British Actor Richard Harris Dies

[Monday, October 28th, 2002]
The death of Richard Harris on Friday leaves Warner Bros. with a major question mark as to who will now play Albus Dumbledore in the third movie of the "Harry Potter" series, reports Variety.

Production on the series' third installment, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," was to begin in either February or March, and Harris had signed on to appear in it, the studio said.

Barry Meyer, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros., and Alan Horn, president of the studio, released a statement expressing their "deep and heartfelt condolences" to Harris' family, but declined to comment on the future of the Dumbledore role.

Harris became ill this year after filming the second movie in the series, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," which is scheduled to debut Nov. 15.

When Harris' agent, Sharon Thomas, announced Oct. 15 that he was being treated for cancer, she said he likely would be available for filming the third movie based on author J.K. Rowling's adventurous boy wizard. Harris died 10 days later at University College Hospital in London.

The actor said he took the role of Dumbledore at the behest of his young granddaughter but was wary of appearing in all of the "Harry Potter" films.

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