To some, Sir Michael Gambon was known for his timbrous voice, playful sense of humour, physical size and peerless acting abilities. To others, he was the world’s best-loved headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. For both, his passing on Thursday, aged 82, comes as a major blow.
The legendary screen and stage actor, who picked up 12 Olivier award nominations and four BAFTA wins over his seven-decade career, nearly lived a very different life. Born in a suburb of Dublin to a seamstress and an engineering operative, the family moved to Camden when Gambon was six. School wasn’t for him: he left aged 15 in 1955. Following in the footsteps of his father, he took an apprenticeship as a toolmaker at an engineering company, and qualified as a technician. He was fascinated by machines for the rest of his life, collecting antique guns, cars, and watches.
