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Photo of Simon Callow

Simon Callow

Actor, Director, Writer, Additional CreditsBorn June 13, 1949 (76 years)
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+

Movies & Shows on Plex

  • Midsomer Murders
  • Plebs
  • Blue Iguana
  • Bright Young Things
  • George and the Dragon
  • Bob the Butler
  • Unhitched
  • Love's Kitchen
  • Bedrooms and Hallways
  • Golden Years
  • Surprised by Oxford
  • Doctor Jekyll
  • Miss in Her Teens
  • Rag Tale
  • George III: The Genius of the Mad King

Known For

  • Amadeus
  • Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
  • Four Weddings and a Funeral
  • The Phantom of the Opera
  • James and the Giant Peach
  • A Room with a View
  • No Man's Land
  • Maurice
  • Street Fighter
  • Christmas Carol: The Movie
  • Thunderpants
  • Postcards from the Edge
  • Chemical Wedding
  • Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2
  • Hampstead
  • Viceroy's House
  • Blue Iguana
  • The Ballad of the Sad Cafe
  • The Amazing Mr Blunden
  • Bob the Butler
  • The Pay Day
  • Mr. & Mrs. Bridge
  • Unhitched

Featured Videos

    Filmography

    2025
    Eternal Return · as Malcolm
    2025
    Étoile (TV Series) · as Crispin Shamblee
    2024
    The Holiday List · as Samuel
    2024
    The Boy That Never Was (TV Series) · as Cozimo
    2024
    2023
    2023
    2023
    Surprised by Oxford · as Dr. Sterling
    2022
    The Pay Day · as Gates
    2022
    2022
    Dodger (TV Series) · as Archbishop Of Canterbury
    2021
    The Amazing Mr Blunden · as Mr. Blunden
    2021
    Hawkeye (2021) (TV Series) · as Armand Duquesne Iii
    2021
    2021
    The Cleaner (2021) (TV Series) · as Mr. Abahassine
    2021
    2021
    Tweaks · as Morgan
    2020
    2019
    The Witcher (TV Series) · as Codringher
    2018
    The Dead Room · as Aubrey Judd
    2018
    2018
    Secrets of Britain's Great Cathedrals (TV Series) · as Narrator
    2018
    Blue Iguana · as Uncle Martin
    2018
    Claude (TV Series) · as Sir Bobblysock
    2017
    2017
    2017
    Victoria & Abdul · as Mr. Puccini
    2017
    Hampstead · as Judge
    2017
    Viceroy's House · as Cyril Radcliffe
    2017
    2016
    The Rebel (2016) (TV Series) · as Henry Palmer
    2016
    Golden Years · as Royston
    2015
    2015
    Galavant (TV Series) · as Edwin The Magnificent
    2015
    2014
    Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule · as Narrator (voice)
    2014
    2014
    Outlander (TV Series) · as Duke Of Sandringham
    2014
    2014
    Brian Pern (TV Series) · as Bennet St. John
    2014
    Inside No. 9 (TV Series) · as Dick
    2013
    Crackanory (TV Series) · as Host
    2013
    Plebs (TV Series)
    2013
    Sarah & Duck (TV Series) · as Poetry Pete
    2012
    2012
    Them From That Thing (TV Series) · as Various
    2012
    Playhouse Presents (TV Series) · as Dudley
    2012
    Acts of Godfrey · as Godfrey
    2011
    Death in Paradise (TV Series) · as Larry South
    2011
    Late Bloomers · as Richard
    2011
    Love's Kitchen · as Guy Witherspoon
    2011
    2011
    Lily Allen: From Riches to Rags (TV Series) · as Narrator
    2011
    2011
    Ice · as Prime Minister
    2011
    Ice 2020 (2011) (TV Series) · as Prime Minister
    2010
    Arn: The Knight Templar (TV Series) · as Fader Henry
    2010
    This is Jinsy (TV Series) · as Threcker
    2009
    Anatomy of Hope · as Dr. George Griffen
    2008
    Chemical Wedding · as Haddo
    2008
    The Mr. Men Show (TV Series) · as Narrator (uk)
    2007
    Arn: The Knight Templar · as Father Henry
    2007
    The Company (TV Series) · as Mi6 Liaison Officer Elihu
    2007
    Surveillance 24/7 · as St John
    2007
    Roman Mysteries (TV Series) · as Pliny
    2007
    The Sarah Jane Adventures (TV Series) · as Tree Blathereen (voice)
    2006
    The Curse of King Tut's Tomb (TV Series) · as George Russell
    2006
    The Curse of King Tut's Tomb · as George Russell
    2006
    Lewis (TV Series) · as Vernon Oxe
    2005
    A Ghost Story for Christmas (TV Series) · as Aubrey Judd
    2005
    Ripley Under Ground · as Dean Bentliffe
    2005
    Rag Tale · as Cormac Rourke
    2005
    Rome (TV Series) · as Publius Servilius
    2005
    Unhitched · as Big-Time Publisher
    2005
    2005
    Doctor Who (2005) (TV Series) · as Charles Dickens
    2005
    2005
    Bob the Butler · as Mr. Butler
    2004
    Agatha Christie's Marple (TV Series) · as Colonel Melchett
    2004
    2004
    Retrosexual: The '80s (TV Series) · as Cast
    2004
    Shoebox Zoo (TV Series) · as Wolfgang The Wolf (voice) / Hunter The Horse (voice)
    2004
    2003
    2003
    Angels in America (TV Series) · as Prior Walter Ancestor #2
    2003
    Bright Young Things · as King Of Anatolia
    2002
    2002
    Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairy Tale (TV Series) · as Charles Dickens
    2002
    Thunderpants · as Sir John Osgood
    2001
    Christmas Carol: The Movie · as Charles Dickens / Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)
    2001
    2001
    No Man's Land · as Colonel Soft
    2000
    Deadly Appearances · as Rick Spencer
    2000
    The Mystery of Charles Dickens · as Charles Dickens
    2000
    Around The World In 80 Days · as Phileas Fogg (voice)
    1999
    Notting Hill · as Simon Callow (uncredited)
    1999
    Around the World in 80 Days · as Phileas Fogg
    1998
    Shakespeare in Love · as Tilney
    1998
    1998
    The Scarlet Tunic · as Captain Fairfax
    1997
    Trial & Retribution (TV Series) · as Rupert Halliday
    1997
    Midsomer Murders (TV Series) · as Dr. Wellow
    1997
    The Woman In White · as Count Fosco
    1996
    Victory · as Zangiacomo
    1996
    Testament: The Bible in Animation (TV Series) · as Meneptah (voice)
    1996
    James and the Giant Peach · as Grasshopper (voice)
    1996
    Dennis the Menace and Gnasher (TV Series) · as Hugo Trenchfoot (voice)
    1995
    Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls · as Vincent Cadby
    1995
    Jefferson in Paris · as Richard Cosway
    1995
    England, My England · as Charles Ii
    1995
    El pasajero clandestino · as Major Owens
    1994
    Street Fighter · as A. N. Official
    1994
    Little Napoleons (TV Series) · as Edward Feathers
    1994
    1994
    In Ismail's Custody · as Actor And Director
    1993
    1992
    Soft Top Hard Shoulder · as Eddie Cherdowski
    1992
    Howards End · as Music And Meaning Lecturer (uncredited)
    1991
    The Trials of Oz · as John Mortimer
    1991
    The Crucifer of Blood · as Inspector Lestrade
    1991
    Performance (TV Series) · as John Mortimer
    1990
    Mr. & Mrs. Bridge · as Dr. Alex Sauer
    1990
    Postcards from the Edge · as Simon Asquith
    1989
    Agatha Christie's Poirot (TV Series) · as Dr. Lutz
    1988
    Manifesto · as Police Chief Hunt
    1987
    The Reluctant Dragon · as Dragon (voice)
    1987
    Maurice · as Mr. Ducie
    1987
    Inspector Morse (TV Series) · as Theodore Kemp
    1986
    David Copperfield (1986) (TV Series) · as Wilkins Micawber
    1986
    Screenplay (1986) (TV Series) · as Raimondi
    1986
    Dead Head (TV Series) · as Hugo Silver
    1985
    Behind Enemy Lines · as Sgt. Rudolf Rau
    1985
    A Room with a View · as The Reverend Mr. Beebe
    1985
    The Good Father · as Mark Varda
    1984
    Screen Two (TV Series) · as Nathanial Quass
    1984
    Amadeus · as Emanuel Schikaneder
    1984
    Chance in a Million (TV Series) · as Tom Chance
    1983
    Scarecrow and Mrs. King (TV Series) · as Hadfield 'haddy' Kemp
    1981
    The Man of Destiny · as Napoleon
    1975
    Get Some In! (TV Series) · as Wally
    1975
    Carry on Laughing (TV Series) · as 1st Crew Member
    1975
    The Sweeney (TV Series) · as Detective Sergeant
    1974
    NOVA (TV Series) · as Galileo
    1972
    Crown Court (TV Series) · as Raymond Craft
    1970
    Play for Today (TV Series) · as Max

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