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 香蕉视频直播淗arry Potter香蕉视频直播� films, has died. He was 82.

A statement by his family, issued by his publicist Thursday, said the actor died following 香蕉视频直播渁 bout of pneumonia.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲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,香蕉视频直播� his family said.

While the Potter role raised Gambon香蕉视频直播檚 international profile and found him a huge audience, he had long been recognized as one of Britain香蕉视频直播檚 leading actors. His work spanned TV, theater and radio, and he starred in dozens of films from 香蕉视频直播淕osford Park香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淭he King香蕉视频直播檚 Speech香蕉视频直播� to the animated family movie 香蕉视频直播淧addington.香蕉视频直播� He recently appeared in the Judy Garland biopic 香蕉视频直播淛udy,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淗arry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban香蕉视频直播� through to 香蕉视频直播淗arry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2.香蕉视频直播�

He once acknowledged not having read any of J. K Rowling香蕉视频直播檚 best-selling books, arguing that it was safer to follow the script rather than be too influenced by the books. That didn香蕉视频直播檛 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 香蕉视频直播淗arry Potter香蕉视频直播� series, recalled Gambon telling her how central acting was to his life.

香蕉视频直播淗e did once say to me in a car 香蕉视频直播業 know I go on a lot about this and that, but actually, in the end, there is only acting香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� Shaw told the BBC on Thursday. 香蕉视频直播淚 think he was always pretending that he didn香蕉视频直播檛 take it seriously, but he took it profoundly seriously.香蕉视频直播�

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 香蕉视频直播淥thello香蕉视频直播� in Dublin.

In 1963 he got his first big break with a minor role in 香蕉视频直播淗amlet,香蕉视频直播� the National Theatre Company香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播淟ife of Galileo,香蕉视频直播� directed by John Dexter. He was frequently nominated for awards and won the Laurence Olivier Award 3 times and the Critics香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淭he Singing Detective,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渧illainous characters.香蕉视频直播� He played gangster Eddie Temple in the British crime thriller 香蕉视频直播淟ayer Cake香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� a review of the film by the New York Times referred to Gambon as 香蕉视频直播渞eliably excellent香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� and a Satanic crime boss in Peter Greenaway香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播淭he Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover.香蕉视频直播�

He also had a part as King George V in the 2010 drama film 香蕉视频直播淭he King香蕉视频直播檚 Speech.香蕉视频直播� In 2015 he returned to the works of J.K. Rowling, taking a leading role in the TV adaptation of her non-Potter book 香蕉视频直播淭he Casual Vacancy.香蕉视频直播�

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: 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a horrible thing to admit, but I can香蕉视频直播檛 do it. It breaks my heart.香蕉视频直播�

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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