Michael Gambon has sadly passed away aged 82 after a lengthy career in showbiz.
As well as his iconic role in Harry Potter as Albus Dumbledore, he starred in blockbusters Gosford Park, Ali G Indahouse, Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox and The King’s Speech. He also played Philip Marlowe in serial drama The Singing Detective. The star later appeared in BBC TV hits like Perfect Strangers and Emma.
As well as acting, fans may not know that he was a qualified amateur pilot and also the father to Antiques Roadshow expert Fergus Gambon.
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As famous faces and fans mourn the loss of yet another acting legend, Daily Star has taken a look inside his private life and past roles.
Early days
(Image: Getty Images)
Sir Michael was born October 19, 1940, in Cabra, Dublin, Ireland but moved to London at the age of six where he later became a British citizen. He made his film debut in the Laurence Olivier Othello in 1965, and since then has had roles in a variety of Hollywood movies including Sleepy Hollow and Paddington.
During his legendary career spanning five decades, he has scooped four Baftas for his roles in The Singing Detective, Wives and Daughters, and Perfect Strangers. He has also won three Olivier Awards for his work on stage. Michael was appointed a Knight Bachelor for his services to drama in the New Year Honours List in 1998.
Famous son
(Image: BBC)
Michael married mathematician Anne Miller in 1962 when he was 22 years old. Their son Fergus Gambon is the Director of British Ceramics and Glass and an expert on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow.
Back in 2016, He encountered what he states is one of the greatest finds in the show’s history. It was a doll’s house with its original dolls that dates back to 1705. He noted at the time that the doll’s and the house were impossible to accurately value but their worth up towards a jaw-dropping £200,000, one of the highest amounts heard on the TV series.
Top Gear link
(Image: BBC)
The Harry Potter star’s love of cars led to his appearance on the BBC series Top Gear. He once raced a Suzuki Liana so aggressively that it went around the last corner of his lap on two wheels. The final corner of the test track has since been named Gambon Corner or simply “Gambon” in his honour.
He appeared on the programme a second time and set a time in the Chevrolet Lacetti,, a significant improvement on his previous time. He clipped his namesake corner the second time and when asked why by former host Jeremy Clarkson, Michael, who is a qualified pilot, simply replied, “I don’t know, I just don’t like it.”
‘Frightening’ health battle
(Image: BBC)
In February 2015, Micheal spoke for the first time of the “frightening memory loss” that had forced him to retire from the stage after 50 years. He said he has taken the “heartbreaking” decision to stop after finding he could no longer remember his lines. Michael bowed out from stage work after an experiment involving lines read to him via an audio headset proved a failure.
He explained: “There was a girl in the wings and I had a plug in my ear so she could read my lines. And after about an hour I thought, ‘This can’t work. You can’t be in theatre, free on the stage, shouting and screaming and running around, with someone reading your lines.’
He added: “You know, when you’re there in front of an audience, that you’re not as good as you could be. It’s a horrible thing to admit, but I can’t do it. It breaks my heart. When the script is in front of me and it takes me forever to learn, it’s frightening.”
Cause of death revealed
(Image: Mike Gunnill/REX/Shutterstock)
Michael sadly passed away on September 28 after suffering from pneumonia. A statement on behalf of his wife Lady Gambon and son Fergus, issued by publicist Clair Dobbs, said: “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, following a bout of pneumonia. Michael was 82. We ask that you respect our privacy at this painful time and thank you for your messages of support and love.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
