Gambon made his professional stage début in the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin's 1962 production of "Othello", playing "Second Gentleman", followed by a European tour. A year later, cheekily auditioning with the opening soliloquy from Richard III, he caught the eye of star-maker Laurence Olivier who was recruiting promising spear-carriers for his new National Theatre Company. Gambon, along with Robert Stephens, Derek Jacobi and Frank Finlay, was hired as one of the ‘to be renowned’ and played any number of small roles. The company initially performed at the Old Vic, their first production being "Hamlet", directed by Olivier and starring Peter O'Toole. He played for four years in many NT productions, including named roles in "The Recruiting Officer" and "The Royal Hunt of the Sun", working with directors William Gaskill and John Dexter.