Robbie Coltrane, a renowned British comedian, began his career as a debater and artist, winning prizes for his art in school. He later transitioned to become a film star, starring in two James Bond films and the iconic "Harry Potter" franchise.
Born Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30, 1950, in Rutherglen, a suburb of Glasgow, Scotland, Coltrane's mother, Jean Ross (Howie),was a teacher and pianist, while his father, Ian Baxter McMillan, was a general surgeon who also worked for police pathology. Growing up, Coltrane was fascinated with art, music, films, and cars, and was a voracious reader of his father's books on medicine and crime.
At the age of 12, Coltrane made his acting debut on stage at Glenalmond College, delivering rants from "Henry V". He was particularly inspired by Marlon Brando and Orson Welles. He attended Glasgow Art School, majoring in drawing, painting, and film, before studying art at Edinburgh's Moray House College of Education for a year.
In 1973, Coltrane made a documentary titled "Young Mental Health", which was voted Film Of The Year by the Scottish Education Council. He then took the name Coltrane, due to his love of jazz, and began a career as a stand-up comedian at night clubs, the Edinburgh Festival, and with Edinburgh's renowned Traverse Theatre.
Coltrane made his television debut in 1980 as "Border Guard" in BBC's mini-series The Lost Tribe, and his big screen debut as a limousine driver in Death Watch (1980). He appeared in his first leading role as Detective Fritz Langley in Subway Riders (1981),directed by Amos Poe.
He became a well-known face through appearances in The Comic Strip series, Alfresco (1983),and Comic Strip movies The Supergrass (1985) and The Pope Must Diet (1991),among other films. During this time, Coltrane struggled with a drinking problem, downing up to a bottle of whiskey a day.
In 1986, Coltrane flew to a clinic in Mexico and was treated for obesity. In 1987, his partner of 15 years, Robin Paine, left him for good, leaving her portrait in Coltrane's barn.
In 1988, Coltrane met his future wife, Rhona Gemmell, in a pub, and they married, having two children, Spencer and Alice. His career took off in the early 1990s with the leading role as Dr. Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald, a forensic psychologist, in the popular TV series Cracker (1993).
Coltrane's performance as Valentin Zukovsky, a KGB man turned St. Petersburg mafia lord, in GoldenEye (1995) earned him a call-back for the same character in The World Is Not Enough (1999). He was then selected by J.K. Rowling to play half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in the 'Harry Potter' films.
In the early 1990s, Coltrane wrote an autobiography, "Coltrane in a Cadillac", and starred in the eponymous TV series, Coltrane in a Cadillac (1993),showcasing his passion for vintage cars and humorously recounting his 4000-mile journey across America from Los Angeles to New York.
In 2003, Coltrane separated from his wife, and his interests outside of acting included reading books and rebuilding and collecting vintage cars. He resided in a converted farmhouse in Stirlingshire, Scotland, UK.
