{{Short description|English actor and comedian}} {{EngvarB|date=November 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox comedian |name = Jim Tavaré |image = Jim Tavaré in 2008 (cropped-J2).jpg |image_size = 250 |caption = Tavaré in 2008 |birth_name = |birth_place = [[Essex]], England |medium = Stand-up, television |years_active = 1984 – present |website = {{url|jimtavare.org}} |birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1963}} }}
'''Jim Tavaré''' (born 1963) is a British [[Stand-up comedy|stand-up comedian]], [[actor]], and [[musician]]. He is best known for his work on ''[[The Sketch Show]]'' on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]], which won a BAFTA award. He played the role of Tom (the owner of the Leaky Cauldron) in ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'', and has appeared in several music videos, including [[Roots Manuva]]'s "Too Cold", [[McFly]]'s "It's All About You" (for BBC [[Comic Relief]]), [[The Phoenix Foundation|Phoenix Foundation]]'s "Thames Soup", and [[Letlive]]'s "Banshee".
==Early life== Tavaré was born in [[Essex]], [[England]] in 1963. He is a cousin of former international cricketer [[Chris Tavaré]]. When he was 7, he and his family moved to [[Cheshire]],<ref name="kett"/> where he eventually attended [[art school]] in [[Northwich]]. After finishing his art studies, he moved to London, where he worked with [[Corin Redgrave]]. As a result, he successfully auditioned for and attended the [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]], graduating in 1985 with an Acting (RADA Diploma).<ref name="rada">{{Cite news|url= https://www.rada.ac.uk/profiles/jim-tavare/ |title= RADA Student & graduate profiles - Jim Tavare |work=rada.ac.uk|access-date=13 February 2026}}</ref>
==Career== Tavaré's first film appearance was as a student in ''[[Another Country (1984 film)|Another Country]]'' (1984) with [[Rupert Everett]] and [[Colin Firth]].<ref name="tv">{{Cite news|url= https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jim-tavare/credits/3000269064/ |title= RADA Student & graduate profiles - Jim Tavare |work= tvguide.com |access-date=13 February 2026}}</ref> Although uncredited, he was a featured extra appearing in numerous scenes throughout the film. Tavaré was [[Colin Firth]]'s stand-in for the duration of the film. [[Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer|Charles Spencer]], Diana, Princess of Wales's brother, was also an uncredited extra. Tavaré eventually branched out into stand-up comedy with a unique act which featured his [[double bass]], an instrument he had learned to play during his childhood.<ref name="kett">{{Cite news|url= https://ketteringartscentre.com/exclusive-interviews/an-exclusive-interview-with-jim-tavare-by-pete-austin/ |title=An exclusive interview with – Jim Tavaré |author= Pete Austin |date=2015-11-18|access-date=2017-08-11 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170811144152/https://ketteringartscentre.com/exclusive-interviews/an-exclusive-interview-with-jim-tavare-by-pete-austin/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= 2017-08-11 }}</ref>
In 1995, Tavaré wrote and starred in a series of short silent films for [[BBC2]], titled ''Jim Tavaré Pictures Presents''.<ref>{{Cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Jvc_CgAAQBAJ&q=Jim+Tavar%C3%A9+Pictures+Presents&pg=PT326|title=Keeping Quiet: Visual Comedy in the Age of Sound|last=Dutton|first=Julian|date=2015-07-23|publisher=Andrews UK Limited |isbn=9781909183834 |language=en}}</ref> On [[Five (channel)|Channel Five]], he had a skit series of his own that he co-wrote with [[Ricky Gervais]], called ''The Jim Tavaré Show''. He appeared three times in the [[Royal Variety Performance]],<ref name="kett"/> and subsequently worked for [[Prince Charles]] at several private engagements,<ref name="kett"/> including at a private Christmas party and at a gala held at [[Highgrove House|Highgrove]] in front of Queen [[Elizabeth II]] and 13 other crowned heads of state.<ref name="kett"/> He became renowned in the UK as Prince Charles's favourite comedian.<ref name="kett"/> Following an appearance at the Montreal [[Just For Laughs]] festival, CBS commissioned a special episode "Take My Life Please" based on and written entirely around his comedy act, in the American series ''[[Wings (1990 TV series)|Wings]]''<ref name="tv"/>
Tavaré co-wrote and appeared in the [[BAFTA]]-winning ITV series ''[[The Sketch Show]]'',<ref name="neck">{{Cite web|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-39502392|title=Harry Potter actor Jim Tavare is back home after breaking his neck in a car crash – BBC Newsbeat|date=2017-05-04|publisher=BBC Newsbeat|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-08-11}}</ref> alongside [[Lee Mack]], [[Tim Vine]], [[Ronni Ancona]], [[Karen Taylor (comedian)|Karen Taylor]], and [[Kitty Flanagan]]. In 2004, Tavaré appeared in ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'' as Tom the Innkeeper.<ref name="neck"/> In 2008, he finished in fourth place on the American show ''[[Last Comic Standing 6]]'',<ref name="tv"/> having been the only overseas act ever to have reached the final show. He performed a 63-date national tour with the other four ''Last Comic Standing'' finalists throughout the US. He appeared in the fifth series of the [[David Duchovny]] comedy-drama ''[[Californication (TV series)|Californication]]'',<ref name="tv"/> as an English butler to a hip-hop mogul played by [[Wu-Tang Clan]] frontman [[RZA]]. He made a guest-star appearance in season 5 of the comedy and spy drama ''[[Chuck (TV series)|Chuck]]'',<ref name="tv"/> the TV show ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'',<ref name="tv"/> and on Comedy Central's ''Tosh.0''.<ref name="tv"/> In September 2013, he began filming the role of The Dog Catcher alongside [[David Walliams]], [[Jessica Hynes]], and [[John Sessions]] in [[Syco]] Entertainment's feature film ''[[Pudsey: The Movie]]''.<ref name="tv"/>
In 2017, Tavaré was in an [[intensive care unit]] after being injured in a collision with a car.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-39215145|title=Harry Potter actor Jim Tavare in intensive care with broken neck and punctured lung|publisher=BBC News|date=9 March 2017}}</ref> After suffering catastrophic injuries (over 30 broken bones, including 14 broken ribs, collapsed lungs, multiple fractures, broken neck and a hand that detached from the wrist) Tavare returned to the stage with a new show about his experiences entitled "From deadpan to bedpan".<ref name="neck"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0851663}} * {{British Comedy Guide|people|Jim Tavaré}} * ''Sit-Down Comedy'' (contributor to anthology, ed. [[Malcolm Hardee]] & John Fleming) Ebury Press/Random House, 2003. {{ISBN|0-09-188924-3}}; {{ISBN|978-0-09-188924-1}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tavare, Jim}} [[Category:1963 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century English comedians]] [[Category:20th-century English male actors]] [[Category:21st-century British double-bassists]] [[Category:21st-century English comedians]] [[Category:21st-century English male actors]] [[Category:21st-century English male musicians]] [[Category:Actors from Cheshire West and Chester]] [[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]] [[Category:British male double-bassists]] [[Category:Comedians from Cheshire]] [[Category:Comedians from Essex]] [[Category:English comedy musicians]] [[Category:English double-bassists]] [[Category:English male comedians]] [[Category:English male film actors]] [[Category:English male television actors]] [[Category:Last Comic Standing contestants]] [[Category:Male actors from Cheshire]] [[Category:Male actors from Essex]] [[Category:People from Northwich]]