Biography for
Jim Dale (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

15 August 1935, Rothwell, Northants, England, UK

Birth Name

James Smith

Nickname

Jimmy

Height

5' 10" (1.78 m)

Mini Biography

Jim Dale began his career as a stand-up comic. He sharpened his comedy skills during a stint in the army, where he organized and performed in camp shows. After his discharge he pursued a comedy career, and landed a job as the warm-up comic on a musical variety show. He did so well that the producers gave him a spot on the show as a singer, and he quickly became a recording star. He was signed for a small part in one of the "Carry On" films, Carry on Cabby (1963), but the audience reaction to him was so great the he was soon made a regular member of the cast. Unlike many comics, Dale insisted on performing his own stunts, and in fact injured his arm performing a stunt in Carry on Again Doctor (1969), his last film of the series until 1992.

After his departure from the series he returned to the stage, notably in Sir Laurence Olivier's National Theater. In the 1970s Dale moved to the US for film and stage work, achieving success in the Broadway show "Barnum" and in a string of film comedies for Disney.

He returned to Britain in 1992 for an appearance in the final "Carry On" film, Carry on Columbus (1992).

IMDb Mini Biography By: frankfob2@yahoo.com

Spouse

Julia Schafler	(1980 - present)
Patricia	(1957 - 1977) (divorced) 4 children

Trivia

Performs the unabridged Harry Potter audio books and is cited twice in the Guinness Book of World Records for creating the most character voices in an audiobook (more than 200) and for voicing the first six "Top Ten" selling audiobooks of all time. He also has won a record nine "Audie" awards.

Father of Toby Dale

He was considered for the role of the Doctor in the popular BBC series "Doctor Who" (1963), after the departure of Jon Pertwee in 1974.

He was awarded the M.B.E. (Member of the order of the British Empire) in the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to British Children's Literature in America.

Father of Adam Dale, who is an aerial cameraman.

Good friend of fellow "Carry On..." star Peter Gilmore.

Now aged 69, he provides the US narration of the Harry Potter series of audiobooks. [2005]

Won the 1980 Tony Award for Actor in a Musical for "Barnum". Nominated three times for the Tony Award (New York City) for Actor in a Drama: "Scapino" in 1975, "Joe Egg" in 1985 and "Candide" in 1997. Nominated for the 2006 Tony Award for Supporting or Features Actor in a Musical for "Three Penny Opera".

Personal Quotes

When I was nine, we'd take a bus to the seaside. Coming back, we'd take turns entertaining, singing songs and the like. I tried some stand-up comedy. I had a captive audience in that bus. Then I realized I wanted to do more than that.

Where Are They Now

(June 2003) Has continued his Harry Potter voice work with the audiobook version of Book 5, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"

(July 2005) Has continued his Harry Potter voice work with the audio book version of Book 6, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

(May 2006) Playing "Mr Peachum" in the Broadway revival of The Threepenny Opera at Studio 54.

(June 2007) Recording the seventh, and final, book in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, due out July 21, 2007

(October 2007) Providing the voice of the narrator on the new show, "Pushing Daisies"

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