Richard Harris

Lore & Background

Harris was born in Limerick, the fifth of eight children, and educated by Jesuits at Crescent College. A talented rugby player, his athletic career ended when he contracted tuberculosis in his teens. After recovering, he moved to England to study acting at LAMDA, having been rejected by other schools for being too old at 24. He began his career in theatre, joining Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop and appearing in West End productions.

His film debut came in 1959, and his breakthrough role was as Frank Machin in This Sporting Life (1963), for which he won the Cannes Best Actor award and an Academy Award nomination. He gained further acclaim for roles in The Guns of Navarone, Red Desert, A Man Called Horse, and Cromwell. He portrayed King Arthur in the 1967 film Camelot, winning a Golden Globe, and reprised the role in a 1981 Broadway revival.

Harris also had a singing career, with his 1968 recording of 'MacArthur Park' reaching number one in Australia, Jamaica, and Canada, and earning a Grammy nomination. Later in life, he gained cross-generational acclaim as Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), his final film role.

Reader's Guide

Richard Harris's significance lies in his versatility across film, stage, and music, and his status as a key figure in the British New Wave. His performance in This Sporting Life established him as a leading dramatic actor, while his role as King Arthur in Camelot showcased his musical talents. He received two Academy Award nominations, for This Sporting Life and The Field, and won a Golden Globe for Camelot. His later role as Albus Dumbledore introduced him to a new generation, cementing his legacy as a beloved figure in popular culture. In 2020, The Irish Times ranked him third on its list of Ireland's greatest film actors. His career spanned over four decades, with notable collaborations with directors such as Lindsay Anderson, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Sam Peckinpah.

Did You Know?

• Harris was a talented rugby union player and played for Garryowen before contracting tuberculosis.
• He received a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance nomination for his 1968 song 'MacArthur Park'.
• His final film role was as Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002).
• He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his role in Pirandello's Henry IV (1991).