Jim Dale is a British actor and songwriter who is known for his work as the narrator of the Harry Potter audiobooks and the TV series Pushing Daisies. He has also acted in Carry On films, Shakespeare adaptations, and won a Tony Award for his role in Barnum. He holds a Guinness World Record for most characters created in a single audio recording and has been nominated for several Grammys. Stephen Fry recorded the Harry Potter audiobooks for British fans.
Jim Dale is known as “the voice of Harry Potter” and has also received considerable attention as the narrator of the wildly popular ABC network television series Pushing Daisies which premiered in the fall of 2007. Born James Smith in 1935 in England, Jim Dale he is both an actor and songwriter with an impressive list of credits in these fields. He wrote the lyrics for 1966’s Georgy Girl and a number of other singles which performed well in the UK.
One of Dale’s most recognizable cinematic works, particularly to British audiences, is his work in the Carry On films, a group of comedy films that were often crushes of British establishments. Jim Dale was often cast as the romantic lead in these films and starred in a total of eleven of these films. More recognizable to American audiences may be Dale’s work in the 1977 Disney film Pete’s Dragon, where he plays the role of Doc Terminus.
In the theatre, and as a member of some of the most prestigious theater groups, such as the National Theater in London, which he joined at the request of Laurence Olivier, Jim Dale has performed in numerous adaptations of Shakespeare’s works. He has also received five Tony nominations and a Tony Award for his work on Broadway. In 1980 he won a coveted Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of him in Barnum.
In 2006, Dale starred in a one night performance of the Sherman Brothers musical, Busker Alley. The performance was so well received that a Broadway production featuring the actor is planned. 2008 also saw Dale honored with a Grammy nomination for his reading of the latest Harry Potter book. He had previously received Grammy nominations for several other books and currently holds a Guinness World Record for most characters created – 134 different voices – in a single audio recording.
It should be noted that Stephen Fry and not Jim Dale recorded the Harry Potter audiobooks for British fans. Fans differ on which reading they prefer, but many recognize the tremendous dramatic range Jim Dale exhibits, especially in his spirited readings of so many of Harry Potter’s beloved characters. Dale also narrates some video game versions of Harry Potter and uses his vocal talent in the DVD versions of the films to narrate some of the special features or “extras” that each DVD contains.
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