The death of Richard Harris last October was a heavy blow to the acting world and to fans of the popular Harry Potter films in particular. Speculation has been rife ever since over who could take over as the headmaster of Hogwarts, but it seems a choice has finally been made.
Veteran actor Michael Gambon, most famous for his role in The Singing Detective is to play Professor Dumbledore in the next instalment, The Prisoner Of Azkaban. It had been rumoured that Lord Of The Rings stars Ian McKellen or Christopher Lee, might appear in the new film, but latest reports say 62-year-old Gambon has won the part.
Like his predecessor, the imposing actor was born in Ireland but he soon moved to London to study under the legendary Laurence Olivier. While he didn't achieve the megastar status of Harris, Gambon has won great critical acclaim over the course of his 40-year career, for performances in films like The Cook, The Thief, His Wife And Her Lover, Gosford Park and A Dry White Season, in which he co-starred with Marlon Brando.
He has also worked almost continuously on the stage and London's theatres will no doubt miss his presence while he's tied up with Harry Potter. Hogwarts may keep him busy for some time as Warner Brothers has confirmed that The Goblet Of Fire, the fourth instalment in the series, will begin filming as soon as The Prisoner Of Azkaban is complete.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
