Actor. Born in the suburbs of Ireland's capital, Dublin, his family relocated to London, England, where he received his education, eventually becoming an engineering technician. At the age of twenty-two, he began his foray into the world of acting, playing a minor role in Dublin's Gate Theatre production of the Shakespeare tragedy, Othello. The following year, legendary actor Laurence Olivier took note of Gambon's talents recruiting him to the London based National Theatre (NT) Company. Following his departure from the NT, he found himself in Birmingham where he received his first starring roles in a number of Shakespearean tragedies. Over the years, Gambon's powerful stage presence and voice brought him to the forefront of theatre throughout the UK. Notable performances throughout the years were varied, ranging from Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge, Bertolt Brecht's The Life of Galileo, Ben Jonson's Volpone, Harold Pinter's Old Times, and Shakespeare's King Lear. Though the bulk of his career played out upon the stage, Gambon is perhaps better known to the international audience for a number of his later roles on film. His first film role came in 1965 with the Olivier production of Othello, but more wide reaching performances came in 1999 with Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow and his best-known role as the wise Headmaster of Hogwarts, 'Albus Dumbledore,' in the Harry Potter film series. In 2004, Gambon took up the role following the death of original actor, Richard Harris. He played the role for the remaining five installations in the franchise. Other notable works from this period included 2006's Amazing Grace, 2012's Quartet, and Tom Hooper's historical drama The King's Speech (2010), which proved a smash success, clenching four Academy Awards (Oscars). Gambon later returned to the stage starring in plays such as Harold Pinter's No Man's Land, and a number of Samuel Beckett's works. In 2016, he provided the narration for the Coen Brothers' black comedy, Hail, Caesar! Throughout his storied career, Gambon was honored with a number of nominations and awards for his dedication to the field of theatre and film. Such honors included a Tony Award nomination, three Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, four British Academy Television Awards for Best Actor, and the 2012 Richard Harris Award bestowed for his contributions to British films throughout his career.