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Simon Phillip Hugh Callow, CBE (born 15 June 1949) is an English actor, writer and theatre director. He is also currently a judge on Popstar to Operastar. Callow was born in Streatham, London, UK, the son of Yvonne Mary (née Guise), a secretary, and Neil Francis Callow, a businessman. His father was of English and French descent and his mother was of Danish and German ancestry. He was brought up Roman Catholic. Callow attended the London Oratory School and then went on to study at The Queen's University of Belfast ('Queen's') in Northern Ireland before giving up his degree course to go... MORE

Simon Phillip Hugh Callow, CBE (born 15 June 1949) is an English actor, writer and theatre director. He is also currently a judge on Popstar to Operastar. Callow was born in Streatham, London, UK, the son of Yvonne Mary (née Guise), a secretary, and Neil Francis Callow, a businessman. His father was of English and French descent and his mother was of Danish and German ancestry. He was brought up Roman Catholic. Callow attended the London Oratory School and then went on to study at The Queen's University of Belfast ('Queen's') in Northern Ireland before giving up his degree course to go into acting at the Drama Centre London. Callow's immersion in the theatre began after he wrote a fan letter to Sir Laurence Olivier, the Artistic Director of the National Theatre, and received a response suggesting he join their box office staff. It was while watching actors rehearse that he realised he wanted to act. Callow made his stage debut in 1973, appearing in The Thrie Estates at the Assembly Hall Theatre, Edinburgh. In the early 1970s he joined the Gay Sweatshop theatre company and performed in Martin Sherman's critically acclaimed Passing By. In 1977 he took various parts in the Joint Stock LESS