Richard Harris
Born 1930 · Age 95
Irish actor and singer known for This Sporting Life, Camelot, The Field, Gladiator, and as Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films. Also had a recording career (notably 'MacArthur Park') and a reputation for a hedonistic lifestyle turned later-life sobriety.
Compare Your Trajectory
See how your career milestones stack up against Richard Harris and other industry leaders.
Life & Career Timeline
Birth in Limerick, Ireland
Born Richard St John Francis Harris at Overdale, 8 Landsdown Villas, Ennis Road, Limerick, Ireland.
Early stage appearance in Limerick
Performed in a local production (Easter) at the Playhouse, Limerick — earliest listed theatre credit.
Wins Tivoli Cup (squash) — start of four-year streak
Began a run of four consecutive Tivoli Cup (Kilkee) squash/small-court racquets wins (1948–1951).
Tivoli Cup — second consecutive win
Second consecutive Tivoli Cup win in Kilkee.
Educated at Crescent College (Jesuit school)
Attended Crescent College in Limerick; played rugby and featured in Munster cup teams (date approximate, schooling years).
Tivoli Cup — third consecutive win
Third consecutive Tivoli Cup win in Kilkee.
Tivoli Cup — fourth consecutive win
Fourth consecutive Tivoli Cup win (record still noted).
Audition rejections and move toward formal acting training
Failed audition at RADA and was rejected by the Central School of Speech and Drama for being 'too old' at 24; subsequently enrolled at LAMDA (approximate timing based on age reference).
Stage debut in The Quare Fellow
Joined Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop and appeared in the West End transfer of The Quare Fellow (stage breakthrough).
Marriage to Elizabeth Rees-Williams
Married Elizabeth Rees-Williams (daughter of David Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore). They later had three children.
Supporting film roles and early Hollywood work
Small role in Shake Hands with the Devil and then The Wreck of the Mary Deare (shot in Hollywood) — early international exposure.
Film debut: Alive and Kicking
Made film debut (credited) in Alive and Kicking and had multiple early film/West End roles including The Ginger Man (West End lead).
Notable supporting roles in 1961
Played memorable bit part in The Guns of Navarone and a larger role in The Long and the Short and the Tall.
Role in Mutiny on the Bounty (insisted on third billing)
Appeared in Mutiny on the Bounty; reportedly insisted on third billing behind Trevor Howard and Marlon Brando.
Breakthrough: This Sporting Life (lead)
Starred as Frank Machin in This Sporting Life — won Cannes Best Actor and received Academy Award (Best Actor) nomination.
Starred in Red Desert (Il Deserto Rosso)
Lead role in Michelangelo Antonioni's Red Desert, which won the Golden Lion at Venice — continued international prominence.
Roles in The Heroes of Telemark and Major Dundee
Supported Kirk Douglas in The Heroes of Telemark and Charlton Heston in Major Dundee — expanding Hollywood credentials.
Appeared in Hawaii and The Bible: In the Beginning...
Starred in Hawaii alongside Julie Andrews and Max von Sydow; played Cain in The Bible: In the Beginning...
Starred as King Arthur in Camelot (film)
Played King Arthur in the film adaptation of Camelot; role became closely associated with him and led to stage revivals later.
Purchased Tower House in Holland Park (£75,000)
Bought William Burges' Tower House in Holland Park for £75,000 (beat Liberace to the purchase) and undertook restoration.
Released 'A Tramp Shining' and hit single 'MacArthur Park'
'MacArthur Park' reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, sold over 1 million copies and earned a gold disc; launched his recording success.
Golden Globe win for Camelot (award year recorded as 1968)
Won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Camelot.
Divorce from Elizabeth Rees-Williams
Divorced first wife Elizabeth Rees-Williams after having three children (Damian, Jared, Jamie).
Multiple major film roles (1970)
Starred in The Molly Maguires, A Man Called Horse (major box-office success), and Cromwell; voted 9th-most popular star by British exhibitors.
The Snow Goose (TV) and directorial debut
Starred in BBC's The Snow Goose (won Golden Globe for Best TV Movie, nominated for BAFTA and Emmy) and made his directorial debut with Bloomfield.
Published poetry collection 'I, In the Membership of My Days'
Released a book of poetry, later partly issued as an audio LP with songs.
Marriage to Ann Turkel
Married American actress Ann Turkel (June 7, 1974).
Lead in The Cassandra Crossing and other films
Headlined ensemble disaster film The Cassandra Crossing; continued prolific film work through the mid-1970s.
Albums and film roles including Orca and Gulliver's Travels
Appeared in several films (Orca, Gulliver's Travels) and continued to record music projects through the late 1970s.
Lawsuit over Golden Rendezvous settled
Sued by the producer for drinking; Harris counter-sued for defamation; matter settled out of court.
The Wild Geese — international success
Appeared in The Wild Geese which was a significant commercial success outside the U.S.
Became teetotaller (gave up alcohol)
Quit heavy drinking in 1981 while spending time in the Bahamas (Paradise Island) — marked a major lifestyle and career turning point.
Established scholarship fund at University of Scranton
Raised funds for a scholarship in honour of his brother Dermot (who had died the previous year); chaired acting workshops and cast the University's production of Julius Caesar (Nov 1987).
Offered lead in The Field after Ray McAnally's death
After Ray McAnally's sudden death (15 June 1989), director Jim Sheridan offered Harris the lead role of 'Bull' McCabe.
Release of The Field and Academy Award nomination (Best Actor)
The Field released in 1990; Harris received his second Academy Award nomination (ceremony in 1991) for Best Actor.
Biography collaboration and publication
Worked with Michael Feeney Callan on a biography; the book was published (Sidgwick & Jackson) in 1990.
Roles in Patriot Games and Unforgiven
Played supporting roles in Patriot Games and as 'English Bob' in Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood film).
Starred in Abraham (TV film)
Played the title role in the Bible production Abraham (1993), filmed as an international TV/cinema project.
Cry, the Beloved Country (lead role)
Played a wealthy landowner in Cry, the Beloved Country, reaffirming his standing as a character actor.
Featured on Irish postage stamp (Centenary of Irish Cinema)
Honoured with a commemorative Irish postage stamp (1996) as part of 'Centenary of Irish Cinema'.
Starred in To Walk with Lions
Played George Adamson in To Walk with Lions (1999).
Role as Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator
Portrayed Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Ridley Scott's Gladiator — high-profile supporting role in Academy Award-winning film.
European Film Academy Lifetime Achievement Award
Received the European Film Academy Lifetime Achievement Award (2000).
Cast as Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Accepted the role of Professor Albus Dumbledore in the first Harry Potter film (hesitant due to multi-film commitment but accepted after family persuasion).
Posthumous release: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) included Harris' final film performance as Dumbledore; film released posthumously.
Diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease
Reportedly diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease after hospitalization for pneumonia in August 2002.
Death in London
Died of Hodgkin's disease at University College Hospital, Bloomsbury, London on 25 October 2002; body cremated and ashes scattered in the Bahamas.
Kaena: The Prophecy dedicated to Harris
Animation Kaena: The Prophecy (2003) dedicated to him as he had voiced a character (Opaz) before his death.
Bronze statue unveiled in Kilkee
A life-size bronze statue of a young Harris playing racquetball was placed in Kilkee and unveiled by Russell Crowe.
Mickey Rourke dedicates BAFTA win to Harris
At the 2009 BAFTAs, Mickey Rourke dedicated his Best Actor award to Richard Harris, citing him as a friend and inspiration.
Founding of Richard Harris International Film Festival
Rob Gill and Zeb Moore founded the Richard Harris International Film Festival in Limerick (festival grew from 10 films in 2013 to 115 films by 2017).
Commemorative plaque unveiled in Limerick
Limerick Writers' Centre unveiled a plaque outside Charlie St George's pub celebrating Harris's literary output; unveiled by his son Jared Harris.
Featured on 'Irish Abroad' postage stamps
Richard Harris honoured on 'Irish Abroad' stamps (2020 issue), reaffirming his cultural legacy.
'MacArthur Park' used in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Harris' 1968 recording 'MacArthur Park' featured in the wedding sequence of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) — posthumous cultural usage.
Key Achievement Ages
Explore what Richard Harris and others achieved at these notable ages:
Similar Trajectories
Barbara Sher
Born 1935 · Age 90
American speaker, career/lifestyle coach and best-selling author known for inventing Success Teams and books such as Wishcraft and Refuse to Choose!. Lectured worldwide, produced public-television specials, and taught e-commerce to village weavers in Turkey.
Tenzin Gyatso
Born 1935 · Age 90
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism (Gelug school). Born Lhamo Thondup in 1935, he was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama as a child, enthroned in 1940, assumed temporal power in 1950, fled to India in 1959, led the Tibetan government-in-exile, advocated for Tibet internationally, taught globally, and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
Sylvia Robinson
Born 1935 · Age 90
American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and label executive; co-founder/CEO of Sugar Hill Records; produced landmark hip-hop singles including "Rapper's Delight" and "The Message" and dubbed the "Mother of Hip Hop."
Fred Gluck
Born 1935 · Age 90
Management consultant and executive; longtime senior partner and Managing Director of McKinsey & Company (1988-1994); later vice-chairman of Bechtel; founder/chairman in biotech (CytomX, Cynvenio); director at Amgen and multiple public, private and non-profit organizations.
Jack Welch
Born 1935 · Age 90
American chemical engineer and business executive; Chairman & CEO of General Electric (GE) 1981–2001, influential and controversial management figure who transformed GE's portfolio and culture.
Bob Proctor
Born 1934 · Age 91
Canadian self-help author and motivational speaker, proponent of the law of attraction; best known for You Were Born Rich (1984) and as a contributor/teacher in the film The Secret (2006).