Born in Leytonstone, Essex in October 1938, legendary star of stage and screen Sir Derek Jacobi remembers very little of his pre war childhood as an only child. After the war, his father, Alfred returned home and at first, felt like a stranger to the young Derek who had spent the first six years of his life with just his mother Daisy. As with many families in postwar Britain, it took a while for Derek to adjust to this new family dynamic but he quickly came to adore his father. Part of such vital bonding was their shared love for the movies and for Derek, he didn’t just love Charlton Heston, he wanted to be him! On one occasion, Alfred took the young Derek to see the great Tommy Trinder at the London Palladium which became a seminal moment in his life. This was where he realised his true calling and the thrill of the stage was profound.
A graduate of Cambridge where he studied History, Derek never sought formal acting training and instead learned as he went. It was at Cambridge that he joined the drama society and realised his passion for drama. He then joined Birmingham rep and experienced the quick turnaround of plays which meant actors were forced to learn lines in quick time before moving onto something new. This was invaluable training for any young actor and Derek finds it upsetting that such a tradition is sadly dying out. It was here where he was spotted by Lawrence Olivier and was the start of a fruitful friendship.
Joining Olivier’s theatrical company in 1960 based at the Old Vic, Derek became a founding member of the Royal Shakespeare Company alongside future legends Maggie Smith, Peter O’Toole and Ralph Richardson. One of Derek’s first roles at the National was Laertes in the company’s inaugural interpretation of Hamlet with Peter O’Toole in the starring role. This was followed by the part of Cassio in Othello which resulted in Jacobi securing the same role for the film adaptation. Being inducted into such an elite company was a joy for the young actor as it was a guarantee of work. As a director and leader, Olivier was generous and supportive of each member of the company which was extremely infectious. Derek absolutely loved Olivier and his influence made him become a better actor. It’s obvious from Derek’s account of Olivier that he wasn’t only one of the best actors to have ever lived but also a man of integrity and a pretty exceptional human being. This union proved successful for many years until Derek had the desire to spread his acting wings.
In 1971 Jacobi bravely left The National after eight glorious years working alongside his friend and mentor. It was here he met the director Herbert Wise when he secured a role in the period drama Men of Straw: a BBC2 adaptation of German novelist Henrich Mann’s 1918 publication Der Unertan. Unbeknownst to all, this was the beginning of a successful union between Derek and Herbert which would go on to dominate both of their careers. This was his first lead acting role and one which was most unexpected and therefore he remains extremely grateful to Herbert for such an extraordinary opportunity. Yet this formidable creative partnership had only just begun…
This unique partnership would continue to thrive and in 1976 the BBC commissioned a period drama which would define a generation. The title role rumoured to have been offered to many high profile household names from Ronnie Barker to Charlton Heston. Yet ultimately Herbie Wise had the final decision which Derek has been forever grateful for. First broadcast on BBC2, I, Claudius took historical drama to a whole new level with a stellar cast including Sian Phillips and Brian Blessed. Recorded from Television Centre, I, Claudius helped to move the period drama genre forward and created moments of television which defined a generation. The series may appear somewhat basic in its technical ability compared to the multi platform landscape of 2026. Yet Derek’s poignant portrayal of the stammering Claudius compensates for the technical shortcomings and half a century later I, Claudius is regarded as one of the most important and influential television dramas ever made.
Despite this television success, Derek has always stayed loyal to the theatre and still loves the thrill of a live audience. The connection with people is what he thrives upon and whether he’s performing or merely enjoying a conversation, eye contact is extremely important. It’s clear that the stage is his happy place and something that he remains extremely passionate about. To see Derek recite a powerful poem on a stage could be compared to witnessing a classical painter in full flow of a canvas. There’s something magical about watching how he accentuates a word or a phrase to slightly change the semantics. It’s something really quite special!
In 1994 a reunion with Herbert Wise resulted in the ITV period drama Cadfael which was another highlight in a career which has spawned so many. Previously a radio drama, Derek had appeared as merely supporting cast but now he was offered the starring role in this exciting new period drama. This opportunity came totally out of the blue and took Derek’s career in an unexpected direction. Filmed on location in Hungary, the show proved unbelievably popular with the homegrown audience. Cast as the Welsh Benedictine monk Brother Cadfael, the picturesque series saw Derek solve mysteries and battle against external forces to always prevail. Running for five series between 1994 and 1999, Cadfael was a runaway success and cemented Derek’s status as a national treasure.
Derek Jacobi was now internationally renowned as one of the world’s greatest actors and in 2001 an offer came for him to guest star in the hit US sitcom Frazier. Appropriately cast as an experienced Shakespearean actor called Jackson Hedley who turns out to be not as celebrated as Frazier and Niles first thought. Surprisingly, despite his stellar career in the arts, situation comedy was not one of the genres which Derek was closely associated with. This was all about to change in 2014 when he was cast alongside his great friend and fellow knight of the realm Sir Ian McKellen for ITV’s Vicious. Written by Gary Janetti and directed by the great Ed Bye, Vicious starred both knights of the realm as Freddie and Stuart; a gay couple in their twilight years who have been together for over half a century but enjoy a love hate relationship. Featuring fellow acting greatt: the late Frances de la Tour, Vicious was packed full of cleverly crafted dialogue and eccentric characters which made for comforting viewing.
To sum up Sir Derek Jacobi’s contribution to the arts in just one interview could be compared to that of finding a needle in a haystack. He has overseen so many changes, eras, genres and more importantly stars that it’s virtually impossible to sum his unparalleled career up in the one article. The very embodiment of legitimate theatre, he has remained an extraordinary, ever-present part of the British acting dynasty but surprisingly remains extremely humble about his vast roll call of achievements. It was one of my greatest privileges to welcome the legendary Sir Derek Jacobi to Beyond The Title and I feel that with his addition, my podcast is now richer for it.
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