Robbie Coltrane, Who Played Hagrid in ‘Harry Potter’ Movies, Dies at 72

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Robbie Coltrane, a veteran Scottish-born comic and actor known for his star turns in the British crime series Cracker and the Harry Potter movie franchise, has died, his agency WME told The Hollywood Reporter. He was 72 years old.

Coltrane began his career in comedy and theatre, also commanded the screen in two James Bond films during an illustrious career on both sides of the Atlantic. He was born Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30, 1950, in Glasgow, Scotland as the son of a doctor and teacher. After graduating from Glasgow Art School, he continued his studies in art at Moray House College of Education in Edinburgh.

His early TV credits include Flash Gordon, Blackadder and Keep It in the Family. His other comedy credits included series like A Kick Up the Eighties, The Comic Strip and Alfresco as he became a mainstay on British TV screens.

Coltrane reprised his role as Hagrid in the fantasy short film Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Coltrane penned an autobiography, Coltrane in a Cadillac, and also starred in the TV series of the same name in 1993, where he drove across America from Los Angeles to New York City in a classic 1951 Cadillac car.