# Harry Potter #3 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669 "2002-11-30T20:40:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stccrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Stccrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stccrd)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/1 "2002-11-30T20:40:26Z")
So, now that the actor that played Professor Dumbledore is deceased, what’re they gonna do? ---
**Author:** ![Read\_Icculus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Read\_Icculus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Read_Icculus)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/2 "2002-11-30T20:49:43Z")
There isn’t much they can do but find another actor who looks like the guy who died. They’ll have to. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/3 "2002-11-30T21:50:03Z")
They’ll have to halt the series … [sub](if there’s any justice in the universe)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Read\_Icculus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Read\_Icculus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Read_Icculus)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/4 "2002-11-30T22:04:20Z")
Halt the series until Richard Harris ruturns from the dead? ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/5 "2002-11-30T22:10:09Z")
I’ve heard one rumor that says that the next actor to play Dumbledore will be some nameless Joe who was Sir Richard Harris’ stand-in/body double, who apparently looks and sounds just like Harris and is a good actor. I’ve heard another rumor that the next Dumbledore will be Sir Ian McKellan, who played Gandalf in _Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring._. Good choice, IMHO. I’ve heard yet another rumor that the next Dumbledore will be Christopher Lee, who played Sauruman in _Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring_ and Count Dooku in _Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones_. Not such a good choice, IMHO (mainly because Lee is typecast as a villain by now). I suppose we’ll here something official by spring ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/6 "2002-11-30T22:12:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rastahomie \* > **I suppose we’ll here something official by spring.** Make that “ **hear** something official by spring.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/7 "2002-11-30T22:48:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Batty \* > \*\*They’ll have to halt the series … > > [sub](if there’s any justice in the universe)[/sub] \*\* Just because the movies aren’t geared for your age group doesn’t mean they are /Comic Book Guy/ Worst Movie Ever! /Comic Book Guy/ No one is forcing you to go see the damn thing or even to watch previews for it. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/8 "2002-11-30T22:57:24Z")
Yes they are. They’ve been crammed down my kids’ throats – I was forced – at gunpoint – to take them to the movies and buy the books, and I honestly think that for the most part they are mediocre works riding high and stupid umbleruffle names, ripped off Tolkien concepts and one ass-load of hype. There were ten year olds, who had know idea what a book was, lining up around the corner to buy the thing, because Matt and Katie told them to. Gets kids reading? I’m all for that. But how about a little substance. There. I said it. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/9 "2002-11-30T22:58:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Batty \* > \*\*mediocre works riding high and stupid umbleruffle names … \*\* … “riding high **on** umbleruffle names …” - just to clarify. ---
**Author:** ![Stccrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Stccrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stccrd)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/10 "2002-11-30T23:13:02Z")
Euty…Ike… to the pit yet…? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/11 "2002-11-30T23:15:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Batty \* > \*\*… who had know idea what a book was … \*\* **NO** idea. Der. I’ll never catch up with myself. [sub]I’m suffering from LJ-itis – you can edit your posts there.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Sparrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Sparrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparrow)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/12 "2002-11-30T23:22:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stccrd \* > \*\*So, now that the actor that played Professor Dumbledore is deceased, what’re they gonna do? \*\* There’s a strong rumour over here that the replacement will be Peter O’Toole. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/13 "2002-12-01T00:22:09Z")
I just saw an episode of ‘The professionals’. That boss type guy looks a bit like Richard harris. is that guy still alive? maybe they could use him. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/14 "2002-12-01T00:36:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\*I just saw an episode of ‘The professionals’. That boss type guy looks a bit like Richard harris. is that guy still alive? maybe they could use him. \*\* [Gordon Jackson?](http://www.personal.u-net.com/~carnfort/Professionals/cpics.htm). Answered question from Gestapo agent in English in _The Great Escape_? Nope [he’s snuffed it too](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Jackson,+Gordon). ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/15 "2002-12-01T00:48:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stccrd \* > \*\*Euty…Ike… to the pit yet…? \*\* Just a little disagreement; no real Pit material yet. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/16 "2002-12-01T02:02:44Z")
Hey, Jack, we agree to disagree. I’m a Potter fan. Now with Alfonso Cuaron in the director’s chair the cinema version of book three should become very interesting. He might bring in a Dumbledore nobody ever thought of. But if we’re just batting names about, here’s one I’ve run across a couple of times…Tom Baker (from the Dr. Who series). ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/17 "2002-12-01T02:12:12Z")
Christopher Lee as Dumbledore would show off his scarry side, i’d be waiting for him to grab Malfoy and suck his blood! Too bad he is too old to play Lupin. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/18 "2002-12-01T02:38:56Z")
I think I’m just in the middle of a pretty heft anti-commercialism honery streak. Don’t get me going about James Bond shilling for Norelco. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/19 "2002-12-01T11:46:25Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by WSLer_ > Just because the movies aren’t geared for your age group doesn’t mean they are /Comic Book Guy/ > > Worst Movie Ever! > > /Comic Book Guy/ > > No one is forcing you to go see the damn thing or even to watch previews for it. Just because it’s a kid movie doesn’t mean it can’t be a good movie. Have you seen the things? Terrible acting! Poor writing! Idiotic direction! And a score that is the aural equivalent of cotton candy! Very loud cotton candy. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669/20 "2002-12-01T14:45:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stccrd \* > \*\*So, now that the actor that played Professor Dumbledore is deceased, what’re they gonna do? \*\* Getting back to the OP, why don’t film makers have backup cast members for frasnchise films? I think Dianna Rigg would be a perfect replacement for Maggie Smith if the unthinkable happened. Simon Callow could almost fit Robbie Coltrane’s shoes (might need a bit of padding though) Patrick Stewart as Dumbledore… hold that thought. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-3/139669.md?page=2)