Michael Gambon
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Sir Michael Gambon (born October 19, 1940) is one of Britain's foremost actors, knighted for his services to the theatre. He was born in Dublin, Ireland.
In his youth, Gambon played romantic leads, notably in the early 1970s BBC television series, The Borderers, in which he was swashbuckling Gavin Ker. However, his craggy looks soon made him into a character actor, and it was not until Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective (1986) that he became a household name. Even after this success, for which he won a BAFTA award, his career was patchy, with big hits such as the 1989 film, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover interspersed with less notable work.
He starred as Fyodor Dostoyevsky in the Hungarian director Károly Makk's movie The Gambler (1997) about the writing of Dostoyevsky's novella The Gambler.
In recent years, films such as Dancing at Lughnasa (1998) and Plunkett and Macleane (1998), as well as television appearances in series such as Wives and Daughters (1999) (for which he won another BAFTA), a made for TV adaption of Beckett's Endgame (2001) and Perfect Strangers (2001), have made him one of Britain's most sought-after actors, as well as revealing his talent for comedy.
In 2004, he proved his versatility by appearing in five motion picture releases, including Wes Anderson's quirky comedy The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou; the British gangster flick Layer Cake; theatrical drama Being Julia; and CGI action fantasy Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. Perhaps his most significant role in 2004, however, is Albus Dumbledore, Hogwart's all-knowing headmaster in the third magical installment of JK Rowling's beloved franchise, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, taking over from the late Richard Harris.
He has also recently appeared on the BBC's Top Gear programme in which he launched a Suzuki Liana airborne off the final corner. The final corner of the track at Dunsfold Park has now been named 'Gambon' after this feat.
He will reprise the role of Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming blockbuster Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, set for a November 2005 US release.
During his career, Gambon has appeared in film, television and theatre with an alumni of highly regarded actors, directors and writers: Maggie Smith, Miranda Richardson, Dennis Potter and Derek Jacobi have all appeared alongside the 'Great Gambon' on multiple occassions.