Simon Phillip Hugh Callow, CBE (born 15 June 1949 ) is an English stage, film and television actor.
He was awarded C.B.E. (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honors List for his services to drama.
He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1992 (1991 season) for Best Director of a Musical for "Carmen Jones".
He was awarded the Patricia Rothermel Award at the 1999 London Evening Standard Theatre Awards for his outstanding services to theatre.
Started acting after Sir Laurence Olivier's insistence that if he wanted to act, he should take a job at the box office of the Old Vic Theatre in London.
Played the role of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the stage version of "Amadeus" before appearing in the film version, in which he played "Emmanuel Schikaneder", who appeared in the first performance of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" and wrote the opera's libretto.
Played Charles Dickens and the voice of "Ebeneezer Scrooge" in the 2001 animated movie, Christmas Carol: The Movie (2001), before playing Charles Dickens once again in the 2006 revival of "Doctor Who" (2005).
In the Independent on Sunday 2006 Pink List - a list of the most influential gay men and women - he came no. 28, down from 26.
Callow is the author of numerous books, including a biography of Charles Laughton, a book on acting and, most recently, a multi-volume biography of Orson Welles.
His first television role was to have been that of 'First Crew Member' in "Carry on Laughing!" (1975) {Orgy and Bess (#1.4)}. His scene was ultimately cut from the episode, although his name remains listed in the closing credits.
