Jim Tavaré
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| Jim Tavaré | |
|---|---|
 Jim Tavaré |
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| Born | 1963 Essex, England, UK |
| Medium | Stand-up, television |
| Website | jimtavare.org |
Jim Tavaré (
/ˈtævəreɪ/; born 1963) is an English stand-up comedian, actor and musician. He is best known for his work on The Sketch Show on ITV which won a BAFTA award and also plays the role of Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
[edit] Life and career
Tavaré was born in Essex, England and moved to Cheshire with his family when he was seven, and he attended art school as a teenager in Northwich. He then moved to London, where he successfully auditioned for RADA. Later, he 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. He always donned tails and a white tie outfit - the uniform of the classical musician - when performing his act, though he only played the bass in short bursts for comic effect.
After many years working the stand-up circuit and making fleeting television appearances as a guest comic, Tavaré hosted a series for BBC2 titled Jim Tavaré Pictures Presents.... He also had a skit series of his own on Channel Five, co-written by Ricky Gervais. He appeared three times on The Royal Variety Performance and subsequently worked for Prince Charles for several private engagements. An episode of the American series Wings was written entirely around his bass act. He won International Starsearch in the US.
In 2004 he supported Michael Bublé on a 13 date UK tour, which included a performance at The Royal Albert Hall.
In 2008 he was a finalist on Last Comic Standing 6 and the only overseas act to ever have reached the final show. On July 31, he was voted into the top 5. He finished in 4th place. He performed a 63 date National tour with the other 4 Last Comic Standing finalists throughout the U.S.
He is a regular headliner at The World Famous Laugh Factory, in Hollywood California
He appears in the 5th season of the David Duchovny comedy-drama Californication, as English butler to a hip-hop mogul played by Wu Tang Clan frontman RZA.
He has two children and currently resides in Hollywood, California. He is married to Laura Elizabeth Jane.
His cousin is retired English cricketer Chris Tavaré, who played for England in thirty one Tests and twenty nine One Day Internationals from 1980 to 1989.
He makes a guest star appearance in season 5 of the NBC/Warner Bros comedy, spy drama 'Chuck'.
[edit] Sources
- Sit-Down Comedy (contributor to anthology, ed Malcolm Hardee & John Fleming) Ebury Press/Random House, 2003. ISBN 0091889243; ISBN 978-0091889241
