Godspeed Robbie Coltrane

Robbie Coltrane, best known for playing Hagrid in the "Harry Potter" movies and the caustic Dr. Fitzgerald on the British television series Cracker, died on October 14 2022 at the age of 72. No cause was given. He had suffered from osteoarthritis later in his life.

Robbie Coltrane was born Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30 1950 in Rutherglen, South Lancashire. His father was a physician, who also served as a forensic surgeon with the police, while his mother was a pianist and teacher.  He attended Belmont House School in Newton Mearns and then  Glenalmond College in Perthsire. He attended the Glasgow School of Art, where he studied painting. He continued studying art at Moray House College of Education in Edinburgh.

He would not prove successful as an artist, and as a result began performing stand-up comedy in clubs around Edinburgh. For his stage name he took the last name "Coltrane" in honour of jazz legend John Coltrane.

Robbie Coltrane made his television debut in an episode of Play for Today in 1979. The following year he made movie debut in a bit part in La mort en direct (1980).  That same year he appeared in a small part in the movie Flash Gordon (1980), the mini-series The Lost Tribe, and the TV movie The House with the Green Shutters.

In the Eighties Robbie Coltrane was a regular and recurring cast member on the shows A Kick Up the Eighties, Alfresco, Laugh??? I Nearly Paid My Licence Fee, and The Lenny Henry Show. He guest starred on the shows Metal Mickey, Keep It in the Family, The Comic Strip Presents, Luna, Are You Being Served?, The Young Ones, Minder, Girls on Top, Black Adder the Third, Saturday Live, French and Saunders, and Thompson. He appeared in the mini-series Tutti Frutti and the television special Blackadder's Christmas Carol. He appeared in the movies Subway Riders (1981), Britannia Hospital (1982), Scrubbers (1982), Krull (1983), Ghost Dance (1983), Loose Connections (1983), Chinese Boxes (1984), National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985), Defence of the Realm (1985), The Supergrass (1985), Revolution (1985), Caravaggio (1986), Absolute Beginners (1986), Mona Lisa (1986), Eat the Rich (1987), The Fruit Machine (1988), Slipstream (1988), Bert Rigby, You're a Fool (1989), Let It Ride (1989), Henry V (1989), Nuns on the Run (1990), Perfectly Normal (1990), and Midnight Breaks (1990).

In the Nineties Robbie Coltrane played Dr. Eward "Fitz" Fitzgerald on the TV show Cracker. He guest starred on the TV series Screen One, ABC Weekend Specials, and Screenplay. He appeared in the movies Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole (1991), The Pope Must Die (1991), Oh, What a Night (1992), The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993), GoldenEye (1995), Buddy (1997), Montana (1998), Frogs for Snakes (1998), Message in a Bottle (1999), and The World is Not Enough (1999).

In the Naughts Robbie Coltrane began playing Rubeus Hagrid, the groundskeeper and gamekeeper of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in the "Harry Potter" movies starting with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 2001. He appeared in all eight movies, throughout the Naughts and into the early Teens. He also appeared in the movies From Hell (2001), On the Nose (2001), Van Helsing (2004), Ocean's Twelve (2004), Provoked: A True Story (2006), Stormbreaker (2006), and The Brother's Bloom (2008). He was the voice of Gregory in The Tale of Despereaux (2008) and the title character in Gooby (2009). On television he guest starred on the TV shows Frasier and Still Game. He appeared in the mini-series Murderland. He also reprised his role as Fitz in the final Cracker special in 2006.

In the Teens Robbie Coltrane played Hagrid in the final "Harry Potter" movie,  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two (2011). He appeared in the movies Great Expectations (2012) and Effie Gray (2014). He was the voice of the lead elf in Arthur Christmas (2011) Lord Dingwall in Brave (2012). He guest starred on the TV shows Yes, Prime Minister and Urban Myths. He appeared in the mini-series National Treasure.

Robbie Coltrane was a talented and versatile actor. This can be demonstrated by looking at his two best known roles. Fitz on Cracker was cranky, caustic, and foul-mouthed, and tended to smoke, drink, and gamble far too much. Hagrid in the "Harry Potter" movies was about as far removed from Fitz as one could get. Hagrid was soft-hearted, loved animals (both magical and otherwise), friendly, and loyal to his friends. Ftiz and Hagrid were not isolated cases either, as he often played characters who were dramatically different from each other. In Henry V (1989) he played John Flastaff, the vain, overly boastful knight who spend much of his time drinking. In Nuns on the Run, he played small-time hood Charlie McManus who goes on the run disguised as a nun with his buddy Brian Hope (Eric Idle). In two "James Bond" movies he played Russian gangster and former KGB Valentin Zukovsky. Robbie Coltrane was an incredible actor who portrayed a wide variety of characters. What is more, he always gave a good performance.