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IMDbPro

Robbie Coltrane(1950-2022)

  • Actor
  • Writer
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000406
Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid, the friendly giant from the 'Happy Potter' franchise. Take a closer look at some of our favorite Hagrid moments.
Play video1:54
Rubeus Hagrid: Potter's Friendliest Giant
53 Videos
99+ Photos
Robbie Coltrane, one of Britain's most popular comedians who was head of debating society at school and won prizes for his art, is now a film star who played in two James Bond films and in the "Harry Potter" franchise.

Coltrane was born Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30, 1950, in Rutherglen, a suburb of Glasgow, Scotland, UK. His mother, Jean Ross (Howie), was a teacher and pianist. His father, Ian Baxter McMillan, was a general surgeon who also worked for police pathology. Young Robbie was fond of art, music, films and cars. He was a voracious reader of his dad's books on medicine and crime. At age 12 he made his acting debut on stage at Glenalmond College, delivering rants from "Henry V". At that time he was fascinated with Marlon Brando and Orson Welles.

He attended Glasgow Art School, majoring in drawing, painting and film, then studied art at Edinburgh's Moray House College of Education for a year. In 1973 he made a documentary titled "Young Mental Health", which was voted Film Of The Year by the Scottish Education Council. At that time Robbie took the name Coltrane, due to his love of jazz, and began a career of a stand-up comedian at night clubs, at the Edinburgh Festival, as well as an actor with Edinburgh's renowned Traverse Theatre.

In 1980 Coltrane made his debut on television as "Border Guard" in BBC's mini-series The Lost Tribe (1980), then made his big screen debut as a limousine driver in Death Watch (1980). In 1981 he appeared in his first leading role as Detective Fritz Langley in Subway Riders (1981), by famed underground director Amos Poe.

He became a well-known face through appearances in The Comic Strip series, then in Alfresco (1983) and Comic Strip movies The Supergrass (1985) and The Pope Must Diet (1991), among other films. At that time Coltrane had a drinking problem, downing as much as a bottle of whiskey a day. In 1986 he flew to a clinic in Mexico and was treated for obesity. In 1987 his partner for 15 years, Robin Paine, left him for good, leaving her portrait in Coltrane's barn.

In 1988 Coltrane met then 18-year-old Rhona Gemmell in a pub. They married and had a son, Spencer, and a daughter, Alice. His career took off during the early 1990s with the leading role as Dr. Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald, a forensic psychologist, in the popular TV series Cracker (1993).

He made such a good performance as Valentin Zukovsky, a KGB man turned St. Petersburg mafia lord, in GoldenEye (1995) the producers called him back for the same character in The World Is Not Enough (1999). Then Coltrane hit another lucrative franchise; he was personally selected by J.K. Rowling as her choice to play half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in the 'Harry Potter' films.

In early 1990s Coltrane wrote an autobiography, "Coltrane in a Cadillac", and also starred in the eponymous TV series, Coltrane in a Cadillac (1993), in which he indulges his passion for vintage cars and tells with great humor about his 4000-mile journey across America from Los Angeles to New York. In 2003 he separated from his wife. His interests outside of his acting profession had been reading books, and rebuilding and collecting vintage cars. Robbie Coltrane resided in a converted farmhouse in Stirlingshire, Scotland, UK.
BornMarch 30, 1950
DiedOctober 14, 2022(72)
BornMarch 30, 1950
DiedOctober 14, 2022(72)
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000406
  • Won 3 BAFTA Awards
    • 11 wins & 8 nominations total

Remembering Robbie Coltrane (1950-2022)

Remembering Robbie Coltrane (1950-2022)

Hagrid. Fitz. Valentin. Celebrate the life and career of the beloved Robbie Coltrane.
See the gallery
View image
Photos

Photos136

Robbie Coltrane and Daniel Radcliffe in TCM Remembers 2022 (2022)
Robbie Coltrane in Buddy (1997)
Robbie Coltrane in Cracker (1993)
Robbie Coltrane in GoldenEye (1995)
Robbie Coltrane and George Wendt in Alice in Wonderland (1999)
Robbie Coltrane in Comic Relief (1991)
Robbie Coltrane in The Pope Must Diet (1991)
Robbie Coltrane and David Haig in Yes, Prime Minister (2013)
Jim Broadbent, Robbie Coltrane, and Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Robbie Coltrane and Peter Capaldi in The Comic Strip Presents (1982)
Robbie Coltrane, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
Robbie Coltrane and Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

Known for

Robbie Coltrane in Cracker (1993)
Cracker
8.5
TV Series
  • Dr. Edward 'Fitz' Fitzgerald
Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Harris, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
7.6
  • Hagrid
  • 2001
Rupert Grint, Toby Jones, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
7.4
  • Hagrid The Giant
  • 2002
Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Denise Richards, and Robert Carlyle in The World Is Not Enough (1999)
The World Is Not Enough
6.4
  • Valentin Zukovsky
  • 1999

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • Urban Myths (2017)
    Urban Myths
    • Orson Welles
    • TV Series
    • 2019–2020
  • Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure - pre-show (2019)
    Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure - pre-show
    • Rubeus Hagrid
    • Short
    • 2019
  • Robbie Coltrane and Julie Walters in National Treasure (2016)
    National Treasure
    • Paul
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2016
  • Lego Dimensions (2015)
    Lego Dimensions
    • Rubeus Hagrid (voice)
    • Video Game
    • 2015
  • Emma Thompson and Dakota Fanning in Effie Gray (2014)
    Effie Gray
    • Doctor
    • 2014
  • The Hogwarts Express (2014)
    The Hogwarts Express
    • Rubeus Hagrid
    • Video
    • 2014
  • Henry Goodman and David Haig in Yes, Prime Minister (2013)
    Yes, Prime Minister
    • Rory McAlister
    • TV Series
    • 2013
  • The Comic Strip Presents (1982)
    The Comic Strip Presents
    • Max
    • Gypsy
    • 'N' ...
    • TV Series
    • 1982–2012
  • Great Expectations US Poster (2013)
    Great Expectations
    • Jaggers
    • 2012
  • Kelly Macdonald in Brave (2012)
    Brave
    • Lord Dingwall (voice)
    • 2012
  • The Gruffalo's Child (2011)
    The Gruffalo's Child
    • Gruffalo (voice)
    • TV Movie
    • 2011
  • Arthur Christmas (2011)
    Arthur Christmas
    • Lead Elf (voice)
    • 2011
  • Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
    • Rubeus Hagrid
    • 2011
  • Jack Dee and Antonia Campbell-Hughes in Lead Balloon (2006)
    Lead Balloon
    • Donald
    • TV Series
    • 2011
  • Robbie Coltrane in Kate Bush: Deeper Understanding (2011)
    Kate Bush: Deeper Understanding
    • Robbie Coltrane
    • Music Video
    • 2011

Writer

  • The Comic Strip Presents (1982)
    The Comic Strip Presents
    • written by
    • TV Series
    • 1993
  • The Robbie Coltrane Special (1989)
    The Robbie Coltrane Special
    • Writer
    • TV Special
    • 1989
  • Laugh??? I Nearly Paid My Licence Fee
    • Writer
    • TV Series
    • 1984
  • Tracey Ullman, Ron Bain, Miriam Margolyes, and Richard Stilgoe in A Kick Up the Eighties (1981)
    A Kick Up the Eighties
    • Writer
    • TV Series
    • 1981

Producer

  • Urban Myths (2017)
    Urban Myths
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2020
  • The Planman (2003)
    The Planman
    • executive producer
    • TV Movie
    • 2003

Videos53

In Memoriam 2022
Clip 3:24
In Memoriam 2022
Bowl Cuts, Wild Accents, & an Epic Mud Battle: What to Watch After 'The King'
Clip 4:17
Bowl Cuts, Wild Accents, & an Epic Mud Battle: What to Watch After 'The King'
"Drop Your Wands"
Clip 1:22
"Drop Your Wands"
"Cafe Attack"
Clip 1:07
"Cafe Attack"
"I Killed Sirius Black"
Clip 1:16
"I Killed Sirius Black"
"Who Is the Half-Blood Prince?"
Clip 0:44
"Who Is the Half-Blood Prince?"
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince -- MTV Movie Awards Clip
Clip 1:33
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince -- MTV Movie Awards Clip
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince -- "I'm in Love with Her"
Clip 1:09
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince -- "I'm in Love with Her"
The Brothers Bloom -- "The Mark"
Clip 1:59
The Brothers Bloom -- "The Mark"
The Brothers Bloom -- "Opening Sequence"
Clip 6:46
The Brothers Bloom -- "Opening Sequence"
The Brothers Bloom -- "Card Trick"
Clip 2:21
The Brothers Bloom -- "Card Trick"
Just how bonkers are the Brits, anyway?
Clip 2:06
Just how bonkers are the Brits, anyway?

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • Mr. Robbie Coltrane
  • Height
    • 6′ 0¾″ (1.85 m)
  • Born
    • March 30, 1950
    • Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK
  • Died
    • October 14, 2022
    • Larbert, Falkirk, Scotland, UK(multiple organ failure)
  • Spouse
    • Rhona GemmellDecember 11, 1999 - ? (divorced, 2 children)
  • Children
      Spencer
  • Parents
      Jean Ross (Howie)
  • Other works
    TV commercial: Persil
  • Publicity listings
    • 4 Interviews
    • 3 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Was the very first person to be cast in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001). In fact, he was selected for the role of Hagrid by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.
  • Quotes
    In real life, I'm 6' 1" - each way pretty well, north and south and east and west, unfortunately.

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