Richard Harris (1930 – 2002) was an Irish actor from Limerick. Also a singer, composer and director, he is best known for his work on such major films as The Mutiny on the Bounty, The Guns of Navarone, Gladiator and Harry Potter, where he played the famous Professor Dumbledore in the first 2 episodes of the saga.
Richard Harris was born on October 1, 1930 in Limerick, Ireland, into a family of nine children. His father was a farmer and entrepreneur, providing the family with a stable financial base.
Harris showed an early interest in the arts, especially music and theater, but he was also passionate about sports, particularly rugby, which he played as a teenager.
His youth in Ireland was marked by a balance between his artistic and sporting interests, a duality that influenced his later career in film and theater.
Richard Harris
The career of Irish actor Richard Harris began in the 1950s. After studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Harris made his theatrical debut, appearing in various productions in the UK.
He then made his film debut in “Alive and Kicking” in 1959. His first major film role came in “This Sporting Life” in 1963, for which he received an Oscar nomination.
This role established Harris as a leading actor and launched his career in film and theater. Harris is also known for his work in the films “Camelot” and “A Man Called Horse”.
Quickly noticed, he was asked to appear in “Les Canons de Navarone” in 1961, and in “Les Révoltés du Bounty” in 1962.
Rather good-looking and boisterous, he enjoyed great success, which enabled him to make one film after another throughout his career, even appearing in more contemporary films such as The Barber of Siberia, or Ridley Scott’s Gladiator as the immense Marcus Aurelius, great emperor but criticized father.
Towards the end of his life, he was asked to play Professor Dumbledore, Harry Potter’s mentor. This role has consolidated her place as a cinema icon, appreciated by audiences of all ages.
Sadly, Richard Harris died of Hodgkin’s disease shortly before the end of filming the second part. Choosing a replacement was a difficult task for the directors, who were well aware of the actor’s aura. In the end, they turned to Michael Gambon.
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