Casting one of the most important characters in a fantasy franchise is no easy task. And having to go by a book’s description and characterization always adds layers of challenges. Before Richard Harris put on the robes of Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, several major actors were considered for the part — including some names that make the final casting history surprisingly entertaining.
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Although there are around a handful of actors rumored to have been considered for the Hogwarts headmaster, three particularly famous actors were offered the role. Any one of them would have brought their own magic to the part. And each ultimately went in a different direction. One had health concerns, another was already a cinematic giant, and the third made perhaps the most extraordinary trade of all. He passed on Dumbledore and went on to play another iconic wizard in one of the other biggest fantasy franchises ever made.
3. Patrick McGoohan
Patrick McGoohan was already a respected screen presence when the studio came calling for his acting wizardry. He had built a career playing intelligent, enigmatic and often intimidating characters. Perhaps best known for Danger Man and the cult classic The Prisoner, his imposing presence could have given Dumbledore a sharper edge. On an interesting note, McGoohan created and starred in one of the most cult-favorite sci-fi shows of the ’60s: Danger Man might not entirely be known to most audiences today but, at the time, it was an iconic show – packed with action and James Bond-like spy intrigue.
McGoohan was offered the role but declined for health reasons. His absence is one of the quieter “what ifs” in Harry Potter casting, largely because his career was rooted more heavily in television than the blockbuster cinema that followed. Still, given his ability to project authority and mystery, it’s easy to imagine Hogwarts having a somewhat more serious headmaster.
2. Sean Connery
Sean Connery would have brought instant star power to the part—and a history as Britain’s greatest MI6 spy. By the time Harry Potter was being cast, Connery had already spent decades as one of the world’s most recognizable movie stars. His reputation alone would have given Dumbledore—and the franchise—a very different kind of Hollywood weight.
Connery was offered the role but turned it down. It was reported that he was not interested in children’s fantasy and had little familiarity with magical wizards. In hindsight, the idea of him as Dumbledore is almost surreal. The character would have been played by an actor whose career was built on portraying suave heroes, tough guys and refined gentlemen. His most recent film, Finding Forrester, had already shown audiences a more thoughtful and understated side of the actor. So perhaps Dumbledore wasn’t such a wild idea after all. Connery had played just about every kind of larger-than-life character imaginable; adding an elderly wizard with a taste for elaborate robes would have been quite the career curveball.
1. Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee is the clear winner in the great Dumbledore alternate-casting contest. He was offered the role but turned it down. Subsequently, he took on the role of Saruman in The Lord of the Rings. Who would have ever seen that betrayal plot line coming? But it makes perfect sense. Reportedly, Lee was a lifelong Tolkien fan, having read the Lord of the Rings novels yearly since the 1950s. He was also the only cast member to have actually met Tolkien in real-life, having encountered the author in an Oxford pub in the 1950s.
Looking back, Christopher Lee’s iconic roles, towering presence, deep voice and imposing screen persona made him almost perfectly suited to the world of Middle-earth. He wouldn’t have been a bad Albus by any means, but he might’ve brought too much dignity with an imposing and aristocratic presence. To get meta once again, Christopher Lee would have unintentionally brought the Dark Side with him to Hogwarts—and that’s a big no-no. As Saruman, he became one of the most memorable figures in The Lord of the Rings. He also turned his Dumbledore near-miss into a piece of fantasy-movie history. So in a way, audiences already got a glimpse of how his Albus might’ve been.
In the end, Richard Harris got the robes, Hogwarts got its Dumbledore, and Christopher Lee got a tower in Middle-earth. McGoohan, Connery and Lee each represent a different version of the wizarding world that never came to pass. Perhaps it was fate. After all, Lee didn’t really turn down a wizard—he simply chose another one to make magic with.
