Simon Callow
A British theatrical force of nature whose booming voice and intellectual passion brought classics to life and demystified the craft of acting.
Born 1949 (age 77)·British actor·Birthday: June 15·Baby Boomers
Biography
Simon Callow is not just an actor; he is a one-man celebration of the theatrical arts. Bursting onto the London stage in the 1970s, his physical presence and vocal command made him a natural for larger-than-life roles, most notably his career-making performance as Mozart in the original stage production of 'Amadeus'. Callow refuses to be confined, moving seamlessly from Charles Dickens on screen to a hapless vicar in 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'. Offstage, he is a prolific biographer of Orson Welles and Charles Laughton, and a director of opera and theatre, driven by a missionary zeal to explain and share the magic of performance. His work is a testament to the power of enthusiasm married to formidable skill.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Simon was born in 1949, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Simon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1949
#1 Movie
Samson and Delilah
Best Picture
All the King's Men
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Simon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1949Born
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1954Started school
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1962Became a teenager
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Could drive
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1967Could vote
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Turned 21
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1979Turned 30
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 40
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 50
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 60
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 70
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 77 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an Olivier Award for his performance in the one-man show 'The Mystery of Charles Dickens'.
- Authored a definitive multi-volume biography of filmmaker Orson Welles.
- Originated the role of Mozart in Peter Shaffer's play 'Amadeus' on the London stage.
- Was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to acting.
Did You Know?
He is openly gay and wrote one of the first autobiographies by a British performer to discuss his sexuality openly.
He trained as a stage director but his acting career took off before he could pursue it full-time.
He provided the voice for the villainous Grand High Witch in the 1990 film adaptation of 'The Witches'.
He is a skilled magician and member of The Magic Circle.
“Theatre is a sacred space for me. The audience is a vital component, they are the other actor in the play.”
