Irish-English actor Sir Michael Gambon, known for playing Professor Dumbledore in the “Harry Potter” film franchise, has passed away at age 82.
According to the BBC, “His widow Lady Gambon and son Fergus said their ‘beloved husband and father’ died peacefully in hospital with his family by his side, following a bout of pneumonia.”
Gambon took over the role of Albus Dumbledore for “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” the main series’ third installment, after the death of Richard Harris. He played Dumbledore for the rest of the “Harry Potter” film series. He reprised his role for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a ride at several Universal Studios’ theme parks.
A prolific actor, Gambon appeared in several stage performances of Shakespeare plays and made his film debut with a minor role in “Othello” (1965) starring Laurence Olivier. He later won three Olivier Awards for Best Comedy Performance in “A Chorus of Disapproval” (1986), Best Actor in “A View from the Bridge” (1988), and Best Comedy Performance in “Man of the Moment” (1990).
His Broadway debut was in “Skylight” (1997) for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.
He received Screen Actors Guild Awards for Cast in a Motion Picture for “Gosford Park” (2001) and “The King’s Speech” (2010). He won all four Best Actor BAFTA Awards he was nominated for.
Following the death of Richard Harris, the British Independent Film Awards introduced the Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor. Gambon was given the honorary award in 2012.
Gambon also appeared in the miniseries adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s “The Casual Vacancy,” “The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover,” “The Wings of the Dove,” “The Insider,” “Amazing Grace,” “Quartet,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “Emma,” and dozens more well-known works.
Queen Elizabeth II knighted Gambon in 1999 for his services to drama.
Jude Law portrays a young Albus Dumbledore in the “Fantastic Beasts” series.
For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.