Just simple enough, I can't decide which actor I like more. They're both amazing. Just thougt it might be cool to see what you guys thought about the topic. Enjoy!

~.:Hogwarts.Bound:.~

i prefered richard harris because he is what you imagine out of the books, and hes got that old mans voice that you think of whilst reading

shame he died though

I very much preferred Richard Harris. I mean he is exactly what i pictured Dumbledore to be. It is a shame that he died. But i don't think that the guy who plays Dumbledore now, is not nearly as good as Richard Harris. But he's okay at playing the part.



*Sirius*

definitely richard harris. he was just like how dumbledore was supposed to be (except for the very long crooked nose) but he was actually kind to harry. gary oldman is still an amazing actor but i dont think that he is right for dumbledore. in goblet of fire he actually threw harry into the wall! i mean come on dumbledore is not physical like that he is supposed to be very calm and even when he is mad there is just supposed to be anger in his eyes.

Michael Gambon is trying to make DD too funny and witty but that isn't how i imagined DD at all!!

Richard Harris was so much better because he he took on almost all of JKRs descriptions of him and portrayed them in such a way that you almost thought you knew everything about DD but at the same time you didn't, where as Gambon has tried to make him too relateable and funny and just not what DD should be!!

Richard Harris all the way! he was amazing and so convincing as DD, Michael Gambon is trying to hard and is too violent as DD i mean when he asks Harry if he put his name in the goblet he's practially straggling him! so yea Richard Harris he ahd that twinkle in his eye that DD has... i bet it was Michael Gambon that made JKR kill DD off (lol no sorry that was mean) but yeah i don't think he's that good!

My perdonal choice is Richard Harris!

I prefer Harris all the way, he was Dumbledore. He fit the character perfectly, but I don't think Gambon has the qualities to make Dumbledore work the same way.

I prefer Richard Harris as Dumbledore. He was perfect and he did DD's character justice. I do however like Gambon. The only thing I didn't like about him was in GOF when he attacked Harry after Harry's name comes out of the goblet. I wish though that Ian McKellan would have gotten the role when they needed to replace Harris.

i was just thinking about this the other night when was re-reading ss
then i watched the movie and i fell in love with dd all over again and
always butt when haris died GRHS i wanted petter otoole to replace him
and then we were stuck with gammbon i mean he was ok in POA but in GOF i could not beleive how out of caracther he was i just cant wait till the new movie comes out hopefully gambon will prove his worth.

i prefer richard harris as dumbledore because he really WAS dumbledore. i would always imagine DD as looking like harris with the long white hair unlike michael gambon who has grey hair. im not saying that gambon is a bad actor, because he's not, im just saying he just has to act calmer and gentler.
yea i too was surprised when he slammed harry into the ?trophy case? and when he started yelling for harry when his name came out of the goblet because DD wouldnt yell and cause physical pain. he would just give that look of disappointment in his eyes. hopefully he will act more like he is supposed to in OOTP.

Richard Harris! Definetely! I was so sad to hear he died because he was such a great DD!

Michael Gambon is too violent! He was practically throwing Harry into the wall! DD is supposed to be cool, calm, and collected! Also I think that Michael Gambon's hair was too gray! It is supposed to be white! And good one Lav! I doubt that was the real reason, but still an amusing theory! When I saw SS and COS, I really liked the way DD was almost exactly the way I pictured him, but then in the 3rd movie, it just killed my picture!
~Breanna~

Oh yes, just like everyone else I much preferred Richard Harris as Dumbledore. He had the whole demeanor down. He was calm, yet strong, and powerful, and forceful when needed. On the other hand, Michael Gambon sometimes exaggerates Dumbledore's actions, i.e when Harry had his name come out of the Goblet of Fire, he shook him forcefully. That just was too out of character for me. I think that if it was Richard Harris, he would have executed the scene much better. And like someone else said, he has that twinkle in his eyes that is soo Dumbledore-ish.

Also, just a side note comment, but after Michael Gambon started playing the part of Dumbledore, don't Dumbeldore's robes seem more shabbier to you? They are like gray and frayed on the edges, when before they were blue and pretty. lol.

I prefer Richard Harris. He looked exactly like how I imagined Dumbledore to be. Michael Gambon was (as everyone said) very forceful in his actions. In the third movie he was yelling at the students to move. The only close to Dumbledore thing he ever did was in the PoA he said the whole thing in the Great Hall about dreams, that was the only time he was calm. And I think that Michael Gambon looks shabier than Dumbledore should be, like his hair is grey, than white, his clothes are worn out instead of, i dunno, new. When I heard Richard Harris died, I was younger and didn't really get how significant it was, but now I'm really sad that he did die (yes, a little late, I know). My dad doesn't get the difference as much as I do, maybe because he isn't addicted to Harry Potter as I am.... Owell.


Marauders all the way

Richard Harris was outstanding as Dumbledore and miles better than Michael Gambon! he looks exactly as i imagined and acts the same as dumbledore from the books, its hard to explain but i think richard harris got all of the mannerisms spot on for Dumbledore! and i really didnt like the bit in GOF where Michael Gambon shakes Harry asking if he put his name in the Goblet of Fire ( i see others feel the same lol), it really annoyed me as Dumbledore would NEVER do that, and i just sat in the cinema like what is going on?

Richard Harris was calmer, kinder and just brilliant! Gambon is a bit rough, angry, and shabby but i like him in other things, just not as Dumbledore.

Well so far its 100% for Richard Harris so i think that explains it all! He deffinately was the perfect Dumbledore, everything about him fitted the character perfectly, i think his death was deffintaely a tragedy

no offence to michael gambon i think hes a great actor and all but i think harris better suited the role, he just had something about him. i was so shocked when i watched GOF and saw him shouting at harry and shaking him, it was so out of character but i think that everyone should consider the fact that that was probably more the directors fault then it was Gambon's.

Richard Harris played a much better Dumbledore in my opinion. He had a kinder face, like how it was described in the books, while Michael Gambon doesn't, he has a more strict face.
I thought it was all wrong in GoF when he yelled at Harry, the real Dumbledore would never do what he did in the film. It was very shocking! Actually, I cried when I heard the news about Richard Harris's death. I knew that no one could ever replace him in the role, nor in real life.

I voted Richard Harris although I like them both equally. Harris is the original though so he will alwaus be the best. I like the Gambon has slightly changed dumbeldore though because he has given the character more depth!

Harris by far. To me he was just the perfect Dumbledore set up against the one I have in my head when I read. Everything about him made him seem so Dumbledore-ish. His voice had that slightly raspy sound in it, which for some reason is how I imagined DD talking. Although I have no problem with his replacement at all!

Definitely Richard Harris as he is the better actor and he has the same characteristics as Dumbledore in the book. I hate Michael Gambon as he is not at at all like Dumbledore is supposed to be. He tries to act all funny but he really isn't. It is like Michael has never read the book and does not know Dumbledores characteristics.

Richard Harris was an amazing Dumbledore. Michael Gambon SUCKED!

DEFINITELY RICHARD HARRIS

He is the original Dumbledore, and he wrapped up all of the quirkiness and serious-ness that Dumbledore needed into the role he was an amazing actor! However, since movie three and so on, Dumbledore is less quirky and more serious, Gambon makes another perfect Dumbledore

I preferred Richard Harris Not that Michael Gambon is a bad actor- he is great but Harris fits the role better.

There has only ever been one and only Dumbledore for me and that is without a doubt Richard Harris Dumbledore.

He played Dumbledore with compassion and an extremely perfect understanding of the role of Albus Dumbledore. He played Dumbledore right down to the core, not only that, he was MY Dumbledore as in Richard’s Harris Dumbledore was the way I imagined Dumbledore from the very beginning.

Michael Gambon is a good actor however when he plays Dumbledore he is far too aggrieve which is NOT a character aspect of Dumbledore. I do however respect the fact that Michael has played Dumbledore in a different way. If he had copied Richard Harris I would have never have forgiven him. But Michael Gambon is not MY Dumbledore.

Richard Harris is and will always be Albus Dumbledore in my eyes. Whenever I read Dumbledore’s death I only ever see Richard Harris playing the part, I can never see Michael Gambon. I never have and I doubt I ever will.

I end this post by saying:
Pest in peace Richard Harris, the one and only Albus Dumbledore.

In my opinion liked Michael Gambon better than Richard Harris. Why? I like Michael Gambon because of he is so energetic. I don't know if Richard Harris could of performed in the DOM scene in The Order of the Pheonix because it looks like he doesn't have the enrgy to do the moves like I seen Michael Gambon do in the trailers, but that is just my opinion. But I did like Richard Harris performances in the first two Harry Potter movies. But when I read the books and Dumbledore has a scene I always imagine Michael Gambon.

I like richard harris way better! he was old and kind and he spoke softly, he was everything i imagined in DD. the other guy is to spunky and wild and loud. he needs to grow a longer (WHITER) beard and tone it down a bit and i would be much happier. although i have to say i like the first two movies better simply because they apeared older. the clothes were more old fashoned and true to old wizards. look at proff flitwick for example he was really old in the first two and then in the third he was young and things became more modern

Richard Harris all the way.
He was way more believable:

His beard was way long
Michael Gambon has his in a sort of ponytail for some odd reason
He had the voice
it's very "old man-esque"
He was kind
There's a scene in GOF where Michael Gambon practically pushes Harry into a glass case of trophys or something. That was not very Albus-like AT ALL

I was so upset that he died. He was the first and only TRUE Albus Dumbledore.

Harry&Hermione4Ever

A fair point about Michael being more energetic then Richard however Richard was only less energetic then Michael for one reason: Richard was ill. In the filming of the secong movie Richard was ill and then he died. So that's why Richard was less energetic I believe. Also Michael Gambon is some years younger then Richard. Richard dies when he was 72 years of age and Michael is 66 so maybe that played a part in the energetic-ness of the two...

Like practically everyone else that has posted, I prefer Richard Harris. There was something about him that just made him exactly the way I pictured him. Micheal Gambon is good but he just isn't Dumbledore.
I would say Richard Harris spoke more like Dumbledore, not just his voice but actually what he says. At some points Micheal Gambon is just about shouting at Harry, which I don't think Richard Harris would have done.
Also the beard looked better on Richard Harris, or maybe it was the he wore it that was better.
But anyway, it was such a shame that he died because he made the best Dumbledore, and I could have imagined him doing the scenes in all the films - even the energetic ones.

I definitely prefer richard harris, i was so sad when he died. Anyway, he was exactly how i pictured Dumbledore to be. Michael Gambon seems to be Dumbledore gone bad. Like what is up with that ponytail beard. Like in GoF when Dumbledore came into the room after harry's name came out of the Goblet i thought Dumbledore was about to strangle him. Yeah, so i definitely like richard harris WAY better

I prefer Richard Harris! He fits the part a lot better than Gambon.

A few of the many resons i beleive this are:

He looks exactly how I pictured him!

His voice was how I imagined DD would sound.

He was so calm and caring as DD is described in the books.

And I believe that Harris stuck to the true DD in the books and I could deffinately see him acting out all the scenes, it's such a shame he died.


I'm not saying the Gambon is rubbish but he just doesn't fit the part of DD. I read an interview with him that said he hasn't actually read the books, that could explain the way he plays him. Harris as DD would never hold Harry up against the wall and lose his temper like that!

I too liked Richard Harris better... Michael Gambon is okay but for me he just a bit too energetic in his role as Dumbledore... Dumbledore has to be old and not running from one place to the other!
But I do like the little accent he gave Dumbledore

I thought Richard Harris captured the childish side of Dumbledore more than Gambon does, but I think Gambon dresses more like my discription of what Dumbledore should look like (Except the hat... Don't knw where hes going with that on!)

The first Dumbledore to me is the best. I think that he embodies the character more than the second Dumbledore. I feel that Dumbledore represents a serene, calm person and I feel that Richard Harris embodied that serene calm person more than Michael Gambon.

Now though the second Dumbledore, Michael Gambon, is starting to grow on me and I like him a little bit more with every new movie.

Michael Gambon embodies a Dumbledore more human. He highlights the weakness of Albus. He is less magic, but his acting prefigures the end of the sixth well. I feel more comfortable with that Dumbledore. He seems to be listening to Harry more than Harris' character did.

Oh I can't stand Michael Gambon, he acts his part so completely wrong, especially in GOF, where he nearly strangles Harry. Apologies to those of you who like him, but I think he is rubbish. Richard Harris was perfect. Perfect! For one thing he looked exactly as I imagined Dumbledore, the long silver-white beard, the gold half-moon glasses. And he portrayed Dumbledore precisely as he was written - light, whimsical, yet with that deeper layer of boundless wisdom and caring. Harris's death was the worst thing that ever happened to the HP films. He is irreplacable.

[font=Palatino Linotype]i liked both dumbledores, its just that in OoTP Harris could not have done the fighting seen i mean he is ten yrs older than gambon, harris shows the sweet, funny, side of dumbledore. for example when dumbledore rites to harry in HBP he says "P.S. i like acid pops" instead of just merely sayin my password is acid pops. when you gambon you see the rough, n tough side of dumbledores complex character.Gambon makes you realize all the feats dumbledores accomplished are real! I picture gambon as harry thinks in OoTP"Dumbledores wand aloft, his face white and furious! So i now explain to you that both dumbledores have very different personalities based on there actors!So in the end i like both dumbledores in different ways!

Richard Harris through and through. He was Dumbledore. He was the PERFECT Dumbledore. Gambon is good, but he doesn't fit Dumbledore quite right.

I think both of them are incredible actors. Each one has a different personality, but I feel they both fit for the DD role. I was devastated when Harris died.

i like richard harris the best. i mena he's the original. he's the one we fell in love with. he also played dumbledore much better and he was kinder and look a lot wise. he really was dumbledore. micheal gambon is good to he just has the misfortune of being compared to a really good dumbledore.

I prefer Richard Harris... when I read the books it's him I see...

richard harris hit the role perfectly but i do have to say that gambon is getting so much better at his role as dumbledore as the films progress with thre final films gambon hopefully hitting dumbledores character and personalilty head on.

i also preferred Richard Harris, i think he captured Dumbledore perfectly the micschevious side, the Dumbledore with the twinkle in the eye.
i have to agree with the people who said they were surprised at how Gambon's Dumbledore grabbed Harry after his name came out of the Goblet of Fire i thought that was out of character too.
Having said that though i did think think before OOTP came out that Gambon would be better suited to what i thought would be a more physically demanding role with the duel with Voldermort in it.
But for me Gambon's most Dumbledore-ish moment was in POA when Hermione and Harry got back from saving Sirius and Buckbeak and they said to him "we did it" and he said "did what?"

the first one
im not sure what his name is exactly lol but the one from the first 2
i dont really like the new one
he doesnt have the right dumbledore personality i dont think
whats up with him strangling harry in the trophy room in the 4th film?
that bit has always bugged me
its stupid
dumbledore would neverrr do that

Hae to say I liked the original Dumbledore best.

But still like Michael Gambon. He was a good replacement

Richard Harris was great as Dumbledore. He had the perfect voice, and the twinkle in his eye and really made the character from the books come alive for me. Micheal Gambon, I think, was a really poor choice for a replacement. He makes everything sound so doom and gloom, very unlike Dumbledore in the books who made even serious situations lighthearted.

I think Richard Harris is far and away the better Dumbledore. He appears old and wise, with a soft and calm character, who exudes a certain level of arrogance and an aura of power that perfectly reflects the books. As much as I like Michael Gambon as an actor I think he is quick awful as Dumbledore. Where Richard Harris portrayed Dumbledore as calm and confident as he is in the books Gambon seeks to make him angry and far too energetic and young. Dumbledore should always appear in control of the situation and nothing should seem to shock or agitate him but Gambon's portrayal is of him as aggressive and flumoxed (I mean in the fourth film he charges Harry in the wall and shouts at him 'Did you put your name in the Goblet etc etc - it's just awful). Richard Harris spoke softly with a classical rich English accent, but was always capable of applying a booming, authoritative voice when required. Gambon, on the other hand, has a weird voice, a strange amalgamation of American, Irish and English accents, and quite often angry.

If you are a true fan on the books and J.K. Rowling's Dumbledore you will far prefer Richard Harris' portrayal.

I feel kinda sorry for Michael Gambon because people are constantly comparing him to Richard Harris... as I'm about to do

I think that Richard Harris was just the PERFECT Dumbledore. He had everything perfect - the voice, the movements, the look - everything. Dumbledore is this peaceful, serene man and Gambon does not play him that way. In GoF he practically strangled Harry! Dumbledore hardly ever shouts and Gambon shouts too much.

I'm not saying that he is not good. He is good as Dumbledore and his performance improved a lot in OotP I thought compared to his performance in GoF. He just isn't quite as perfect as Richard Harris. I also think it would have been better if they had of made Gambon look more like Harris did. They could have at least dressed him the same way.

I am making this poll to see from other HP fans across the globe which of the two actors that have taken up the post of playing Dumbledore did the best job at it. Personally, I thought that Richard Harris played Dumbledore more realistically.

The first one seems wise and mysterious and was an amazing actor but the second one to be honest looks like a drunken old man. His mysteriousness and wiseness looks like craziness. I know we were told in the first book that Dumbledore was crazy but as it progressed he didn't seem so.

The first two had much better Dumbledores.

Hi Hallows.of.the.Dead, I needed to move-merge this thread with a preceding topic and I'll reconstruct the poll accordingly.

Habitso makes an interesting contrast between how differently the two actors portray the Professor; now that I ponder over the idea it makes sense (Gambon shaking Radcliffe is understandably distracting though ). As Harry gets closer and closer to coming of age, Dumbledore seems to progress from slightly eccentric grandfather- figure to an extraordinary man of heart and mind. Special effects don't materialize such an impression to life; body language, tone and expressions do. Harris I think if he lived may have progressed the character's persona to that point; but has Gambon succeeded in enchanting us with the three chances he's had so far?