Guide Note

Irish actor Michael Gambon worked in the stage since he was 19 and gained notoriety in England on British television in the 1970s. Since the death of Richard Harris in 2002, he has played Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter film series.

Fast Facts

1. Born: October 19, 1940 in Dublin, Ireland
2. When he was 19 he joined the Unity Theatre in London
3. When he was 21, he was a fully qualified engineer
4. Film Debut: Othello in 1965
5. Was considered for James Bond in 1970
6. Winner of four BAFTA TV awards

Gambon has been a successful character actor since the 1970s, portraying a variety of personalities. He became well-known in England after starring in the BBC miniseries The Singing Detective. He played eccentric villains in both Peter Greenaway's The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover and Toys. In The Cook, The Thief..., Gambon plays gangster Albert Spica, an obnoxious restaurant patron who insults his wife and other dinner guests.

Gambon first portrayed Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, despite not having read any of the Harry Potter novels. He describes the role as himself wearing a beard, but clarifies that all of his roles are variations on his own personality.