Jim Dale: Actor, Comedian, Singer
At the age of nine Jim studied tap and ballet dancing for six years. At seventeen he became the youngest professional comedian touring the British Music Halls. In his 20’s he became a successful pop singer under the wing of legendary Beatles recording manager Sir George Martin. He became a leading team member of the iconic British Carry On film series, appearing in eleven of them. In 1969 at the request of Lord Olivier he joined the British National Theatre as a leading actor, appearing in seven productions, including a two-hander play with Sir Anthony Hopkins. His work on and off Broadway include, Scapino, Barnum, Joe Egg, Candide, Me and My Girl, Privates On Parade, The Music Man, Travels With My Aunt, The Threepenny Opera, Comedians, and The Road to Mecca. In the category of Best Actor, Jim has won a Tony Award, five Tony Award Nominations, five Drama Desk Awards and five New York Critics Awards, including, “Outstanding Solo Performance” for his most recent one-man show at the Roundabout Theatre, Just Jim Dale. As a lyricist he won an American Academy Award Nomination for the title song for the film “Georgy Girl,” starring Lynn Redgrave. As a film actor in the category of Best Newcomer, he won a British Academy Award Nomination He narrated of all seven audiobooks in the Harry Potter series, winning a record ten Audie Awards, the Oscars of the American narrating world, two Grammy Awards and seven Grammy Nominations. He also won ‘Narrator of the Year’ 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008 plus “Audiobook of the Year 2004” He holds two Guinness World Records. One for, ‘Creating 147 different voices for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’, and a second for, ‘Occupying the First Six Places in the Top Ten Audio Books of America and Canada.’ Over the past few years Jim has been inducted into The American Theatre Hall of Fame, The American Audio Hall of Fame, and, Audible Publishing Hall of Fame. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II recently honoured Jim with the MBE* *Member of the Order of the British Empire. Follow BITBA on Twitter and Instagram.