London: Veteran actor Michael Gambon, known for his role as Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter films, passed away on Thursday at the age of 82.
Gambon portrayed Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore in six of the eight Harry Potter films after the death of his predecessor, Richard Harris, in 2002.
A family statement, issued by his publicist, said he died following a bout of pneumonia.
“We 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,” his family said.
The Irish-English actor made his film debut in ‘Othello’ (1965). Among his other notable films are ‘The Cook’, ‘The Thief His Wife & Her Lover’ (1989), ‘The Wings of the Dove’ (1997), ‘The Insider’ (1999), ‘Amazing Grace’ (2006), ‘The King’s Speech’ (2010), and ‘Victoria & Abdul (2017), followed by Potter series from 2004 to 2011.
Gambon received several awards during his six-decade acting career, including four BAFTA Awards for his work on television. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998 for services to drama.
