Harry Potter Star Michael Gambon Dies Aged 82

Actor Sir Michael Gambon has died in hospital, aged 82. His family released a statement saying that he passed away peacefully in hospital surrounded by his wife Anne and his son Fergus at his bedside. The Irish-English actor was an original member of Lance Olivier's National Theatre Company, working alongside such famous names as Sir Derek Jacobi, Dame Maggie Smith and Lynne Redgrave. With a career that spanned five decades over stage and screen, he was best known for his TV role as French detective Jules Maigret and for his 1986 role as Philip Marlowe in Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective. The BAFTA-winning actor also received critical acclaim for his role in Peter Greenaway's The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover in 1989. In recent years, he is known for playing the character of Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight Harry Potter films, after taking on the role following the death of Richard Harris in 2002. A statement issued on behalf of Lady Gambon and son Fergus 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.