Talk:Derek Jacobi

Dead Again
I've taken out the reference to Jacobi's stammering performance in Dead Again, because it's either misleading or a spoiler: he speaks perfectly clearly for most of the movie, and when he starts stammering at the end, it's in the service of an important plot twist. The anonymous edit removing the casual revelation of that plot twist was an improvement, but not in my opinion a sufficient one. &mdash;Paul A 04:38, 6 Feb 2004 (UTC)

Too much attention is given to Jacobi's involvement in Dr Who side projects. These are barely footnotes to his distinguished career as a classical actor and film player, which aspects should be expanded whilst the irrelevent Who material cut or even removed. Jmc29 - Sorry, I've changed the main picture, it was outrageous...SDJ looks much better than that! Magamago80
 * I'm a major Doctor Who fan, but I have to agree on this one. Perhaps it could be included in some sort of bottom-of-the-page CV like those of some other actors' Wikipages, but it certainly doesn't merit inclusion in the main text.
 * Meanwhile, I'd like to see a proper pronunciation included in the text for Jacobi's last name; I've always wondered, myself. :) --Jay (Histrion) 03:38, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
 * While I agree, what I have done is add a "Master Succession" box that is listed on the bottom of every other actor who played the character. It seems only fitting as many Dr Who fans would come to this site based on that box in the first place. Dizrythmia —Preceding comment was added at 02:08, 20 December 2007 (UTC)
 * ...Which has since been removed. It seems that as a community we're not going to agree on this one. I feel it is relevant & I'd like to know why other people don't. Every other actor who has played the character has the box on their respective pages, even Eric Roberts, & with the amount of roles he's played you could probably say the role of The Master probably doesn't merit a significant inclusion on his site either. It may have been a small role, but it was a significant one. I myself had no idea about the actor until I saw his Dr Who episodes. Dizrythmia —Preceding comment was added at 12:50, 20 December 2007 (UTC)

Added filmography and something about personal life drafted basing myself on Imdb and Yahoo!Movies.

Changed and added informations, taken from www.linsdomain.com/jacobi.htm

Latest changes
Latest changes seem great. Does anyone want to check, though, that there's no copyvio from here. AndyJones 13:22, 4 April 2006 (UTC) HE is one of the most awesomist actors EVER!!!!!!!!! Mirra Likes him as the actor in I, Claudius!

Poor writing
Have started to tidy up the article as it was in poor unfluid English. Gruffy 23:48 13 June 2006 (UTC)

"Christian German descent"
A bit of an odd turn of phrase, unless religion is now determined by genetics. Mon Vier 10:49, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Doctor Who image
Right so what are we going to do about this Doctor Who image? edit warring is going to result in an admin handing out some blocks. --Fredrick day 15:50, 11 June 2007 (UTC)
 * We're going to not include it, and keept it not included. The suggestion that it is illustrating a "key role" is flaky at best, and it still reads like "He was in Doctor Who, here's a picture", which is back to purely decorative purposes again.  The image also doesn't identify the role - Jacobi has done a lot of period drama, so this screen-grab could be from anywhere.  Which reminds me - where did the test of identity go?  81.104.175.145 15:54, 11 June 2007 (UTC)
 * I see it's been added yet again, without recourse to talk. 81.104.175.145 16:50, 11 June 2007 (UTC)


 * I suggest anyone who reverts this either way first discuss the matter here. I see 81 and Fred have started the discussion, perhaps the other side can explain why they think it is valid under our fair use criteria. ( H )  16:52, 11 June 2007 (UTC)


 * 1) No free equivalent. - in the case of DW, no.
 * 2) Respect for commercial opportunities - as a screenshot of a 45 minute work, it can't replace the copyrighted work.
 * 3) * Minimal use. - used once as of yet.
 * 4) * Resolution/fidelity. - Follows the image guidelines at WP:WPDW
 * 5) Previous publication. - was in the BBC special trailer.
 * 6) Content. Non-free content meets general Wikipedia content requirements and is encyclopedic. - indeed.
 * 7) Media-specific policy. The material meets Wikipedia's media-specific policy. - yes.
 * 8) One-article minimum. Non-free content is used in at least one article. - done.
 * 9) Significance. It does indeed give context into his role in Doctor Who, which is talked about in the paragraph itself, in as much detail as possible.
 * 10) Restrictions on location. - done.
 * 11) Image description page. - Rationale is okay.
 * 1) Image description page. - Rationale is okay.

The thing about the key role - looking at his filmography, it is a rather major role regardless. Will (talk) 17:21, 11 June 2007 (UTC)
 * Well, that's fine for 1-8 then. So, is there a problem (ie is someone going to invent criteria 9-15) or can the image go in the article?--Rambutan (talk) 17:53, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

Still doesn't meet #8, because it's a non-descript image. 81.104.175.145 15:55, 13 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Seems to me the image might be usable 'below the fold', directly next to the part of the article discussing this role, if the role is considered sufficiently notable to attract significant discussion in the article. But, per WP policy, it is not appropriate as the primary image of the man in the infobox accompanying the lead.  For a living individual, that should be a free image or none at all.  Jheald 18:26, 25 June 2007 (UTC)
 * Hmm, I just removed the image before looking at this talk. I had no idea this had a recent sort of edit war. In the infobox this image fails Non-free content criteria for sure, since it's an image of a living person which could be replaced by a free content image. Garion96 (talk) 20:49, 26 June 2007 (UTC)
 * He's not reclusive, so I suppose the image as illustration would be appropriate. Still not persuaded that his appearance in DW is anything more than a guest feature, and certainly not a "key role" (he was in Gladiator, FFS).  81.104.175.145 20:29, 27 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Quite. Not a key role. Some theatrical roles should be listed in box up too. --Peter cohen 20:43, 27 June 2007 (UTC)

The Golden Compass
For some reason Jacobi is not on the list of cast on IMDB, but then again the Cast list does look incomplete. He has been seen clearly in the Teaser Trailer for the film saying at one point "Her loyalty must be put to the test" or something along those lines. He also appears in the Comic Con preview on the The Golden Compass website. I'm unsure to what role he is playing, probably the Head of the 'Magisterium' who does not appear in Northern Lights but he, in character, appears to be helping Fra Pavel and Mrs. Coulter. I think this film should be added to the Recent Works section in the article. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.43.180.170 (talk • contribs)


 * Hmm, that's definitely him in the trailer. Ok, he's back in the filmography section.  --Mark H Wilkinson (t, c) 19:36, 16 August 2007 (UTC)

CBE? KBE?
I happened to see the following information in BBC Drama Faces - Derek Jacobi website. "He was knighted in 1992 and in 1994 he was created a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire."

I guess he is a KBE, not a CBE? Gnayshkr3020 (talk) 20:11, 29 November 2007 (UTC)


 * No, he's a Knight Bachelor (i.e. not in any chivalric order), not a KBE. See the "Honours" section, and the reference given there, the London Gazette is the defintive paper of record, so it's the Beeb that's wrong (it does happen).  The CBE should also be listed and referenced there I suppose.  David Underdown (talk) 22:29, 29 November 2007 (UTC)

Danish Knighthoods?
I haven't seen anything mentioning the Danish honors for either Jacobi or Laurence Olivier; is there a listing somewhere? (I am presuming - since several other fairly famous names are on the list of non-royal recipients - that they both received the Order of the Elephant...?) --Joshmaul (talk) 07:58, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * It's given a passing mention in the first (Britannica) reference, doesn't say what order. David Underdown (talk) 12:43, 13 March 2008 (UTC)
 * the article on the order of the elephant lists all current members. all are royal personages and jacobi is not listed.Toyokuni3 (talk) 16:36, 18 April 2009 (UTC) (UTC)


 * Sent and email to the Danish embassy in London. The reply, from the cultural and press officer, was that according to the Deputy Private Secretary to the Queen (of Denmark), Jacobi was awarded the rank of Knight 1st class of the Order of the Dannebrog in 1989. The reply email also said they had attached a copy of the official record of the award, but I could find no attachment. I am putting the text of the reply email below. Hope that helps as a source.


 * Having talked with the Deputy Private Secretary to the Queen in Copenhagen, I can inform you that Sir Derek G Jacobi in 1989 received the honour as Knight of 1st Class of the Order of Dannebrog. I have attached the official writing from the Archive in Copenhagen, it is in Danish, though, but I'm sure you might get one of your colleagues from Scandinavian Studies at Edinburgh University to help with the translation.


 * The reason why you might have had some difficulties finding he on the web is due to the fact that up upon three years ago, the official list of receivers of the Order of Dannebrog only included Danish people, the foreign receivers were hidden.


 * Hopefully this will put an end to the discussion.


 * Best regards,
 * DORIT AHLER KNUDSEN
 * INFORMATION OFFICER/PRESS, CULTURE, & INFORMATION
 * DIRECT +44 (0) 207 333 0269
 * ROYAL DANISH EMBASSY
 * 55 SLOANE STREET, LONDON / SW1X 9SR


 * Zjanes (talk) 12:59, 24 April 2009 (UTC)

Iron Sky
Does anybody know exactly what "Iron Sky" is, and what Derek Jacobi's relationship is to it? There are a number of YouTube videos titled "Iron Sky" quite clearly featuring him, but I haven't found any further information on it. Anyone? The Last Melon (talk) 07:16, 18 January 2009 (UTC)

Cadfael Series-no particular mention?
I see that the Cadfael series is listed under Sir Derek Jacobi's work but no particular mention is made of his role as Brother Cadfael. Not only does the character (developed by Ellis Peters) have his own page but Sir Derek is featured as in a photo, while in character, as Brother Cadfael. I believe, there should be mention made of this role. --irshgrl500 (talk) 20:47, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Gay?
I can't imagine him being gay. Is that reliable information? I see no sources. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 206.78.50.75 (talk) 22:02, 24 February 2010 (UTC)

Yes, Sir Derek is indeed gay. He and his long-time companion, classical actor Richard Clifford, celebrated their union in a civil ceremony in 2006, four months after same–sex unions became legal in Great Britain. See http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001394/bio Nancyd560623 (talk) 19:39, 22 May 2010 (UTC)

I just corrected the appalling 'openly gay' to simply 'gay'. If someone isn't open about it, then how would we know? To say 'openly' also seems anti-gay, like it's committing an offense against the moral standards of the rest of us. How dare they be open???


 * Please sign and date your posts.
 * "Openly gay" is a carryover from the days when being gay was not officially OK, so anyone who was open about it was the exception rather than the rule, and it made sense to acknowledge that our knowledge of the person's gayness came from their own lips rather than from our inferences. (Even today, many gay people choose not to tell the world about it in so many words.)  I agree that "openly gay" has become inappropriate.  We should nevertheless always show a source that permits us to describe a person as "gay", and if that happens to be their openness about it, so be it.  --   Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  22:28, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

OPPOSITION TO "METHOD ACTING"
Can anyone substantiate Jacobi's views on "method acting," and in particular his use of Stanislavski's book Creating a Character, intead of An Actor Prepares? He gave a lengthy speech/interwiew on this, but I cannot find the source.

Thank you.

Alvin P. Bluthman —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.9.56.203 (talk) 14:51, 27 September 2010 (UTC)

Octavius Caesar
Who is Octavius Caesar? Gaius Iulius Caesar Octavianus? Is there a confusion with emperor Claudius, whom Jacobi portrayed in I, Claudius? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.131.90.167 (talk) 21:43, 3 March 2011 (UTC)
 * He played Octavius Caesar in Antony and Cleopatra, Prospect Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, 1977. 76.22.32.86 (talk) 04:56, 13 August 2011 (UTC)

Link to civil partner incorrect
Sorry, I don't know how to fix this - perhaps someone with more skills could do so.

The link to Mr Jacobi's civil partner in the line... "In March 2006, he registered his civil partnership with partner Richard Clifford" links to the Bishop-elect of Bath and Wells who died in 1421. I assume this is an error! CoeurDeHamster (talk) 17:41, 14 August 2011 (UTC)
 * Fixed, thanks. --John (talk) 17:49, 14 August 2011 (UTC)

Update added, details needed
Added, (but should be re-done by somebody who knows what they're doing)

(per http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1695366/)
 * He is listed as a principle star in the April 2012 twelve-part mini-series Titanic: Blood and Steel.

Knighthood
Being awarded the Knight 1st class of the Order of the Dannebrog doesn't confer any "knighthood" in sense that term is used in the UK. In Denmark, recipients of the various state orders are completely separate from the Danish nobility. Nobility is legally recognised, but no longer conferred to new families/individuals in Denmark (except the royal family). Knights of the Order of the Dannebrog and other orders are not considered nobles and hence not as a "knights" in its proper sense (the Danish nobility is historically derived from the class of knights and squires). Themichier (talk) 18:40, 13 September 2012 (UTC)

Assessment comment
Substituted at 13:15, 29 April 2016 (UTC)

Role in good omens?
I noticed that under the header Career - 2000-present, his role as the Metatron in Good Omens is missing. I'm not very sure what is and isn't signifcant enough, but I think this should be mentioned. Can someone who knows more about wikipedia decide if this is significant enough, and if it is, put it in the article? Thanks! Rocktessel (talk) 07:44, 24 November 2023 (UTC)