Harry Potter and Cracker actor Robbie Coltrane has died at the age of 72, his agent said.
The Scottish star, whose real name is Anthony Robert McMillan, was best known for playing beloved Hogwarts gamekeeper Hagrid and for playing criminal psychologist Dr Eddie “Fitz” Fitzgerald in the ITV drama Cracker.
His 40-year-old agent Belinda Wright said Coltrane passed away on Friday and thanked the medical staff at the Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, near Falkirk in Scotland for their “care and diplomacy”.
In a statement, he added: “Robbie was a unique talent, who shared the Guinness Book of Records for winning three consecutive Baftas for Best Actor for his portrayal of Fitz in the Granada television series Cracker in 1994/1995 / and 1996 with Sir Michael Gambon.
“He will probably be best remembered for decades to come as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films.
“A role that has brought joy to children and adults around the world, sparking a stream of fan letters every week for over 20 years.
“James Bond fans are also writing to applaud his role in GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough.
“For me personally, I will remember him as a loyal client as well as a wonderful actor, he was smart forensic, brilliantly witty and after 40 years of pride in being called his agent, I will miss him.”
Born in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, in 1950, Coltrane was the son of teacher and pianist Jean Ross and general practitioner Ian Baxter McMillan, and studied at the independent Glenalmond College in Perth and Kinross.
He later attended the Glasgow School of Art and Moray House College of Education in Edinburgh and moved on to acting at the age of twenty.
He starred alongside Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and Dame Emma Thompson in the Alfresco sketch series from 1983 to 1984, and reunited with Dame Emma for the BBC miniseries Tutti Frutti where he played Big Jazza, for which he received the his first Bafta nomination.
Coltrane gained further fame playing criminal psychologist Dr Eddie “Fitz” Fitzgerald in the ITV Cracker series from 1993 to 1995 and in a special return episode in 2006.
The role secured him the Bafta Award for Best Actor for three consecutive years from 1994 to 1996.
Probably his best known role came in the Harry Potter film series as he starred in all eight films as Rubeus Hagrid alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.
Coltrane also appeared in another classic British franchise when he played KGB man Valentin Zukovsky in the Bond film Goldeneye in 1995 and revised the same character in The World Is Not Enough.
Fry praised his co-star Alfresco’s “depth, power and talent” as he paid tribute to him on Twitter.
He said: “I first met Robbie Coltrane almost exactly 40 years ago. I was struck by awe / terror / love at the same time.
“Such depth, power and talent: entertaining enough to cause helpless sobbing and honking when we made our first TV show, ‘Alfresco’.
“Goodbye, old sport. We will miss you terribly ”.
Coltrane was named OBE on the 2006 New Year’s Eve Awards list for his services to the theater and in 2011 received the Bafta Scotland Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film.
The actor leaves behind his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell.