Richard Harris, 72

[Morlock]

The great Irish actor Richard Harris succumed to cancer today. He was 72 years old.
Harris is probably best recognized for his more recent roles as Dumbledore in the first two Harry Poter movie, Marcus Aurilius is Gladiator, and as 'English Bob' in Unforgiven.
Personaly, I'll always remember him as King Arthur in Camelot, where he revealed a grweat singing voice.

Here's the Sky news anouncment.
Here's his bio and filmography .

[ThorinOakensfield]

Sad to hear this. He was a good actor and I've seen him several times in movies. I wonder what they will do for the 3rd and 4th Harry Potter movies? (Obviously get a new actor, but who?). I thought he died yesterday?

Its been an odd 50 hours. A senator dies, an actor dies, a massive hostage is ended, 2 muderers are caught.

[Morlock]

I hadn't heard about a senator.
Who was it?

[fable]

Minnesota senator Paul Wellstone. One of the very few (possibly three) liberals left in the US Senate, his hallmark was political integrity: he stuck by his guns, and you always knew where he stood. He was the only senator to vote against giving Dubbyah the right to launch a war on Iraq.

He and his wife were on the way to a speaking engagement when his private plane crashed. Right now, there's talk of Walter Mondale running in his place, which is rather sad; Mondale is politically of the same persuasion, but very much an "old boy" in the Washington style of things. Unlike so many people who claim to be outsiders, Wellstone really was one--same as Jesse Helms, for whom I have, believe it or not, considerable respect.

It saddens me to hear of Harris' death. I remember seeing "Man in the wilderness" when I was a kid. I was really impressed. I loved him in "Unforgiven" although it was only a supporting role. I saw an interveiw with him last year. He looked his age. Not surprising considering how hard he lived. But still full of piss and vinagar.
Rest In peace Richard.


I heard about Wellstone's plane crash. I am ashamed to admit my first thought was "was it an accident?" Stupid huh? Yet he was a pretty stand up guy. He will be missed.

@fable, actually I can see how you'd respect Helms. He may be a complete *** but he is or at least seems to be "real".

[Koveras]

Quote:

Its been an odd 50 hours. A senator dies, an actor dies, a massive hostage is ended, 2 muderers are caught.

Man, it's like the world is coming to an end or something.
(or somthing near that ) Slowly, the important ones die...

[HighLordDave]

According to CNN.com, he took the role as Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies because his 10-year old neice told him if he didn't do it, she'd never speak to him again.

They'll obviously need to find a replacement for him in the remaining five Harry Potter movies, but I haven't heard who is being considered. After all of the attention they've garnered in the Lord of the Rings movies, I wouldn't be surprised if Ian McKellan or Christopher Lee were asked. Patrick Stewart would also be a good Dumbledore, although he may be a little too young for the role (never thought anyone would every say that about Stewart, eh?).

Harris also did a stint on Broadway in the original production of Camelot, where he and Richard Burton each played King Arthur. When the show went on the road for a couple of years, Harris also appeared in that production (I only know this because my uncle was one of the Knights of the Round Table and the understudy for Arthur).

[Morlock]

First of all I doubt there will be 7 Harry Potter movies.
But as for the third movie, McKellen would be great, but I think it would seem almost a spoof on his Gandalf. IMO Lee would be too scary, and lacking the sympethy the character needs.
I find it scary to imagine Patrick Stewart with any hair, much less a beard.

[HighLordDave]

J.K. Rowling has committed to writing seven Harry Potter books (four are currently complete and the fifth is due out later this year). Warner Brothers's license for the movies covers all of the books in the series, which are due out one per year until the series is over. Whether or not all seven movies are made is another story (there were supposed to be thirteen Friday the 13th movies and nine Star Wars movies, too), but at least there are plans for all seven.

I think Lee could be Dumbledore if people can get past his typecasting as a villain. You're right that there are a lot of physical similarities between Dumbledore and Gandalf, but I think McKellan could pull it off. Off the top of my head though, I just can't think of anyone else who might be tapped for the role.

[fable]

I think Lee could be Dumbledore if people can get past his typecasting as a villain.

And the funny thing is, Lee began his film career with an appearance as the Duke of Burgundy in Lawrence Olivier's classic film version of Shakespeare's Henry V. (Burgundy has a long monologue towards the end.) And just for an additional bit of trivia, Lee originally wanted to be--an opera singer. He stopped when he realized that there were even fewer jobs out there for decent opera singers than there were for decent actors.

[HighLordDave]

This article from The Sun Online says that Christopher Lee will not replace Harris as Dumbledore, as Lee says he is too busy working on Star Wars: Episode III and another fantasy movie, The Last Unicorn to take on the role as Hogwart's headmaster.

Instead, the role will go Ian McKellan who just finished X2 and is only doing bits and pieces re-shoots for The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. McKellan's hiring will not be announced until next year sometime and shooting is expected to begin soon.

[Askal]

I don't think anyone has mentioned Richard Harris' 1970 movie "A Man Called Horse." Suspending someone in the air by hooks attached to his flesh may be passe today but back in the day, that was one trippy movie.