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 Characters - The Harry Potter Characters Page gives you access to biographies, pictures and links to all the Harry Potter Characters from the series. Including: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and more!
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The Michael Gambon Page provides information, pictures, and links to interviews with the actor who replaced Richard Harris in the Harry Potter films, Michael Gambon.
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He was born in Dublin during WW2, on the 19th of October, 1940, dark days, indeed, but still fun for an infant surrounded by a large extended family. Come the end of the war, when Michael was 5, it made sense that his father, an engineer, should cross the Irish Sea and find work amidst the rebuilding of London. Thus the family, including Michael and his seamstress mother, took up residence near Mornington Crescent, north London. Unbeknownst to Michael, his father would take out official papers for him, making him an English citizen - a fact that would later allow him to be awarded a CBE and a knighthood.
His father was keen for him to follow in his footsteps as an engineer but Michael only saw his future being as an actor. After joining the National Theatre, under the Artistic Directorship of Sir Laurence Olivier, Michael Gambon went on to appear in a number of leading roles in plays written by Alan Ayckbourn. His career was catapulted in 1980 when he took the lead role in John Dexter's production of "Galileo". Since then, he has regularly appeared at the Royal National Theatre and the RSC. Roles include, King Lear, Othello, Mark Anthony and Volpone and he is now considered to be one of the British theatre's leading lights.
Despite huge success on the stage, movie success has taken longer for Michael Gambon to come by. His film career received a major boost sadly due to the death of Richard Harris. He replaced him as Professor Albus Dumbledore. The producers of the Harry Potter franchise required a thespian of huge gravitas. After The Lord Of The Rings and the X-Men franchise, the best-known of these was Ian McKellen, but he'd had his fill of fantasy. Michael Gambon was the obvious second choice and thus he brought his peculiar brand of humanity and danger to Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban as the headmaster of Hogwarts, a man who has seen and knows he will see more than anyone would ever really want to. He'd keep the part for Harry Potter And the Goblet Of Fire, and beyond.
Having been awarded a CBE in 1992, then knighted in 1998 (on the Angels In America set he threatened violence against anyone who called him Sir) Gambon's efforts have now been publicly recognised. Not bad for a poor immigrant with no formal training whatsoever (it's said Gambon flounders in rehearsal till he hits upon his character and is then perfect). No wonder America has finally recognised him as one of the greats.
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Pictures
Links
 Michael Gambon Interview
- Michael Gambon and Gary Oldman talk about their roles in the Harry Potter films. www.bbc.co.uk/films
[Guardian] Michael Gambon Interview
- An in depth interview with Harry Potter star Michael Gambon. www.guardian.co.uk
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