Best known for his stage work in Britain and on Broadway, Jim Dale starred in New York as "Barnum!", the musical about the circus impresario, for two years (1979-81), winning a Tony Award for his efforts. He also racked up an Academy Award nomination for writing the title song for the 1966 film "Georgy Girl". Dale trained in acrobatics and ballet as a youth, and made his professional debut while still a teen in Kettering, England, working as a comedian. When he was 19, Dale performed in a production of "The Wayward Way," and when he was 22, made his London debut playing the title role in a production of "The Burglar". In 1974, he traveled to the Brooklyn Academy of Music with the Young Vic Company's production of "The Taming of the Shrew" and remained in Brooklyn to direct, score and star in "Scapino" (1974), which eventually moved across the East River to Broadway. "Barnum!" (which featured Glenn Close as Barnum's wife) followed and, in 1984, Dale toured the US as "The Music Man". He settled in on Broadway again to star with Stockard Channing and Joanna Gleason in the revival of "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg". In 1995, he was Off-Broadway in an all-male version of "Travels With My Aunt". In the latter, Dale was Aunt Augusta, the role Dame Maggie Smith had portrayed in the 1972 film version of the Auntie Mame-ish tale. Dale first appeared in films with "Raising the Wind" (1961). He was an aptly-named sailor called "Lusty" in the unsuccessful 1969 farce "Lock Up Your Daughters!", the peddler in "Joseph Andrews" (1977), and the villainous Dr. Terminus that same year in Disney's unsuccessful "Pete's Dragon". Dale did have the title role in "Carry on Columbus" (1992), a take on the explorer's history. TV roles have also been sporadic, with Dale frequently appearing on variety programs, such as hosting "Sunday Night at the London Palladium" (1973), and "The 116th Edition of the Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus" (1986). He played The Duke in the "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" (PBS, 1985) and also had a supporting role in TNT's 1993 rendition of "Arthur Miller's 'The American Clock'".
Profession(s):
Actor, singer, songwriter, comedian, radio disc jockey
Sometimes Credited As:
James Smith
Grammy Best Spoken Word Album for Children "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" 2001
Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Actor in a Play "Travels With My Aunt" 1996
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical "Barnum" 1980
Tony Actor in a Musical "Barnum" 1980
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Performance "Scapino" 1975
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Performance "Scapino" 1974
1995 Starred in all-male version of "Travels With My Aunt" off-Broadway
1992 Had title role in film "Carry on Columbus"
1985 Played The Duke in PBS adaptation of "Huckleberry Finn"
1977 Had featured roles in the combined animated/live action "Pete's Dragon" and "Joseph Andrews"
1974 Starred in and directed "Scapino" at Brooklyn Academy of Music; show transferred to Broadway
1969 - 1974 Member of the National Theatre Company
1966 Wrote hit title song for movie "Georgy Girl"
1963 Began appearing in the "Carry On . . ." film series
1961 Made first feature appearance, "Raising the Wind"
1959 British TV acting debut, "Lunchtime Show"
1957 Was warm-up comedian for Tommy Steele in "6:05 Special" on British TV
1954 Moved into acting in a production of "The Wayward Way"
1951 First stage appearance as comedian; toured in vaudeville throughout England in 1951-52
Starred on Broadway in the title role of "Barnum!"
