Today it is our great pleasure to wish a very happy birthday to the ledgendary actor and Silksoundbooks audio book reader Sir Derek Jacobi.

Derek was born in Leytonstone, East London to non-theatrical parents. His father managed a department store and his mother was a secretary and were both of German descent. Derek's interest in drama started at a very young age, making his theatrical debut at the age of six in his local drama group.

He went on to play Hamlet at the English National Youth Theatre, before earning a scholarship to the University of Cambridge, where he initially studied history before focusing completely on the stage. His performance as Edward II at Cambridge led to an invitation to join the Birmingham Repertory where he caught the catch the interest of the great actor Laurence Olivier, who took him under his wing. He was later to become one of the eight founding members of Olivier's National Theatre Company.

It was television that really brought Derek the huge popularity that he enjoys today, with his performance in the epic BBC series I, Claudius winning him a BAFTA for the stammering, weak-minded Emperor Claudius. With countless Stage, Television and Movie performances to his name, Sir Derek is truly one of the greatest British actors of all time.

In his unabridged audio book reading of the Mary Shelley classic novel, Frankenstein, Sir Derek will mesmerise you with his astonishingly powerful performance. It really feels as though he is reading just for you, such is the talent of this amazing actor!

Happy Birthday from all of us at Silksoundbooks.

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