Editing Derek Jacobi (section)

=== 1959–1979: Stage debut and breakthrough ===
[[File:Laurence Olivier (borders removed).jpg|thumb|left|170px|[[Laurence Olivier]] discovered Derek Jacobi, inviting him to join the [[Royal National Theatre]].]]
Jacobi's talent was recognised by [[Laurence Olivier]], who invited the young actor back to London to become one of the founding members of the new [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre]], even though at the time Jacobi was relatively unknown.<ref name="Grdn2022"/> He played [[Laertes (Hamlet)|Laertes]] in the [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre's]] inaugural production of ''[[Hamlet]]'' opposite [[Peter O'Toole]] in 1963.<ref name="Grdn2022"/> Olivier cast him as [[Michael Cassio|Cassio]] in the successful National Theatre stage production of ''[[Othello]]'', a role that Jacobi repeated in the [[Othello (1965 British film)|1965 film version]]. He played Andrei in the NT production and film of ''[[Three Sisters (1970 film)|Three Sisters]]'' (1970), both featuring Olivier. On 27 July 1965, Jacobi played Brindsley Miller in the first production of [[Peter Shaffer]]'s ''[[Black Comedy (play)|Black Comedy]]''. It was presented by the National Theatre at Chichester and subsequently in London.

After eight years at the National Theatre, Jacobi left in 1971 to pursue different roles. In 1972, he starred in the [[BBC]] serial ''[[Man of Straw&nbsp;(TV series)|Man of Straw]]'', an adaptation of [[Heinrich Mann]]'s book ''[[Der Untertan]]'', directed by [[Herbert Wise]]. Jacobi appeared in a somewhat comical role, as Lord Fawn, in eight episodes of the 26-episode mini-series ''[[The Pallisers]]'' for [[BBC Two]] in 1974. Most of his theatrical work in the 1970s was with the touring classical [[Prospect Theatre Company]], with which he undertook many roles, including ''[[Ivanov (play)|Ivanov]]'', ''[[Pericles, Prince of Tyre]]'' and ''[[A Month in the Country (play)|A Month in the Country]]'' opposite [[Dorothy Tutin]] (1976).

Jacobi was increasingly busy with stage and screen acting, but his big breakthrough came in 1976 when he played the title role in the BBC's series ''[[I, Claudius (TV series)|I, Claudius]]''. He cemented his reputation with his performance as the stammering, twitching [[Emperor Claudius]], winning much praise.<ref name="Grdn2022"/> In 1979, thanks to his international popularity, he took ''[[Hamlet]]'' on a theatrical world tour through England, [[Egypt]], Greece, Sweden, Australia, Japan and China, playing [[Prince Hamlet]]. He was invited to perform the role at [[Kronborg Castle]], Denmark, known as Elsinore Castle, the setting of the play. In 1978, he appeared in the [[BBC Television Shakespeare]] production of ''[[Richard II (play)|Richard II]]'', with Sir [[John Gielgud]] and Dame [[Wendy Hiller]].