Short, stocky triple-threat talent from the English stage. A deliciously rich character actor, Callow first won notice in 1979 when he originated the starring role of the abrasively immature Mozart in the National Theater's premiere production of Peter Shaffer's "Amadeus" and appeared as the opera impresario Emanuel Schikaneder in Milos Forman's film version (1984). He then went on to create a bevy of mostly comic supporting characters, notably in the Merchant-Ivory films based on E.M. Forster novels: "A Room With a View" (1986) as the Reverend Mr. Beebe and "Maurice" (1987) as schoolmaster Mr. Dulcie; he was also featured in their "Mr. and Mrs. Bridge" (1990) and played Meryl Streep's sharp-tongued film director in Mike Nichols' "Postcards From the Edge" (1990). Callow made an uncredited appearance as a music lecturer in James Ivory's well-received period drama "Howards End" (1992), played one half of a gay couple in the much talked about "Four Weddings and A Funeral" (1994), and--in a complete departure--showed up in the Jean-Claude Van Damme action feature "Street Fighter" (1994) as a pompous official of an international organization. He remained in Hollywood for a far more eagerly anticipated commercial venture: playing the hissable villain in "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls" (1995).
An established theater ("Shirley Valentine" on the London and Broadway stage), TV and opera director, Callow helmed his first feature, "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe" (1991) for the Merchant-Ivory team. He is also the author of the non-fiction books, "Being an Actor" (1984), "Charles Laughton: A Difficult Actor" (1988), "Shooting the Actor" based on a diary he kept during the shooting of Dusan Makavejev's "Manifesto" (1988) and "Orson Welles: The Road to Xanadu" (1995).
Profession(s):
Actor, director, author, translator, box office staffer
Sometimes Credited As:
Simon Philip Hugh Callow
Evening Standard Patricia Rothmere Award 1999
The Actor Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture "Shakespeare in Love" 1998
Olivier Award Best Director "Carmen Jones" 1991
2004 Cast opposite Dianne Wiest in "Merci Docteur Rey"
2004 Cast in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera," the screen adaptation of the long-running stage musical
2003 Cast in the HBO drama "Angels in America" based on the play by Tony Kushner
1998 - 2001 Cast as Rupert Halliday in the mini series "Trial & Retribution"
1998 Had supporting role as the Master of Revels (censor) in "Shakespeare in Love"
1998 Delivered an hilarious turn as the leader of a New Age Men's group in "Bedrooms & Hallways" (released in the USA in 1999)
1997 Starred on the London stage in "The Importance of Being Oscar", a one-man show about Oscar Wilde
1991 Made feature film directorial debut, "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe"
1988 Acted in TV-movie, "David Copperfield" for "Masterpiece Theater"
1986 First collaboration with Merchant-Ivory, "A Room With A View"
1983 Feature acting debut, "Gossip"
1979 Joined the National Theatre Company; where he originated the role of Mozart in their premiere production of "Amadeus"
1974 London stage debut at the Open Space
1973 Made professional stage debut in "The Thrie Estates" at the Assembly Hall, Edinburgh
1950 Father abandoned family eighteen months after Callow's birth (date approximate)
Born and raised in London
On the basis of a fan letter to Laurence Olivier, was offered and took a job in the National Theatre box office
In the mid-1970s joined a traveling acting group, the Gay Sweatshop
Performed in repertory productions at Lincoln and Edinburgh
Appeared on London stage in such productions as "Plumber's Progress", "The Doctor's Dilemma" and "Soul of the White Ant"
Appeared in such BBC specials as "Instant Enlightenment", "Wings of Song" and "Man of Destiny"
Director of such stage productions as "The Infernal Machine" (also translator) and "Jacques and His Master"
