Actor Michael Gambon, most recently known for his role as Professor Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series, has died at 82. Gambon, who was born in Dublin but grew up in London, worked in television, film, radio, and theater for six decades.
"Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife, Anne, and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia," his family said in a statement, via The New York Times.
Gambon was known for his extensive catalog of work across TV, film and radio, with another of his biggest roles as the psoriasis-ridden sleuth in the 1980s hit series "The Singing Detective."
One of the leading thespians of his generation, Gambon was born in Cabra, Dublin, but moved to London as a child. He grew up in an Irish immigrant community in Camden and his first job was as an apprentice toolmaker. He developed a passion for antique guns, clocks and classic cars that lasted a lifetime.
While apprenticing as a toolmaker, Gambon studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, making his professional stage debut in Dublin's the Gate Theatre production of "Othello" (1962).
It wasn't until the 1980s that Gambon became a household name playing lead character Philip Marlow in the 1986 Anglo-American public television mini-series "The Singing Detective." …
But it was as Hogwarts' headmaster Dumbledore in the "Harry Potter" film series that Gambon will perhaps be best remembered, a role he took up following the death of Richard Harris in 2002. In all, Gambon was cast as Dumbledore for six of the eight "Harry Potter" films.
"Very sorry to hear about the passing of Michael Gambon," said Harry Potter actor James Phelps, who played Fred Weasley. "He was, on and off the camera, a legend."
Front page thumbnail image: Michael Gambon at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiere in 2011, Featureflash Photo Agency / shutterstock.com
