Michael Gambon, the Irish-born actor knighted for his storied career on the stage and screen and who gained admiration from a new generation of moviegoers with his portrayal of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight 害羞草研究所淗arry Potter害羞草研究所� films, has died. He was 82.

A statement by his family, issued by his publicist Thursday, said the actor died following 害羞草研究所渁 bout of pneumonia.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e 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,害羞草研究所� his family said.

While the Potter role raised Gambon害羞草研究所檚 international profile and found him a huge audience, he had long been recognized as one of Britain害羞草研究所檚 leading actors. His work spanned TV, theater and radio, and he starred in dozens of films from 害羞草研究所淕osford Park害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淭he King害羞草研究所檚 Speech害羞草研究所� to the animated family movie 害羞草研究所淧addington.害羞草研究所� He recently appeared in the Judy Garland biopic 害羞草研究所淛udy,害羞草研究所� released in 2019.

Gambon was knighted for services to drama in 1998.

The role of the much loved Professor Dumbledore was initially played by another Irish-born actor, Richard Harris. When Harris died in 2002, after two of the films in the franchise had been made, Gambon took over and played the part from 害羞草研究所淗arry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban害羞草研究所� through to 害羞草研究所淗arry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2.害羞草研究所�

He once acknowledged not having read any of J. K Rowling害羞草研究所檚 best-selling books, arguing that it was safer to follow the script rather than be too influenced by the books. That didn害羞草研究所檛 prevent him from embodying the spirit of the powerful wizard who fought against evil to protect his students.

Fiona Shaw, who played Petunia Dursley in the 害羞草研究所淗arry Potter害羞草研究所� series, recalled Gambon telling her how central acting was to his life.

害羞草研究所淗e did once say to me in a car 害羞草研究所業 know I go on a lot about this and that, but actually, in the end, there is only acting害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� Shaw told the BBC on Thursday. 害羞草研究所淚 think he was always pretending that he didn害羞草研究所檛 take it seriously, but he took it profoundly seriously.害羞草研究所�

Born in Dublin on Oct. 19, 1940, Gambon was raised in London and originally trained as an engineer, following in the footsteps of his father. He made his theater debut in a production of 害羞草研究所淥thello害羞草研究所� in Dublin.

In 1963 he got his first big break with a minor role in 害羞草研究所淗amlet,害羞草研究所� the National Theatre Company害羞草研究所檚 opening production, under the directorship of the legendary Laurence Olivier.

Gambon soon became a distinguished stage actor and received critical acclaim for his leading performance in 害羞草研究所淟ife of Galileo,害羞草研究所� directed by John Dexter. He was frequently nominated for awards and won the Laurence Olivier Award 3 times and the Critics害羞草研究所� Circle Theatre Awards twice.

A multi-talented actor, Gambon was also the recipient of four coveted British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards for his television work.

He became a household name in Britain after his lead role in the 1986 BBC TV series 害羞草研究所淭he Singing Detective,害羞草研究所� written by Dennis Potter and considered a classic of British television drama. Gambon won the BAFTA for best actor for the role.

Gambon was versatile as an actor but once told the BBC of his preference for playing 害羞草研究所渧illainous characters.害羞草研究所� He played gangster Eddie Temple in the British crime thriller 害羞草研究所淟ayer Cake害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� a review of the film by the New York Times referred to Gambon as 害羞草研究所渞eliably excellent害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� and a Satanic crime boss in Peter Greenaway害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淭he Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover.害羞草研究所�

He also had a part as King George V in the 2010 drama film 害羞草研究所淭he King害羞草研究所檚 Speech.害羞草研究所� In 2015 he returned to the works of J.K. Rowling, taking a leading role in the TV adaptation of her non-Potter book 害羞草研究所淭he Casual Vacancy.害羞草研究所�

Gambon retired from the stage in 2015 after struggling to remember his lines in front of an audience due to his advancing age. He once told the Sunday Times Magazine: 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a horrible thing to admit, but I can害羞草研究所檛 do it. It breaks my heart.害羞草研究所�

Gambon was always protective when it came to his private life. He married Anne Miller and they had one son, Fergus. He later had two sons with set designer Philippa Hart.

READ ALSO: