‘Harry Potter’ Actor David Ryall Dies At 79

Harry Potter actor David Ryall died at 79 on Christmas Day. No other information has been given on the nature of his death.

The British actor started his career on stage in the late 1960s when he joined Sir Laurence Olivier’s company at the National Theatre in London. He appeared in the productions Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Animal Farm, and Guys and Dolls.

The Harry Potter actor David Ryall is best known to American audiences as Elphias Doge in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. He replaced Peter Cartwright, who played Albus Dumbledore’s friend in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Ryall is better known to British audiences for his roles in popular UK TV shows.

Raise your wands for David Ryall, who played Elphias Doge in the films, and sadly passed away on Christmas Day. http://pic.twitter.com/S4iEDfAG5V

— Hogwarts Logic (@HogwartsLogic) December 28, 2014

Charlie Ryall, one of David’s daughters, asked people to remember David for more than just Harry Potter.

Please take a moment to remember his huge five-decade-spanning career outside of the more well-known TV & film. Not just Harry Potter.

— Charlie Ryall (@charlie_ryall) December 27, 2014

Charlie added that she loved Harry Potter, but her father did so much more than just that.

Ryall played leading roles in the TV shows Lytton’s Diary and Goodnight Sweetheart. He was best known for his roles in The River, On the Line, Outnumbered, the cop series The Bill, the medical drama Casualty, and the spinoff Holby City.

Notably, Ryall played British Prime Minister Winston Churchill three times. He did so on the French show De Gaulle, the TV movie Bertie and Elizabeth, and the movie Two Men Went to War.

Though David Ryall is best known for Elphias Doge and his work in TV shows, he has credits in plenty of movies. Some of these include the 1980 Elephant Man, the 1994 Black Beauty, the 2004 remake of Around the World in 80 Days, and the 2008 City of Ember. One of his most recent films was a small role in the 2014 Mr. Turner.

The Harry Potter actor David Ryall died, but he is survived by his children Jonathan, Imogen, and Charlie. Jonathan Ryall is a music manager, Imogen Ryall is a singer, and Charlie Ryall is an actress.

‘Harry Potter’ Actor David Ryall Dies At 79