In Memoriam: The Muggles and magical actors from Harry Potter who have embarked on the next great adventure

There is a tradition at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter parks. When the Harry Potter community loses someone who was involved in the films, fans congregate in the shadow of Hogwarts to raise their wands in memory of that person. It's a lovely imitation of a scene from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and a sign of solidarity that crosses cultural boundaries. Too often since the 2001 release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, we have said goodbye to actors who left their marks on the franchise.

"The greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had"

The first two Harry Potter films saw Richard Harris portray Albus Dumbledore. Soft-spoken, but insightful, Harris was the perfect actor to entrust Harry to the Dursleys in the first scene of the series, and expound on the importance of love near the end of the film. He was twice nominated for Academy Awards, but his roles ranged from King Arthur in Camelot to the titular character in 1970's Cromwell. He passed away in 2002.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban welcomed a new headmaster to Hogwarts and A.O. Scott of the New York Times praised both "top-of-the-line flesh-and-blood British acting" from the ensemble cast and the way that "Michael Gambon, as the wise headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, has gracefully stepped into Richard Harris's conical hat and flowing robes." He brought a dry sense of humor to the role as well as a fierce bravery that manifested itself across the films. Fans can remember the scene in which he saves Harry from the inferii with a blaze of fire, but also recall his philosophical discussions of life and love in the final film's scene at King's Cross Station. Gambon died on September 27, 2023.

Alfred Burke, who played Professor Dumbledore's predecessor Armando Dippet in the second film, passed away in 2011.

The Professors

Most relevant to this article is the passing of Dame Maggie Smith. The actress was beloved in many genres and a common thread on social media has been, "If your favorite Maggie Smith movie isn't ________, then you're wrong." No one seems to agree if she's best as the aghast Mother Superior in Sister Act, the unsympathetic Mrs. Medlock in The Secret Garden, the aged Wendy in Hook, or any of her many other roles. It is certain that no one could have played Professor McGonagall with the same mix of deep affection and blistering disapproval. Daniel Radcliffe worked with her on David Copperfield before being cast as Harry Potter and is reported by Us Weekly as having called her "a fierce intellect, a gloriously sharp tongue, could intimidate and charm in the same instant and was, as everyone will tell you, extremely funny."

As iconic as Maggie Smith was, there was no need to hear a single word from Alan Rickman before deciding he was perfect for the part of potions professor Professor Snape. His brooding and complicated nature could be expressed simply in his body language, but the man who tackled roles from a Jane Austen love interest in Sense and Sensibility to villain Hans Gruber in Die Hard was full of surprises. IGN discussed in a review of his personal journals that he faced the choice to leave the series both for creative reasons and a battle with prostate cancer. In 2007, he wrote that he had been informed of Severus Snape's love for Lily Potter seven years before the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and that information was "a cliff edge to hang on to." Tom Felton in his memoir Beyond the Wand related how "there was never a day...that Alan Rickman wasn't to be seen in full, flowing Snape robes, holding his tray and queuing up in the canteen for his lunch like everyone else." The Potter family lost Rickman in 2017.

The last of the professors to be mentioned is Rubeus Hagrid. Originally the maligned and underappreciated Keeper of the Keys, Hagrid becomes the Care of Magical Creatures professor and a vital member of the Order of the Phoenix. The character was equal parts strange uncle and indispensable mentor. Upon his passing in 2022, James Phelps (Fred Weasley) shared that "I will miss the random chats about all subjects under the sun." Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley said that "Robbie portrayed Hagrid's warmth, sense of home and unconditional love for his students and magical creatures so brilliantly."

The Parents

Two of the lost actors in the franchise played famous parents and neither of them were particularly likeable characters. Richard Griffiths played Vernon Dursley, who was always threatening Harry's owl or raging against the existence of magic. Being locked in a cupboard under the stairs didn't stop Daniel Radcliff from saying that "I am proud to say I knew him" and relating that his first shot of the movies was with the late Griffiths. They later appeared together in Equus on stage. Griffiths passed away in 2013.

Harry is twice saved by a mother's love and Helen McRory played Narcissa Malfoy, the woman who turned on Voldemort to save her son Draco. She was known for roles in the biopic The Queen and The Count of Monte Cristo, but also played an MP in Skyfall and a vampire in both Interview with the Vampire and Doctor Who. J.K. Rowling described her as "an extraordinary actress and a wonderful woman who's left us far too soon."

Gone, but not overlooked

According to Indy100, a total of twenty-seven actors from the eight-film franchise have passed away. Let us take a moment to mention the remaining people who contributed to our love of the movies.

Robert Knox, 1989-2008, played Slug Club member Marcus Belby.

Elizabeth Spriggs, 1929-2008 was the first of two actresses to portray The Fat Lady who guarded Gryffindor Tower.

Timothy Bateson, 1926-2009, lent his voice to Kreacher, the house-elf to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.

Jimmy Gardner, 1924-2010, fearlessly drove the Knight Bus in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Eric Sykes, 1923-2012, set the stage for mystery as Frank Bryce in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Peter Cartwright, 1935-2013, played Elphias Doge in the fifth movie.

Doge was also played by David Ryall, 1935-2014.

Roger Lloyd Pack, 1944-2014, memorably played the hypervigilant Barty Crouch, senior.

Dave Legeno, 1963-2014, terrified audiences as the werewolf Fenrir Greyback.

Derek Deadman, 1940-2014, played Tom of the Leaky Cauldron, who was Harry's first friendly magical contact after Hagrid.

Terence Baylor, 1930-2016, played Slytherin's ghost, the Bloody Baron in the first movie.

Hazel Douglas, 1923-2016, appeared in the seventh movie as historian Bathilda Bagshot.

John Hurt,1940-2017, played Mr. Ollivander, wand-maker and lore-teller.

Sam Beazley, 1916-2017, played Professor Everard, one of the paintings in the castle.

Robert Hardy, 1925-2017, led the Ministry of Magic as the stubborn Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge.

Verne Troyer, 1969-2018, played Griphook in the first of the Harry Potter films.

Paul Ritter, 19766-2021, played a background role as biographer Eldred Worple in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Leslie Phillips, 1924-2022, provided the voice of the Sorting Hat.

Paul Grant, 1967-2023, played a goblin at Gringotts.