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• Richard Harris was an Irish actor and singer-songwriter, best known to a generation of young moviegoers as Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films. After Harris' death on October 25, 2002 from Hodgkin's Disease, Michael Gambon took over the role.

• Fast Facts

  1. Born October 1, 1930 in Limerick, Ireland
  2. Died: October 25, 2002
  3. Knighted in Denmark in 1985
  4. Drinking buddies with Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole

• Acting Career

  Harris had initially wanted to work as a stage director, but made the decision to act professionally shortly after moving to London. He lived on the street for at ime while trying to find acting work on the stage.

  After a string of small roles in some notable films (including a part in the Trevor Howard-Marlon Brando version of Mutiny on the Bounty, Harris had his first starring role in This Sporting Life in 1963. Soon after, he appeared in the Sam Peckinpah film Major Dundee alongside Charlton Heston and Camelot with Richard Burton, who would become a lifelong friend.

  Many more significant films followed, including the lead role in 1970's A Man Called Horse and its 1976 sequel. Later in his career, in addition to his starring role in the Potter films, Harris would appear in two Oscar winners for Best Picture - as "English Bob" in Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven and as Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator.

• Music Career

  Harris recorded several albums during breaks from acting featuring some covers and some original songs. His biggest international hit was a recording of the cryptic song "MacArthur Park," written by Jimmy Webb, on his album A Tramp Shining.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Harry Potter | King Arthur | Dumbledore | Peter O'Toole | Ethan Zohn

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