‘Harry Potter’ Principal Dumbledore Actor Michael Gambon Passes Away

Michael Gambon, the Irish actor known to the public for his role as Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore in the "Harry Potter" film series, passed away on the 28th (local time) at the age of 82.

Irish actor Michael Gambon, known to the public for his role as Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore in the "Harry Potter" film series, passed away on the 28th (local time).

According to a statement from the family reported by AP News and others, "Michael, a beloved husband and father, peacefully passed away in hospital after suffering from pneumonia, with his wife and son by his side."

Born in Ireland in 1940, Gambon initially studied engineering following his father's footsteps before beginning his acting career in 1963 at a theater company in Dublin.

Under the direction of Laurence Olivier, he achieved his first major success with a minor role in the National Theatre's opening production of "Hamlet."

He later received critical acclaim for his leading role in "Life of Galileo."

He gained popular recognition in the UK for his leading role in the 1986 BBC series "The Singing Detective," considered a classic of British television drama. His outstanding performance in this work earned him the Best Actor award at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

He continued his prolific career appearing in films such as "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover" (1989) and "Sleepy Hollow" (2000).

After Richard Harris's death in 2002, he took on the role of Dumbledore in the "Harry Potter" series, appearing from "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" through to the final installment of the series.

In the 2010 film "The King's Speech," he portrayed King George V, and in 2017's "Kingsman: The Golden Circle," he played the role of Arthur.

He was knighted in 1998 in recognition of his contributions to British drama.

He married Ann Miller in 1962 and had one son. Without divorcing Miller, he had two children with his partner, set designer Philippa Hart, who is 25 years his junior.