About various authors
Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875) was born in Odense, Denmark, the son of a poor shoemaker and a washerwoman. As a young teenager, he became quite well known in Odense as a reciter of drama and as a singer. When he was fourteen, he set off for the capital, Copenhagen, determined to become a national success on the stage. He failed miserably, but made some influential friends in the capital who got him into school to remedy his lack of proper education. In 1829 his first book was published. After that, books came out at regular intervals. His stories began to be translated into English as early as 1846. Since then, numerous editions, and more recently Hollywood songs and Disney cartoons, have helped to ensure the continuing popularity of the stories in the English-speaking world.
About the Narrators
Hugh Laurie is a prolific English actor, comedian, writer, musician, and director. He first became known as one half of the Fry and Laurie double act, along with his comedic partner Stephen Fry, whom he joined in the cast of Blackadder and Jeeves and Wooster for more than a decade. His eight-year performance as the protagonist Dr. Gregory House in House earned him two Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and six Emmy nominations.
Eileen Atkins has
played many leading roles in the theater, in both classical and contemporary
plays. She won the Evening Standard Award as Best Actress for her performance
in The Killing of Sister George. She
has also appeared on television and in film, including in The Cranford Chronicles, Waking
the Dead, David Copperfield, and Gosford Park.
Eileen Atkins has
played many leading roles in the theater, in both classical and contemporary
plays. She won the Evening Standard Award as Best Actress for her performance
in The Killing of Sister George. She
has also appeared on television and in film, including in The Cranford Chronicles, Waking
the Dead, David Copperfield, and Gosford Park.
Cheryl Campbell is an award-winning
English actress. She has appeared in many films and televisions series, and is
best known for her starring role as Vera Brittain in the BBC’s television drama
Testament of Youth. She has also been a member of the Royal Shakespeare
Company twice and has played many title roles on stage. She was awarded the
Laurence Olivier Theater Award in 1983 for Actress of the Year in a Revival for
her role as Nora in “A Doll’s House.”
Alex Jennings is an award-winning narrator and actor of stage and screen. He has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. He is also known for his role as Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor, in the Netflix series The Crown, along with his roles in The Queen, Lady in the Van, and The Wings of the Dove. He is a three-time Olivier Award winner and has been nominated for a BAFTA.
Nigel Davenport is an English stage, television, and film actor. He first appeared on
stage at the Savoy Theatre and then with the Shakespeare Memorial Company before
joining the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre in the 1960s.
Since then he has performed in numerous film and television roles, including The Adventures of Robin Hood, A High Wind in Jamaica, Chariots of Fire, The Treasure Seekers, and many more. In addition to his success on
stage and screen, he is also an accomplished voice actor and has provided
narration for several audio books, such as A
Zoo in My Luggage, Tales from
Shakespeare, No Comebacks, and Beasts in My Belfry.
James Langton, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, trained as an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and later as a musician at the Guildhall School in London. He has worked in radio, film, and television, also appearing in theater in England and on Broadway. He is also a professional musician who led the internationally renowned Pasadena Roof Orchestra from 1996 to 2002.