
Michael Gambon
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.
70Credits40 TV · 30 films
1965–2017Years activefirst to latest
10.0 Highest ratedSix Days of Justice
7.6 Average ratingacross 70 titles
Top TV shows 40best Michael Gambon shows
- 1
Six Days of JusticeMr.Golding · 1 ep · 1972 - 2
FaithPeter John Moreton · 2 eps · 1994 - 3
The Jim Henson HourUltragorgon (voice) · 1 ep · 1989 - 4
The Storyteller: Greek MythsThe Storyteller · 4 eps · 1991 - 5
Public Eye1 ep · 1965 - 6
CranfordThomas Holbrook · 2 eps · 2007 - 7
Eyeless in GazaMark Staithes · 5 eps · 1971 - 8
Arthur of the BritonsRoland · 1 ep · 1972 - 9
EmmaMr. Woodhouse · 4 eps · 2009 - 10
MaigretChief Inspector Maigret · 12 eps · 1992 - 11
Angels in AmericaPrior Walter Ancestor #1 (uncredited) · 2 eps · 2003 - 12
The Singing DetectivePhilip Marlow · 6 eps · 1986 - 13
Softly, Softly1 ep · 1966 - 14
The Hollow CrownMortimer · 1 ep · 2012 - 15
Wives and DaughtersSquire Hamley · 6 eps · 1999 - 16
Samson and DelilahRe Hamun · 2 eps · 1996 - 17
Omnibus1 ep · 1967 - 18
The Lost PrinceKing Edward VII · 2 eps · 2003 - 19
Screen TwoIvor J. Carney · 1 ep · 1985 - 20
RestlessBaron Mansfield / Lucas Romer · 2 eps · 2012 - 21
Little WomenMr. Laurence · 3 eps · 2017 - 22
MinderTommy Hambury · 1 ep · 1979 - 23
LucanJohn Burke · 1 ep · 2013 - 24
The BorderersGavin Ker · 26 eps · 1968 - 25
The Other OneBrian Bryant · 13 eps · 1977 - 26
LongitudeJohn Harrison · 2 eps · 2000 - 27About Face1 ep · 1989
- 28
Centre PlayDuncan Harrison · 1 ep · 1973 - 29
ITV PlayhouseCharles Battle · 1 ep · 1967 - 30
ITV Saturday Night TheatreBrother Kevin · 1 ep · 1969 - 31
FortitudeHenry Tyson · 11 eps · 2015 - 32
Tales of the UnexpectedAndrew · 1 ep · 1979 - 33
Orson Welles' Great MysteriesMajor Rolfe · 1 ep · 1973 - 34
FearlessSir Alistair McKinnon · 6 eps · 2017 - 35
BergeracJarvis McLeod · 1 ep · 1981 - 36
LuckMichael · 9 eps · 2012 - 37
Perfect StrangersRaymond · 3 eps · 2001 - 38
Play for TodayMax · 1 ep · 1970 - 39
PerformanceArchie Rice · 1 ep · 1991 - 40
The Casual VacancyHoward Mollison · 3 eps · 2015
Top movies 30best Michael Gambon movies
- 1The Secret AgentTom Ossipon · 1975
- 2
A Midsummer Night's DreamTheseus · 1971 - 3
Blood Royal: William the ConquerorWilliam I - 4
In the LabyrinthDuncan Harrison · 1976 - 5
Absurd Person SingularGeoffrey · 1985 - 6
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2Albus Dumbledore · 2011 · Adventure - 7
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanAlbus Dumbledore · 2004 · Adventure - 8A Roll of the Dice: The Capeman on BroadwayNarrator (voice) · 1998
- 9
Dead on TimeMaurice Silverman · 1999 - 10
Tiptoe Through the TulipsPiers · 1976 - 11
CowsMax · 1972 - 12
The Heat of the DayHarrison · 1989 - 13
Little Wolf's Book of BadnessUncle Bigbad (voice) · 2003 - 14
Doctor Who: A Christmas CarolOld Kazran / Elliot Sardick · 2010 - 15
Fantastic Mr. FoxFranklin Bean (voice) · 2009 · Adventure - 16
Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireAlbus Dumbledore · 2005 · Adventure - 17
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1Albus Dumbledore · 2010 - 18
The King's SpeechKing George V · 2010 · Drama - 19
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood PrinceAlbus Dumbledore · 2009 · Adventure - 20
Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixAlbus Dumbledore · 2007 · Adventure - 21
UnityNarrator (voice) · 2015 - 22
Paddington 2Uncle Pastuzo (voice) · 2017 - 23
The InsiderThomas Sandefur · 1999 - 24
LongitudeJohn Harrison · 2000 - 25
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her LoverAlbert Spica · 1989 - 26
EndgameHamm · 2000 - 27
Sleepy HollowBaltus Van Tassel · 1999 · Fantasy - 28
PaddingtonUncle Pastuzo (voice) · 2014 · Comedy - 29
The Life Aquatic with Steve ZissouOseary Drakoulias · 2004 · Adventure - 30
The Book of EliGeorge · 2010 · Action