Robbie Coltrane, the veteran Scottish-born actor best known for his roles in the British series Crackers and the Harry Potter film franchise, has died at the age of 72.
Coltrane was born Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30, 1950, in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of a doctor and a teacher. After graduating from the Glasgow School of Art, he continued his studies in Edinburgh.
But as his attempts to become an artist failed, Coltrane began doing stand-up comedy in Edinburgh clubs. He changed his surname to jazz legend John Coltrane as he turned to acting in London.
Coltrane's main role is that of dr. Edward "Fitz" Fitzgerald, an antisocial crime psychologist with a knack for solving crimes, in Jimmy McGovern's Crackers, which ran for over 25 episodes between 1993 and 2006.
That BAFTA-winning performance led Coltrane to other roles, including two James Bond films. Coltrane's other notable supporting roles came when he played Rubeus Hagrid the Giant in the Harry Potter films.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
