The actor Robbie Coltrane has passed away at the age of 72 and was known for roles across a wide array of films and TV.
This news was confirmed by agent Belinda Wright who in a statement said: "My client and friend Robbie Coltrane OBE passed away on Friday October 14."
Coltrane was made an OBE in the 2006 New Year’s honours list for his services to drama and he was awarded the Bafta Scotland Award for outstanding contribution to film in 2011.
The actor is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell.
We are hugely saddened to hear of the passing of the magnificent Robbie Coltrane who played Hagrid with such kindness, heart and humour in the Harry Potter films. He was a wonderful actor, a friend to all and he will be deeply missed. pic.twitter.com/CCofb6BMo6
— Wizarding World (@wizardingworld) October 14, 2022
Whilst being best know for playing Hagrid, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films, Coltrane appeared in a wide variety of programmes and films.
What were the roles that made Robbie Coltrane famous?
Coltrane started his career in the late 1970s appearing in a number of comedy TV shows such as Keep It in the Family and appearing on a couple of episodes of The Young Ones.
It was in the sketch series Alfresco that was perhaps his first break, appearing alongside Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, and Emma Thompson.
His first appearance on the Rowan Atkinson-led comedy Blackadder followed a few years later, where he portrayed the writer Samuel Johnson.
Recognition started to come in for his performances not long after with the six-part drama series Tutti Frutti, where he was nominated for a BAFTA TV award for Best Actor.
However, the role that really brought him to national prominence was Dr. Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald in the ITV drama Cracker, where he played a criminal psychologist helping Greater Manchester Police solve crimes.
RIP Robbie Coltrane. Unbelievably good in Cracker. Will always remember this scene with Robert Carlyle. pic.twitter.com/oJgkeE2n0F
— Gary Taphouse (@garytaphouse) October 14, 2022
Coltrane's portrayal of the foul-mouthed, alcoholic, sarcastic yet brilliant psychologist won him much acclaim, including three BAFTA TV awards in a row for Best Actor between 1994 and 1996.
Following that Coltrane made a number of guest appearances across a wide range of TV shows including Frasier, Still Game, Murderland and a return to Cracker for a two-hour special in 2006.
By this time Coltrane was playing Hagrid in the Harry Potter films but had made a number of notable appearances before that.
He got the role of Falstaff in Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Henry V, played former KGB agent Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky in the James Bond films Goldeneye and The World is Not Enough and featured in Ocean's 12 alongside George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
His last film role was playing a doctor in the 2014 British biographical film Effie Gray.
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