Michael Gambon
- Acting
- October 19, 1940 · Cabra, Dublin, Ireland
- September 27, 2023
Biography
Sir Michael John Gambon (October 19, 1940 – September 27, 2023) was an Irish-English actor. Gambon started his acting career with Laurence Olivier as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre. Over his six-decade-long career, he received three Olivier Awards and four BAFTA TV Awards. In 1998, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama. Gambon appeared in many productions of works by William Shakespeare such as Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and Coriolanus. Gambon was nominated for thirteen Olivier Awards, winning three times for A Chorus of Disapproval (1985), A View from the Bridge (1987), and Man of the Moment (1990). In 1997, Gambon made his Broadway debut in David Hare's Skylight, earning a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination. Gambon made his film debut in Othello (1965). His other notable films include The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989), The Wings of the Dove (1997), The Insider (1999), Gosford Park (2001), Amazing Grace (2006), The King's Speech (2010), Quartet (2012), and Victoria & Abdul (2017). Gambon also appeared in the Wes Anderson films The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) and Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009). Gambon gained wider recognition through his role of Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter film series from 2004 to 2011, replacing Richard Harris following his death in 2002. For his work on television, he received four BAFTA Awards for The Singing Detective (1986), Wives and Daughters (1999), Longitude (2000), and Perfect Strangers (2001). He also received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Path to War (2002) and Emma (2009). Gambon's other notable projects include Cranford (2007) and The Casual Vacancy (2015). In 2017, he received the Irish Film & Television Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2020, he was listed at No. 27 on The Irish Times's list of Ireland's greatest film actors.
Known for
Filmography
- Doctor Who at the Proms · Kazran Sardick (archive footage)
- Judy · Bernard Delfont
- Cordelia · Mr. Moses
- The Death & Life of John F. Donovan · Man in Diner
- King of Thieves · Billy 'The Fish' Lincoln
- Johnny English Strikes Again · Agent Five
- Citizen Lane · Lord Ardilaun
- The Last Witness · Frank Hamilton
- Little Women · Mr. Laurence
- Ratburger · Narrator (Voice)
- Paddington 2 · Uncle Pastuzo (Voice)
- Kingsman: The Golden Circle · Arthur
- Victoria & Abdul · Lord Salisbury
- Fearless · Sir Alistair McKinnon
- Mad to Be Normal · Sidney Kotok
- Viceroy's House · General Hastings Ismay
- Churchill's Secret · Winston Churchill
- Dad's Army · Private Godfrey
- Hail, Caesar! · Narrator (Voice)
- The Nightmare Worlds of H.G. Wells · Elderly Philosopher
- Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC · Self
- Unity · Narrator (Voice)
- The Casual Vacancy · Howard Mollison
- Fortitude · Henry Tyson
- On Angel Wings · Grandfather
- Paddington · Uncle Pastuzo (Voice)
- Common · Judge
- Quirke · Judge Garret Griffin
- Lucan · John Burke
- Lucan · John Burke
- National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage · Hirst
- Muse of Fire · Self
- The Frame · Professor Albus Dumbledore
- Restless · Baron Mansfield / Lucas Romer
- Quartet · Cedric Livingston
- London: The Modern Babylon · Self
- The Hollow Crown · Mortimer
- Luck · Michael
- When Harry Left Hogwarts · Self
- Page Eight · Benedict Baron
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 · Albus Dumbledore
- Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol · Old Kazran / Elliot Sardick
- The King's Speech · King George V
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 · Albus Dumbledore
- The Michael Ball Show · Self
- The Book of Eli · George
- Fantastic Mr. Fox · Franklin Bean (Voice)
- Emma · Mr. Woodhouse
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince · Albus Dumbledore
- Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire · Narrator
- Brideshead Revisited · Lord Marchmain
- Cranford · Thomas Holbrook
- Joe's Palace · Elliot Graham
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix · Albus Dumbledore
- The Alps - Climb of Your Life · Narrator (Voice)
- Celebration · Lambert
- Amazing Grace · Lord Charles Fox
- The Baker · Leo
- The Good Night · Alan Weigert
- The Good Shepherd · Dr. Fredericks
- John Duffy's Brother · Narrator
- The Omen · Bugenhagen
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire · Albus Dumbledore
- Matthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal · Self
- The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou · Oseary Drakoulias
- Stories of Lost Souls · Larry
- Layer Cake · Eddie Temple
- Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow · Paley
- Being Julia · Jimmie Langton
- The Magic Touch of Harry Potter · Self
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban · Albus Dumbledore
- Standing Room Only
- Little Wolf's Book of Badness · Uncle Bigbad (Voice)
- Angels in America · Prior Walter Ancestor #1 (uncredited)
- Path to War · Lyndon Johnson
- Top Gear: Back in the Fast Lane · Self
- Sylvia · Professor Thomas
- Open Range · Denton Baxter
- Deep Blue · Narrator (Voice)
- The Actors · Barreller