish-British actor Sir Michael Gambon, best known for playing Professor Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight “Harry Potter” films, has died in hospital at the age of 82.
His family announced his death in a statement Thursday, saying he died after a battle with pneumonia.
The statement said, “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sir Michael Gambon,” adding, “Michael passed away peacefully in the hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following the illness pneumonia”.
Gambon has won four BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards in an acting career spanning decades in television, film, radio, and theatre, notably as a prominent character. He is best known as the director of Hogwarts School of Wizardry in the Harry Potter film series.
He was born in Dublin, the capital of Ireland, and was knighted for his contributions to the entertainment industry in 1998. Gambon, based on the novel by JK Rowling, also plays French detective Jules Maigret in the ITV series Maigret.
He is also known for playing the character Philip Marlow in Dennis Potter’s BBC series The Singing Detective. He began his career as one of the original members of the Royal National Theater in London and later performed in several Shakespearean plays.
