Richard Harris originated the role of Professor Dumbledore in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” in 2001. After completing his work on “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” Harris died on October 25, 2002, about three weeks before the film’s release on November 15.
Michael Gambon made his debut in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” in 2004, and Dumbledore remained a main character in 2005’s “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” 2007’s “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” and 2009’s “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” However, since Dumbledore dies in “The Half-Blood Prince,” his screen time is limited to shorter fantasy sequences for both parts of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” The actor returned to his role as Dumbledore one more time after the “Harry Potter” film series, voicing the venerable professor in the 2018 video game “Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery.”
Author J.K. Rowling and several “Harry Potter” stars reacted to the death of Gambon after his passing, including stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, as well as supporting actors Jason Isaacs and James Phelps. In various statements, they agreed that Gambon was always a fun presence to be around, very generous with his time, and very dedicated to his craft.
