Michael Gambon

The illustrious Sir Michael Gambon is indeed a royal figure in the realm of British theatre. His career began humbly in Cabra, Dublin, Ireland, but with the help of his seamstress mother and engineer father, Gambon was able to make a name for himself in the National Theatre, under the Artistic Directorship of Sir Laurence Olivier. He went on to star in a number of leading roles, such as King Lear, Othello, Mark Anthony, and Volpone, the latter of which was described by the late Sir Ralph Richardson as "The Great Gambon". His talents were fully realized in 1980 when he took the lead role in John Dexter's production of "Galileo". Gambon continues to regularly appear at the Royal National Theatre and the RSC, and was even made a CBE in 1992. Truly, Sir Michael Gambon is one of the true greats of British theatre.