Michael Gambon

Michael Gambon

Known for
Acting
Born
October 19, 1940
Died
September 27, 2023 (aged 82)
Birthplace
Cabra, Dublin, Ireland

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

Photos

Michael Gambon photoMichael Gambon photoMichael Gambon photoMichael Gambon photoMichael Gambon photoMichael Gambon photoMichael Gambon photo

Filmography

2024
Doctor Who at the Proms poster

Doctor Who at the Proms

Movie · as Kazran Sardick (archive footage)

2019
The Death & Life of John F. Donovan poster

The Death & Life of John F. Donovan

Movie · as Man in Diner

2019
Judy poster

Judy

Movie · as Bernard Delfont

2019
Cordelia poster

Cordelia

Movie · as Mr. Moses

2018
The Last Witness poster

The Last Witness

Movie · as Frank Hamilton

2018
King of Thieves poster

King of Thieves

Movie · as Billy 'The Fish' Lincoln

2018
Citizen Lane poster

Citizen Lane

Movie · as Lord Ardilaun

2018
Johnny English Strikes Again poster

Johnny English Strikes Again

Movie · as Agent Five

2017
Mad to Be Normal poster

Mad to Be Normal

Movie · as Sidney Kotok

2017
Victoria & Abdul poster

Victoria & Abdul

Movie · as Lord Salisbury

2017
Viceroy's House poster

Viceroy's House

Movie · as General Hastings Ismay

2017
Kingsman: The Golden Circle poster

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Movie · as Arthur

2017
Paddington 2 poster

Paddington 2

Movie · as Uncle Pastuzo (voice)

2017
Ratburger poster

Ratburger

Movie · as Narrator (voice)

2017
Little Women poster

Little Women

TV · as Mr. Laurence · 3 eps

2017
Fearless poster

Fearless

TV · as Sir Alistair McKinnon · 6 eps

2016
Dad's Army poster

Dad's Army

Movie · as Private Godfrey

2016
Churchill's Secret poster

Churchill's Secret

Movie · as Winston Churchill

2016
Hail, Caesar! poster

Hail, Caesar!

Movie · as Narrator (voice)

2016
The Nightmare Worlds of H.G. Wells poster

The Nightmare Worlds of H.G. Wells

TV · as Elderly Philosopher · 1 ep

2015
Unity poster

Unity

Movie · as Narrator (voice)

2015
Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC poster

Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC

Movie · as Self (archive footage)

2015
Fortitude poster

Fortitude

TV · as Henry Tyson · 11 eps

2015
The Casual Vacancy poster

The Casual Vacancy

TV · as Howard Mollison · 3 eps

2014
On Angel Wings poster

On Angel Wings

Movie · as Grandfather

2014
Common poster

Common

Movie · as Judge

2014
Paddington poster

Paddington

Movie · as Uncle Pastuzo (voice)

2014
Quirke poster

Quirke

TV · as Judge Garret Griffin · 3 eps

2013
Muse of Fire poster

Muse of Fire

Movie · as Self

2013
National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage poster

National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage

Movie · as Hirst

2013
Lucan poster

Lucan

Movie · as John Burke

2013
The Frame poster

The Frame

TV · as Professor Albus Dumbledore · 1 ep

2013
Lucan poster

Lucan

TV · as John Burke · 1 ep

2012
Quartet poster

Quartet

Movie · as Cedric Livingston

2012
London: The Modern Babylon poster

London: The Modern Babylon

Movie · as Self (voice)

2012
Luck poster

Luck

TV · as Michael · 9 eps

2012
Restless poster

Restless

TV · as Baron Mansfield / Lucas Romer · 2 eps

2012
The Hollow Crown poster

The Hollow Crown

TV · as Mortimer · 1 ep

2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 poster

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Movie · as Albus Dumbledore

2011
Page Eight poster

Page Eight

Movie · as Benedict Baron

2011
When Harry Left Hogwarts poster

When Harry Left Hogwarts

Movie · as Self

2010
The Book of Eli poster

The Book of Eli

Movie · as George

2010
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 poster

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Movie · as Albus Dumbledore

2010
The King's Speech poster

The King's Speech

Movie · as King George V

2010
Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol poster

Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol

Movie · as Old Kazran / Elliot Sardick

2010
The Michael Ball Show

The Michael Ball Show

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2009
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince poster

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Movie · as Albus Dumbledore

2009
Fantastic Mr. Fox poster

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Movie · as Franklin Bean (voice)

2009
Emma poster

Emma

TV · as Mr. Woodhouse · 4 eps

2009
Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire poster

Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire

TV · as Narrator · 1 ep

2008
Brideshead Revisited poster

Brideshead Revisited

Movie · as Lord Marchmain

2007
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix poster

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Movie · as Albus Dumbledore

2007
The Good Night poster

The Good Night

Movie · as Alan Weigert

2007
The Baker poster

The Baker

Movie · as Leo

2007
Amazing Grace poster

Amazing Grace

Movie · as Lord Charles Fox

2007
Joe's Palace poster

Joe's Palace

Movie · as Elliot Graham

2007
The Alps - Climb of Your Life poster

The Alps - Climb of Your Life

Movie · as Narrator (voice)

2007
Celebration poster

Celebration

Movie · as Lambert

2007
Cranford poster

Cranford

TV · as Thomas Holbrook · 2 eps

2006
The Good Shepherd poster

The Good Shepherd

Movie · as Dr. Fredericks

2006
The Omen poster

The Omen

Movie · as Bugenhagen

2006
John Duffy's Brother poster

John Duffy's Brother

Movie · as Narrator

2005
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire poster

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Movie · as Albus Dumbledore

2005
Matthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal poster

Matthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal

Movie · as Self

2004
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou poster

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Movie · as Oseary Drakoulias

2004
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban poster

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Movie · as Albus Dumbledore

2004
Layer Cake poster

Layer Cake

Movie · as Eddie Temple

2004
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow poster

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Movie · as Paley

2004
Being Julia poster

Being Julia

Movie · as Jimmie Langton

2004
Stories of Lost Souls poster

Stories of Lost Souls

Movie · as Larry

2004
The Magic Touch of Harry Potter poster

The Magic Touch of Harry Potter

Movie · as Self - Professor Dumbledore

2004
Standing Room Only poster

Standing Room Only

Movie

2003
Open Range poster

Open Range

Movie · as Denton Baxter

2003
Deep Blue poster

Deep Blue

Movie · as Narrator (voice)

2003
Path to War poster

Path to War

Movie · as Lyndon Johnson

2003
The Actors poster

The Actors

Movie · as Barreller

2003
Top Gear: Back in the Fast Lane poster

Top Gear: Back in the Fast Lane

Movie · as Self

2003
Sylvia poster

Sylvia

Movie · as Professor Thomas

2003
Little Wolf's Book of Badness poster

Little Wolf's Book of Badness

Movie · as Uncle Bigbad (voice)

2003
Check the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film poster

Check the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film

Movie · as Self - Hamm (archive footage)

2003
The Lost Prince poster

The Lost Prince

TV · as King Edward VII · 2 eps

2003
Angels in America poster

Angels in America

TV · as Prior Walter Ancestor #1 (uncredited) · 2 eps

2002
Ali G Indahouse poster

Ali G Indahouse

Movie · as Prime Minister

2002
The Making of Gosford Park poster

The Making of Gosford Park

Movie · as Self

2002
Top Gear poster

Top Gear

TV · as Self · 2 eps

2001
High Heels and Low Lifes poster

High Heels and Low Lifes

Movie · as Kerrigan

2001
Gosford Park poster

Gosford Park

Movie · as William McCordle

2001
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love poster

Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love

Movie · as Self

2001
Christmas Carol: The Movie poster

Christmas Carol: The Movie

Movie · as Ghost of Christmas Present (voice)

2001
Charlotte Gray poster

Charlotte Gray

Movie · as Levade

2001
Richard & Judy poster

Richard & Judy

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2001
Perfect Strangers poster

Perfect Strangers

TV · as Raymond · 3 eps

2000
Endgame poster

Endgame

Movie · as Hamm

2000
The Last September poster

The Last September

Movie · as Sir Richard Naylor

2000
Longitude poster

Longitude

Movie · as John Harrison

2000
Sleepy Hollow: Behind the Legend poster

Sleepy Hollow: Behind the Legend

Movie · as Self

2000
Longitude poster

Longitude

TV · as John Harrison · 2 eps

1999
Sleepy Hollow poster

Sleepy Hollow

Movie · as Baltus Van Tassel

1999
The Insider poster

The Insider

Movie · as Thomas Sandefur

1999
Dead on Time poster

Dead on Time

Movie · as Maurice Silverman

1999
Plunkett & Macleane poster

Plunkett & Macleane

Movie · as Lord Gibson

1999
Wives and Daughters poster

Wives and Daughters

TV · as Squire Hamley · 4 eps

1998
Dancing at Lughnasa poster

Dancing at Lughnasa

Movie · as Father Jack Mundy

1998
A Roll of the Dice: The Capeman on Broadway

A Roll of the Dice: The Capeman on Broadway

Movie · as Narrator (voice)

1997
The Wings of the Dove poster

The Wings of the Dove

Movie · as Lionel Croy

1997
The Gambler poster

The Gambler

Movie · as Fyodor Dostoyevsky

1996
Midnight in Saint Petersburg poster

Midnight in Saint Petersburg

Movie · as Alex

1996
Mary Reilly poster

Mary Reilly

Movie · as Mary’s Father

1996
The Willows in Winter poster

The Willows in Winter

Movie · as Badger

1996
Two Deaths poster

Two Deaths

Movie · as Daniel Pavenic

1996
The Innocent Sleep poster

The Innocent Sleep

Movie · as Det. Insp. Matheson

1996
Nothing Personal poster

Nothing Personal

Movie · as Leonard

1996
Samson and Delilah poster

Samson and Delilah

TV · as Re Hamun · 2 eps

1995
Bullet to Beijing poster

Bullet to Beijing

Movie · as Alexei

1995
The Wind in the Willows poster

The Wind in the Willows

Movie · as Badger (voice)

1994
Squanto: A Warrior's Tale poster

Squanto: A Warrior's Tale

Movie · as Sir George

1994
Clean Slate poster

Clean Slate

Movie · as Cornell

1994
The Browning Version poster

The Browning Version

Movie · as Dr. Frobisher

1994
A Man of No Importance poster

A Man of No Importance

Movie · as Ivor J. Carney

1994
Room 101 poster

Room 101

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1994
Faith poster

Faith

TV · as Peter John Moreton · 2 eps

1993
The Entertainer poster

The Entertainer

Movie · as Archie Rice

1993
GMTV poster

GMTV

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1992
Toys poster

Toys

Movie · as General Zevo

1992
Maigret poster

Maigret

TV · as Chief Inspector Maigret · 12 eps

1991
Mobsters poster

Mobsters

Movie · as Don Salvatore Faranzano

1991
The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Theseus & the Minotaur poster

The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Theseus & the Minotaur

Movie · as The Storyteller

1991
The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Perseus & the Gorgon poster

The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Perseus & the Gorgon

Movie · as The Storyteller

1991
The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Orpheus & Eurydice poster

The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Orpheus & Eurydice

Movie · as The Storyteller

1991
The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Daedalus & Icarus poster

The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Daedalus & Icarus

Movie · as The Storyteller

1991
Performance poster

Performance

TV · as Archie Rice · 1 ep

1991
The Storyteller: Greek Myths poster

The Storyteller: Greek Myths

TV · as The Storyteller · 4 eps

1990
Blood Royal: William the Conqueror poster

Blood Royal: William the Conqueror

Movie · as William I

1990
Have I Got News for You poster

Have I Got News for You

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1989
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover poster

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover

Movie · as Albert Spica

1989
A Dry White Season poster

A Dry White Season

Movie · as Magistrate

1989
The Rachel Papers poster

The Rachel Papers

Movie · as Doctor Knowd

1989
Monster Maker poster

Monster Maker

Movie · as Ultragorgon, Ultragorgon(voice)

1989
Paris by Night poster

Paris by Night

Movie · as Gerald Paige

1989
The Heat of the Day poster

The Heat of the Day

Movie · as Harrison

1989
About Face

About Face

TV · as Trevor

1989
The Jim Henson Hour poster

The Jim Henson Hour

TV · as Ultragorgon (voice) · 1 ep

1988
Missing Link poster

Missing Link

Movie · as Narrator (voice)

1988
Mountain Language poster

Mountain Language

Movie · as Sergeant

1987
Ghosts poster

Ghosts

Movie · as Pastor Manders

1987
The Dame Edna Experience poster

The Dame Edna Experience

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1986
The Singing Detective poster

The Singing Detective

TV · as Philip Marlow · 6 eps

1985
Forbidden Passion: The Oscar Wilde Movie poster

Forbidden Passion: The Oscar Wilde Movie

Movie

1985
Absurd Person Singular poster

Absurd Person Singular

Movie · as Geoffrey

1985
Turtle Diary poster

Turtle Diary

Movie · as George Fairbairn

1985
Oscar poster

Oscar

TV · as Oscar Wilde · 3 eps

1985
Theatre Night poster

Theatre Night

TV · as Pastor Manders · 1 ep

1985
Screen Two poster

Screen Two

TV · as Ivor J. Carney · 1 ep

1982
The Breadwinner

The Breadwinner

Movie · as Charles Battle

1981
Bergerac poster

Bergerac

TV · as Jarvis McLeod · 1 ep

1979
Tales of the Unexpected poster

Tales of the Unexpected

TV · as Andrew · 1 ep

1979
Minder poster

Minder

TV · as Tommy Hambury · 1 ep

1978
The Seagull

The Seagull

Movie · as Trigorin

1978
One of These Nights I'm Gonna Get an Early Day poster

One of These Nights I'm Gonna Get an Early Day

Movie · as Kenny

1977
The Other One poster

The Other One

TV · as Brian Bryant · 13 eps

1977
The Sunday Drama

The Sunday Drama

TV · as David Patton · 1 ep

1977
Premiere

Premiere

TV · as Kenny · 1 ep

1976
In the Labyrinth poster

In the Labyrinth

Movie · as Duncan Harrison

1976
The Other Woman poster

The Other Woman

Movie · as Robin

1976
French Without Tears poster

French Without Tears

Movie · as Lt Cmdr Rogers

1976
Tiptoe Through the Tulips poster

Tiptoe Through the Tulips

Movie · as Piers

1975
The Secret Agent

The Secret Agent

Movie · as Tom Ossipon

1974
Bold Face: Condensed poster

Bold Face: Condensed

Movie · as John

1974
The Beast Must Die poster

The Beast Must Die

Movie · as Jan Jarmokowski

1974
Zodiac poster

Zodiac

TV · as Reuben Keiser · 1 ep

1974
Masquerade

Masquerade

TV · as Stewart · 1 ep

1973
Nothing But the Night poster

Nothing But the Night

Movie · as Insp. Grant

1973
The Catholics poster

The Catholics

Movie · as Brother Kevin

1973
Centre Play poster

Centre Play

TV · as Duncan Harrison · 1 ep

1973
Orson Welles' Great Mysteries poster

Orson Welles' Great Mysteries

TV · as Major Rolfe · 1 ep

1973
Second City Firsts

Second City Firsts

TV · as John · 1 ep

1972
Cows poster

Cows

Movie · as Max

1972
Arthur of the Britons poster

Arthur of the Britons

TV · as Roland · 1 ep

1972
Six Days of Justice poster

Six Days of Justice

TV · as Mr.Golding · 1 ep

1971
A Midsummer Night's Dream poster

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Movie · as Theseus

1971
Great Performances poster

Great Performances

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1971
Eyeless in Gaza poster

Eyeless in Gaza

TV · as Mark Staithes · 5 eps

1970
Play for Today poster

Play for Today

TV · as Max, Robin, Piers · 1 ep

1970
Confession

Confession

TV · as Mr. Tennent · 1 ep

1969
Softly Softly: Task Force poster

Softly Softly: Task Force

TV · as Cranley · 1 ep

1969
ITV Saturday Night Theatre poster

ITV Saturday Night Theatre

TV · as Brother Kevin · 1 ep

1968
The Borderers poster

The Borderers

TV · as Gavin Ker · 26 eps

1967
Romeo and Juliet poster

Romeo and Juliet

Movie · as Gregory

1967
Much Ado About Nothing poster

Much Ado About Nothing

Movie · as Other Watchman

1967
Omnibus poster

Omnibus

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1967
ITV Playhouse poster

ITV Playhouse

TV · as Charles Battle · 1 ep

1966
Softly, Softly poster

Softly, Softly

TV · 1 ep

1965
Othello poster

Othello

Movie · as Senators-Soldiers-Cypriots

1965
Public Eye poster

Public Eye

TV · 1 ep

1965
BBC Play of the Month poster

BBC Play of the Month

TV · as Gregory, Theseus, Lt. Cmdr. Bill Rogers, Boris Trigorin · 1 ep

1949
The BAFTA Awards poster

The BAFTA Awards

TV · as Self - Winner · 2 eps