Harry Potter Actor David Ryall Dies at 79

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British character actor David Ryall, known most recently for his roles in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Mr. Turner, died on Thursday at 79, according to reports.

Actor Mark Gatiss broke the news on Twitter on Saturday, remembering him as “a twinkling, brilliant, wonderful actor.” Ryall’s daughter, Charlie Ryall, confirmed the news as well.

While he was perhaps best known for replacing Peter Cartwright as Elphias Doge in the seventh Harry Potter film, Ryall had an expansive television, film, and theater career that began in the 1960s.

His most television credits include Outnumbered and The Village. He also portrayed Prime Minister Winston Churchill on several occasions — in the 2002 television movie Bertie and Elizabeth, in Two Men Went to War from the same year, and in 2006 in the TV series Le grand Charles.

This article originally appeared at PEOPLE.com

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