‘Harry Potter’ Dumbledore Actor, Michael Gambon, Dies at Age 82

Actor Michael Gambon, widely recognized for his portrayal of Albus Dumbledore in most of the Harry Potter film series, has passed away at the age of 82 after a battle with pneumonia. This sad news was confirmed through a statement released on behalf of his family reported by multiple sources on Thursday. Gambon had an impressive career in TV, film, and radio, with one of his standout roles being the detective with psoriasis in the 1980s series, The Singing Detective. But it's his portrayal of Hogwarts' headmaster, Dumbledore, in the Harry Potter film series that he'll be best remembered for, a role he took on after the passing of Richard Harris in 2002. In total, Gambon played Dumbledore in six of the eight Harry Potter films. "He was, on and off the camera, a legend." Actor James Phelps, who played Fred Weasley in the Harry Potter movies, paid tribute to Gambon on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday. "Very sorry to hear about the passing of Michael Gambon. He was, on and off the camera, a legend," Phelps wrote. "He was always very funny and very welcoming to share any knowledge he had," Phelps added, recalling a memory of his interactions with the actor during the production of the sixth Harry Potter movie. Jared Harris, known for his role in The Crown and whose father was the original Dumbledore, shared on X: "Hilarious! A brilliant actor. I saw him on stage several times, and he lives unforgettably in my memory." "He took over Dumbledore from my father, which was fitting as he over took [Marlon] Brando as my father’s favourite actor," Harris further commented. Gambon grew up in an Irish immigrant community in Camden, and his first job was as an apprentice toolmaker. He had a lifelong passion for antique guns, clocks, and classic cars, as reported by IMDb. Throughout his career, Gambon won multiple Best Actor awards at the British Academy Television Awards (BAFTAs) and received two Emmy award nominations. [select-gallery gallery_id="523982" syndication_name="celebrity-deaths-2023" description="yes"]