Michael Gambon
Michael Gambon
Sir Michael John Gambon CBEis an Irish-born English actor who has worked in theatre, television and film. Gambon has played Philip Marlow in the BBC television serial The Singing Detective, Jules Maigret in the 1990s ITV serial Maigret, and Professor Albus Dumbledore in the last six Harry Potter films after the death of actor Richard Harris...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth19 October 1940
CityDublin, Ireland
years play promise
I promise myself that I would go and do a play every year.
children restaurants approach
A child did approach me in a restaurant in Cornwall, but he thought I was Gandalf.
play people acting
Paul Schofield said something like, 'If I'm not acting in a play, I don't really exist.' Those weren't the exact words, but he meant it's only when I'm acting in a play that I've got something to say about the world. And then why should I talk, when people can come to see it?
taken years theatre
I am a theatre actor, but the last ten years I've taken parts in movies because it keeps me in money.
play passengers i-can
I live in fear of being a contented passenger. I'd rather get parts I can't play.
gun car stores
I'm an anorak. I've always been an obsessive collector of things. Richard Briers collects stamps. I collect cars and guns, which are much more expensive, and much more difficult to store.
people mind trying
I've always tried to be an actor who... I just plod on and try to keep my mouth shut, mind my own business. I find the whole thing about people's lives... I can't understand it. I'm always astonished that people want to know anything about me.
hate ideas actors
I just hate the idea of being well known. I know that is almost impossible if you're an actor who has done okay, but I've always fought against it.
play comedian done
Oh yeah, I'd love to be a comedian. I've done a lot, but always in the confines of plays.
beautiful flower ballet
I'm very flower-like. I love classical music. I go to ballet and I cry. There's nothing so beautiful.
real nice magic
There's no subtext in Harry Potter really; it's all magic, anything can happen. Why do I say this? Because it's a magic spell. It's quite nice in a way. There is a real freedom to it.
dream children kids
Like a heartbeat. Something inside me. Some dream. I think it's being a dreamer as a child. Dreamy kids become actors, don't they?
children cowboy thinking
For an actor to remain a child is rather important. It's a childlike, dreamy thing, acting, if you think about it. It's the sort of thing children fantasise about, playing cowboys and Indians in the street. I think that acting is just a highly refined development of that.
real character play
Every part I play is just a variant of my own personality. No real character actor, of course, just me.