A career in the theatre demands so much commitment.
And so it's a new little adventure at my age to be traveling down this audiobook route and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
But it was a fascinating journey, because there I was creating voices and speaking words and I didn't know where the story was going.
Dance training gave me the confidence to walk and move on stage. It gave me the gestures. It made me feel at ease.
Every actor who comes along must be made to feel he can contribute something different, otherwise no-one would accept any historical role.
Good acting is consistency of performance.
I feel if some kid has sat down and felt I'm important enough to write two pages of words to and take up a lot of his valuable time, then he deserves a few words back, or even a phone call as I have done on a few occasions.
I love living in London, although this will be the first time I have spent Christmas in England since 1973. I'm a theatre-based actor and this city is great for having a theatre community around you.
I only travel to good material, a good director and a good company. I won't work in another country for a year any longer, because I have a lovely wife and I adore her and I can't bear to be away from her.
I remember certain people in the audience laughing and I wanted to ask: 'What are you laughing at? This isn't funny.' Now I realize that laughter can come from insecurity. They don't know how they should be feeling.
I was always the clown in school. I had a personal put down sense of humor. I wasn't vindictive. I didn't make fun of people.
I'd get more applause than some because I was just seventeen. If they didn't clap at the end of my act I would limp off stage and boy would they feel guilty. They would all burst into tremendous applause as they saw this poor cripple kid walking off.
I'd rather get a good clean laugh with good material, than an easy laugh by swearing or shocking. That's not clever or comedic, anybody can get a laugh that way, it's too easy.
I'm still a kid inside, and adventure is adventure wherever you find it.
It's a little like casting out hundreds of fishing lines into the audience. You start getting little bites, then more, then you hook a few, then more. Then you can start reeling them in and that's a loveliest feeling - the whole audience laughing with you.
The joy about the recording is that you are your own boss. You don't have a director telling you how to do it.
There is no spray can called 'Instant Stardom,' only talent can keep you at the top.
We talk about theatre museums filled with old costumes and things. What we also need is a theatre museum of the old routines on videotape. We are only the custodians of those techniques, and they should be preserved.
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.
Whether I want to or not, I think I will be remembered for 'Harry Potter,' but why not? How lovely to be remembered as the voice of Harry Potter.
You cannot learn anything from success, you only learn from failure.
You've got to love the villain if you have to play him. You've got to find something that you can live with in yourself if you're going to play the villain in a play on stage.
Performs the unabridged Harry Potter audio books.
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.
Was nominated for a Tony in 1985 for "Joe Egg" and in 1997 for "Candide".
Father of Adam Dale, who is an aerial cameraman.
Good friend of fellow "Carry On..." star Peter Gilmore.
Won Broadway's 1980 Tony Award as Best Actor (Musical) for playing the title character of 'Phineas T, Barnum' in "Barnum." He has also been nominated three other times: in 1975, as Best Actor (Dramatic) for "Scapino;" in 1985, as Best Actor (Play) for a revival of "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg;" and in 1997, as Best Actor (Musical) for a revival of "Candide".
Now aged 69, he provides the US narration of the Harry Potter series of audiobooks. [2005]
He received a Grammy nomination for his audio book performance of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
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