<\/p>\n
Robbie Coltrane has died aged 72.<\/p>\n
The \u201cJames Bond\u201c, \u201dCracker\u201c and \u201dHarry Potter\u201c actor\u2019s death on Friday was confirmed by his agent.<\/p>\n
Belinda Wright said: \u201cMy client and friend Robbie Coltrane OBE passed away on Friday, October 14.<\/p>\n
\u201cRobbie was a unique talent, sharing the Guinness Book of Records\u2019 award for winning three consecutive best actor Baftas (British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards) for his portrayal of Fitz in Granada TV\u2019s series \u2018Cracker\u2019 in 1994, 1995 and 1996 with Sir Michael Gambon.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe will probably be best remembered for decades to come as Hagrid in the \u2018Harry Potter\u2019 films, a role which brought joy to children and adults alike all over the world, prompting a stream of fan letters every week for over 20 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cJames Bond fans write too to applaud his role in \u2018Golden Eye\u2019 and \u2018The World Is Not Enough\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me personally I shall remember him as an abidingly loyal client.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs well as being a wonderful actor, he was forensically intelligent, brilliantly witty and after 40 years of being proud to be called his agent, I shall miss him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell. They would like to thank the medical staff at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert for their care and diplomacy.\u201d<\/p>\n
A cause of death was not given.<\/p>\n
Robbie is known globally for playing Rubeus Hagrid in the \u2018Harry Potter\u2019 franchise and Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky in the 007 films \u2018Golden Eye\u2019 and \u2018The World Is Not Enough\u2019.<\/p>\n
He was appointed as OBE in the 2006 New Year Honours by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to drama.<\/p>\n
Born Anthony Robert McMillan in the Glaswegian suburb of Rutherglen, he was educated at Glenalmond College before going to the Glasgow School of Art.<\/p>\n
He switched to drama after thinking about becoming a painter, and did stand-up under the name Coltrane as a homage to the jazz musician John Coltrane.<\/p>\n
His first major acting credit was in the Richard Eyre-directed \u2018Waterloo Sunset\u2019 in 1979, and he had small appearances in films and TV shows including \u2018Flash Gordon\u2019 and \u2018Are You Being Served?\u2019<\/p>\n
He became part of the UK\u2019s alternative comedy scene in the 1980s alongside Ben Elton and Rik Mayall, before his acting career took off after he played Falstaff in Kenneth Branagh\u2019s \u2018Henry V\u2019 and featured in comedies \u2018Nuns on the Run\u2019 and \u2018The Pope Must Die\u2019.<\/p>\n
He was acclaimed for playing psychologist \u2018Fitz\u2019 Fitzgerald in Jimmy McGovern\u2019s TV series \u2018Cracker\u2019, winning Robbie the best TV actor Bafta in 1994, 1995 and 1996 for the role.<\/p>\n
Like Fitz, Robbie was a heavy drinker in the 1980s and once threatened to beat up Piers Morgan at a restaurant in London.<\/p>\n
His first appearance as Hagrid came in 2001\u2019s \u2018Harry Potter and the Philosopher\u2019s Stone\u2019, which re-energised his TV career, and he went on to play DI Hain in \u2018Murderland\u2019.<\/p>\n
He married sculptor Gemmell in 1999 before their split in 2003, and the pair had two children.<\/p>\n
Tributes have started to flood in from the acting and comedy worlds to Robbie, with his old friend and former co-star Stephen Fry tweeting: \u201cI first met Robbie Coltrane almost exactly 40 years ago. I was awe\/terror\/love struck all at the same time.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuch depth, power and talent: funny enough to cause helpless hiccups and honking as we made our first TV show, \u2018Alfresco\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cFarewell, old fellow. You\u2019ll be so dreadfully missed.\u201d<\/p>\n