Richard Harris

Richard St. John Harris was a terrific stage and screen Irish method actor who also recorded major success as a singer.

Early Accomplishments

Richard was well on the route to becoming a great rugby player until a bout of tuberculosis during his mid-teenage years made him quit.

After several failed auditions at RADA and loss of all his savings on a play he directed in 1956, he finally found life back after he made his acting debut in the 1959 West End play, The Quare Fellow.

Best Known For

He won a Golden Globe for his role as King Arthur in Camelot (1967) but has also been acclaimed for his roles in This Sporting Life (1963), A Man Call Horse (1970), Unforgiven (1992) and Gladiator (2000).

He played Albus Dumbledore in the first 2 installments of the Harry Potter films, the 2002 part being his last film before he died.

Sexual Orientation

Richard was straight and married twice. His first was in 1957 to Elizabeth Rees with whom he had all his kids with but they divorced in 1969. He married Ann Turkel in 1973 but they divorced 9 years on.

Some other women who were romantically involved with Richard’s include Princess Sonaya from 1964 to 1970 and Merle Oberon for 14 years from 1941.

Family

He was one of the 9 children born to Ivan Harris and Mildred Harty and some of his siblings were William, Diarmuid, Noel and Patrick (all late now).

He fathered 3 sons; Damian, Jared And Tudor (Jamie) Harris and had Annabelle Wallis as a niece.

Religion

Raised in a devout Catholic household, Richard later found his way back to God after years of drinking, womanizing and living recklessly. He later described himself as being very spiritual.

Worth To Know

He was knighted by the Queen of Denmark in 1985 and was also a member of the Knights of Malta.

Often playing men of power and authority, he was being considered for the role of Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings films.

His granddaughter emotionally blackmailed him into taking up the Albus Dumbledore role.