Jim Dale (born James Smith; 15 August 1935) is an English actor, composer, director, narrator, singer and songwriter. In the United Kingdom he is known as a pop singer of the 1950s who became a leading actor at the National Theatre. In British film, he became one of the regulars in the ''Carry On'' films, along with

Leslie Phillips Leslie Samuel Phillips (20 April 1924 – 7 November 2022) was an English actor, director, producer and author. He achieved prominence in the 1950s, playing smooth, upper-class comic roles utilising his "Ding dong" and "Hello" catchphrases. ...

Valerie Leon Valerie may refer to: People *Saint Valerie (disambiguation), a number of saints went by the name Valerie *Valerie (given name), a feminine given name Songs *"Valerie", a 1981 song by Quarterflash, from ''Quarterflash'' *"Valerie", a 1982 son ...

Kenneth Cope Kenneth Charles Cope (born 14 April 1931) is an English retired actor and scriptwriter. He is best known for his roles as Marty Hopkirk in ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'', Jed Stone in ''Coronation Street'' and Ray Hilton in '' Brookside ...

Julian Holloway Julian Holloway (born 24 June 1944) is a British actor. He is the son of comedy actor and singer Stanley Holloway and former chorus dancer and actress Violet Lane. He is the father of author and former model Sophie Dahl. Early life Holloway wa ...

Hugh Futcher Hugh Futcher (born 29 October 1937 in Portsmouth, Hampshire) is an English actor in theatre, television and film. He was a member of the stock company of the Carry On films, with notable parts in '' Carry On Spying'', '' Carry On at Your Conven ...

, Anita Harris,

Amanda Barrie Amanda Barrie (born Shirley Anne Broadbent; 14 September 1935) is an English actress. She appeared in two of the '' Carry On'' films before being cast as Alma Halliwell in ITV soap opera, ''Coronation Street'', which she played on and off for ...

Jacki Piper Jacqueline Crump (born 3 August 1946), known professionally by her stage name Jacki Piper, is an English actress, best known for her appearances as the female juvenile lead in the British film comedies '' Carry On Up the Jungle'' (1970), '' Carr ...

, Angela Douglas and

Patricia Franklin Patricia Franklin (born 11 September 1942) is an English actress best known for her roles in five ''Carry On'' films. Early life Born in East Finchley, London, Franklin and her family frequently went to see shows at the nearby amateur theatre a ...

. In the United States he is most recognised as a leading actor on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

, where he had roles in ''

Scapino Scapino, or Scapin, is a zanni character from the commedia dell'arte. His name is related to the Italian word "scappare" (to escape) and his name translates to “little escape artist” in reference to his tendency to flee from fights, even those ...

'', ''

Barnum Phineas Taylor Barnum (; July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, businessman, and politician, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus (1871–2017) with James Anthony Bailey. He wa ...

'', ''Candide'' and ''Me and My Girl'', as well as for narrating all seven of the '' Harry Potter'' audiobooks in the American market (for which he received two Grammy Awards out of six nominations) and the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

series ''

Pushing Daisies ''Pushing Daisies'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007, to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to li ...

'' (2007–2009); he also starred in the

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

film '' Pete's Dragon'' (1977). He was nominated for a

BAFTA Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cer ...

for portraying a young

Spike Milligan Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Colonial India, where he spent his ...

in '' Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall'' (1973). As a lyricist, Dale was nominated for both an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

and Golden Globe Award for the song "

Georgy Girl ''Georgy Girl'' is a 1966 British romantic comedy-drama, starring Lynn Redgrave in the titular role, with Charlotte Rampling, Alan Bates, and James Mason. Directed by Silvio Narizzano, the film was based on the 1965 novel by Margaret Forster. ...

", the theme for the 1966 film of the same title.

Early life

Dale was born James Smith, to William Henry and Miriam Jean (''née'' Wells) Smith in

Rothwell, Northamptonshire Rothwell is a market town in North Northamptonshire, England. It is close to three larger towns, situated 4 miles .4kmnorthwest of Kettering, 7 miles 1kmsoutheast of Market Harborough and 8 miles 2.8kmsouthwest of Corby. Rothwell's nearest ...

. He was educated at Kettering Grammar School. He trained as a dancer for six years before his debut as a stage comic in 1951."Jim Dale Biography"
AllMusic. Retrieved 16 June 2014 He did two years of

national service National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939. The ...

in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

Career

Music

At the age of 22, Dale became the first pop singer to work with

Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...

head

George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the " Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the ...

. He achieved four hits on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

; "Be My Girl" (1957, UK No. 2), "Just Born (To Be Your Baby)" (1958, UK No. 27), "Crazy Dream" (1958, UK No. 24), and "Sugartime" (1958, UK No. 25). Dale recorded an album with Martin, ''

Jim! ''Jim!'' is the first studio album by the English actor, singer and songwriter Jim Dale, credited to Dale with Ken Jones (music), Ken Jones and his Orchestra and the Mike Sammes, Michael Sammes Singers. Released as a 10-inch LP on EMI's Parlophone ...

'' (1958), and appeared contemporaneously as a presenter and performer on BBC Television's ''

Six-Five Special ''Six-Five Special'' is a British television programme launched in February 1957 when both television and rock and roll were in their infancy in Britain. Description ''Six-Five Special'' was the BBC's first attempt at a rock-and-roll programme. ...

'', but he was vocal about comedy aspirations and his career as a

teen idol A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups. By region Asia East Asia possess ...

was ultimately short-lived. As a songwriter, Dale is best remembered as the lyricist for the film theme "

", for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the

Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song The Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song is a Golden Globe Award that was awarded for the first time in 1962 and has been awarded annually since 1965 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The award is presented to the songwriters of a ...

in 1966. The song (performed by

the Seekers The Seekers were an Australian folk-influenced pop quartet, originally formed in Melbourne in 1962. They were the first Australian pop music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States. They were ...

) reached number 2 in the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart the following year, it also made number 3 in Dale's native UK and Number 1 in Australia, going on to sell over 11 million records around the world. He also wrote lyrics for the title songs of the films ''The Winter's Tale'', '' Shalako'', '' Twinky'' (''Lola'' in the United States) and ''

Joseph Andrews ''The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and of his Friend Mr. Abraham Adams'', was the first full-length novel by the English author Henry Fielding to be published and among the early novels in the English language. Appearing in 1742 ...

''. He also wrote and recorded the song "Dick-a-Dum-Dum (King's Road)", which became a hit for

Des O'Connor Desmond Bernard O'Connor (12 January 1932 – 14 November 2020) was an English comedian, singer and television presenter. He was a long-time TV chat-show host, beginning with '' The Des O'Connor Show'' in 1963, which ran for ten years. He ...

in 1969.

Film

Dale's film debut was in ''Break-In'' (1956), a War Office information film. He next appeared in ''Six Five Special'' (1958), a spin-off from the BBC TV series of the same title. This film was also released under the name ''Calling All Cats''. He then had a tiny role in the comedy '' Raising the Wind'' (1961) as a trombone player who thwarts orchestral conductor

Kenneth Williams Kenneth Charles Williams (22 February 1926 – 15 April 1988) was an English actor of Welsh heritage. He was best known for his comedy roles and in later life as a raconteur and diarist. He was one of the main ensemble in 26 of the 31 '' ...

. However, he is best known in Britain for his appearances in eleven ''Carry On'' films, a long-running series of comedy farces, generally playing the hapless romantic lead. His ''Carry On'' career began in small roles: first as an expectant father in ''

Carry On Cabby ''Carry On Cabby'' is a 1963 British comedy film, the seventh in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). Released on 7 November 1963, it was the first to have a screenplay written by Talbot Rothwell (although the first screenplay "To ...

'' (1963), which was followed by ''

Carry On Jack ''Carry On Jack'' is a 1964 British comedy film, the eighth in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). Most of the usual ''Carry On'' team are missing from this film: only Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey appear throughout, wi ...

'' (1964). From ''

Carry On Spying ''Carry On Spying'' is a 1964 British spy comedy film, the ninth in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It marks Barbara Windsor's first appearance in the series. Series regulars Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, and Jim Dal ...

'' (1964) onwards, his roles were more substantial. Following ''

Carry On Cleo ''Carry On Cleo'' is a 1964 British historical comedy film, the tenth in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). Regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey, and Jim Dale are present and Connor made his l ...

'' (1964), his first principal role was ''

Carry On Cowboy ''Carry On Cowboy'' is a 1965 British comedy Western film, the eleventh in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It was the first film to feature series regulars Peter Butterworth and Bernard Bresslaw. Series regulars Sid James, Ken ...

'' (1965), set in the

Wild West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

, where he played an immigrant English sanitary engineer called Marshall P. Knutt who is mistakenly hired as a police marshal. Then came ''

Carry On Screaming! ''Carry On Screaming!'' is a 1966 British black comedy horror film, the twelfth in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It was the last of the series to be made by Anglo-Amalgamated before the series moved to The Rank Organisati ...

'' (1966), ''

Don't Lose Your Head ''Don't Lose Your Head'' is a 1967 British swashbuckling comedy film, the 13th in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It features regular team members Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale, Charles Hawtrey, and Joan Sims. Set ...

'' (1966), ''

Follow That Camel ''Follow That Camel'' is a 1967 British comedy film, the 14th in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). Like its predecessor '' Don't Lose Your Head'', it does not have the words "Carry On" in its original title (though for screen ...

'' (1967), ''

Carry On Doctor ''Carry On Doctor'' is a 1967 British comedy film, the 15th in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It is the second in the series to have a medical theme. Frankie Howerd makes the first of his two appearances in the film serie ...

'' (1967), ''

Carry On Again Doctor ''Carry On Again Doctor'' is a 1969 British comedy film, the 18th release in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It was released in December 1969 and was the third to feature a medical theme. The film features series regulars ...

'' (1969) and the 1992 revival ''

Carry On Columbus ''Carry On Columbus'' is a 1992 British comedy film, the 31st and final release in the ''Carry On'' film series (1958–1992). The film was a belated entry to the series, following 1978's ''Carry On Emmannuelle''. It was produced to coincide ...

''. Dale played Harold, the policeman in the 1965 comedy film '' The Big Job'' with two of his regular Carry On co-stars, Sidney James and

Joan Sims Irene Joan Marion Sims (9 May 1930 – 27 June 2001) was an English actress, best remembered for her roles in the ''Carry On'' franchise, appearing in 24 of the films (the most for any actress). On television, she is known for playing Gran i ...

. In 1973 he appeared in the role of

in '' Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall,'' the film adaptation of the first volume of

's autobiography. It starred Dale as the young Terence "Spike" Milligan, while Milligan himself plays the part of his father, Leo. Dale was nominated for the

BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles The British Academy Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles is a discontinued award that was presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts until 1984. The category had several name changes: * 1952–1959: Most Promi ...

for his performance. He played Dr. Terminus in

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...

's ''Pete's Dragon'' (1977). In the 1978

comedy film ''

Hot Lead and Cold Feet ''Hot Lead and Cold Feet'' (originally titled ''Welcome to Bloodshy'') is a 1978 American comedy-Western film produced by Walt Disney Productions and starring Jim Dale, Karen Valentine, Don Knotts, Jack Elam and Darren McGavin. It was release ...

'' he played three characters, including both lead male parts, whilst 1973 saw him co-star in '' The National Health''.

Stage

At the age of 17, Dale became one of the youngest professional comedians in Britain, touring all the variety music halls. In 1970

Sir Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage ...

invited Dale to join the

National Theatre Company The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. In ...

in London, then based at the

Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...

. At the Young Vic Theatre, he created the title role in ''

'' (ca. 1970), which he co-adapted with Frank Dunlop,Billington, Michael
"Young Vic at 40: the Young and the restless"
''The Guardian'', 19 October 2010 and played Petruchio in ''

The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken ...

''. His other UK credits include ''

The Card ''The Card'' is a comic novel written by Arnold Bennett in 1911 (entitled ''Denry the Audacious'' in the American edition). It was later made into a 1952 movie, starring Alec Guinness and Petula Clark. Like much of Bennett's best work, it i ...

'' (1973), and ''The Wayward Way'' in London. He appeared in ''

The Winter's Tale ''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some crit ...

'' as Autolycus and '' A Midsummer Night's Dream'' as Bottom at the Edinburgh Festivals in 1966 and 1967 for Frank Dunlop's Pop Theatre. He took over the part of

Fagin Fagin is a fictional character and the secondary antagonist in Charles Dickens's 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist''. In the preface to the novel, he is described as a "receiver of stolen goods". He is the leader of a group of children (the Artful Dod ...

Cameron Mackintosh Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a British theatrical producer and theatre owner notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "th ...

's '' Oliver!'' at the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 a ...

in September 1995. For his Broadway performances, Dale has been nominated for five

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

s, winning one for ''

'' (1980) for which the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' described him as "The Toast of Broadway","Jim Dale"
masterworksbroadway.com. Retrieved 16 June 2014 also winning the second of five Drama Desk Awards, and the second of five Outer Critics Awards."Jim Dale Credits and Awards"
playbillvault.com. Retrieved 17 June 2014 Other work includes ''Scapino'' (1974) (Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Award, Tony Award Nomination), ''

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...

'' (1985) (Outer Critics Award, Tony Award Nomination), '' Me and My Girl'' (1986) '' Candide'' (1997) (Tony Award Nomination) and ''The Threepenny Opera'' (2006) for the Roundabout Theatre Company. Dale played Mister Peacham and won a Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics' Award, The Richard Seff Award and a Tony Award nomination. Credits Off-Broadway include ''

Travels with My Aunt ''Travels with My Aunt'' (1969) is a novel written by English author Graham Greene. The novel follows the travels of Henry Pulling, a retired bank manager, and his eccentric Aunt Augusta as they find their way across Europe, and eventually ev ...

'' (1995) (Drama Desk Award, Lucille Lortel Award, Outer Critics Award), ''

Privates On Parade ''Privates on Parade: A Play with Songs in Two Acts'' is a 1977 farce by English playwright Peter Nichols (book and lyrics), with music by Denis King. Plot The play is set around the activities and exploits of the fictional Song and Dance Uni ...

'' (1989), ''

Comedians A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolish (as in slapstick), or employing prop comedy. A comedian who addresses an audience dire ...

'' (2003) (Drama Desk Award nomination and a Lucille Lortel Award nomination) and '' Address Unknown'' (2004). Dale's other stage work includes ''

'' as Petruchio with the Young Vic, London (1970) and the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York (1974); ''

The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments ...

'' U.S. tour (1984),"Jim Dale Biography"
filmreference.com. Retrieved 18 June 2014 and ''

The Invisible Man ''The Invisible Man'' is a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells. Originally serialized in '' Pearson's Weekly'' in 1897, it was published as a novel the same year. The Invisible Man to whom the title refers is Griffin, a scientist who has devo ...

'' at the Cleveland Play House (1998). He played the part of Ebenezer Scrooge in '' A Christmas Carol: The Musical'' at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York City, from 28 November to 27 December 2003. In November 2006 Dale starred as Charlie Baxter in a one-night only concert version of the Sherman brothers musical, '' Busker Alley'' alongside

Glenn Close Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress. Throughout her career spanning over four decades, Close has garnered numerous accolades, including two Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards ...

. This was a benefit for the York Theatre Company, and was held at Hunter College in New York City. He wrote and appeared in his one-man show, ''Just Jim Dale'', looking back over nearly sixty years in show business. It opened on 15 May 2014 at the

Roundabout Theatre Company The Roundabout Theatre Company is a leading non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. History The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist, Michael Fried and Elizabet ...

Laura Pels Theatre, winning Dale his fifth Outer Critics Circle Award, and his fifth Drama Desk Award. It opened at the

Vaudeville Theatre The Vaudeville Theatre is a West End theatre on the Strand in the City of Westminster. As the name suggests, the theatre held mostly vaudeville shows and musical revues in its early days. It opened in 1870 and was rebuilt twice, although each ...

in the West End in May 2015.

Television

Source: ''The New York Times''"Filmography"
''The New York Times''. Retrieved 16 June 2014 * ''

'' (1957) – BBC (Host) * '' Thank Your Lucky Stars'' (1965–66) – ITV (Host) * '' Join Jim Dale'' (1969) – ITV (Host) * ''

Sunday Night at the London Palladium ''Tonight at the London Palladium'' is a British television variety show that is hosted from the London Palladium theatre in the West End. Originally produced by ATV for the ITV network from 1955 to 1969, it went by its original name ''Sunday ...

'' (1973) – (Host) * ''Cinderella'' (Host) Ballet (1981) * ''Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1986) – ''American Playhouse'' for PBS * ''The American Clock'' (1993) – by Arthur Miller * ''

The Bill Cosby Show ''The Bill Cosby Show'' is an American sitcom television series, that aired for two seasons on NBC's Sunday night schedule from 1969 until 1971, under the sponsorship of Procter & Gamble. There were 52 episodes made in the series. It marked Bill ...

'' (1998) * ''

The Ellen Burstyn Show ''The Ellen Burstyn Show'' is an American sitcom starring Ellen Burstyn. The series was produced by Touchstone Television and debuted on ABC on September 20, 1986. The series was canceled after 13 episodes. Synopsis Burstyn played Baltimore coll ...

'' * ''

The Dinah Shore Show ''The Dinah Shore Show'' is an American variety show which was broadcast by NBC from November 1951 to July 1957, sponsored by General Motors' Chevrolet division. For most of the program's run, it aired from 7:30 to 7:45 Eastern Time on Tuesday an ...

'' * ''

Meet Jim Dale Meet may refer to: People with the name * Janek Meet (born 1974), Estonian footballer * Meet Mukhi (born 2005), Indian child actor Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Meet'' (TV series), an early Australian television series which aired on ABC du ...

'' – ATV London * '' The Jim Dale Show'' – ATV London * '' The Equalizer'' – Episode – Mama's Boy – as Gilbert Dale opened every episode of the

drama ''

'' (2009) as the unseen narrator." ''Pushing Daisies'' Overview"
allmovie.com. Retrieved 17 June 2014

Voice work

In the United States, Jim Dale is known as the voice of the '' Harry Potter'' audiobooks. He has recorded all seven books in the ''Harry Potter'' series as audiobooks, and as a narrator he has won two Grammy Awards (in 2001 and 2008) and received seven Grammy nominations and a record ten

Audie Awards The Audie Awards (, rhymes with "gaudy"; abbreviated from ''audiobook''), or simply the Audies, are awards for achievement in spoken word, particularly audiobook narration and audiodrama performance, published in the United States of America. They ...

including "Audio Book of the Year 2004" for ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'', "Best Children's Narrator 2001/2005/2007/2008," "Best Children's Audio Book 2005," two Benjamin Franklin Awards from the

Independent Book Publishers Association The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) is a not-for-profit membership organization serving the independent publishing community through advocacy and education. With nearly 3,000 members, IBPA is the largest publishing trade association i ...

(one of these was in 2001 for ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'') and 23 ''AudioFile'' Earphone Awards. He narrates the ''Harry Potter'' video games and many of the interactive "extras" on the ''Harry Potter'' DVD releases. He also holds one current and two former Guinness World Records. He holds one current record for occupying the first six places in the Top Ten Audio Books of America and Canada 2005. Previously he held records for creating the most character voices for an audiobook (134 for '' Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' in 2003, followed by 146 voices for ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' in 2007), though the record was later awarded to

Roy Dotrice Roy Dotrice (26 May 1923 – 16 October 2017) was a British actor famed for his portrayal of the antiquarian John Aubrey in the record-breaking solo play '' Brief Lives''. Abroad, he won a Tony Award for his performance in the 2000 Broadway r ...

for his 2004 recording of ''

A Game of Thrones ''A Game of Thrones'' is the first novel in ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin. It was first published on August 1, 1996. The novel won the 1997 Locus Award and was nominated for both ...

''. Dale opened every episode of the

drama ''

'' as the unseen narrator. In the mid-1960s, Dale presented ''

Children's Favourites ''Junior Choice'' is a BBC Radio programme originally broadcast from 1967 until 1982 with Christmas specials from 2007 until 2015 and again since 2017. Originally broadcast on the BBC Light Programme on Saturday mornings from 9.10 to 9.55 (later, ...

'' on

BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering ...

for a year. He narrated ''

Peter and the Starcatchers ''Peter and the Starcatchers'' is a children's novel that was published by Hyperion Books, a subsidiary of Disney, in 2004. Written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, and illustrated by Greg Call, the book is a reinterpretation of the characte ...

'' (2004) audio book, and its three sequels. In 2018, Dale narrated ''SPIN: The Rumpelstiltskin Musical'' by

Edelman and Fishman Harvey Edelman and Neil Fishman are an American songwriting team, that created and produced the first two audiobook musicals. The first, titled ''Spin - The Rumpelstiltskin Musical'', distributed by HarperAudio, and featuring Jim Dale. The music ...

, noted as being the first audiobook musical of its kind. ''SPIN'' was released by

Harper Audio HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News Corp ...

on 9 January 2018. In 2019, Dale narrated ''Puss In Boots a Musical'', by

, adapted for the audiobook by Edelman, Fishman, and Khristine Hvam, released by

on 27 August 2019.

Honours

In 2003, Dale was awarded the

MBE Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language Molal ...

, as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours List, for his work in promoting children's English literature.

Selected filmography

Source: ''The New York Times'' * ''Break-In'' (1956) as Private Berry * '' Six Five Special'' (1958) as Presenter * '' Raising the Wind'' (1961) as Violinist * '' The Iron Maiden'' (1962) as Bill * '' Nurse on Wheels'' (1963) as Tim Taylor * ''

'' (1963) as Expectant Father * ''

'' (1964) as Carrier * ''

'' (1964) as Carstairs * ''

'' (1964) as Horsa * '' The Big Job'' (1965) as Harold * ''

'' (1965) as Marshall P. Knutt * ''

'' (1966) as Albert Potter * ''

'' (1967) as Lord Darcy de Pue * ''

'' (1967) as Bertram Oliphant (BO) West * ''

'' (1967) as Dr. Jim Kilmore * '' The Plank'' (1967) as Painter * '' Lock Up Your Daughters'' (1969) as Lusty * ''

'' (1969) as Dr. Jimmy Nookey * ''

Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World ''Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World'' is a 1973 British children's fantasy-adventure comedy film starring Jim Dale, and directed by Joseph McGrath. A large supporting cast of British movie stalwarts includes Spike Milligan, Angela Douglas, N ...

'' (1973) as Jeff Eldon * '' The National Health'' (1973) as Barnet/ Dr. Boyd * '' Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall'' (1973) as Terence "Spike" Milligan * ''Pete's Dragon'' (1977) as Dr. Terminus * ''

'' (1977) as Pedlar * ''

'' (1978) as Jasper Bloodshy/Wild Billy Bloodshy/Eli Bloodshy * '' Unidentified Flying Oddball'' (1979) as Sir Mordred * '' Scandalous'' (1984) as Inspector Anthony Crisp * ''

'' (1992) as Christopher Columbus * '' The Hunchback'' (1997) as Cloplin

Awards and nominations

Sources: allmusic.com; Playbillvault; Audio Publisher ;Awards * 1966 International Laurel Award – Best Song – ''Georgy Girl'' * 1974 Drama Desk Award – Outstanding Performance – ''

'' * 1974 Outer Critics Circle Award – Outstanding Actor – ''Scapino'' * 1980 Drama Desk Award – Outstanding Actor in a Musical – ''Barnum'' * 1980 Tony Award – Best Actor in a Musical – ''Barnum'' * 1984 Outer Critics Circle Award – Outstanding Actor – ''Joe Egg'' * 1995 Drama Desk Award – Unique Theatrical Ensemble Experience – ''Travels with My Aunt'' * 1995 Outer Critics Circle Award – Outstanding Actor – ''Travels with My Aunt'' * 2001 Grammy Award – Best Spoken Word Album for Children – ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' * 2001 Audie Award – Best Male Narrator – ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' * 2004 Audie Award – Audiobook of the Year – ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' * 2004 Audie Award – Children's Title – ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' * 2005 Audie Award – Classics – ''A Christmas Carol'' * 2005 Audie Award – Best Male Narrator – ''Peter and the Star Catchers'' * 2005 Audie Award – Children's Title – ''Peter and the Starcatchers'' * 2006 Thespian Award – Friars Club, New York. * 2006 Drama Desk Award – Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical – ''The Threepenny Opera'' * 2006 Outer Critics Circle Award – Outstanding Actor – ''The Threepenny Opera'' * 2006 The Richard Seff Award – ''The Threepenny Opera'' * 2006 The Order of St. George's Society, New York * 2007 Audie Award – Best Male Narrator – ''Peter and the Shadow Thieves'' * 2008 Audie Award – Best Male Narrator – ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' * 2008 Grammy Award – Best Spoken Word Album for Children – ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' * 2009 Audie Award – Young Listeners' Title – ''James Herriot's Treasury For Children'' * Twenty-three Audiofile Headphone Awards * 2009 – Inducted into the

American Theater Hall of Fame The American Theater Hall of Fame in New York City was founded in 1972. Earl Blackwell was the first head of the organization's Executive Committee. In an announcement in 1972, he said that the new ''Theater Hall of Fame'' would be located in the ...

. * 2018 – Urban Stages' 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award * 2019 Audie Award –

Original Work Originality is the aspect of created or invented works that distinguish them from reproductions, clones, forgeries, or substantially derivative works. The modern idea of originality is according to some scholars tied to Romanticism, by a notion t ...

– ''SPIN: The Rumpelstiltskin Musical'' * 2019 SOVAS Awards - Audiobook Narration (Infant to 12) - ''Puss in Boots: A Musical'' ;Nominations * 1967 Academy Award – Best Music, Original Song – ''Georgy Girl'' (shared with Tom Springfield for the song "Georgy Girl") * 1967 Golden Globe Award – Best Music, Original Song – ''Georgy Girl'' (shared with Tom Springfield for the song "Georgy Girl") * 1974 BAFTA Academy Award – Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles – ''Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall'' * 1975 Tony Award – Best Actor in Play – ''Scapino'' * 1985 Drama Desk Award – Outstanding Actor in a Play – ''Joe Egg'' * 1985 Tony Award – Best Actor in Play – ''Joe Egg'' * 1997 Drama Desk Award – Outstanding Actor in a Musical – ''Candide'' * 1997 Tony Award – Best Actor in a Musical – ''Candide'' * 2003 Drama Desk Award – Outstanding Actor in a Play – ''Comedians'' * 2006 Tony Award – Best Featured Actor in a Musical – ''The Threepenny Opera''

References

External links

* * * *
Jim Dale
at Carry On Online
Jim Dale
at Aveleyman * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dale, Jim 1935 births Living people 20th-century English male actors 21st-century English male actors Actors from Northamptonshire Audiobook narrators British expatriate male actors in the United States British male comedy actors Drama Desk Award winners English expatriates in the United States English male film actors English male musical theatre actors English male singer-songwriters English male stage actors English male television actors English male voice actors Grammy Award winners Members of the Order of the British Empire People from Rothwell, Northamptonshire Tony Award winners Members of The Lambs Club Royal Air Force airmen