Michael Gambon, the Irish-born actor knighted for his storied career on the stage and screen and who gained admiration from a new generation of moviegoers with his portrayal of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight 91裸聊视频淗arry Potter91裸聊视频� films, has died. He was 82.

A statement by his family, issued by his publicist Thursday, said the actor died following 91裸聊视频渁 bout of pneumonia.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon. Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside,91裸聊视频� his family said.

While the Potter role raised Gambon91裸聊视频檚 international profile and found him a huge audience, he had long been recognized as one of Britain91裸聊视频檚 leading actors. His work spanned TV, theater and radio, and he starred in dozens of films from 91裸聊视频淕osford Park91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淭he King91裸聊视频檚 Speech91裸聊视频� to the animated family movie 91裸聊视频淧addington.91裸聊视频� He recently appeared in the Judy Garland biopic 91裸聊视频淛udy,91裸聊视频� released in 2019.

Gambon was knighted for services to drama in 1998.

The role of the much loved Professor Dumbledore was initially played by another Irish-born actor, Richard Harris. When Harris died in 2002, after two of the films in the franchise had been made, Gambon took over and played the part from 91裸聊视频淗arry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban91裸聊视频� through to 91裸聊视频淗arry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2.91裸聊视频�

He once acknowledged not having read any of J. K Rowling91裸聊视频檚 best-selling books, arguing that it was safer to follow the script rather than be too influenced by the books. That didn91裸聊视频檛 prevent him from embodying the spirit of the powerful wizard who fought against evil to protect his students.

Fiona Shaw, who played Petunia Dursley in the 91裸聊视频淗arry Potter91裸聊视频� series, recalled Gambon telling her how central acting was to his life.

91裸聊视频淗e did once say to me in a car 91裸聊视频業 know I go on a lot about this and that, but actually, in the end, there is only acting91裸聊视频�,91裸聊视频� Shaw told the BBC on Thursday. 91裸聊视频淚 think he was always pretending that he didn91裸聊视频檛 take it seriously, but he took it profoundly seriously.91裸聊视频�

Born in Dublin on Oct. 19, 1940, Gambon was raised in London and originally trained as an engineer, following in the footsteps of his father. He made his theater debut in a production of 91裸聊视频淥thello91裸聊视频� in Dublin.

In 1963 he got his first big break with a minor role in 91裸聊视频淗amlet,91裸聊视频� the National Theatre Company91裸聊视频檚 opening production, under the directorship of the legendary Laurence Olivier.

Gambon soon became a distinguished stage actor and received critical acclaim for his leading performance in 91裸聊视频淟ife of Galileo,91裸聊视频� directed by John Dexter. He was frequently nominated for awards and won the Laurence Olivier Award 3 times and the Critics91裸聊视频� Circle Theatre Awards twice.

A multi-talented actor, Gambon was also the recipient of four coveted British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards for his television work.

He became a household name in Britain after his lead role in the 1986 BBC TV series 91裸聊视频淭he Singing Detective,91裸聊视频� written by Dennis Potter and considered a classic of British television drama. Gambon won the BAFTA for best actor for the role.

Gambon was versatile as an actor but once told the BBC of his preference for playing 91裸聊视频渧illainous characters.91裸聊视频� He played gangster Eddie Temple in the British crime thriller 91裸聊视频淟ayer Cake91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� a review of the film by the New York Times referred to Gambon as 91裸聊视频渞eliably excellent91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� and a Satanic crime boss in Peter Greenaway91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淭he Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover.91裸聊视频�

He also had a part as King George V in the 2010 drama film 91裸聊视频淭he King91裸聊视频檚 Speech.91裸聊视频� In 2015 he returned to the works of J.K. Rowling, taking a leading role in the TV adaptation of her non-Potter book 91裸聊视频淭he Casual Vacancy.91裸聊视频�

Gambon retired from the stage in 2015 after struggling to remember his lines in front of an audience due to his advancing age. He once told the Sunday Times Magazine: 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a horrible thing to admit, but I can91裸聊视频檛 do it. It breaks my heart.91裸聊视频�

Gambon was always protective when it came to his private life. He married Anne Miller and they had one son, Fergus. He later had two sons with set designer Philippa Hart.

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