Which Actor played the best Dumbledore?

Poll by Kol_Skywalker. 1

 

Richard Harris no competition

 

Richard Harris.

Not only did he play a better Dumbledore, but I felt that he had a stronger chemistry with the other actors than Gambon does.

 

Richard Harris by far. Tedros is right,much better chemistry with the cast than Gambon. Of course..I guess the script may have something to do with it; but I always felt more of a friendship between Dumbledore and Harry with Harris..than I do with Gambon.

(though I think Gambon is still good)

 

I like Gambon. Harris's performances always came across to me as flat and ineffectual. But with Gambon I really feel like Dumbledore has power and a personality.

 

Richard Harris. He is Dumbledore for me. One of my biggest complaints about the newest movies is that they couldn't find a better replacement for him.

 

My ideal Dumbledore is somewhere between Harris and Gambon, but I voted for Gambon, even though he didn't have the presence Harris did. Thing is, Harris was way too passive. Can you imagine him in duel with Voldemort? I can't.

 

Richard Harris. Whoever hired Michael Gambon was blind and deaf.

 

Richard Harris and noone else.

 

Gambon, for the reasons started by Mar and Zebra.

 

I didn't like Gambon at first, but he has grown on me.

 

I agree exactly. In fact, I had long been pointing to the end of OotP as a reason the change could be a very positive thing. (In the end it didn't matter so much, because the duel was so badly handled, but that's another story.) There are some really serious problems with Gambon, but I honestly blame most of them more on the writing and directing than the acting. At any rate, while I have a certain fondness of Harris, he really isn't any closer to the Dumbledore I read in the books than Gambon, and both of them bring a lot to the part. If I had to swing, I'd be inclined to swing Gambon, simply to counteract all the Gambon negativity.

-Paul

 

Richard Harris was perfect, just what I imagined Dumbledore to be. Gamdon does a decent job, but he doesn't fit as well. Though he did have some very big shows to fill and I'm liking his Dumbledore more in every movie I see.

 

Harris would have been an absolutely perfect Dumbledore if not for his health. His condition is especially noted during the scene in COS when Harry and Ron are hiding under the invisilibility cloak in Hagrid's hut. You can tell that he can barely stand up on his own in that scene, and his voice is barely more than a whisper.

RIP, Mr. Harris, but I have to vote for Gambon. He captures more of Dumbledore's quirkiness and energy.

 

Richard Harris, I believe he had a better grasp on how the character should be played.

 

My issue with Gambon isn't the acting, it's HOW he was directed and the costume he was given. They could have easily given him a similar outfit to Harris. The visual change is the most annoying thing. The second annoyance is that he was directed to be more aggressive then Harris was. If he were calmer, he'd be a far better representation of the book dumbledore.

 

Amen to that. And on top of everything, his costumes sucked. I'm no fan of Harris's over-ornated gowns, way too impractical, but Gambon's outfits looked like a friggin nightshirt. I liked the "beardband", though, it was a nice touch.

 

Rich, man, he rocked!

 

Richard Harris all the way. Gambon has nothing on him. Nothing.

 

Richard Harris.

 

Other than the visual representation, I think I really like Gambon's performance in Prisoner of Azkaban. In the last two films, though... Richard Harris I prefer by far.

 

Gambon. I rewatched SS and COS and Harris is better in other roles. marcus aurelius.

 

I think Harris captures Dumbledore's essence better, and gives off his personality and respectability much more clearly than Gambon does. However, I do dislike that he looked so weak, and thinking back to him he resembles an old man in a bundle of robes, whom I can't see doing much more than being wise and awesome in a more mentor-like sense. Despite being awesome, Harris' beard and wig looked way too fake, and his cloak looked too big....


Gambon, despite lacking the personality and respectability of Dumbledore, does seem to portray his physical strength better, and looks much more suited to fighting than Harris does. However, despite being physically more agile, you don't get that impression from how he talks and all.


To summarize, while I prefer Harris, the perfect Dumbledore would've been a mix between these two, Harris with Gambon's look, or at elast a slightly more respectable version of it.

 

Basically, this is what I think.

 

Richard Harris

Michael Gambon sucks!!