Jim Dale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Dale
|
|
|---|---|
Dale with his Barnum co-star Glenn Close in 2006
|
|
| Born |
James Smith
15 August 1935 Rothwell, Northamptonshire, England
|
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1951–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Patricia Gardiner
(m. 1957; div. 1977)Julie Schafler
(m. 1981) |
| Children | 4 |
| Signature | |
 |
|
Jim Dale (born James Smith; August 15, 1935) is a talented English actor, composer, director, singer, and songwriter. In the United Kingdom, he became famous as a pop singer in the 1950s. Later, he became a leading actor at the National Theatre. He is also one of the few actors still alive who starred in many of the popular British Carry On comedy films.
Jim Dale also became a very successful actor on Broadway in New York City. He starred in famous shows like Scapino, Barnum, Candide, and Me and My Girl. Many people in the U.S. know his voice from the Harry Potter audiobooks. He narrated all seven books in the series and won two Grammy Awards for his amazing work. He also appeared in the ABC TV show Pushing Daisies (2007–2009) and the Disney film Pete's Dragon (1977). He was even nominated for a BAFTA Award for playing a young Spike Milligan in the film Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1973).
As a songwriter, Jim Dale wrote the lyrics for the song "Georgy Girl." This song was the theme for the 1966 film of the same name. He was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for this song.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Jim Dale was born James Smith in Rothwell, Northamptonshire, England. His parents were William Henry and Miriam Jean Smith. He went to Kettering Grammar School. Before becoming an actor, he trained as a dancer for six years. His first stage performance as a comedian was in 1951. He also served two years in the Royal Air Force as part of his national service.
Jim Dale's Career Highlights
Music Career
When Jim Dale was 22, he became the first pop singer to work with Parlophone record label boss George Martin. George Martin later became famous for working with The Beatles! Jim Dale had four hit songs on the UK Singles Chart. These included "Be My Girl" (1957, No. 2), "Just Born (To Be Your Baby)" (1958, No. 27), "Crazy Dream" (1958, No. 24), and "Sugartime" (1958, No. 25). He also released an album called Jim! in 1958.
As a songwriter, Jim Dale is best known for writing the lyrics to "Georgy Girl." This song was a huge hit for the Seekers. It reached No. 2 in the U.S. and No. 1 in Australia. The song sold over 11 million copies worldwide! He also wrote songs for other films like The Winter's Tale and Joseph Andrews.
Film Appearances
Jim Dale's first film was Break-In in 1956. He is most famous in Britain for starring in eleven Carry On films. These were a very popular series of British comedy movies. He often played the clumsy but charming romantic lead. His Carry On roles included Carry On Cabby (1963) and Carry On Jack (1964). He had bigger roles in films like Carry On Spying (1964) and Carry On Cowboy (1965). In Carry On Cowboy, he played Marshall P. Knutt, an English engineer who accidentally becomes a police marshal in the Wild West.
He also starred in Carry On Screaming! (1966), Follow That Camel (1967), and Carry On Doctor (1967). In 1973, Jim Dale played a young Spike Milligan in the film Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall. He was nominated for a BAFTA Award for this role.
In 1977, Jim Dale played Dr. Terminus in Walt Disney's musical film Pete's Dragon. He also played three different characters in the 1978 Disney comedy Hot Lead and Cold Feet.
Stage Performances
At just 17 years old, Jim Dale became one of Britain's youngest professional comedians. He toured many music halls across the country.
In 1970, the famous actor Sir Laurence Olivier invited Jim Dale to join the National Theatre Company in London. There, he played the main role in Scapino and Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew.
Jim Dale has been nominated for five Tony Awards for his performances on Broadway. He won a Tony Award in 1980 for his role in Barnum. The New York Times even called him "The Toast of Broadway." He also won several Drama Desk Awards and Outer Critics Awards for his stage work. Other Broadway shows he starred in include Scapino (1974), A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (1985), and Candide (1997).
In 2014, he wrote and performed his own one-man show called Just Jim Dale. In this show, he looked back at his nearly sixty years in entertainment.
Television Roles
Jim Dale has hosted several TV shows, including Six-Five Special (1957) for the BBC and Join Jim Dale (1969) for ITV. He was also a host on Sunday Night at the London Palladium in 1973.
He was the unseen narrator for every episode of the ABC drama Pushing Daisies (2009).
Voice Acting Work
In the United States, Jim Dale is very well known as the voice of the Harry Potter audiobooks. He narrated all seven novels in the series. His Harry Potter narrations are highly praised. He won two Grammy Awards for them (in 2001 and 2008). He also won a record ten Audie Awards, including "Audio Book of the Year 2004" for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Jim Dale also narrates the Harry Potter video games. He even holds a Guinness World Record for having the first six places in the Top Ten Audio Books of America and Canada in 2005. He used to hold records for creating the most character voices for an audiobook. He created 134 voices for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in 2003 and 146 voices for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 2007!
He also narrated the Peter and the Starcatchers (2004) audiobook and its sequels. In 2018, he narrated SPIN: The Rumpelstiltskin Musical, which was noted as the first audiobook musical of its kind.
Honours and Recognition
In 2003, Jim Dale was awarded the MBE. This honor was given to him by the Queen as part of her Birthday Honours List. He received it for his important work in promoting English literature for children.
In 2009, he was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. This is a very special honor for people who have made great contributions to American theater.
Images for kids
-
Jim Dale's signature
