Jim Dale on Narrating Harry Potter and How He Built Character Voices | Audible

We sat down with the beloved stage, screen and audio performer to talk about everything from his first day as a narrator, to the intimacy of audiobooks, to how he created hundreds of character voices to bring Harry Potter to life for US and Canadian audiences.
Listen here:
www.audible.com/pd/Harry-Pott...
More from Author J.K. Rowling:
www.audible.com/author/J-K-Ro...
More from Narrator Jim Dale:
www.audible.com/ep/narrator-j...
Download the Audible app: smart.link/uj7ifbvhm29rg
Subscribe to our channel: adbl.co/KZbin
Follow Audible on Twitter: adbl.co/twitter
Follow Audible on Instagram: adbl.co/instagram
Follow Audible on Facebook: adbl.co/facebook
About Audible: Audible is the world’s largest producer and provider of spoken-word entertainment and audiobooks, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day. Audible content includes more than 525,000 audio programs from leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers.

[@thefalsekingslayer3717]

Its difficult to describe the absolute level of nostalgia tied up in this mans voice. I used to listen to his harry potter readings, every night when falling asleep as a child. The way he portrays the characters, all them unique but also not over performed. He reads them like the very best of parents would.

[@mikhailabunidal9146]

Remember how he use loan his exact narrating voice for the bonus features in the Harry Potter videos when they إنطلقو وانباعو were released and sold while إحنا منكبر we grew up

[@hillarymj2426]

Same!

[@damonpenn824]

I’m 45 y.o. and I listen to him to this day. He is my bedtime storyteller.

[@cassidy4668]

This mans voice literally cures my anxiety

[@bilbobagpipe2384]

lol same

[@acdragonrider]

I liked his portrayal of the characters more than the actors’ performances in the movies. lol

[@themanthelegendjmw]

well his Hermione was probably worse.

[@beccah8671]

idk... he did the bratty yet endearing voice extremely well

[@azzzanadra]

@@themanthelegendjmw i really liked his hermoine

[@p0x914]

I agree his voice amazed me i listed before i watched the movies and i honestly loved his voices and acting way better i love Daniel radcliff but he couldn't talk as a kid

[@inventor2012]

He did really well for all of them. Literally listen to them every night to fall asleep

[@kittykat123425]

I swear he could read a drilling manual and I'd be on the edge of my seat.

[@auspicious93]

LOL

[@douglasweiss5583]

Are we hinting at an Uncle Vernon’s Drill Company Spinoff? 😉

[@kittykat123425]

@@douglasweiss5583 ooh, maybe

[@BaileyWhite]

Vernon Dursley, is that you?

[@bigkaytoncampus]

Something tells me you've read a drilling manual

[@katjonsdottir4644]

Honestly, I love this man so much. He needs a knighthood... yesterday. Sir Jim Dale, has a nice ring to it.

[@FionaBloom]

So agree!

[@moonlampje156]

kat jonsdottir best comment ever😍

[@okaminess]

kat jonsdottir lol

[@andrewhutchinson36]

Sir Jim would sadly not be possible now as I understand he has taken US citizenship.

[@Iggywiggywoo]

Did you ever watch Pete's Dragon as a kid?

[@sarahogborn8024]

This man’s voice is my entire childhood. I literally can not remember a time when I didn’t know his voice. I’ve listened to the HP audiobooks so many times over, and all the other audiobooks he’s done, and Jim’s talent for narration is unmatched. I wish I could thank him in person, to tell him what a massive impact he has had on my life, simply through these audiobooks. ❤️

[@auspicious93]

I JUST discovered the audiobooks at age 27. Love them!!!

[@kaosfrack1978]

Totally agree. He's marvelous :)

[@jackpoe72]

I am actually listening to book 7 for what is probably the 100th time. After listening to Jim Dale it is very hard to listen to other audiobooks!

[@mzhbr4673]

Jack Poe omg glad im not the only one. I can't stop listening to all the books. My husband has quite a fee audiobooks but i can't deal with their voices

[@LauraLakov]

Same! He is also the person who reads the Peter and the Star catcher’s series. It’s quite delightful hearing all the different characters he voices. 😊

[@nashsanadiki3104]

Harry Potter is what I listen to when I was waiting for my exam results in college just to ease my anxiety

[@thaDjMauz]

There are dozens of us!

[@ricklynn6176]

Jim Dale is simply brilliant! He literally nailed every voice and it's crazy because some of the voices he had spoken, sound like the actors in which they had cast . Especially Hagrid. And Professor McGonagle. No one could've ever done it better than he did.

[@flaggerify]

Rick Willard His Lupin good too.

[@FandomEmpress]

Elk Lord 🤣🤣🤣

[@thathorrorguy1748]

Yes he did a great job. I thought it was cool that they found actors that were able to sound like him being he was the voice before the movies came out. He the reason I fell in love with the books

[@sharonbowers9929]

Isn’t he amazing?! ❤️❤️❤️

[@kaosfrack1978]

I heard him correcting a voice once within 4 or 5 sec, I think book 5 somewhere. Amazing job

[@geekygengar5467]

32 years old and I still listen to this man on a regular basis.

[@soumikbanerjee3059]

Holy shit. Imagine the amount of hard work that went into producing all 7 audio books, what with hundreds of different voices. Hope he got adequately compensated.

[@ajrestivo]

oh i bet this guy is rowling in cash, see what i did there

[@twinkietoepinkie]

@@ajrestivo lmao

[@rssems]

I am so grateful to listen books narrated by Jim Dale. 🙏 Thank you Audible for making it possible! 🎧📚

[@amylynnhunt55]

+Rıza Selçuk Saydam Me too! I appreciate your comment!!

[@CheatsGameAndCodes]

+Amy Lynn Hunt me too :D

[@Steve-xp8we]

Stephen Frys version is much better but so hard to find.

[@tomn6800]

@@Steve-xp8we In the UK it's the other way round. Audible sells the Stephen Fry version on audible.co.uk and the Jim Dale version on audible.com.

[@MTBR077]

I'm at book 5 and I'm still freaked out by how well he does McGonagall's voice. Yes, his Hagrid voice is excellent, but his McGonagall is on another level of crazy good voice acting.

[@moldyvoldy1231]

From Pete's Dragon to Harry Potter, Jim Dale was my childhood.

[@colindavis2166]

When he started doing Minerva. I saw Maggie Smith for a moment. His voice while listening to the audiobooks paints a picture in my mind of what's going on. Better than it would than just reading it. I'm glad it's not just monotone, he has voices for each character.

[@dangoncalvesbr]

I’ve lost count of how many times I have listened to the HP series. Jim Dale if you ever read this I really want to thank you. I read all the books many times before through the years since they first came out. Your performance and hard work brought to me a whole new HP world far more enjoyable than all the movies could have. You and all the people that work on this project just did magic! Btw I’m a listener from Brazil.

[@Mo-xx9gg]

No way! I never realised that he was the voice of the Hewlett Packard Commercials! Wow 👌

[@DawnOldham]

I'm now 60 years old and I'm almost finished reading the entire series for the fourth time. With enough time in between them, I enjoy the audio books more and more as times goes by. I read a chapter (in characters) nightly to my two youngest daughters ten years ago. And now, my eldest daughter is reading a chapter nightly (also in characters) to my grandaughter. After our children heard their moms read the books to them, they were allowed to watch the corresponding movie! This story will stand the test of time, as will this superb audio version! A big thank you to Jim Dale for his excellent "being" of each character!

[@bishopbarks4086]

I am in tears. This man is a brilliant performer. The HP narration was astounding.

[@AshleyJenningsBigay]

Best narration of Harry Potter ever. Thank you Jim Dale.

[@deoxxys]

except for stephen frys

[@bobbybrown5820]

deoxxys no Jim Dale’s version is the best

[@bobbybrown5820]

deoxxys but you can’t find it anywhere

[@jamesgould3263]

@@bobbybrown5820 and that's for good reason, Stephan Fry is better

[@LyleFrancisDelp]

Stephen Fry, reading the British edition, is far far better. I live in the US, I was very fortunate to have bought it online.

[@TarisRedwing]

God I love him he made the HP audio books a dream to listen to.

[@laura__5544]

I love this man. He's so talented. So many voices, none overdone. When I was little, I thought he was JK Rowling's husband haha

[@Gabriela.Lamira]

hahahaha cute thought. Do you know if it was he who narrated HP videogames and DVD's extras either?

[@laura__5544]

@@Gabriela.Lamira I don't know, although I feel like I should know!

[@jamesparker40]

Jim Dale should be Sir Jim Dale. The man is class through and through. In this short film he speaks with so much wisdom.❤❤❤

[@bluesdoggg]

I’ve listened to these books many times over, and love Dale’s portrayal. There is a book called The Night Circus that I recommend that brings back Jim’s narration wonderfully.

[@approxinfinity]

After spending the last 3 months listening to Harry Potter, I felt a sense of loss when it was over. After a couple false starts with other readers, I looked up other books narrated by Jim Dale, and settled on The Night Circus. So glad Jim has more stuff out there! It is great as well.

[@goldmoonxx]

Jim Dale is like family. I love him so much. His voice shaped my childhood and when he speaks, it feels like home.

[@Fluffski2006]

Dear Jim Dale. An unsung national treasure if ever there was one. Give this man a Knighthood. Superb.

[@princecharmingthemerman]

Oh Holy Goosebumps!!! This was my childhood!!! Every summer and fall we would go up to our cabin which was a 10-12 hour ride one way and these are one of the many audio books we would listen to as a family

[@amylynnhunt55]

Oh, I am so grateful to get to see and hear this today, I have just loved Jim Dale for years now, and seeing and hearing him here, he does not disappoint! What a lovely man, I loved when he talked about reading to just one person, as I spend so much of my life listening to audiobooks (I have chronic migraines, so what used to be just darkness is now a magical land for me). Pushing Daisies is my absolute favorite TV show and Mr Dale was the perfect narrator for that magical land as well. Thank you for loving books and for the hard work and love you put into your work! I am just such a fan. :)

[@xavierscott11]

I've been listening to audiobooks routinely for over 20 years. Jim Dale is the best narrator I've ever heard, without question!

[@bicj1179]

lol I love that most of the comments are about how Jim was their childhood because he voiced the HP audiobooks, and here I am like, 'The legend from the Carry On movies whoooop!' :'D

[@mhm8922]

Such an incredible talent. Just incredible! I can’t tell you how much I love Jim Dale for his work on the HP series. He’s incomparable.

[@wolfisms]

I love Jim Dale and how he brought the books to life. He was fabulous as the narrator for Pushing Daisies too. My quick question...why is this video "unlisted". People should know how much work he put into the Harry Potter audiobooks.

[@amylynnhunt55]

+wolfisms I don't know how any of it works, but maybe you could e-mail Help at Audible? They might not know that it is set that way and if you ask them to share it more widely, I can't imagine why they wouldn't. The more people who get to know about and listen to Jim, the better, so I hope you have success!!

[@clarenicke8653]

Pushing Daises!!! That's where I've heard his voice before!! Thank you!

[@ElizaldeEdu]

Jim Dale, I grew up loving you ever since Hot Lead and Cold Feet. The portrayal of Eli, your brother and old man father, was amazing to me. To hear you do these audiobooks is just a blessing. You did everyone complete justice and I can't imagine a better person to do it. Thank you so very much. Absolutely brilliant!

[@mikeh720]

The road trips that this gentleman escorted my family through...so many memories! Blessings and thanks Mr. Dale!

[@WhisperingJohn]

Wow, he's looking well for 81. Thanks.

[@jamesross3921]

Kutta Kyte he is WATTTTTTT 😲😲😲

[@BlindRobotDragon]

@Dylan Swinger I didn't know he was 81. I'm totally blind, have been since birth, so I haven't the foggiest idea what the man looks like, but he sounds no older than maybe 50-something, at least to my ears.

[@ConwayBob]

Jim was the PERFECT choice to read the Harry Potter books for the audiobook recordings. He made it so enjoyable to "read" those books through our ears as we drove around in our car, a favorite pastime. I will never forget our introduction to the boggarts. It was getting dark as my wife and I were wending our way home from a lovely summer drive on the backroads, listening to one of Jim's audiobooks. As dusk sank into darkness we found ourselves on a little country dirt road that wound through a swamp with fog lying on either side of the road and sometimes crossing the road in front of us. We had to slow down as the fog thickened, and just then Jim began reading us the passage in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in which Professor Lupin was introducing his Defense Against the Dark Arts class to the boggart in the wardrobe. The setting was perfect, and Jim Dale's reading of that passage sent chills up our spines!

[@stevenboulton9911]

Jim has an incredible career, I dont think people realise how much he's done in his life. I have very fond memories of watching Jim in all the carry on films, but its great that he's still very much successful in other aspects of his working life too.

[@user-tp4nf9cp9d]

Wonderful. I spent my whole school day years with his voice. He is the one who opened up harry potter for me.

[@hydraelectricblue]

I grew up on these audiobooks. I think I have found the defining argument for Jim Dale vs Stephen Fry. Jim Dale had a wealth of (personal) experience with different accents. I've just listened to a Stephen Fry sample and he just sounds British throughout the whole thing.

[@Xtina4444]

I am 3 Harry Potter books deep since the quarantine began five weeks ago. I love this man!

[@giggle_snort]

I will forever associate his voice with Harry Potter. He is the best narrator. ❤

[@Beeves]

Good job grandad

[@patrickbaker1457]

An absolute legend. The HP audiobooks are legendary, almost as legendary as the books themselves.

[@arcticfirefly5777]

I enjoy listening to the audiobooks over and over again. It's something magical about hearing a book read to you, yet you have to imagine the story unfold as it goes on.

[@nhma1117]

Jim Dale is the BEST. Have loved him since PETE'S DRAGON, a revelation! go back and watch! (the older one, the classic, not the new one) He is the most talented character inspiration/embodiment and voice ever. Even if you've seen the movies/read the books, Jim's reading is a whole new experience, and our family's favorite. We listened to it on a long car trip. Made it fly! Had to pay hundreds of dollars for a JD set bc in America it's the other version, but worth seeking out/use Audible etc if you can get it.

[@kimikoifish7]

Oh my gosh this video is brilliant. Jim Dale is such an amazing man! He’s so charming! His voice is one of my most favorite sounds in the world! Thank you so much for your work!

[@Magda-nv6xq]

Thank you Mr Dale, amazing adventure you have taken us on, utterly unforgettable. I've listened to all parts so many times and still can't get enough of your voice(s). Forever grateful to you.

[@arthurwang324]

His voice sounds much younger than his appearance.

[@Yer_Da_]

He looks bloody good for 80+ though

[@mrs.potter2278]

I was expecting him to be like 40 years old😲

[@TenToAceStudios]

harry potter and the chamber of secrets was the first harry potter audiobook, and audiobook in general, that I ever listened to. i remember it so well too. i was like 6 or 7 so jim dale's narration gives me a level of nostalgia nothing else does

[@KaylaDenny]

The absolute best! Listening to him read Harry Potter literally helped save my life. I am forever grateful to him and this story. Thank you, Jim Dale!!!

[@_shanshu]

Same!

[@SW-wf3gy]

I love your version of the Harry Potter audiobooks! I listen to them all the time! Enchanting! Thank you Jim! Love you!

[@Zyphorius]

Jim Dale is the voice of my childhood and I love it

[@Ambertah]

Jim Dale is flipping amazing. I don't know how to express my gratitude for keeping me from the brink when I was unable read myself.

[@hillarymj2426]

I would listen to him read the HP series on my tiny shuffle over and over again, I couldnt sleep without it

[@lydiakim5026]

His voice is So soothing. Probably listened to the whole series more than 50 times.

[@tugsman5]

Never listened to a book as a kid, read them all...but when I decided to start listening to them while I drove all day for my job, he does the voices absolutely incredibly! Love it!

[@sanchez501]

Amazing. He's a classic slapstick comedian to one generation and the voice of Harry Potter to another.

[@dimwitted-fool]

I haven’t listened to the audiobooks since I was 11 years old probably. Last week I started putting on Deathly Hallows to fall asleep and it’s unbelievable how much comfort this man’s voice brings me. Like I’m a kid laying in bed again

[@Orangeninja5000]

This man means so much to me. I don't love every voice he chose, but I love the BULK of them, and he's consistently amazing. Specifically his voices for Dumbledore and Riddle. Snape, not as much, but its literally impossible to top Rickman. Hagrid? McGonagall? Flitwick? Sirius? Dale's voices live right here in my heart.

[@shawbag11]

I never listend to the audio books but i more remember him from the 2nd disc that came with each film and i also remember his voice in some of the games. Honestly he is just as much a part of the hp series as anyone in the films.

[@fatthormalone2640]

these books on audio are my favorite media on the planet. I love them and am currently listening to Goblet of Fire again, I do the entire series about once a year and they relax me in a way I never felt with anything else. His voice makes me want to cry. And often does make me cry, especially at the end of a book.

[@jimmeskimen]

I had the honor of directing Jim Dale on an upcoming title, and he was just delightful. He's the real deal, as they say.

[@LyleFrancisDelp]

Jim Dale co-wrote the musical Fantastiks. Yes, his career goes back that far. A great talent.

[@MyselfVlogsPaul]

Thank you so much, Jim. Your work has been a gift to me for eleven years and ongoing.

[@aishwaryatankkar8652]

I love Jim Dale's version so much...that these books HV been on a loop for the past 4-5 years.

[@williamvouk2911]

I’d love to hear a conversation between him and Stephen Fry. Hear their different approaches to finding the voices

[@NashaDean]

bless him!!!! he is so adorable. i love his narration so very much! 💖

[@alexafetch3319]

I love Jim Dale!!!! I follow all of the books he narrates. Brings every book to life for me. I am starting Harry Potter with my kids and HE is reading it to them, while I hold the book :)

[@virgoaesthetics9815]

I’m 30 and have listened to the HP books at least twice a year since I was a child.. I never get tired of them, they bring so much happiness and nostalgia! I wish he did more series, I need a Jim Dale version of all audiobooks so I can expand but every time I try a new series I’m left disappointed.

[@vegetasamatv]

Oh my goodness, this man's performance in the audio books is just sublime 🙌🍯

[@adrianghandtchi1562]

I’m slowly getting into audio books, this guy has been my entrance and comfort zone for that type of media.

[@cashmisa]

His work is so brilliant, i love it, i could listen to it again and again

[@notasianjim7227]

I have been listening to the entire harry potter series on repeat for the last year and a half. Every night, in the car, whenever i can. I love it, Jim Dale cannot be topped.

[@audible]

What a lovely habit - his talent is unmatched 🙌✨

[@notasianjim7227]

​@@audibleis there an uncut version of this?

[@renatagoncalves4576]

how sweet is this man!?!? aw my heart is melting ❤

[@bobcastro3220]

never heard him reading Harry Potter, but I'll check that out. I remember him as Dr. Terminis on Pete's Dragon.

[@blueseasbluesky]

Thank you, Sir! You are amazing and brought much join to our family as we listened to the CDs.

[@wednesdayashe1499]

You read me to sleep for most of my childhood - the utmost of thanks for the rich world your voice painted

[@BeerMeTV]

I read through the first 4 books. I struggled keeping my interest in book 5 when it came out. I didn’t have the money for a copy and was going to the school library after class to read an hour at a time. After a few weeks, I got busy and stopped going after class to read. A few months later, I stumped on the audio book on CD, and was finally able to finish it. What didn’t expect, was falling in love with the additional dimension Jim’s narration would provide. I was hooked. Went back and listened to the first 4 and now, Jim’s versions are the best way to experience these stories in my opinion.

[@hanhbonnie1059]

Totally on board with the charming and fantastic voice he has

[@syk939]

I still listen to Harry Potter audio books repetitively and love them. Thank you for your fantastic voices!

[@caseycampbell4787]

I like Jim Dale's version the best and love that he does different voices.

[@oliveaa]

OK now I want to listen to his version. I have only listened to Stephen Fry's version and it is awesome.

[@rebekahlarsen7691]

I grew up listening to Jim dale read harry potter on the audio books. The audio books were the only I knew and grew to love harry potter is because of the audio books. I hated reading books as a child, but I loved listening to audiobooks escpecially Harry potter. I have listened to the Harry potter audiobooks a million times. In middle school, I decided to listen to the audiobooks again and I listened to it 24/7, even when I sleep. I played the cd on repeat and it happened so much that my older sister started to dream of what was happening in the book. Long Live the Jim Dale Harry Potter Audiobooks!

[@forrestheaney9059]

Greatest audiobook narration of all time.

[@S.B.433]

I can see the scenes so vividly from his reading, sometimes I go to start KZbin or Netflix instead of audible because I half expect a video. It’s crazy

[@lilsisasu]

It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized that he was in one of my favorite Disney movies, Pete’s Dragon (the original).

[@RLJSlick]

You really have to love Jim Dale!!

[@davidbtv7398]

This mans legacy will truly live on forever. I’m 20 years old and I’ll have my kids listen to his narration of Harry Potter.

[@SpeccyMan]

I'm 63 years old and Jim's real legacy is the various memorable characters he played in some of the "Carry On" movies, long before Harry Potter.

[@Karina-jm2oe]

He is absolutely wonderful and so talented!!!

[@cherylcrowe8862]

He has a fantastic voice for Harry Potter books!!! I enjoyed this tremendously!

[@fatthormalone2640]

I've just found a way to listen to these at work, I know its not paying for them but I have paid $75 per audio book on CD and they are at home so I think I have bought my right to listen. I LOVE YOU JIM!

[@michaelfozzard4122]

You’re a star Jim !! Glad you got work in the harry potter books! Thanks also for entertaining us in the carry ons you were always funny , cheers pal !

[@zoyarumin9301]

You did an amazing job! The audiobooks are flawless!!!

[@Paul_Wetor]

A while back I had re-read the books and then came across a cassette copy of the first audiobook. (Naturally I have all of them on CDs too). I threw it in my trusty old boombox. Well, once I started playing it I had to keep going, day after day. One thing I noticed was that with the books, I would tend to skip over text I already knew or words that weren't dialogue. That can't be done with an audiobook. It forced me to absorb the story at Jim Dale's speaking pace and I truly enjoyed *hearing* the book I had just finished reading. Jim Dale's melodious, warm voice really brings the books to life.

[@josephchambers2000]

I want Jim Dale and Stephen Fry to both have roles in the upcoming series. Maybe roles that weren’t in the films the first time. So like Jim Dale as Professor Bins and Stephen Fry as Ludo Bagman.

[@diadora9292]

Jim Dale is amazing. Simply amazing.

[@karyn1091]

I absolutely love listening to Jim Dale narrating the Harry Potter audiobooks. He is extremely talented, versatile and likable. (The first time I knew of Mr. Dale was of his portrayal of Doc Terminus in the original Disney’s Pete’s Dragon film.)

[@ericrakestraw664]

Jim Dale's voice for Dobby reminds me of Piglet from the Disney Winnie the Pooh cartoons.

[@JaredGriffiths2000]

He actually did narrate an audio book of Winnie the Pooh as well.

[@jaredlucas4815162342]

Best narration of an audiobook ever.

[@malmal3003]

I love both Jim Dale's & Stephen Fry's readings. They each bring something different unique and utterly warm to their readings.

[@audible]

We couldn't agree more! Both are extremely talented.

[@Arog-tx8dm]

I love Jim dale so much!

[@Jelcinpapa]

I go on long trips by car, alone. I'm up to the fifth book now. Perfect companion :) Thank you for your work!