Michael Gambon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Michael Gambon CBE
Gambon in 2013
Born	Michael John Gambon (1940-10-19)19 October 1940 Dublin, Ireland
Died	27 September 2023(2023-09-27) (aged 82) Witham, Essex, England
Citizenship	Ireland United Kingdom
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1962–2019
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Anne Miller ​ (m. 1962)​
Children	3
Awards	Full list
Signature

Sir Michael John Gambon (19 October 1940 – 27 September 2023) was a famous actor from Ireland and England. He began his acting journey with Laurence Olivier at the Royal National Theatre. Over his long career, which lasted six decades, he won many important awards. These include three Laurence Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and four BAFTA Awards. In 1999, Queen Elizabeth II made him a knight for his great work in drama.

Gambon acted in many plays by William Shakespeare, like Othello and Hamlet. He was nominated for the Olivier Awards thirteen times. He won three times for plays such as A Chorus of Disapproval (1985) and A View from the Bridge (1987). In 1997, he performed on Broadway in Skylight, which earned him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination.

Michael Gambon first appeared in a film called Othello in 1965. Some of his other well-known films include The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989) and Gosford Park (2001). He also appeared in Wes Anderson's films like The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004). Gambon became even more famous when he played Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter film series. He took over this role from Richard Harris in 2004 and played Dumbledore until 2011.

For his work on television, he won four BAFTA Awards. These were for shows like The Singing Detective (1986) and Wives and Daughters (1999). He also received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. In 2017, he was given the Irish Film & Television Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2020, The Irish Times newspaper listed him as one of Ireland's greatest film actors.

Early Life and Education

Michael John Gambon was born in Cabra, a part of Dublin, on 19 October 1940. His mother, Mary, was a seamstress. His father, Edward, worked in engineering during World War II. When Michael was six, his family moved to Mornington Crescent in London. His father wanted to find work helping to rebuild London after the war.

Michael's father arranged for him to become a British citizen. This decision later allowed him to receive a full knighthood. He was raised as a strict Catholic. He went to St Aloysius Boys' School and served at the altar. He then attended St Aloysius' College in Highgate. Famous actor Peter Sellers also went to this school.

Later, Michael moved to North End, Kent. He left Crayford Secondary School at age 15 without any qualifications. He then started an apprenticeship as a toolmaker with Vickers-Armstrong. By the time he was 21, he was a qualified engineering technician. He kept this job for another year. During this time, he developed a lifelong love for collecting old guns, clocks, watches, and classic cars.

Acting Career Highlights

Theatre Performances

Starting Out: 1960s and 1970s

Laurence Olivier, the first artistic director of the National Theatre in 1963, was a mentor to Gambon

At 24, Michael Gambon wrote a letter to Micheál Mac Liammóir, who ran Dublin's Gate Theatre. He included a CV that described a made-up acting career. He was hired!

Gambon made his first professional stage appearance in 1962. It was in the Gate Theatre's play Othello. A year later, he auditioned for Laurence Olivier. Olivier was looking for talented actors for his new National Theatre Company. Gambon was hired as one of the promising new actors. He played many small roles, sometimes listed as "Mike Gambon". The company first performed at The Old Vic. Their first show was Hamlet, directed by Olivier. Gambon acted in many National Theatre plays for four years.

After three years, Olivier told Gambon to get more experience in local theatres. In 1967, he joined the Birmingham Repertory Company. Here, he got his first main roles in plays like Othello and Macbeth.

In 1974, he became known as a comic actor in Alan Ayckbourn's The Norman Conquests. Later, at the National Theatre, he had another important role in Harold Pinter's Betrayal. Simon Callow once said that Gambon's strong voice and presence could fill even the largest theatres.

Rising to Fame: 1980s and 1990s

Gambon's powerful voice was perfect for Bertolt Brecht's The Life of Galileo in 1980. This play became very popular. Critics praised his performance, calling it "great acting."

In 1987, the National Theatre brought back A View from the Bridge. Gambon gave an amazing performance as Eddie. The Guardian newspaper said his acting showed him "shaking hands with greatness."

Ralph Richardson famously called him The Great Gambon. Gambon himself thought it was just a silly nickname. Like Richardson, Gambon rarely gave interviews. He was a very private person and preferred to stay out of the spotlight.

In 1995, Gambon starred in David Hare's Skylight. It received excellent reviews at the National Theatre. The play then moved to Broadway in New York. Gambon found the show very tiring. He said it was "ten times as hard to play as anything I've ever done." He received his only Tony Award nomination for this role.

Later Stage Roles and Retirement

In 2001, he played Davies in Patrick Marber's The Caretaker. A year later, he acted with Daniel Craig in Caryl Churchill's A Number. In 2004, Gambon played the main role in Samuel Beckett's play Endgame. In 2005, he finally achieved his dream of playing Falstaff in Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2.

In 2008, Gambon appeared in Harold Pinter's No Man's Land. He was nominated for the 2009 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor. After Pinter passed away in 2008, Gambon read a special speech chosen by Pinter for his funeral.

In early 2015, Gambon announced he was stopping stage work. He found it harder and harder to remember his lines. He had tried using an earpiece for prompts, but it didn't work well for him.

Film Appearances

Early Film Roles: 1960s to 1980s

Michael Gambon made his film debut in Laurence Olivier's Othello in 1965. After this, he was even asked to audition for the role of James Bond in 1970. He also appeared in British horror films like Nothing But the Night (1973). In 1985, he was in the British drama film Turtle Diary.

Independent and Noted Films: 1989 to 2003

In 1989, Gambon starred in the film The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover with Helen Mirren. He also played Fyodor Dostoyevsky in The Gambler (1997). In the 1990s, he appeared in films like Toys (1992) and Sleepy Hollow (1999).

In the 2000s, Gambon was in several films. These included Robert Altman's mystery film Gosford Park. In 2003, he played the main villain in the Western film Open Range.

Harry Potter and Other Major Roles: 2004 to 2011

In 2004, he appeared in five films. These included Wes Anderson's comedy The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and the British gangster film Layer Cake.

In 2007, Gambon was in the historical drama Amazing Grace. This film was about William Wilberforce and his fight against the slave trade. Critics praised the film and its performances. That same year, he had important roles in the BBC series Cranford.

Wax figure of Gambon's Albus Dumbledore from the Harry Potter film series

His most famous role is probably Albus Dumbledore. He played Hogwarts' headmaster in the Harry Potter film series. He took over the role after Richard Harris passed away in 2002. Gambon played Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) and continued through the final two films, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) and Part 2 (2011). He once said that playing Dumbledore was easy. He felt he just put on a beard and played himself.

In 2010, Gambon appeared as King George V in the historical drama The King's Speech. This film received 12 Academy Awards nominations. It won four Oscars, including Best Picture.

British Films and Comedies: 2012 to 2019

In 2012, he was in Dustin Hoffman's first film as a director, Quartet. The film was well-received by critics. In 2016, Gambon was the narrator for the Coen Brothers' comedy Hail, Caesar!. This film made fun of the Hollywood film industry in the 1950s. He also provided the voice for Uncle Pastuzo in the Paddington films (2014, 2018).

In 2019, he appeared in the film Judy, which was about Judy Garland. That same year, Gambon was in the thriller Cordelia.

Television Roles

Early TV Work: 1960s to 1980s

In 1967, he made his television debut in the BBC show Much Ado About Nothing. He also appeared in British shows like Softly, Softly (1967). From 1968 to 1970, he was in the BBC historical series The Borderers. He also had a role in the Canadian series The Challengers (1972).

The Singing Detective and Acclaim: 1986 to 1999

His unique looks helped him become a great character actor. For his main role in Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective (1986), he won his first British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. He played Inspector Jules Maigret in an ITV series based on Georges Simenon's books. In 1999, he appeared in the BBC series Wives and Daughters. He won his second BAFTA Award for this role.

Established Actor: 2000s

Gambon starred in a TV film of Samuel Beckett's Endgame (2001). He also showed his talent for comedy in Perfect Strangers (2001). Gambon played President Lyndon B. Johnson in the TV film Path to War. The Washington Post said his performance made the famous president seem "painfully... human." He was nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for this role.

In 2009, he appeared in a TV show based on Jane Austen's Emma. He played Mr. Woodhouse and received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie nomination in 2010.

HBO and PBS Projects: 2010s

Gambon was in the 2010 Christmas episode of Doctor Who, called "A Christmas Carol". In the 2010s, he also did a lot of voice work. He was the Narrator in the British version of Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire. In 2013, Gambon provided the voice for The Prophet in the video game The Elder Scrolls Online.

In 2012, Gambon worked again with Dustin Hoffman in the HBO horse-racing drama Luck. In 2013, Gambon took part in a special live event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the National Theatre. He performed a scene from No Man's Land with Derek Jacobi.

The next year, he was cast in the TV show The Casual Vacancy. This show was based on the popular book by J.K. Rowling. In 2015 and 2018, Gambon starred as Henry Tyson in the series Fortitude. In 2019, it was reported that Gambon left the comedy series Breeders. This was because he had trouble remembering his lines due to memory loss.

Personal Life

Michael Gambon married mathematician Anne Miller in 1962. They lived in Gravesend, Kent. They had one son, Fergus, who became a ceramics expert on the BBC show Antiques Roadshow. Gambon was known for keeping his private life very secret.

In the New Year Honours 1998, Gambon was made a Knight Bachelor for his contributions to drama. Prince Charles officially made him a knight at Buckingham Palace on 17 July 1998.

Gambon was also a qualified private pilot. His love for cars led him to appear on the BBC show Top Gear. He drove so fast around the track that his car went on two wheels at the last corner. This corner on the Top Gear test track was later named "Gambon Corner" in his honor. He appeared on the show again in 2006 and improved his lap time.

Death

Michael Gambon passed away in hospital on 27 September 2023. He was 82 years old. He died after suffering from pneumonia.

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Michael Gambon para niños