
Michael Gambon
Sir Michael John Gambon (October 19, 1940 – September 27, 2023) was an Irish-English actor. Gambon started his acting career with Laurence Olivier as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre. Over his six-decade-long career, he received three Olivier Awards and four BAFTA TV Awards. In 1998, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama.
Gambon appeared in many productions of works by William Shakespeare such as Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and Coriolanus. Gambon was nominated for thirteen Olivier Awards, winning three times for A Chorus of Disapproval (1985), A View from the Bridge (1987), and Man of the Moment (1990). In 1997, Gambon made his Broadway debut in David Hare's Skylight, earning a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination.
Gambon made his film debut in Othello (1965). His other notable films include The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989), The Wings of the Dove (1997), The Insider (1999), Gosford Park (2001), Amazing Grace (2006), The King's Speech (2010), Quartet (2012), and Victoria & Abdul (2017). Gambon also appeared in the Wes Anderson films The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) and Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009). Gambon gained wider recognition through his role of Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter film series from 2004 to 2011, replacing Richard Harris following his death in 2002.
For his work on television, he received four BAFTA Awards for The Singing Detective (1986), Wives and Daughters (1999), Longitude (2000), and Perfect Strangers (2001). He also received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Path to War (2002) and Emma (2009). Gambon's other notable projects include Cranford (2007) and The Casual Vacancy (2015). In 2017, he received the Irish Film & Television Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2020, he was listed at No. 27 on The Irish Times's list of Ireland's greatest film actors.
Known For










Credits
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Kazran Sardick (archive footage)★ 10
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Judy 2019Bernard Delfont★ 6.7
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Cordelia 2019Mr. Moses★ 4.7
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Man in Diner★ 6.9
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Agent Five★ 6.3
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King of Thieves 2018Billy 'The Fish' Lincoln★ 5.5
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Citizen Lane 2018Lord Ardilaun★ 7
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The Last Witness 2018Frank Hamilton★ 6
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Little Women 2017Mr. Laurence★ 7.1
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Paddington 2 2017Uncle Pastuzo (voice)★ 7.5
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Arthur★ 7
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Victoria & Abdul 2017Lord Salisbury★ 6.9
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Fearless 2017Sir Alistair McKinnon★ 6.6
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Mad to Be Normal 2017Sidney Kotok★ 5.9
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Viceroy's House 2017General Hastings Ismay★ 6.7
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Churchill's Secret 2016Winston Churchill★ 6.3
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Dad's Army 2016Private Godfrey★ 5
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Hail, Caesar! 2016Narrator (voice)★ 5.9
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Elderly Philosopher★ 6.2
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Self (archive footage)★ NR
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Unity 2015Narrator (voice)★ 7.5
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The Casual Vacancy 2015Howard Mollison★ 6.3
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Fortitude 2015Henry Tyson★ 6.9
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On Angel Wings 2014Grandfather★ 5
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Paddington 2014Uncle Pastuzo (voice)★ 7.1
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Common 2014Judge★ 6.4
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Quirke 2014Judge Garret Griffin★ 5.8
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Lucan 2013John Burke★ 6
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Hirst★ 7
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Muse of Fire 2013Self★ 6.5
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Restless 2012Baron Mansfield / Lucas Romer★ 7.1
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Quartet 2012Cedric Livingston★ 6.5
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Self (voice)★ 6.5
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The Hollow Crown 2012Mortimer★ 7.3
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Luck 2012Michael★ 6.8
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Self★ 7
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Page Eight 2011Benedict Baron★ 6.6
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Albus Dumbledore★ 8.1
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Old Kazran / Elliot Sardick★ 8
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The King's Speech 2010King George V★ 7.7
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Albus Dumbledore★ 7.7
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Self★ NR
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The Book of Eli 2010George★ 6.8
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Self - 'Professor Albus Dumbledore'★ 10
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Fantastic Mr. Fox 2009Franklin Bean (voice)★ 7.8
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Emma 2009Mr. Woodhouse★ 7.7
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Albus Dumbledore★ 7.7
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Narrator★ 6.3
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Brideshead Revisited 2008Lord Marchmain★ 6.3
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Cranford 2007Thomas Holbrook★ 8.1
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Joe's Palace 2007Elliot Graham★ 6.1
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Albus Dumbledore★ 7.7
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Narrator (voice)★ 6.8
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Celebration 2007Lambert★ 6.3
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The Baker 2007Leo★ 6.4
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The Good Night 2007Alan Weigert★ 5.3
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The Good Shepherd 2006Dr. Fredericks★ 6.3
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John Duffy's Brother 2006Narrator★ NR
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Amazing Grace 2006Lord Charles Fox★ 6.9
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The Omen 2006Bugenhagen★ 5.6
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Albus Dumbledore★ 7.8
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Self★ 6.1
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Doctor Who 2005Kazran★ 7.5
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Oseary Drakoulias★ 7.1
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Larry★ 5.6
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Layer Cake 2004Eddie Temple★ 6.9
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Paley★ 5.9
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Being Julia 2004Jimmie Langton★ 6.5
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Self★ 7.4
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Albus Dumbledore★ 8
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Uncle Bigbad (voice)★ 7.5
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Angels in America 2003Prior Walter Ancestor #1★ 7.6
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Path to War 2003Lyndon Johnson★ 6.7
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Self★ 6.5
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Sylvia 2003Professor Thomas★ 5.8
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Open Range 2003Denton Baxter★ 7.2
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Deep Blue 2003Narrator (voice)★ 6.8
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The Actors 2003Barreller★ 5.9
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The Lost Prince 2003King Edward VII★ 7
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Self★ 5
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Ali G Indahouse 2002Prime Minister★ 6.1
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Charlotte Gray 2001Levade★ 6.1
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Gosford Park 2001William McCordle★ 6.8
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Ghost of Christmas Present (voice)★ 5.1
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Self★ NR
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Kerrigan★ 6
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Perfect Strangers 2001Raymond★ 6.6
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Endgame 2000Hamm★ 6.8
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Self★ 7
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The Last September 2000Sir Richard Naylor★ 5.2
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Longitude 2000John Harrison★ 7.3
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Wives and Daughters 1999Squire Hamley★ 7.3
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Sleepy Hollow 1999Baltus Van Tassel★ 7.2
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The Insider 1999Thomas Sandefur★ 7.5
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Plunkett & MacLeane 1999Lord Gibson★ 6.1
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Dead on Time 1999Maurice Silverman★ NR
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Dancing at Lughnasa 1998Father Jack Mundy★ 5.9
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Narrator (voice)★ NR
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The Gambler 1997Fyodor Dostoyevsky★ 4.8
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Lionel Croy★ 6.7
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Badger★ 7
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Samson and Delilah 1996King Hamun★ 6.5
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Nothing Personal 1996Leonard★ 4.5
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Alex★ 4.8
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Two Deaths 1996Daniel Pavenic★ 5.4
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Mary Reilly 1996Mary’s Father★ 5.8
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The Innocent Sleep 1996Det. Insp. Matheson★ 4.3
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Badger★ 7
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Bullet to Beijing 1995Alexei★ 4.9
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Ivor J. Carney★ 6.4
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Sir George★ 6.7
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Faith 1994Peter John Moreton★ 10
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The Browning Version 1994Dr. Frobisher★ 6.5
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Clean Slate 1994Cornell★ 5.8
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The Entertainer 1993Archie Rice★ 7
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Toys 1992Lt. General Leland Zevo★ 5.3
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Maigret 1992Chief Inspector Maigret★ 6.9
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The Storyteller★ 8.1
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Mobsters 1991Don Salvatore Faranzano★ 6.3
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Performance 1991Archie Rice★ 6
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About Face 1989★ 6
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Albert Spica★ 7.3
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A Dry White Season 1989Magistrate★ 6.7
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The Heat of the Day 1989Harrison★ NR
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The Rachel Papers 1989Doctor Knowd★ 5.1
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Paris by Night 1989Gerald Paige★ 4.5
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The Jim Henson Hour 1989Ultragorgon (voice)★ 8.9
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Monster Maker 1989Ultragorgon★ 6.5
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Mountain Language 1988Sergeant★ 4
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Missing Link 1988Narrator (voice)★ 6.3
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Self★ 5
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Ghosts 1987Pastor Manders★ NR
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Philip Marlow★ 7.7
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Turtle Diary 1985George Fairbairn★ 6.7
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Theatre Night 1985Pastor Manders★ NR
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★ NR
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Oscar 1985Oscar Wilde★ 4
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Geoffrey★ 8
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The Breadwinner 1982Charles Battle★ NR
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Bergerac 1981Jarvis McLeod★ 6.6
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Minder 1979Tommy Hambury★ 6.8
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Andrew★ 6.7
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Kenny★ NR
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The Seagull 1978Trigorin★ NR
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The Other One 1977Brian Bryant★ 7
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French Without Tears 1976Lt Cmdr Rogers★ NR
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Piers★ NR
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In the Labyrinth 1976Duncan Harrison★ NR
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The Other Woman 1976Robin★ 4
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Bold Face: Condensed 1974John★ NR
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The Beast Must Die 1974Jan Jarmokowski★ 5.4
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The Catholics 1973Brother Kevin★ 5.3
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Insp. Grant★ 6.1
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Roland★ 6
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Cows 1972Max★ NR
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Theseus★ NR
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Great Performances 1971Self★ 5.6
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Play for Today 1970Max★ 6.3
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Cranley★ 6
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The Borderers 1968Gavin Ker★ NR
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Omnibus 1967Self★ 7.3
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Romeo and Juliet 1967Gregory★ NR
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Other Watchman★ 5.5
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Softly, Softly 1966★ 5
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Othello 1965★ 6.4
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Lt Cmdr Rogers★ 5
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Public Eye 1965★ 7.8
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The BAFTA Awards 1949Self - Winner★ 10