Stage and film giant Sir Michael Gambon is best known for his role as Philip Marlow in Dennis Potter’s The Singing Detective in 1986, as well as for his portrayal of headmaster Professor Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter film series.
In addition to his numerous film appearances, the actor had an affinity for the stage and played the title character in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of “King Lear” in 1982.
The Dublin-born actor played under Sir Laurence Olivier, who was appointed director of the National Theatre in August 1962, a year before Sir Michael came to the theatre and played the lead role in Peter O’Toole’s Hamlet.
The actor began his life in Dublin during World War II and later moved to England with his family. He later returned to Dublin to star in productions at the Gate Theatre, where he began his acting career.
In the 1990s, the actor played French detective Jules Maigret in the ITV series Maigret and Baltus Van Tassel in Tim Burton’s 1999 film Sleepy Hollow.
The previous year, he had been knighted for his contribution to the entertainment industry, having already been appointed Commander of the British Empire (CBE).
Although Sir Michael was known for his portrayal of Dumbledore in the popular Harry Potter film series, he did not begin playing the role until filming the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
The actor who originally played the magician, Richard Harris, died in 2002.
At the 2012 British Independent Film Awards, Sir Michael won the Richard Harris Award, which was created in Harris’s honour in 2002 to recognise outstanding contributions to British film by an actor.
Later in his career, Sir Michael admitted that he found it difficult to read his lines. In 2014, he told the Sunday Times that he was closing the curtain on his stage career, saying: “It’s awful to admit it, but I can’t. It breaks my heart.”
His illustrious theatre career also included appearances in Alan Ayckbourn’s The Norman Conquests, Samuel Beckett’s The Last Tape and Nicholas Hytner’s production of Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2 in the National Theatre production.
In his time, Sir Michael has portrayed a handful of political figures on screen and even played former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill in the 2016 television film “Churchill’s Secret.”
Another prominent political figure portrayed by Sir Michael was the 36th US President, Lyndon B. Johnson, in the 2002 HBO series Path To War.
The multi-award-winning actor’s other notable performances include his portrayal of Private Godfrey in the 2016 film adaptation of Dad’s Army and his role in the 2015 BBC One adaptation of JK Rowling’s novel A Sudden Death.
In recognition of his career, Sir Michael received four BAFTA Awards for Best Actor – for The Singing Detective (1987), Wives And Daughters (2000), Longitude (2001) and Perfect Strangers (2002).
Sir Michael was also honored at the American film awards with Emmy nominations for his role as Mr. Woodhouse in 2010 for an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma and as former US President Johnson in The Road to War in 2002.
His role in David Hare’s play Skylight, about the aftermath of an affair, also earned him a Tony nomination in 1997, and in early 1990 he won an Olivier Award for comedic performance of the year for his diplomatic comedy Man Of The Moment at the Globe, now the Gielgud Theatre.
