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John Simm

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This article is about the English actor John Simm. For those of a similar name, see John Sim (disambiguation).
John Simm
Simm in 2010
Born
John Ronald Simm

(1970-07-10) 10 July 1970 (age 54)
Leeds, England
Occupations
  • Actor
  • director
  • musician
Years active1992–present
Notable workLife on Mars, Doctor Who, Grace
Spouse
​
(m. 2004)​
Children2

John Ronald Simm[1] (born 10 July 1970) is an English actor, director, and musician. He is best known for playing Sam Tyler in Life on Mars, the Master in Doctor Who, and DS Roy Grace in Grace. His other television credits include State of Play, The Lakes, Crime and Punishment, Exile, Prey, and Cracker. His film roles include Wonderland, Everyday, Boston Kickout, Human Traffic and 24 Hour Party People. He has twice been nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor

Early life

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John Ronald Simm was born on 10 July 1970 in Leeds,[2] the eldest of three children. In 2024, he discovered that the man he had always thought of as his father, Manchester musician Ronald Simm, was not his biological parent, and that it was a man called Terry Smith.[3] From the age of 12, Simm sang and played guitar with Ronald on stage in working men's clubs.[4] He grew up in Lancashire in numerous places around northwest England, including Blackpool, Burnley, Colne, Manchester, and Nelson. He attended Edge End High School in Nelson, where he was inspired by his drama teacher Brian Wellock.[5] In 1986, he enrolled in a three-year performing arts course at Blackpool and The Fylde College in Blackpool.[6] He starred in Guys and Dolls and West Side Story at Blackpool's Grand Theatre.[7] After appearing in the next college musical, The Boyfriend, he decided that musical theatre did not interest him, and joined an amateur dramatic group to hone his skills in his spare time, playing the title roles in Billy Liar and Amadeus.[7] He then moved to London at the age of 19 to train at the Drama Centre London, where he studied Stanislavski's system of method acting.[4]

Career

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In 1992, Simm made his professional acting debut playing the role of Joby Johnson in an episode of the TV series Rumpole of the Bailey.[8] He appeared as a psycho in The Bill, as lovestruck schoolboy Richard Francis in Heartbeat, and as a drugged-up burglar in The Locksmith.[8] From 1993, he played the lead role of Kendle Bains in two series of the BBC sitcom Men of the World. In 1995, he undertook the role of Gary Kingston, a deluded murderer, in Chiller.[9]

In 1995, Simm played the troubled teenager Bill Preece in ITV police drama Cracker. He also made his feature film debut in Boston Kickout, which won the Palmarés (Best) Feature Film award at the 11th Cinema Jove - Valencia International Film Festival 1996.[10]

In 1996, he made his professional stage debut in the Simon Bent play Goldhawk Road at the Bush Theatre, directed by Paul Miller. In 1997 - 1999, he played lead role of Danny Kavanagh in The Lakes,[9] a BBC series written by Jimmy McGovern. In 1999, he starred as Jip in the award-winning cult clubbing film Human Traffic[9] and as Eddie in Michael Winterbottom's Wonderland.

In 2000, he starred in the opening episode of the BBC drama Clocking Off, written by Paul Abbott, with whom he would work again in 2002 when he starred as Cal McCaffrey in the multi-award-winning political thriller series State of Play. Simm also played the lead role of loan shark John Parlour in Tony Marchant's Never Never for Channel 4.

In 2002, Simm featured in the film 24 Hour Party People as New Order frontman Bernard Sumner.[9] It was also this year that he played Raskolnikov in the BBC adaptation of Crime and Punishment, adapted by Tony Marchant. Marchant also wrote The Knight's Tale, one of a series of modern reworkings of The Canterbury Tales, in which Simm played Ace. Later that year, Simm starred opposite Christina Ricci and John Hurt in the film Miranda.

In 2004, he played the researcher and charity investigator Daniel Appleton in the BAFTA award-winning Channel 4 drama Sex Traffic, which followed the plight of two young Moldovan sisters sold into sexual slavery: earning Simm a best actor nomination at the 20th Gemini Awards.[11] After playing Dr. Bruce Flaherty in Howard Davies' production of Joe Penhall's Blue/Orange, Simm starred as Detective Inspector Sam Tyler in the 2006 BBC series Life on Mars, playing a police officer sent back in time to 1973. The show won the Pioneer Audience Award for Best Programme at the 2007 BAFTA TV Awards, Simm was nominated but lost out on the award for Best Actor.[12]

In March 2007, he starred in Channel 4's The Yellow House, a biographical drama produced by Talkback Thames, about the turbulent relationship of artists Vincent van Gogh (Simm) and Paul Gauguin (John Lynch) when they shared a home named The Yellow House for several months;[13] the production is based on Martin Gayford's book, also titled The Yellow House.[14] In the same year, Simm returned to the theatre as the title character in Paul Miller's acclaimed Bush Theatre staging of Simon Bent's version of Elling, a comedy about two men just out of a psychiatric hospital adjusting to normal life and to each other.[15] Following positive press reviews and an extended, sell-out run, the production was transferred to the Trafalgar Studios in July 2007[16] and Simm was nominated for an Olivier Award for his performance.

In 2007, Simm was cast by Russell T Davies to play an incarnation of the Master, the nemesis of the Doctor, in the long-running BBC series Doctor Who. He appeared in the final three episodes of the third series: "Utopia", "The Sound of Drums", and "Last of the Time Lords". When originally cast, it was announced that he would be playing a character by the name of Mr. Saxon, a name that was later revealed as an alias of The Master.[17] He reprised the role in the 2009 two-part special, "The End of Time".[18][19] In 2008, he played Edward Sexby in The Devil's Whore, a four-part English Civil War epic for Channel 4. He performed at the Royal Variety Performance with Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller, and starred in the film Skellig, in 2009.

Simm became involved in an ongoing project with Michael Winterbottom called Everyday, to be filmed in real time over five years. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2012, and was in competition at the 2013 London Film Festival. Simm returned to the West End stage in autumn of 2009 to critical acclaim, starring in the Andrew Bovell play Speaking in Tongues at the Duke of York's Theatre.

In September 2010, Simm played Hamlet at the Sheffield Crucible.[20]

In 2011, Simm starred in Mad Dogs on Sky 1. He played Baxter in the project, that reunited him with Philip Glenister and Marc Warren along with Max Beesley and Ben Chaplin. Mad Dogs became a critical and ratings success and received a BAFTA nomination for best drama serial, and a second and third series were commissioned. The second series was shot in Mallorca and Ibiza in late 2011, and appeared on Sky 1 in January 2012, the same time as the third series was being shot in South Africa. A final series aired in January 2014. On BBC One in May 2011, Simm starred as Tom Rondstadt in Exile, alongside Jim Broadbent, Olivia Colman, and his wife, Kate Magowan. His performance earned him his second BAFTA nomination for Best Actor.[21]

From 17 May to 9 June 2012, Simm starred as Jerry[22] in a revival of Harold Pinter's Betrayal at the Crucible Theatre.[23] He played John Middleton in The Village, a six-part BBC drama which portrays life in a Derbyshire village during World War I.[24]

From May to August 2013, he returned to Trafalgar Studios in London's West End to star opposite Simon Russell Beale in a new production of Harold Pinter's The Hothouse, directed by Jamie Lloyd. He then completed work on the three-part thriller, Prey, in which he plays detective Marcus Farrow. The mini-series began airing on 28 April 2014 on ITV. The second series starred Philip Glenister in the leading role.

In February 2014, Simm began filming the BBC America eight-parter Intruders in Vancouver, British Columbia. He plays ex-LAPD officer Jack Whelan. The series aired on BBC America in August 2014, and also starred Mira Sorvino, James Frain and Millie Bobby Brown. It was cancelled after only one season. In addition to this, he completed the second season of The Village in Derbyshire. Later that year, Simm played Alec Jeffreys, the man who discovered DNA fingerprinting, in Code of a Killer, a two-part drama for ITV.

In 2015, he took a break from the screen to concentrate on theatre. He appeared for the first time at The National Theatre, playing the role of Rakitin to great acclaim, in Patrick Marber's Three Days in the Country, (a version of Turgenev's A Month in the Country) and was reunited with Jamie Lloyd, playing the role of Lenny in the 50th anniversary production of Harold Pinter's The Homecoming in London's West End.

In 2016, Simm was invited to the US to act in The Catch for ABC. Starring Mireille Enos and Peter Krause, the show was executive produced by Shonda Rhimes and filmed at Sunset Bronson studios and on location around Los Angeles. Simm played the character of Rhys Griffiths, a recurring character in season 1 and a regular in season 2.

On 6 April 2017, the BBC confirmed that Simm would be reprising his role as the Master in the tenth series of Doctor Who; he appeared in the two-part finale, "World Enough and Time" and "The Doctor Falls".[25]

In 2018, he starred as Dan Bowker opposite Adrian Lester in Mike Bartlett's Trauma on ITV. The same year he also played the role of Labour MP David Mars in Collateral, written by David Hare, opposite Carey Mulligan and Billie Piper for the BBC. He then starred in Strangers on ITV, starring as Jonah Mulray, a professor whose life comes crashing down when his wife is killed in a car crash in Hong Kong.

In 2018/2019, Simm returned to the West End stage in Jamie Lloyd's staging of Pinter at the Pinter—a groundbreaking season of Harold Pinter's one-act plays. He starred in Pinter Six, consisting of Party Time and Celebration.[26]

In 2019, he played the title role of Macbeth at the Chichester Festival Theatre.[27] later that year it was announced he would be reprising his role as the Master again in Masterful, an audio drama from Big Finish Productions.[28]

In 2021, Simm played the title role of DS Roy Grace in Grace, a Russell Lewis adaption, based on Peter James's best-selling crime fiction series novels.[29]

In 2024, Simm will play Ebenezer Scrooge in Jack Thorne's adaptation of A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic, directed by Matthew Warchus.

Music

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Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Simm was a founding member, songwriter, and guitarist with the rock band Magic Alex;[30] the band was named after "Magic Alex" Mardas, a Greek electronics engineer best known for his work with the Beatles.[31] The group played support on two British tours with Echo & the Bunnymen.[30] Simm plays guitar on the album Slideling by his friend, Echo & the Bunnymen singer Ian McCulloch. In 2002, at a live concert in Finsbury Park, he sang the Joy Division song "Digital" onstage with New Order. He also played lead guitar on a few of McCulloch's solo live shows, including one at Wembley Arena as the main support to Coldplay. Magic Alex released one album, Dated and Sexist, before splitting in 2005, after Simm decided to concentrate on acting.[30]

Personal life

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In April 2004, Simm married actress Kate Magowan in the Forest of Dean. Simm and Magowan have appeared together in four films: 24 Hour Party People, Is Harry On The Boat?, the award-winning short film Devilwood and the heist thriller Tuesday, as well as in the BBC Series Exile. They have two children, a son and a daughter.[32]

Simm is a supporter of Manchester United FC.[33]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1995 Boston Kickout Phil
1997 Diana & Me Neil
1999 Human Traffic Jip
Wonderland Eddie
2001 Understanding Jane Oz / Party Stonehead 2
2002 24 Hour Party People Bernard Sumner
Miranda Frank
2004 Ten Minute Movie Nick Short film
2005 Brothers of the Head Boatman
2006 Devilwood Gabriel Short film
2008 Tu£sday Silver
2012 Everyday Ian Ferguson Filmed in real-time over five years
2020 Joey Joey Short film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1992 Rumpole of the Bailey Joby Jonson Series 7; Episode 4: "Rumpole and the Reform of Joby Jonson"
1993 Oasis Posh Robert 7 episodes
Heartbeat Richard Francis Series 2; Episode 9: "Wall of Silence"
The Bill Paul Jeffries Series 9; Episode 95: "Blind Spot"
1994 A Pinch of Snuff Clint Heppelwhite Mini-series; Episodes 1–3
Screen One Cecil Series 6; Episode 5: "Meat"
1994–1995 Men of the World Kendle Bains Series 1–2; 12 episodes. Credited as Series 1 title song singer, together with David Threlfall
1995 Chiller Gary Kingston Episode 3: "Here Comes the Mirror Man"
Cracker Bill Nash Series 3; Episodes 4 & 5: "Best Boys: Parts 1 & 2"
1997 The Locksmith [34] Paul Mini-series; Episodes 1, 3 & 4
1997–1999 The Lakes Danny Kavanagh Series 1 & 2; 14 episodes
2000 Forgive and Forget Theo Television film
Clocking Off Stuart Leach Series 1; Episode 1: "The Leaches' Story"
Meet Ricky Gervais Himself Episode 6
Never Never John Parlour Episodes 1 & 2
2001 Spaced Stephen Edwards Series 2; Episode 1: "Back"
Is Harry on the Boat? Prize Winner Television film. (Uncredited role)
2002 Magic Hour Alex Television film
Crime & Punishment Raskolnikov 2-part television film
White Teeth Mr. Hero Mini-series; Episode 1: "The Peculiar Second Marriage of Archie Jones"
2003 State of Play Cal McCaffrey Mini-series; Episodes 1–6
The Canterbury Tales Ace Mini-series; Episode 3: "The Knight's Tale"
2004 The All Star Comedy Show Various roles Television film. Pilot for Monkey Trousers
Imperium: Nero Caligula Television film
Sex Traffic Daniel Appleton Mini-series; Episodes 1 & 2
2005 Blue/Orange Dr. Bruce Flaherty Television film
2006–2007 Life on Mars DI Sam Tyler Series 1–2; 16 episodes
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor[12]
2007 The Yellow House Vincent van Gogh Television film
2007, 2009–2010, 2017 Doctor Who The Master / Harold Saxon Series 3 & 10, & 2009 Christmas Special; 7 episodes
2008 The Devil's Whore Edward Sexby Mini-series; Episodes 1–4
2009 Skellig Dave Television film
2010 Moving On Moose / Mike Series 2; Episode 4: "Malaise"
2011 Exile Tom Ronstadt Mini-series; Episodes 1–3
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor[21]
2011–2013 Mad Dogs Lloyd Baxter Series 1–4; 14 episodes
2012 Father's Day Dave Television film
2013–2014 The Village John Middleton Series 1 & 2; 12 episodes
2014 Prey DS Marcus Farrow Series 1; Episodes 1–3
Royal Television Society North West Award for "Best Male Performance"
Intruders Jack Whelan Episodes 1–8
2015 Code of a Killer Dr. Alec Jeffreys Mini-series; Episodes 1 & 2
Toast of London Himself Series 3; Episode 6: "Global Warming"
2016–2017 The Catch Rhys Griffiths Series 1 & 2; 15 episodes
2018 Trauma Dan Bowker Mini-series; Episodes 1–3
Collateral David Mars MP Mini-series; Episodes 1–4
Strangers Jonah Mulray Episodes 1–8
2020 Cold Courage Arthur Fried Episodes 1–8
2021–2022 Irvine Welsh's Crime Mr. Confectioner / Gareth Horsborough Series 1 & 2; 4 episodes
2021–present Grace DSU Roy Grace Title role. Series 1–4; 12 episodes
2023 Starstruck Martin Series 3; Episode 3
Hilda Anders (voice) Series 3; Episodes 1–8
TBA I, Jack Wright Gray Wright Post-production[35]

Stage

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Year Title Role Notes
1996 Goldhawk Road Colin Bush Theatre
2007 Elling Elling Bush Theatre
Trafalgar Studios 1
2009 Speaking in Tongues Leon[36] Duke of York's Theatre
2010 Hamlet Hamlet[37] Crucible Theatre
2012 Betrayal Jerry[22] Crucible Theatre
2013 The Hothouse Gibbs Trafalgar Studios
2015 Three Days in the Country Rakitin National Theatre, London (Lyttelton auditorium)
The Homecoming Lenny Trafalgar Studios
2018 Party Time / Celebration Harold Pinter Theatre – Pinter at the Pinter Season
2019 Macbeth Macbeth[27] Chichester Festival Theatre (September/October 2019)
2024 A Christmas Carol Ebenezer Scrooge The Old Vic

Music videos

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Year Title Artist Role Notes
2002 Here to Stay New Order Bernard Sumner Closing track from the film 24 Hour Party People
2009 So Low Matt Berry Album: Witchazel
2013 Some Better Day I Am Kloot Album: Let It All In
2019 God Has Taken a Vacation The Leisure Society Album: Arrivals & Departures

Discography

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Album

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Year Title Artist Role
2006 Dated and Sexist Magic Alex Guitar and backing vocals

Singles

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Year Title Artist Role
2003 "Sliding" Ian McCulloch Guitar
2015 "Older" / "Outside" Magic Alex Guitar and backing vocals

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2005 20th Gemini Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series Sex Traffic - Part 1 Nominated [11]
2007 Monte-Carlo Television Festival Golden Nymph - Outstanding Actor - Drama Series Life on Mars (British TV series) Nominated [11]
Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Actor Nominated [11]
53rd British Academy Television Awards BAFTA Award for Best Actor Nominated [11][12]
2008 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actor in a Play Elling at Trafalgar Theatre Nominated [38]
2012 58th British Academy Television Awards BAFTA Award for Best Leading Actor Exile Nominated [11][21]
Royal Television Society Awards Best Actor - Male Nominated [11]

References

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  1. ^ "JOHN SIMM Ltd people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".
  2. ^ "BFI Screenonline: Simm, John (1971-) Biography". BFI Screenonline. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  3. ^ "John Simm has been 'left questioning everything' after life-changing discovery on DNA series". Independent. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b Marshall, Ben (14 July 2013). "On my radar: John Simm's cultural highlights". theguardian.com.
  5. ^ "Brian Wellock obituary". Lancashire Telegraph. 2 December 2006.
  6. ^ "A Q&A with actor John Simm". Financial Times. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  7. ^ a b "John Simm: 'I've never done therapy. Maybe I should,' says Grace and Life on Mars star". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  8. ^ a b "John Simm, career profile". telegraph.co.uk. 3 May 2011. Archived from the original on 7 May 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d Lobb, Adrian (8 May 2022). "John Simm: 'I got rid of the music and clubbing and got into some proper serious drama'". bigissue.com.
  10. ^ Marshall, Ben (1996). "11th Edition of Cinema Jove 1996". cinemajove.com.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "John Simm Awards". IMDB (Index source only). Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  12. ^ a b c "BAFTA TV Awards 2007". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  13. ^ "Talkback Thames news release". Talkback Thames. 15 November 2006. Archived from the original on 6 February 2007. Retrieved 5 February 2007.
  14. ^ Oliver, Robin (16 March 2008). "The Yellow House". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  15. ^ Gardner, Lyn (1 May 2007). "Elling". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  16. ^ "John Simm: The time of his life". Independent on Sunday. 11 February 2007. Archived from the original on 13 February 2007.
  17. ^ Rees, Jasper (17 April 2007). "Why I'm so furious with the BBC".
  18. ^ Lewinski, John Scott (4 April 2009). "Simm Returns as The Master in Doctor Who". Wired. Wired News. Retrieved 16 April 2009.
  19. ^ Colville, Robert (11 April 2009). "Russell T Davies Doctor Who interview: full transcript". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 21 October 2011.
  20. ^ John Simm on playing Hamlet Daily Telegraph, 14 September 2010
  21. ^ a b c "BAFTA TV Awards 2012". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  22. ^ a b "Betrayal at Sheffield Theatres". Sheffieldtheatres.co.uk. 9 June 2012. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  23. ^ "London Theatre News, Reviews, Interviews and more". WhatsOnStage. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  24. ^ "The Village Press Pack", BBC Press Office, 19 March 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  25. ^ "John Simm to return as the Master in Doctor Who". BBC. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  26. ^ "John Simm, Rupert Graves and Maggie Steed join Pinter at the Pinter cast". WhatsOnStage. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  27. ^ a b "Macbeth". Chichester Festival Theatre. 14 February 2019. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  28. ^ "John Simm joins Big Finish for Doctor Who: Masterful – News – Big Finish". Bigfinish.com. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  29. ^ "John Simm to star in adaptation of Peter James' Grace for ITV". Radio Times. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  30. ^ a b c Hatterstone, Simon (11 September 2010). "John Simm: 'Sometimes I do feel underappreciated'". theguardian.com.
  31. ^ "John Simm: Clocks and robbers". Total SciFi. 1 February 2007. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011.
  32. ^ "Life On Mars star John Simm takes the stage to be near his children". Archived from the original on 21 February 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  33. ^ "Official Manchester United Website". Archived from the original on 23 March 2014.
  34. ^ Heritage, Stuart (12 November 2014). "Warren Clarke: A Life in Clips". TheGuardian.com. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  35. ^ Craig, David (27 August 2024). "Unforgotten creator reveals first look at new thriller I, Jack Wright". Radio Times. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  36. ^ "Speaking in Tongues, Duke of York's Theatre, London". The Independent. 1 October 2009. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  37. ^ "First Night: Hamlet, Sheffield Crucible". The Independent. 23 September 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  38. ^ "Olivier Winners 2008". officiallondontheatre.com. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
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