I secretly suspect Dumbledore and Gandalf are one in the same

[Vilia]

Nice Peter did an Epic Rap Battles of History Gandalf vs Dumbledore battle so they have to be different :)

[Lisa]

Pete, the beauty of archaetype is it's timeless. So it's been hit on, probably since humans have been telling stories. Dumbledore is one of the latest. Which I love.

[Tashann]

I agree that it's more that they fit the archetype of wise old wizard/mentor role in the series, than Dumbledore and Gandalf being the same person. It is kind of odd that you brought that up though, since Ian McKellan and Christopher Lee were both considered for the role of Dumbledore after Richard Harris passed. I'm kind of glad they didn't. Much as I like those actors, it would have been overkill.

[Lisa]

Tashann - ha! Overkill indeed. Christopher Lee might have been better than Gambon though. Actually, my fantasy Dumbledore ....Trevor Nunn? He's got the twinkly eyes and of course masterful Shakespeareian actor.

[Krishna]

I like to believe that Gandalf is an ancestor of Dumbledore. Then again, I believe that Dumbledore lives on as a Phoenix, and that Fawkes could be more than a pet to him, and that it was Dumbledore who came to the rescue in the Chamber of Secrets. Yeah, I believe in way too many impossible things, sometimes even before breakfast.

[Somerandom]

Gandalf and Dumbledore are both modeled off Odin and Merlin and are both the wise caring mentor archetype. Though Dumby is a bit more manipulative.

I also agree that Harris was the best Dumby, no offense to Sir Micheal Gambon.
Ian Mckellen didn't want to be typecast and since Harris hated Ian's acting, he thought it would be disrespectful to replace him as Dumbledore after Harris' death.

[benita]

When I saw the movies I thought they were the same x) (I've only read the HP books..) I didn't bother to check it up online, so I just walked around thinking they were the same..

[Corné]

Me too :D