Richard Harris initially portrayed Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter movies but was replaced due to his declining health. He tragically passed away from Hodgkin's lymphoma at the age of 72. Michael Gambon took over the role of Dumbledore and played him throughout the rest of the Harry Potter film series.
Sir Ian McKellen turned down the role of Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films due to critical comments made by the previous actor, Richard Harris. McKellen refused the role out of respect for Harris, stating that he couldn't take over a part from an actor who didn't approve of him.
While Harris might have been the most faithful Dumbledore, Gambon's is certainly the best. Most of the character inconsistencies aren't the actor's fault, and Gambon had enough time to perfect Dumbledore until the character's emotional peak in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
After his tragic passing, Michael Gambon took on the role and is most synonymous with it due to appearing in six movies. Most recently, Jude Law has played a younger Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts series.
Why I Preferred Richard Harris over Michael Gambon as Dumbledore in Harry Potter
Why did Dumbledore have 2 actors?
Albus Dumbledore: Richard Harris played Albus Dumbledore for the first two movies. However, when he passed away, the role was given to Michael Gambon for the remaining movies. 2/11 Elphias Doge: In "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," Doge was played by Peter Cartwright.
However, all of this was no match for Albus Dumbledore who was able to retrieve the Horcrux and destroy it with the Sword of Gryffindor. For his troubles, he discovered the ring to be cursed, which blackened his hand and left him with a death sentence placed upon him.
Dumbledore kicks some serious ass, especially when it comes to wizarding duels, but in a contest of all-out brawls, the points have to go to Gandalf. Gandalf will frequently throw himself into the heat of battle, dispatching orc after orc with his sword and staff combo.
However, the role was previously cast for Sir Ian McKellen who went on to appear as Gandalf but there was a surprising reason the Lord of The Rings star didn't go ahead as one of Hogwarts' most famous characters.
"I always saw Dumbledore as gay," Rowling said in response to a fan question about Dumbledore's love life. "Dumbledore fell in love with Grindelwald" and was "blinded" by it.
How old was Richard Harris in the first Harry Potter?
Richard Harris, who played him in the first two movies, was 71 years old when Philosopher's Stone was released in 2001. Michael Gambon, who took over the role after Harris's death, was around 63 years old when Prisoner of Azkaban was released in 2004.
Who took over Dumbledore after Richard Harris died?
Michael Gambon, who died this week at the age of 82, then took over the role and played the character in the remaining six films in the "Harry Potter" series.
The questionably villainous headmaster of Hogwarts, Dumbledore, was originally played by the late, great Richard Harris. The famous Irish actor died in 2002, with his role in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets being his final film role. He was then recast with Michael Gambon for the remaining six films.
Many believed he was a villain, and weren't convinced he was actually working for Dumbledore. Snape killed Dumbledore in an effort to protect Draco Malfo and spare him from the emotional trauma of murder. Snape used the Killing Curse (Avada Kedavra) to kill Dumbledore and end his suffering.
No, but the artificial beards, makeup and costume designing were fantastic to make you think they were real. How amazing is it that both actors playing Dumbledore were knighted in real life, Sir Richard Harris and Sir Michael Gambon!
With or without the Elder Wand, Dumbledore is invincible in traditional wizard duels. Dumbledore has studied nearly every branch of magic in intimate detail, including obscure and unusual spells, and he could beat Harry with just one or two spells if they fought.
Snape is an objectively powerful wizard, though perhaps not as powerful as some other people have suggested. He is nowhere near Dumbledore, though I give him a very slight edge over McGonagall (a powerful and skilled witch in her own right).
Merlin is the most powerful wizard recorded in the history of the wizarding world, even more so than Albus Dumbledore and definitely more powerful than Lord Voldemort. Merlin was intelligent and talented, and during his time at Hogwarts, he managed to decipher many of the secrets of the castle.
Family. Snape's family background is mostly shown in flashbacks during the course of the last three novels. Snape was born to Eileen Prince, a witch, and Tobias Snape, a Muggle, making him a half-blood (hence the name, "Half-Blood Prince").
Notably, Voldemort appeared to be entirely unaware of this split, as he later created a seventh Horcrux in his quest to have six, and continued to target Harry Potter despite him now holding part of Voldemort's own soul.
Dumbledore claimed he saw himself wearing socks as nobody ever gifted him those. In reality, he was hiding the secret of Arianna's demise, as he saw his entire family together again, much like Harry did.
6 December 1928) was an English half-giant wizard, son of Mr Hagrid and the giantess Fridwulfa, and elder half-brother of the giant Grawp. Hagrid stood at eleven feet, six inches tall. Hagrid attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1940 and was sorted into Gryffindor house.
Following Dumbledore's death, Fawkes sang his Lament over the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and then flew away, never to be seen again. His tail feathers were the cores of the two twin wands which were held by Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter.
He probably got to know Harry was a Horcrux when he saw the Scar on Harry's forehead, but maybe he wasn't sure. Then, when Harry came to Hogwarts and Dumbledore got to know he can speak Parseltongue his thought of him being a Horcrux got stronger.
