Sir Michael Gambon: A career in pictures

28 September 2023

Sir Michael Gambon has died in hospital aged 82.

Sir Michael was born in 1940 in Dublin, educated in London and served a seven-year engineering apprenticeship before being selected by Sir Laurence Olivier for Britain's National Theatre in 1963.

Alamy Michael Gambon on stage in Mother Courage by Bertold Brecht at the National Theatre,The Old Vic - London, 1965 — On stage in 1965 in The National Theatre production of Mother Courage by Bertold Brecht

He quickly became well-known for his work in a number of Alan Ayckbourn plays.

Despite making his screen debut in Olivier's 1965 film adaptation of Othello, he concentrated on stage work.

Donald Cooper/Alamy Michael Gambon in Table Manner by Alan Ayckbourn, part of his the Norman conquests trilogy directed by Eric Thompson at the Globe Theatre, London in 1974. — Starring with Felicity Kendall in Table Manners by Alan Ayckbourn, in 1974 at London's Globe Theatre

He went on to appear regularly at the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company in roles including King Lear, Othello, Mark Anthony and Volpone.

Getty Images Michael Gambon appears in a National Theatre production of 'Volpone'. — In a National Theatre production of Volpone

His lead role in John Dexter's production 1980 of Galileo led to much greater recognition of his talents, but it was to be a 1986 TV series which made him a household name.

Alamy Sir Michael Gambon as Galileo Galilei in the Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht, translated by Howard Brenton, directed by John Dexter at the Olivier Theatre, National Theatre (NT), London in 1980. — As Galileo Galilei at the Olivier Theatre in 1980

Dennis Potter's menacing and imaginative TV series The Singing Detective cast Sir Michael in the lead role, a man crippled with psoriasis who has a fantasy life as a private eye.

Sir Michael Gambon in the TV series, The Singing Detective — As Philip Marlow in The Singing Detective, a six-part drama with music

The series brought huge acclaim for his performance - as well as a Bafta for best actor, his first of four.

Michael Gambon as Philip E Marlow and Joanne Whalley as Nurse Mills at his hospital bed ,with Marlow suffering from psoriasis — Philip Marlow suffered from psoriasis

His film career began in earnest with Peter Greenaway's The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989), which cast him in a sadistic role opposite Helen Mirren and Tim Roth.

Sygma via Getty Image On the set of The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover written and directed by Peter Greenaway. — The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover was written and directed by Peter Greenaway.

He went on to work in a wide variety of films, including A Man of No Importance (1994), The Browning Version (1994), Dancing at Lughnasa (1998), and Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow (1999).

Paramount Pictures / Alamy Michael Gambon in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow — Gambon on horseback in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

In 2001 he appeared in Robert Altman's highly-rated Gosford Park, which won an Oscar for best screenplay and an ensemble acting award from the Screen Actors Guild.

Getty Images Actors (L to R) Michael Gambon, Emily Watson and Richard E. Grant appear in a scene from the film "Gosford Park." — Gambon appeared alongside Emily Watson and Richard E. Grant in Gosford Park

He received a TV Bafta in 2000 for the BBC One drama Wives & Daughters, and repeated the feat the following year for his work in Channel 4's Longitude.

2002's award for his performance in BBC Two's Perfect Strangers was, remarkably, his third win in as many years.

Getty Images Michael Gambon and Kim Cattrall at The British Academy (bafta) Television Awards, At The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London — Sir Michael, seen here with actress Kim Cattrall, won Best Actor award for Perfect Strangers at the British Academy Television Awards

Gambon amassed a legion of new fans for his performance as Professor Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - a role he inherited following the death of Richard Harris in 2002.

Alamy Sir Michael Gambon in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban — As Dumbledore, the headmaster of wizarding school Hogwarts

He was to continue in the role, starring in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the final two films of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Alamy Michael Gambon in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 2007 — Casting spells in the 2007 film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

His TV and film roles continued, notably appearing in the 2010 Christmas Special of Doctor Who, A Christmas Carol.

Michael Gambon, Matt Smith and Laurence Belcher in Dr Who, 2010 — As Kazran opposite Matt Smith's Dr Who

In early 2015, Sir Michael announced he was no longer able to play roles on stage due to problems remembering lines.

Alamy Sir Michael Gambon stars in Gate Theatre Dublin's production of Samuel Beckett's "Eh Joe" at the Edinburgh International Festival, directed by Atom Egoyan — Sir Michael starred in Gate Theatre Dublin's production of Samuel Beckett's, Eh Joe, at the Edinburgh International Festival

Sir Michael also played Henry Tyson in Sky Atlantic's Fortitude. It was to be one of his final screen performances.