About the Performer

Few performers have had as diverse and fascinating a career as Jim Dale. Born in the small market town of Rothwell, Northamptonshire, Dale trained as a ballet dancer for six years but it was a series of stand-up performances in 1951 that put him on the map as one of Britain's young comedians. In the 1960s, his singing and songwriting earned him an Academy Award nomination for the title theme to Georgy Girl. Dale then turned to the stage, starring in dozens of productions with the British National Theatre Company and on Broadway, including The Taming of the Shrew, Oliver!, and Candide. In 1980, his portrayal of the circus showman in Barnum won him both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. (Over the course of his career, he'd earn four additional Tony nominations and five Drama Desk wins.)

In 2009, Dale was inducted in the American Theater Hall of Fame; five years later, his one-man-show Just Jim Dale opened in New York City to tremendous praise and critical acclaim. Audiobook fans will recognize him for his impeccable, finely tuned voice work. In the Harry Potter series alone, he has given life to hundreds of characters, expertly distinguishing every witch, wizard, house-elf, and goblin. He has captured hearts around the globe — including that of Queen Elizabeth II, who named him a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2003. In addition to the Harry Potter series, Dale has narrated other kid favorites such as The Hundred Acre Woods, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland, making fantastical worlds and characters even more magical. Dale has won two Grammy Awards for his narration of the fourth and seventh Harry Potter books, 10 Audie Awards, over a dozen AudioFile Earphone Awards, and was the first to be inducted into the American Audio Hall of Fame.