There Have Now Been 24 Harry Potter Actors Who Have Died

Since the first installment of the Harry Potter series was released, 24 actors have regrettably died.

The beloved film series began in 2001 with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, bringing together an ensemble cast of some of Britain’s and the world’s most cherished names.

Unfortunately, not everyone is still alive, from prominent actors like Alan Rickman, Richard Harris, and Robbie Coltrane to supporting cast members like Elizabeth Spriggs and Verne Troyer.

Richard Harris (October 1, 1930 – October 25, 2002) played Albus Dumbledore.

Harris played the grandfatherly headmaster in the first two Harry Potter films before being replaced by Michael Gambon for the following six.

He was the series’ first and most significant loss.

Marcus Belby – Robert Knox (21 August 1989 – 24 May 2008)

Knox was an English actor who starred as Marcus Belby in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince before being stabbed to death outside a London club after engaging in a brawl to protect his brother.

A documentary was later developed about the actor’s premature death.

The Fat Lady was Elizabeth Spriggs (18 September 1929 – 2 July 2008).

Spriggs was well known for her portrayal of The Fat Lady, a living portrait who guards the Gryffindor common room, a job that was subsequently taken over by comic Dawn French.

Timothy Bateson – Kreacher (April 3, 1926 – September 15, 2009)

Kreacher was an elderly house elf who was voiced by Bateson in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix until the actor died in 2009.

Jimmy Gardner – Ernie Prang (August 24, 2014 – May 3, 2010)

Gardner was a WWII veteran who has been acting since the 1960s, most recently as Knight Bus driver Ernie Prang in the third Harry Potter film in 2004.

Alfred Burke – Armando Dippet (February 28, 1918 – February 16, 2011)

Alfred Burke died in February 2011 at the age of 92, well known for his roles as Frank Marker in Public Eye and, later, Armando Dippett – Dumbledore’s predecessor at Hogwarts.

Frank Bryce – Eric Sykes (4 May 1923 – 4 July 2012

Eric Sykes played Frank Bryce, a Muggle who lived in the settlement of Little Hangleton, which also housed the Riddle family. He became the leading suspect in the family’s murder while working as their gardener, despite the fact that fans know he was not responsible.

Vernon Dursley – Richard Griffiths (31 July 1947 – 28 March 2013)

Richard Griffiths, a distinguished British stage and screen actor known for performances such as The History Boys, Withnail and I, and Chariots of Fire, could not have played Harry’s Uncle Vernon better.

Elphias Doge, Peter Cartwright (30 August 1935 – 18 November 2013)

Cartwright played the part Elphias Doge before his death in 2013, and was later replaced by actor David Ryall.

Roger Lloyd Pack, also known as Barty Crouch Senior, was born on February 8, 1944 and died on January 15, 2014.

Only Fools and Horses star Roger Lloyd Pack rose to prominence as Trigger in the long-running sitcom, but he also appeared in one of the most successful film franchises of all time as a prominent Ministry of Magic official Barty Crouch Senior.

Fenrir Greyback – Dave Legeno (12 October 1963 – July 2014)

Fenrir Greyback was a werewolf and Death Eater with a nasty fondness for attacking unsuspecting youngsters, as true fans will know. Unfortunately, after appearing in three Harry Potter films, the actor who played him was discovered dead by hikers in Death Valley, California in July 2014.

Derek Deadman (11 March 1940 – 22 November 2014)

Derek Deadman, a character actor with four decades of experience in the British entertainment sector, played Tom, the bartender from Diagon Alley boozer The Leaky Cauldron.

Sadly, Deadman died as a result of diabetic complications.

Elphias Doge, David Ryall (5 January 1935 – 25 December 2014)

Ryall took over for Peter Cartwright as Order of the Phoenix member Elphias Doge in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 in 2010.

He died on Christmas Day, 2014.

Alan Rickman (21 February 1946 – 14 January 2016)

While the death of Severus Snape was a tremendous shock to Harry Potter fans, Alan Rickman’s death was far more shocking.

Tragically, the actor died in January 2016 from terminal cancer, a diagnosis he chose to keep quiet.

Terence Bayler, The Bloody Baron (January 24, 1930 – August 2, 2016)

Terence Bayler, a New Zealand actor, played The Bloody Baron, a Hogwarts ghost who was previously known as Phillip Strenger.

Bathilda Bagshot – Hazel Douglas (2 November 1923 – 8 September 2016)

You may recall Hazel Douglas from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 as magical historian Bathilda Bagshot, the well-known author of A History of Magic, among other works.

Garrick Ollivander – John Hurt (22 January 1940 – 25 January 2017)

Hurt was a distinguished English actor whose career spanned five decades, and he played the benevolent wandmaker Ollivander in the film series.

Sam Beazley – Professor Everard (March 29, 1916 – June 12, 2017)

Beazley was an actor and antiquities trader who appeared as Professor Everard’s painting in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 101.

Cornelius Fudge – Robert Hardy (29 October 1925 – 3 August 2017)

Magical Minister Cornelius Fudge was played by Robert Hardy CBE in the Harry Potter films. Before his death in 2017, he had acting credentials in theatre, film, and television.

Verne Troyer – Griphook (January 1, 1969 – April 21, 2018)

Verne Troyer is most known for his role as Mini Me in the Austin Powers franchise, but he also played Griphook in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone before being replaced by Warwick Davies.

Eldred Worple – Paul Ritter (20 December 1966 – 5 April 2021)

Friday Night Dinner star Paul Ritter died of a brain tumor in 2021, shocking the British television industry.

He also had many film credits, including one as wizard and writer Eldred Worple, who was previously Horace Slughorn’s favorite student.

Helen McCrory – Narcissa Malfoy (August 17, 1968 – April 16, 2021)

McCrory had a legion of fans before her unexpected death in 2021, with parts including Polly in Peaky Blinders and Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise.

Rubeus Hagrid – Robbie Coltrane (30 March 1950 – 14 October 2022)

In 2022, the world grieved the death of famed Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, best known for his portrayal of friendly groundskeeper Hagrid in the Harry Potter films.

Leslie Phillips – The Sorting Hat (April 20, 1924 – November 7, 2022)

Phillips was well recognized for his roles in the Carry On films, in addition to portraying The Sorting Hat in several Harry Potter films. He died in November, after a long and successful acting career.

Zara, his wife, went out about his death at the time, telling fans, “I’ve lost a wonderful husband, and the public has lost a truly great showman.” He was unquestionably a national treasure.

There Have Now Been 24 Harry Potter Actors Who Have Died

Since the first installment of the Harry Potter series was released, 24 actors have regrettably died.

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