John Simm facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Simm
Simm in 2010
Born	John Ronald Simm (1970-07-10) 10 July 1970 (age 55) Leeds, England
Occupation	Actor director musician
Years active	1992–present
Notable work	Life on Mars, Doctor Who, Grace
Spouse(s)	Kate Magowan ​ (m. 2004)​
Children	2

John Ronald Simm (born July 10, 1970) is an English actor, director, and musician. He is famous for his roles as the time-traveling detective Sam Tyler in Life on Mars and as the villainous Master in the popular science-fiction show Doctor Who. He also stars as the detective Roy Grace in the TV series Grace.

Simm has appeared in many other TV shows, including State of Play, The Lakes, and Cracker. His film roles include Wonderland, Human Traffic, and 24 Hour Party People. For his acting, he has been nominated twice for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor, one of the highest honors in British television.

Early Life and Education

John Ronald Simm was born in Leeds, England, and was the oldest of three children. He grew up in several towns in northwest England, including Blackpool and Manchester. His father, Ronald Simm, was a musician. Starting at age 12, John would sing and play guitar with his father at local clubs.

In high school, his drama teacher inspired him to become an actor. He later went to college in Blackpool to study performing arts. There, he starred in famous musicals like Guys and Dolls and West Side Story. However, he decided he preferred plays over musicals and joined a local drama group to improve his acting.

At 19, Simm moved to London to study at the Drama Centre London. He learned a technique called method acting, where actors try to deeply understand and feel the emotions of the characters they play.

Acting Career

Simm's career is filled with many memorable roles on television, in movies, and on stage. He is known for playing complex and interesting characters.

Famous Television Roles

Simm's big break came with the TV series The Lakes in 1997. He became even more famous for playing Cal McCaffrey in the political thriller State of Play in 2002.

In 2006, he starred in the hit BBC series Life on Mars. He played Sam Tyler, a modern-day police officer who mysteriously wakes up in the year 1973. The show was a huge success and earned Simm a nomination for a BAFTA Award.

A year later, in 2007, Simm took on one of his most famous roles. He played the Master, the main enemy of the Doctor in the TV show Doctor Who. He first appeared in the episode "Utopia" and returned for several more episodes, including the 2009 special "The End of Time" and again in 2017.

More recently, Simm has played the main character, DSU Roy Grace, in the crime drama Grace, which started in 2021. The show is based on a popular series of books.

Movie and Stage Work

Besides television, Simm has also acted in many films. In 1999, he starred in Wonderland and the cult classic Human Traffic. In 24 Hour Party People (2002), he played Bernard Sumner, the frontman of the band New Order.

Simm is also a talented stage actor. He has performed in many plays in London's West End. In 2007, his performance in the play Elling earned him a nomination for an Olivier Award, a top prize for theatre. He has also played famous characters like Hamlet and Macbeth in major stage productions.

Music Career

For many years, Simm was a member of a rock band called Magic Alex. He was a songwriter and guitarist for the group. The band even toured with the famous group Echo & the Bunnymen.

Simm has also worked with other musicians. He played guitar for Ian McCulloch, the singer of Echo & the Bunnymen, on his solo album. In 2002, he performed the Joy Division song "Digital" live on stage with the band New Order. Magic Alex split up in 2005 so Simm could focus more on his acting career.

Personal Life

In 2004, Simm married actress Kate Magowan. They have acted together in several films and TV shows, including 24 Hour Party People and Exile. The couple has two children, a son and a daughter.

Simm is a big fan of the Manchester United football club.

Selected Work

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: John Simm para niños