Sir Michael Gambon

Sir Michael John Gambon

Sitter in 3 portraits
Born in Dublin, Gambon moved to London with his mother after the Second World War ended to join his father, who had been a reserve policeman during the war. He left school at the age of 15 without any formal qualifications but soon started an engineering apprenticeship, qualifying as an engineering technician by the age of 21. He took work building sets in theatres and with his passion for drama he joined amateur productions, performing minor roles and gaining experience as an actor. To fine tune his craft he took an acting course at the Royal Court run by George Devine and William Gaskill. His West End debut came, aged 22, as an understudy in The Bed-Sitting Room. During the course of a career as a professional actor spanning six decades he was the recipient of numerous accolades, including three Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and four Baftas. Playing the lead in the BBC's hit series The Singing Detective made him a household name. He left his mark on popular culture by starring in an array of highly acclaimed films including The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Fantastic Mr. Fox and a number of Harry Potter films in which he played Professor Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts, a fictional school of wizardry created by J.K. Rowling.