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Simon Callow

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
187

Gender
Male

Birthday
June 13, 1949 (77 years old)

Place of Birth
Streatham, London, England, UK

Simon Callow

Biography

Simon Phillip Hugh Callow CBE (born 15 June 1949) is an English actor. Known as a character actor on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades including an Olivier Award and Screen Actors Guild Award as well as nominations for two BAFTA Awards. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to acting by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999.

Callow rose to prominence originating the title role of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the 1979 Peter Shaffer play Amadeus, for which he received a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role nomination. Callow joined the Miloš Forman 1984 film adaptation, this time portraying Emanuel Schikaneder. In 1992, Callow won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director of a Musical for Carmen Jones. As an actor, he won acclaim for his comedic roles in A Room with a View (1985) and Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) earning a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role nomination for each. Other notable roles include in Maurice (1987), Howards End (1992), Shakespeare in Love (1998), and The Phantom of the Opera (2004).

His television roles include Tom Chance in the Channel 4 series Chance in a Million (1984) and The Duke of Sandringham in the series Outlander from 2014 to 2016. He portrayed Napoleon in The Man of Destiny (1981), and Charles Dickens in numerous television projects. He has also appeared on numerous shows such as Midsomer Murders, Rome, Angels in America, Doctor Who, Galavant, Hawkeye, and The Witcher.

Callow was born on 15 June 1949 in Streatham, South London, the son of Yvonne Mary (née Guise), a secretary and Neil Francis Callow, a businessman. His father was of French descent and his mother was of Danish and German ancestry. His father left when Simon was 18 months old, and he was brought up by his mother and grandmothers. He and his mother travelled to Northern Rhodesia (now called Zambia) when he was nine to try and reconcile with his father. This did not happen and Callow was sent for three years to boarding school in South Africa. He and his mother returned to Britain when he was twelve. He was raised as a Catholic. Callow was a student at the London Oratory School in West Brompton, and then went on to study briefly at Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland, where he was active in the gay liberation movement.[5] He gave up his degree course after a year to take a three-year acting course at the Drama Centre London.

He made his first film appearance in 1984 as Schikaneder in Amadeus. The following year, he appeared as the Reverend Mr Beebe in A Room with a View. His first television role was in the Carry On Laughing episode "Orgy and Bess" in 1975, but it was cut from the final print. He starred in several series of the Channel 4 situation comedy Chance in a Million, as Tom Chance, an eccentric individual to whom coincidences happened regularly. Roles like this and his part in Four Weddings and a Funeral brought him to a wider audience. Callow portrayed Pliny the Elder in CBBC's 2007 children's drama series, Roman Mysteries in the episode "The Secrets of Vesuvius". He played Armand Duquesne in Marvel's Hawkeye on Disney+.

Known For

Acting

2026The Man with the Planas William Beveridge
2026Eternal Returnas Malcolm
2025Étoileas Crispin Shamblee
2025Amadeus: The Making of a Masterpieceas Himself
2024Dame Maggie Smith - A Celebrationas Self
2024Aguskaas Patrick Carter
2024It's Christmas!as Samuel
2024Alec Guinness: A Class Actas self
2024The Boy That Never Wasas Cozimo
2024Merchant Ivoryas Self
2024Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2as Cavendish
2023Dodger Special: Coronationas Archbishop of Canterbury
2023Murder Ballads: How to Make It in Rock 'n' Rollas Richard O'Keefe
2023Doctor Jekyllas Journalist
2023Surprised by Oxfordas Dr. Sterling
2022The Pay Dayas Gates
2022American: An Odyssey to 1947as Self
2022Westminster Abbey: Behind Closed Doorsas Self - Narrator (voice)
2022The Fringe, Fame and Meas Self
2022The Marvellous Maggie Smith: A Celebrationas Self
2022Judi Dench: Our National Treasureas Narrator
2022Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Hawkeyeas
2021The Amazing Mr. Blundenas Mr. Blunden
2021Hawkeyeas Armand Duquesne III
2021Alexander Pope: Rediscovering a Geniusas Alexander Pope
2021The Cleaneras Mr. Abahassine
2021Classical Destinations: The Great Composersas narrator
2020Nutcracker Delights: English National Balletas Narrator
2019The Witcheras Codringher
2018The Dead Roomas Aubrey Judd
2018A Christmas Carolas
2018They'll Love Me When I'm Deadas Self
2018Blue Iguanaas Uncle Martin
2017Born Sillyas Narrator (voice)
2017Grindsploitation 3: Video Nastyas
2017The Man Who Invented Christmasas Leech
2017Victoria & Abdulas Mr. Puccini
201750 Years Legalas Self
2017Hampsteadas Judge
2017Tate Britain's Great Art Walksas Self
2017Viceroy's Houseas Cyril Radcliffe
2016Mindhornas Himself
2016There's Something About Romcomsas Self
2016The Rebelas Henry Palmer
2016Golden Yearsas Royston
2015Galavantas Edwin the Magnificent
2015Creditorsas
2014Rik Mayall: Lord of Misruleas Narrator (voice)
2014The First Silent Night: The Christmas Carol That United the Worldas Self - Host - Narrator
2014Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Wellesas Self - Actor and Welles' Biographer
2014Outlanderas Duke of Sandringham
2014Miss in Her Teensas The Author
2014Inside No. 9as Dick
2013The Sarah Millican Television Programme - Best of Series 1-2as Self
2013A Very British Murder with Lucy Worsleyas Self
2013Plebsas
2012Best Possible Taste: The Kenny Everett Storyas Dickie Attenborough
2012Them From That Thingas Various
2012Shakespeare's Sonnetsas
2012Playhouse Presentsas Dudley
2012Being Shakespeareas
2012Acts of Godfreyas Godfrey
2011The British Guide to Showing Offas Self
2011Death in Paradiseas Larry South
2011Late Bloomersas Richard
2011Love's Kitchenas Guy Witherspoon
2011Art of Freedomas Self
2011Lily Allen: From Riches to Ragsas Narrator
2011Jamie's Dream Schoolas Himself
2011Iceas Prime Minister
2011Iceas Prime Minister
2010The Unforgettable Harry Secombeas Self
2010Save Our Baconas The Swinesbury's Boss (voice)
2010Arn: The Knight Templaras Fader Henry
2009Orson Welles Over Europeas Himself - Presenter
2009The Addictions of Sin: WH Auden in His Own Wordsas Readings (voice)
2009Theatrelandas Self
2008Maggie Smith at the BBC: a portraitas Self
2008Q&Aas Self - Panellist
2008Chemical Weddingas Haddo
2007Arn: The Knight Templaras Father Henry
2007The Sarah Jane Adventuresas Tree Blathereen (voice)
2007The Companyas MI6 liaison officer Elihu
2007British Film Foreveras
2007Surveillance 24/7as St John
2007Roman Mysteriesas Pliny
2007Derren Brown: Trick or Treatas Himself
2007Lewisas Vernon Oxe
2007How Gay Sex Changed the Worldas Self
2006Phantom of the Opera: Behind the Maskas Self
2006The Madness of Boy Georgeas Narrator (voice)
2006The Curse of King Tut's Tombas George Russell
2006Reviving Harry Limeas Himself
2006The Curse of King Tut's Tombas George Russell
2006Great British Menuas Self - Guest Judge
2006Men of Mysteryas Himself
2005Ripley Under Groundas Dean Bentliffe
2005A Tribute To Ismail Merchantas Self (archive footage)
2005Revisiting Bridesheadas Narrator
2005Rag Taleas Cormac Rourke
2005The Best Manas Big-Time Publisher
2005The Civilization of Maxwell Brightas Mr. Wroth
2005Doctor Whoas Charles Dickens
2005Bob the Butleras Mr. Butler
2004Agatha Christie's Marpleas Colonel Melchett
2004The Phantom of the Operaas Andre
2004Shoebox Zooas Wolfgang the Wolf (voice) / Hunter the Horse (voice)
2004George and the Dragonas King Edgar
2003Angels in Americaas Prior 2
2003Angels in Americaas Prior Walter Ancestor #2 (uncredited)
2003Thank You, Doctor Reyas Bob
2003Bright Young Thingsas King of Anatolia
2002Galileo’s Battle for the Heavensas Galileo
2002The Mystery of Charles Dickensas Charles Dickens
2002Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairytaleas Charles Dickens
2002Thunderpantsas Sir John Osgood
2001Christmas Carol: The Movieas Charles Dickens / Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)
2001Don't Eat the Neighboursas
2001No Man's Landas Colonel Soft
2000Deadly Appearancesas Rick Spencer
2000Animated Epics: Don Quixoteas Don Quixote
2000Around The World In 80 Daysas Phileas Fogg (voice)
1999Loose Womenas Self
1999Notting Hillas Simon Callow (uncredited)
1998Shakespeare in Loveas Tilney
1998Bedrooms and Hallwaysas Keith
1998The Scarlet Tunicas Captain Fairfax
1998Parkinsonas Self
1997The Woman In Whiteas Count Fosco
1997The Woman In Whiteas Count Fosco
1997Trial & Retributionas Rupert Halliday
1997Midsomer Murdersas Dr. Wellow
1996Victoryas Zangiacomo
1996Testament: The Bible in Animationas Meneptah (voice)
1996Mosesas Meneptah II (voice)
1996James and the Giant Peachas Grasshopper (voice)
1996Dennis the Menace and Gnasheras Hugo Trenchfoot (voice)
1996An Audience with Charles Dickensas Charles Dickens
1995Ace Ventura: When Nature Callsas Vincent Cadby
1995Jefferson in Parisas Richard Cosway
1995El pasajero clandestinoas Major Owens
1995England, My Englandas Charles II
1994Street Fighteras A. N. Official
1994Little Napoleonsas Edward Feathers
1994Four Weddings and a Funeralas Gareth
1993Camp Christmasas
1993Femme Fataleas Vicar Ronnie
1993Soft Top Hard Shoulderas Eddie Cherdowski
1992Howards Endas Music and Meaning Lecturer (uncredited)
1991The Trials of Ozas John Mortimer
1991The Crucifer of Bloodas Inspector Lestrade
1991Performanceas John Mortimer
1990Mr. & Mrs. Bridgeas Dr. Alex Sauer
1990Postcards from the Edgeas Simon Asquith
1990Old Flamesas Nathanial Quass
1989Revolutionary Witnessas Franciscus Palloy
1989Agatha Christie's Poirotas Dr. Lutz
1988Manifestoas Police Chief Hunt
1987The Reluctant Dragonas Dragon (voice)
1987Mauriceas Mr. Ducie
1987Actingas
1987Cariani and the Courtesansas Raimondi
1987Inspector Morseas Theodore Kemp
1986The Christmas Treeas Jacob Weinberg
1986David Copperfieldas Wilkins Micawber
1986ScreenPlayas Raimondi
1986Split Screenas
1986A Room with a Viewas The Reverend Mr. Beebe
1986Dead Headas Hugo Silver
1985The Good Fatheras Mark Varda
1985Honour, Profit & Pleasureas George Frideric Handel
1985Screen Twoas Nathanial Quass
1984Royal Variety Performance 1984as
1984Amadeusas Emanuel Schikaneder
1984Chance in a Millionas Tom Chance
1984Saturday Reviewas Self
1981The Man of Destinyas Napoleon
1979Instant Enlightenment Including VATas Maximillian
1979Question Timeas Himself - Panellist
1977The Sunday Dramaas The Prince
1976Victorian Scandalsas Duval
1975Carry On Laughingas Crew Member
1975The Sweeneyas Detective Sergeant
1974NOVAas Galileo
1971A Ghost Story for Christmasas Aubrey Judd
1967Omnibusas Self
The Reformation of Sister Edithas Abbot Pentecost

Production

2018Secrets of Britain's Great Cathedrals...Creator
2018A Christmas Carol...Writer
2009Orson Welles Over Europe...Writer
2002Richard Rodgers: Some Enchanted Evening...Director
1991The Ballad of the Sad Cafe...Director
About A Bell...Director