Harry Potter star Robbie Coltrane dies at 72

Washington, Oct 14: Actor Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, passed away at 72. Coltrane shot to fame as a hard-bitten detective in the 1990s series "Cracker," for which he won best actor at the British Academy Television Awards three years running.

He played gentle half-giant Hagrid, a mentor to the boy wizard, in all eight Harry Potter films, released between 2001 and 2011.

Rubeus Hagrid is a very popular fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. He is introduced in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as a half-giant and half-human who is the gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts, the primary setting for the first six novels.

In the third novel Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hagrid is promoted to Care of Magical Creatures professor, and is later revealed to be a member of the Order of the Phoenix.

A loyal, friendly, softhearted personality who is easily brought to tears, he is also known for his thick West Country accent.

Hagrid is portrayed by Robbie Coltrane in all eight Harry Potter films, from Philosopher's Stone in 2001 to Deathly Hallows - Part 2 in 2011.

He also acted in a Russian crime boss in the James Bond thrillers "GoldenEye" and "The World is Not Enough."