All 26 ‘Harry Potter’ Actors That Died
The magnificent ‘Harry Potter’ movie franchise spanned over ten years, with the first movie coming out in 2001 and the last in 2011. The films included countless characters and cast members, many of whom will always be remembered for their movie roles.
Sadly, the ten-year span was long enough to see some cast members pass away and other actors take on their roles. Other actors left this world after filming, but they’ll always be remembered and loved among Potterheads and cinephiles in general. Without further ado, here’s a list of all the ‘Harry Potter’ actors who died, alphabetically.
1. Alan Rickman (Severus Snape)
Alan Rickman’s portrayal of Severus Snape is widely regarded as the best-played role in the entire Harry Potter franchise. Rickman was outstanding throughout the franchise in all eight movies.
Sadly, the outstanding actor died in 2016 after battling pancreatic cancer. He never revealed his illness to the public, only to his closest friends and family. Rickman was 69 when he passed away. Snape is his most famous role, but he played outstanding roles in ‘Die Hard,’ ‘Sweeney Todd,’ ‘Love Actually,’ and many other films.
2. Alfred Burke (Armando Dippet)
Alfred Burke had a minor role in ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.’ He appeared in a flashback as Armando Dippet, the headmaster of Hogwarts, while Albus Dumbledore was still a professor, and Tom Riddle was still a student.
It was Burke’s final role and the one he’s probably the best-known for. The actor died in 2011 when he was 92 years old.
3. Dave Legeno (Fenrir Greyback)
Dave Legeno’s death was tragic and way too early. In 2014, Legeno went hiking across Death Valley and probably got lost. Other hikers found his body, as the actor perished from the consequences of insatiable heat and dehydration. Legeno was 50 at the time of his passing.
He played Fenrir Greyback, a werewolf in the last three movies of the ‘Harry Potter‘ franchise. Dave is also known for his roles in ‘Batman Begins,’ ‘Snow White and the Huntsman,’ etc.
4. David Ryall (Elphias Doge)
David Ryall was a replacement for Peter Cartwright as Elphias Doge. Doge first appeared in ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ as a member of the Order and Dumbledore’s great friend. Ryall took over the role in ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One’.
He died on Christmas Day in 2014 when he was 79 years old. Ryall had a long, illustrious career, but he’s best known for his role in ‘Around the World in 80 Days,’ ‘City of Ember,’ ‘Automata,’ etc.
5. Derek Deadman (Tom, The Leaky Cauldron Bartender)
Derek Deadman appeared only in the first ‘Harry Potter’ movie, in a minor role as Tom, the landlord/bartender of the Leaky Cauldron. Despite having a minor role in the film, fans vividly remember it.
Deadman passed away in 2014 after complications stemming from his diabetes. The actor was 74 years old at the time. Besides ‘The Sorcerer’s Stone,’ Deadman is known for his roles in the ‘Time Bandits,’ ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’ with Kevin Costner, etc.
6. Elizabeth Spriggs (The Fat Lady)
If you wanted to get into the Gryffindor Common Room, you had to go through the portrait of The Fat Lady, giving her the password: Caput Draconis. The portrait loved to sing very high-pitched, and the fantastic actress who played the role was Elizabeth Spriggs.
Spriggs sadly passed away in 2008, aged 78. Although the actress planned countless roles throughout her career, the Fat Lady was probably her best-known role in motion pictures. However, she’s better known to theatrical audiences, as Spriggs acted in the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theater in England for years.
7. Eric Sykes (Frank Bryce)
Eric Sykes’ role in Harry Potter was minuscule but served a great purpose to show just how ruthless and dangerous Lord Voldemort will be later in the series. Sykes played Frank Bryce, the Riddle family gardener, appearing only for a few minutes in the ‘Goblet of Fire’ before being killed by the Dark Lord.
The actor died in 2012, at age 89, after numerous roles in great movies such as ‘The Others’ or ‘Rotten to the Core,’ all the way back in 1965.
8. Hazel Douglas (Bathilda Bagshot)
Hazel Douglas also had a minor role, appearing as Bathilda Bagshot in ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One.’ Bagshot was the author of the book called A ‘History of Magic.’ Douglas landed the role well in her 80s, but that was probably the role everybody will remember the great actress by.
Douglas died in 2016 when she was 92 years old. Her career spanned over several decades, mostly in TV shows and series, appearing in ‘Poirot’ and great movies like ‘Asylum,’ ‘Face,’ etc.
9. Helen McCrory (Narcissa Malfoy)
Another sudden, tragic death of a Harry Potter cast member happened in April of 2021 when the family of Helen McCrory announced the actress passed away after a long, hard-fought battle with cancer. McCrory was 52 when she died but had already managed to leave a spectacular acting career behind her.
Helen played Narcissa Malfoy, Draco’s mother, and Lucius Malfoy’s wife, in the last three movies of the franchise. We will also remember her role in the Netflix hit series Peaky Blinders, the animated masterpiece ‘Loving Vincent,’ the movies ‘Fearless,” The Count of Monte Cristo,’ and many others.
10. Jimmy Gardner (Ernie Prang)
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Jimmy Gardner’s role was very short and minor but incredibly amusing and likable. Jimmy played Ernie Prang, the driver of the double-decker Knight Bus with huge glasses, driving like a madman.
Known for his role in Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Frenzy’ in 1972, ‘Finding Neverland’ with Johnny Depp in 2004 etc., Gardner passed away in 2010, aged 85.
11. John Hurt (Garrick Ollivander)
Garrick Ollivander appeared in the first Harry Potter film as the owner of Ollivander’s, the best wand shop in Diagon Alley. He sold Harry his first wand. John Hurt, a renowned two-time Academy Award nominee, did an awesome delivery of the role.
Hurt was best known for his roles in ‘The Elephant Man’ (Best Actor in a Lead Role Oscar nomination), ‘Midnight Express’ (Best Actor in a Supporting Role Oscar nomination), ‘Jackie,’ ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,’ ‘An Englishman in New York,’ and many other incredible roles. John died in 2017 when he was 77.
12. Leslie Phillips (Sorting Hat)
Leslie Phillips, the famous British actor best known for his splendid roles in the ‘Carry On’ movies, sadly passed away just recently in early November 2022. The actor was 98 years old and died peacefully in his sleep, according to his agent. His long career started all the way back in the 1930s, and he worked with many superstars like Anthony Hopkins, Steven Spielberg, and others.
In the Harry Potter franchise, Mr. Phillips gave the voice to the iconic Sorting Hat, who chose Gryffindor over Slytherin for Harry Potter – and the rest was history.
13. Maggie Smith (Minerva McGonagall)
Dame Maggie Smith is one of the greatest actresses of all time. She won numerous awards and had an iconic career that lasted for decades, appearing on the stage and on the screen. She, sadly, passed away at the age of 89 in 2024 in a London hospital.
In the franchise, Maggie Smith was the iconic Minerva McGonagall, and we all remember how Rowling said she had Maggie Smith in mind while writing the character. McGonagall is one of the best and most important characters in the whole series and we cannot overstate her importance.
14. Paul Ritter (Eldred Worple)
Paul Ritter was an incredible actor with years of memorable roles before him but sadly passed away too early after losing a battle with a brain tumor. Ritter died aged 54 in 2021.
He played the role of a wizard named Eldred Worple in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but he’s also known for the James Bond film ‘Quantum of Solace,’ ‘The Limehouse Golem,’ and a big role as Martin Goodman in the ‘Friday Night Dinner’ TV series.
15. Peter Cartwright (Elphias Doge)
The first Elphias Doge in the Harry Potter franchise was Peter Cartwright. He appeared in the ‘Order of the Phoenix’ as a member of the Order and Albus Dumbledore’s dear friend. However, he was replaced by David Ryall for the ‘Deathly Hallows Part One,’ as Cartwright couldn’t continue his acting career due to illness and old age.
The amazing actor died in 2013 when he was 78 after a long career, best known for his roles in 1982’s ‘Gandhi,’ ‘Wimbledon,’ etc.
16. Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon Dursley)
Richard Griffiths was such an amazing character that you loved to hate throughout the Harry Potter franchise. He played Harry’s uncle, Vernon Dursley, the mean, grumpy guy who hated that he had to care for his nephew.
Unfortunately, the beloved actor died in 2013, aged 65, after complications happening after heart surgery. Although Uncle Vernon is probably his best-known role, Griffiths was an astounding actor, receiving a BAFTA nomination for his role in ‘The History Boys’ while also acting in ‘Sleepy Hollow’ and countless plays as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
17. Richard Harris (Albus Dumbledore)
Richard Harris was the first Albus Dumbledore, the guy with the warm, raspy voice that we watched in the franchise’s first two movies. Harris was amazing, but unfortunately, he passed away shortly after filming the ‘Chamber of Secrets’ in 2002 due to Hodgkin’s disease. The actor was 72 at the time of his demise. Michael Gambon took over as Dumbledore afterward.
Harris had a wonderful career spanning over five decades. Apart from being the first Dumbledore, fans know him for playing Marcus Aurelius in ‘Gladiator,’ King Arthur in 1967’s ‘Camelot,’ ‘Unforgiven’ in 1992, etc.
18. Robert Hardy (Cornelius Fudge)
Robert Hardy was a renowned actor known for his role as Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic in the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise. He was a warm, soft-spoken individual whose career lasted for over 70 years, spanning theater stages, TV shows, and films.
He played Winston Churchill magnificently six times in his career, had a significant role in ‘Sense & Sensibility,’ etc. Hardy passed away peacefully in his home in 2017, surrounded by his loved ones.
19. Robert Knox (Marcus Belby)
Many actors from the Harry Potter franchise passed away tragically, but none as violently as the young, talented Robert Knox. He played the role of Marcus Belby in the ‘Half-Blood Prince’ and was set to return for the rest of the franchise until his tragic death in 2008 when Knox was only 18 years old.
Knox tried stopping a fight in a bar between his brother and another individual, who stabbed Robert and four other people with a kitchen knife in a blinding fit of rage. Unfortunately, Robert’s artery was damaged, and he died in a hospital shortly after the attack.
He also played the role of Josh in ‘After You’ve Gone’ and would almost certainly have had a great career if his life weren’t cut short by the tragic event.
20. Roger Lloyd Pack (Barty Crouch Senior)
Roger Lloyd Pack appeared only in the ‘Goblet of Fire’ as one of the employees in the Ministry of Magic and Albus Dumbledore’s friends. His son, Barty Jr. (played by the famous David Tennant), was a Death Eater pretending to be Professor Moody before getting caught. It was a major subplot in the film, and both of the actors were amazing in their respective roles.
Barty Crouch Senior never appeared in the franchise again. Sadly, Roger Lloyd Pack died in 2014, aged 69, after suffering from pancreatic cancer, just like his colleague Alan Rickman. Pack will be remembered for his role in the classic series ‘Only Fools and Horses,’ ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,’ and ‘Dr. Who,’ where he and Tennant acted together again.
21. Sam Beazley (Professor Everard)
Sam Beazley didn’t act all that much throughout his life but had several memorable roles. One of those roles was Professor Everard in the ‘Order of the Phoenix.’ It was a minor but notable role, just like Beazley’s roles in ‘Johnny English,’ ‘Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,’ etc.
Sam lived a long, happy life and died in his sleep at home in 2017 when he was 101 years old.
22. Terence Bayler (The Bloody Baron)
Terence Bayler was better known in New Zealand than in Hollywood, but still, he had numerous great roles throughout his illustrious career. He played the Bloody Baron in ‘The Sorcerer’s Stone’ – one of the ghosts roaming the Hogwarts school. His role was minor but funny, quirky, and incredibly amusing.
Bayler died at age 86 in 2016, and we’ll remember him as one of New Zealand’s greatest actors, known for his roles in the 1979’s ‘Life of Brian,’ 1981’s ‘Time Bandits,’ countless successful TV series, etc.
23. Timothy Bateson (Kreacher)
Timothy Bateson voiced Kreacher, the elf serving the Black family at their home, the same place where the ‘Order of the Phoenix’ had its headquarters. Bateson passed away in 2009 when he was 83, and Simon McBurney replaced him as the voice of Kreacher in ‘The Deathly Hallows.’
Bateson is known for roles in ‘The Italian Job,’ 1998’s ‘Merlin,’ the ‘Midsomer Murders’ series, etc.
24. Verne Troyer (Griphook)
Verne Troyer was a beloved actor who portrayed Griphook, one of the goblins at Gringott’s, the wizard bank, in the first Harry Potter movie. Although Troyer played Griphook, Warwick Davis gave the character his voice and replaced Verne completely later in the franchise.
Unfortunately, Troyer died in 2018 when he was 49 due to alcohol poisoning. His death was later ruled as a suicide. Verne was a very inspiring individual, always looking to help and put a smile on our faces, he is best known for his roles in ‘The Love Guru’ and playing Mini-Me in two’ Austin Powers‘ movies.
25. Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid)
Robbie Coltrane was Hagrid. That much can be said from this position. The Scottish actor, who had a lot of roles in his career, embodied Hagrid in the best way possible, and he was, like so many actors on this list, the only person we could imagine playing the beloved character.
Sadly, Mr. Coltrane had a lot of health-related issues in recent years and was not really present in the public eye. Reports stated that he withdrew from the public to a small house in Scotland where he lived alone, fighting his health problems. The latter sadly caught up to him, as Mr. Robbie Coltrane sadly passed away on October 14, 2022, in a Scottish hospital.
26. Sir Michael Gambon (Professor Albus Dumbledore)
Sir Michael Gambon, known to countless fans as the wise and beloved Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films, has left an indelible mark in cinematic history. Stepping into the role after the late Richard Harris, Gambon masterfully played the Hogwarts headmaster from 2004 to 2011. His storied career, spanning six decades, saw him share the stage with Laurence Olivier, make an impression in films like The King’s Speech, and receive accolades including three Olivier Awards and four BAFTA Awards.
Tragically, at the age of 82, Sir Michael passed away peacefully in a hospital, surrounded by his family. Faced with pneumonia, he was comforted in his final moments by his wife Anne and son Fergus. The world mourns the loss of this unparalleled talent, remembering him for his roles in cinema and his profound influence on the arts.
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