According to his family, 82-year-old Hollywood actor Sir Michael Gambon passed away quietly in the hospital.
He is most recognized for his role as Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, in the Harry Potter movies.
Along with Laurence Olivier, Sir Michael began his playing career more than 60 years ago, and the two were founding members of the Royal National Theatre.
He also starred in the BBC series The Singing Detective and as French detective Jules Maigret in the ITV series Maigret.
We are heartbroken to announce Sir Michael Gambon’s passing, said Lady Gambon and her son Fergus Gambon in a statement.
Following a bout of pneumonia, Michael, a devoted husband and father, passed away quietly in a hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus by his bedside.
In his six-decade-long career, Sir Michael was a decorated and successful actor on both the stage and the big screen, taking home Oliviers, BAFTAs, and Emmys.
In 1962, he made his acting debut in a Dublin production of Othello. He soon joined the National Theatre in London and later performed on stages around the UK, in New York, and in Germany.
His debut in 1965 was Othello, and he went on to star in a number of well-known films, including Gosford Park, Sleepy Hollow, and the Paddington movies.
However, it was the Harry Potter movies, in which he took Richard Harris’ position as Albus Dumbledore in the third installment, that extensively popularized Sir Michael on contemporary screens.