Simon Callow

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).