(Sir) Michael John Gambon CBE, born on 19th October 1940 in Cabra, Dublin Ireland, is an accomplished actor on stage, in film, and on television, whose long-spanned career has earned him critical acclaim and many accolades. He is probably best known for playing Dumbledore in the “Harry Potter” film franchise, but his career began in 1962.
Have you ever wondered how much Michael Gambon is worth? According to authoritative sources, Gambon’s wealth is estimated to be over $15 million, earned during his successful acting career.
Michael Gambon Net Worth $15 Million
Michael Gambon was born to Edward, an engineer and Mary Gambon. The family moved to London after World War II in order to help rebuild the city, and became British citizens. Gambon attended St Aloysius Boys’ School located in Somers Town, and later on he attended school in Kent, but dropped out at fifteen with nothing to show for it.
However, he picked up an apprenticeship as a toolmaker with aircraft manufacturer Vickers Armstrong, and was a qualified engineer by the time he was 21. During his time as an apprentice, Gambon also studied classical acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree. He worked as an engineer for a couple years, before debuting on stage at the Gate Theatre Dublin at age 24.
He toured with the company for a year, after which he joined the National Theatre Company. After four years of acting and making connections, Gambon joined the Birmingham Repertory Company, with which he finally received starring roles, and really started to add to his net worth.
Gambon’s debut film was in 1965, when he starred in Olivier’s “Othello” (1965). He then gained a lead role in the TV series “The Borderers” (1968-1970), which really lit a fire under his career. He spent the `70s building a name for himself, with roles in such films and TV series as “Eyeless in Gaza” (1971), “The Beast Must Die” (1974), and “The Other One” (1977-1979).
It was in 1980 that Gambon gained critical acclaim in the theatre world for his portrayal of Galileo in “The Life of Galileo” (1980), which fame ended up translating to TV, as he was chosen to play Phillip Marlow in the mini-series “The Singing Detective” (1986). All of these roles not only brought Gambon critical acclaim, but a hefty increase to his wealth.
Gambon continued starring in films and performing on stage into the 90s, and was knighted by Prince Charles in 1998 for his stellar contribution to acting. Some of his most notable films in the `90s include “A Man of No Importance” (1994) starring Albert Finney, “Samson and Delilah” (1996) directed by Nicolas Roeg, “The Gambler” (1997) in which he portrayed famed Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, then “Wives and Daughters” (1999), and Tim Burton`s “Sleepy Hollow” the same year, next to Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci. He wasn’t quite finished yet with the arrival of the new millennium, as he continued to act, landing roles in “Endgame” (2000), “Longitude” (2000), then the Oscar-nominated drama “The Lost Prince”, directed by Stephen Poliakoff, and “Open Range” (2003), starring Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall. In 2004, Gambon was selected to play Albus Dumbledore in the “Harry Potter” film franchise, replacing Richard Harris who passed away after the second film. This earned Gambon international fame as well as acting as the largest contributor to his net worth so far, as Michael portrayed Albus Dumbledore five of the “Harry Potter” franchise films. Through the `00s, Gambon had several other notable roles, including in such productions as the Oscar-nominated “The Good Shepherd” (2006) starring Robert De Niro, Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie, “The Book of Eli” (2010), and then the Oscar-awarded Tom Hooper drama “The King`s Speech” (2010), with Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter, “Quarter” (2012), and most recently “Churchill’s Secret” (2016), all of which were successes, and which only further increased his net worth. He is also set to appear in the films “Mad to Be Normal” (2017), “Victoria and Abdul”, and “Viceroy`s House” (2017), among others.
Thanks to his skills, Michael has received various prestigious nominations and awards, including a Golden Globe Award nomination for “Path to War”, in category Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television, and four BAFTA Awards in category Best Actor for “The Singing Detective” in 1987, “Wives and Daughters” in 2000, then “Longitude” in 2001 and in 2002 for the film “Perfect Strangers”. He also has two SAG awards in his collection, one for the film “Gosford Park”, and the second one for “The King`s Speech”, among other awards.
Regarding his personal life, Gambon has been partnered with Phillipa Hart since 2000. He was married to Anne Miller from 1962 to 1999, and they have three children together. Besides acting, Gambon is also a qualified pilot, but his main hobby is cars, being a noted car collector, and guest-appearing on the popular BBC show, “Top Gear”.
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, British Independent Film Award – The Richard Harris Award, Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble, Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor, British Academy Television Award for Best Actor, Satellite Aw...
Nominations
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie, Tony Award for Best Lead Actor in a Play, Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made ...
Movies
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Sleepy Hollow, Gosford Park, The King's ...
TV Shows
Fortitude, The Casual Vacancy, Wives and Daughters, Cranford, Maigret, Perfect Strangers, Emma, Angels in America, Luck, Quirke
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Trademark
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Rich smooth voice
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Quote
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(On Peter O'Toole) "He was a great actor. His early years were the best I thought. He was great fun to be with. He will be missed badly."
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(On replacing Richard Harris as Dumbledore) Richard was in heavy, heavy costume, he could hardly sit, you know, and I turned up and they put me in two layers of silk, so I played him much lighter - you know, floating around in a pair of slippers, a bit of a hippy.
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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.
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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?
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Television has dried up for my generation, so it's plays and films.
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You get used to being lazy doing films, but classical theatre's going to finish me off.
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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.
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Every part I play is just a variant of my own personality. No real character actor, of course, just me.
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I belong to quite a lot of learned societies. We collect firearms and discuss them at dinners and clubs and things.
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There were no spells at my school, just a smack in the mouth.
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A child did approach me in a restaurant in Cornwall, but he thought I was Gandalf.
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I'm very flower-like. I love classical music. I go to ballet and I cry. There's nothing so beautiful.
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I learn the lines that J.K. Rowling or whoever writes them, and say them.
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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.
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I promise myself that I would go and do a play every year.
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Oh yeah, I'd love to be a comedian. I've done a lot, but always in the confines of plays.
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Yeah, I like causing trouble. It's the teddy boy in me. I used to be a teddy boy. Feeling slightly inferior and wanting to cause a bit of bother and get some action going on in the room rather than get bored stiff.
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I am a theatre actor, but the last ten years I've taken parts in movies because it keeps me in money.
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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.
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I just play him as myself, I don't ease myself into any role really. I stick a beard on and play me.
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I live in fear of being a contented passenger. I'd rather get parts I can't play.
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Theater actors are just tolerated. You have to be a movie star to be a celebrity.
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Fact
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He was considered for Caine, Dr.Armstong, Bukovsky, Roger Derebridge, Lamson and Kelly in Lifeforce (1985).
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On 8 February 2015 he announced that at the age of 74 he was retiring from stage acting because long-standing problems with his memory were making it increasingly difficult for him to remember his lines. For several years before that he had relied on an earpiece over which he could be prompted if he forgot his lines.
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As of 2014, has appeared in three films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: The Insider (1999), Gosford Park (2001) and The King's Speech (2010). The latter won in the category.
During an appearance on the BBC program "Top Gear", Gambon took part in the show's regular "Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car" segment. He went around the final corner of the track on two wheels, and, in honor of the feat, the corner has henceforth been dubbed "Gambon" by the show's hosts.
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He doesn't like being interviewed and he once said he lies during interviews to make them more interesting. When someone asked Gambon if he had problems with playing a gay man he replied by saying it was easy because he used to be a homosexual but was forced to quit because it made his eyes water.
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His first child, Fergus, was born to him and his wife in 1964.
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In 2002 Gambon moved out of his marital home in Kent, England, to live with his now companion, Philippa Hart. The pair welcomed two sons: Michael in May 2007, and William in June 2009.
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In 2007 he was nominated for Best Actor at the ESB/Irish Times Theatre awards for his role in the stage adaptation of Samuel Becketts Eh Joe.
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Holds a private pilot's license and flies his own plane regularly when not filming on location.
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For years he used to carry around what he said was a signed photograph of Robert De Niro, claiming to have met him, though the two had never in fact met. In The Good Shepherd (2006), he is directed by DeNiro.
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He has twice played two roles previously played by Richard Harris. The character of Jules Maigret, which Richard Harris played in a 1988 TV movie and secondly Albus Dumbledore of the Harry Potter Movies.
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Graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), London, England.
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Was nominated for Broadway's 1997 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for "Skylight."
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An Associate Member of RADA.
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After going round the final corner of the "Top Gear" (BBC TV, Season 1, episode 8; 2002) test track on two wheels during their Star In A Reasonably Priced Car segment, the corner was named after him.
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He was awarded the 1995 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor for his performance in Volpone.
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He was awarded the 1990 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre Award) for Best Actor for his performance in Man of the Moment.
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He was awarded the 2000 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama) for Best Actor for his performance in The Caretaker at the Comedy Theatre and Cressida at the Albery Theatre.
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He was awarded the 1987 London Evening Standard Theate Award for Best Actor for his performance in A View from the Bridge.
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He was nominated for a 2003 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actor of 2002 for his performance in "A Number" at the Royal Court Theatre Downstairs.
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He was nominated for a 1998 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actor of the 1997 season for his performance in "Tom and Clem" at the Aldwych Theatre.
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He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1999 (1998 season) for Best Actor for his performance in "The Unexpected Man".
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He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2001 (2000 season) for Best Actor for his performance in "The Caretaker" at the Comedy Theatre.
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He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1988 (1987 season) for Best Actor in a New Play for his performance in "A View from the Bridge".
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He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1986 (1985 season) for Best Comedy Performance for "A Chorus of Disapproval".
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In 2002, was named the successor to the late Richard Harris as Professor Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series.
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Auditioned for the role of James Bond after George Lazenby left the series, but was turned down because they didn't want to hire another unknown.
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He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1990 Queen's New Year Honours List and made a Knight Bachelor in the 1998 Queen's New Year Honours List for his services to drama.