Acting · Cabra, Dublin, Ireland · Born October 19, 1940
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.
MovieDoctor Who at the Proms
2024
as Kazran Sardick (archive footage)
MovieJudy
2019
as Bernard Delfont
MovieCordelia
2019
as Mr. Moses
MovieThe Death & Life of John F. Donovan
2019
as Man in Diner
MovieKing of Thieves
2018
as Billy 'The Fish' Lincoln
MovieJohnny English Strikes Again
2018
as Agent Five
MovieCitizen Lane
2018
as Lord Ardilaun
MovieThe Last Witness
2018
as Frank Hamilton
TVLittle Women
2017
as Mr. Laurence
MoviePaddington 2
2017
as Uncle Pastuzo (voice)
MovieKingsman: The Golden Circle
2017
as Arthur
MovieVictoria & Abdul
2017
as Lord Salisbury
TVFearless
2017
as Sir Alistair McKinnon
MovieMad to Be Normal
2017
as Sidney Kotok
MovieViceroy's House
2017
as General Hastings Ismay
MovieChurchill's Secret
2016
as Winston Churchill
MovieDad's Army
2016
as Private Godfrey
MovieHail, Caesar!
2016
as Narrator (voice)
TVThe Nightmare Worlds of H.G. Wells
2016
as Elderly Philosopher
MovieKnights of Classic Drama at the BBC
2015
as Self (archive footage)
MovieUnity
2015
as Narrator (voice)
TVThe Casual Vacancy
2015
as Howard Mollison
TVFortitude
2015
as Henry Tyson
MovieOn Angel Wings
2014
as Grandfather
MoviePaddington
2014
as Uncle Pastuzo (voice)
MovieCommon
2014
as Judge
TVQuirke
2014
as Judge Garret Griffin
MovieLucan
2013
as John Burke
TVLucan
2013
as John Burke
MovieNational Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage
2013
as Hirst
MovieMuse of Fire
2013
as Self
TVThe Frame
2013
as Professor Albus Dumbledore
TVRestless
2012
as Baron Mansfield / Lucas Romer
MovieQuartet
2012
as Cedric Livingston
MovieLondon: The Modern Babylon
2012
as Self (voice)
TVThe Hollow Crown
2012
as Mortimer
TVLuck
2012
as Michael
MovieWhen Harry Left Hogwarts
2011
as Self
MoviePage Eight
2011
as Benedict Baron
MovieHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
2011
as Albus Dumbledore
MovieDoctor Who: A Christmas Carol
2010
as Old Kazran / Elliot Sardick
MovieThe King's Speech
2010
as King George V
MovieHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
2010
as Albus Dumbledore
The Michael Ball Show
2010
as Self
MovieThe Book of Eli
2010
as George
MovieFantastic Mr. Fox
2009
as Franklin Bean (voice)
TVEmma
2009
as Mr. Woodhouse
MovieHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2009
as Albus Dumbledore
TVKrod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire
2009
as Narrator
MovieBrideshead Revisited
2008
as Lord Marchmain
TVCranford
2007
as Thomas Holbrook
MovieJoe's Palace
2007
as Elliot Graham
MovieHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2007
as Albus Dumbledore
MovieThe Alps - Climb of Your Life
2007
as Narrator (voice)
MovieCelebration
2007
as Lambert
MovieThe Baker
2007
as Leo
MovieThe Good Night
2007
as Alan Weigert
MovieThe Good Shepherd
2006
as Dr. Fredericks
MovieJohn Duffy's Brother
2006
as Narrator
MovieAmazing Grace
2006
as Lord Charles Fox
MovieThe Omen
2006
as Bugenhagen
MovieHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2005
as Albus Dumbledore
MovieMatthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal
2005
as Self
MovieThe Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
2004
as Oseary Drakoulias
MovieStories of Lost Souls
2004
as Larry
MovieLayer Cake
2004
as Eddie Temple
MovieSky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
2004
as Paley
MovieBeing Julia
2004
as Jimmie Langton
MovieThe Magic Touch of Harry Potter
2004
as Self
MovieHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2004
as Albus Dumbledore
MovieLittle Wolf's Book of Badness
2003
as Uncle Bigbad (voice)
TVAngels in America
2003
as Prior Walter Ancestor #1 (uncredited)
MoviePath to War
2003
as Lyndon Johnson
MovieTop Gear: Back in the Fast Lane
2003
as Self
MovieSylvia
2003
as Professor Thomas
MovieOpen Range
2003
as Denton Baxter
MovieDeep Blue
2003
as Narrator (voice)
MovieThe Actors
2003
as Barreller
MovieCheck the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film
2003
as Self - Hamm (archive footage)
TVThe Lost Prince
2003
as King Edward VII
TVTop Gear
2002
as Self
MovieThe Making of Gosford Park
2002
as Self
MovieAli G Indahouse
2002
as Prime Minister
MovieCharlotte Gray
2001
as Levade
MovieGosford Park
2001
as William McCordle
MovieChristmas Carol: The Movie
2001
as Ghost of Christmas Present (voice)
TVRichard & Judy
2001
as Self
MovieLarry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
2001
as Self
MovieHigh Heels and Low Lifes
2001
as Kerrigan
TVPerfect Strangers
2001
as Raymond
MovieEndgame
2000
as Hamm
MovieSleepy Hollow: Behind the Legend
2000
as Self
MovieThe Last September
2000
as Sir Richard Naylor
MovieLongitude
2000
as John Harrison
TVLongitude
2000
as John Harrison
TVWives and Daughters
1999
as Squire Hamley
MovieSleepy Hollow
1999
as Baltus Van Tassel
MovieThe Insider
1999
as Thomas Sandefur
MoviePlunkett & Macleane
1999
as Lord Gibson
MovieDead on Time
1999
as Maurice Silverman
MovieDancing at Lughnasa
1998
as Father Jack Mundy
A Roll of the Dice: The Capeman on Broadway
1998
as Narrator (voice)
MovieThe Gambler
1997
as Fyodor Dostoyevsky
MovieThe Wings of the Dove
1997
as Lionel Croy
MovieThe Willows in Winter
1996
as Badger
TVSamson and Delilah
1996
as Re Hamun
MovieNothing Personal
1996
as Leonard
MovieMidnight in Saint Petersburg
1996
as Alex
MovieTwo Deaths
1996
as Daniel Pavenic
MovieMary Reilly
1996
as Mary’s Father
MovieThe Innocent Sleep
1996
as Det. Insp. Matheson
MovieThe Wind in the Willows
1995
as Badger
MovieBullet to Beijing
1995
as Alexei
MovieA Man of No Importance
1994
as Ivor J. Carney
MovieSquanto: A Warrior's Tale
1994
as Sir George
TVFaith
1994
as Peter John Moreton
TVRoom 101
1994
as Self
MovieThe Browning Version
1994
as Dr. Frobisher
MovieClean Slate
1994
as Cornell
MovieThe Entertainer
1993
as Archie Rice
TVGMTV
1993
as Self
MovieToys
1992
as General Zevo
TVMaigret
1992
as Chief Inspector Maigret
TVThe Storyteller: Greek Myths
1991
as The Storyteller
TVPerformance
1991
as Archie Rice
MovieMobsters
1991
as Don Salvatore Faranzano
TVHave I Got News for You
1990
as Self
MovieBlood Royal: William the Conqueror
1990
as William I
About Face
1989
MovieThe Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
1989
as Albert Spica
MovieA Dry White Season
1989
as Magistrate
MovieThe Heat of the Day
1989
as Harrison
MovieThe Rachel Papers
1989
as Doctor Knowd
MovieParis by Night
1989
as Gerald Paige
TVThe Jim Henson Hour
1989
as Ultragorgon (voice)
MovieMonster Maker
1989
as Ultragorgon
MovieMountain Language
1988
as Sergeant
MovieMissing Link
1988
as Narrator (voice)
TVThe Dame Edna Experience
1987
as Self
MovieGhosts
1987
as Pastor Manders
TVThe Singing Detective
1986
as Philip Marlow
MovieTurtle Diary
1985
as George Fairbairn
TVTheatre Night
1985
as Pastor Manders
MovieForbidden Passion: The Oscar Wilde Movie
1985
TVOscar
1985
as Oscar Wilde
TVScreen Two
1985
as Ivor J. Carney
MovieAbsurd Person Singular
1985
as Geoffrey
The Breadwinner
1982
as Charles Battle
TVBergerac
1981
as Jarvis McLeod
TVMinder
1979
as Tommy Hambury
TVTales of the Unexpected
1979
as Andrew
MovieOne of These Nights I'm Gonna Get an Early Day
1978
as Kenny
The Seagull
1978
as Trigorin
TVThe Other One
1977
as Brian Bryant
Premiere
1977
as Kenny
The Sunday Drama
1977
as David Patton
MovieFrench Without Tears
1976
as Lt Cmdr Rogers
MovieTiptoe Through the Tulips
1976
as Piers
MovieIn the Labyrinth
1976
as Duncan Harrison
MovieThe Other Woman
1976
as Robin
The Secret Agent
1975
as Tom Ossipon
Masquerade
1974
as Stewart
MovieBold Face: Condensed
1974
as John
MovieThe Beast Must Die
1974
as Jan Jarmokowski
TVZodiac
1974
as Reuben Keiser
MovieThe Catholics
1973
as Brother Kevin
Second City Firsts
1973
as John
TVOrson Welles' Great Mysteries
1973
as Major Rolfe
TVCentre Play
1973
as Duncan Harrison
MovieNothing But the Night
1973
as Insp. Grant
TVArthur of the Britons
1972
as Roland
TVSix Days of Justice
1972
as Mr.Golding
MovieCows
1972
as Max
MovieA Midsummer Night's Dream
1971
as Theseus
TVEyeless in Gaza
1971
as Mark Staithes
TVGreat Performances
1971
as Self
TVPlay for Today
1970
as Piers
Confession
1970
as Mr. Tennent
TVSoftly Softly: Task Force
1969
as Cranley
TVITV Saturday Night Theatre
1969
as Brother Kevin
TVThe Borderers
1968
as Gavin Ker
TVOmnibus
1967
as Self
TVITV Playhouse
1967
as Charles Battle
MovieRomeo and Juliet
1967
as Gregory
MovieMuch Ado About Nothing
1967
as Other Watchman
TVSoftly, Softly
1966
MovieOthello
1965
TVBBC Play of the Month
1965
as Gregory
TVPublic Eye
1965
TVThe BAFTA Awards
1949
as Self - Winner
