Simon MacCorkindale, a man of refined features and a commanding presence, was born in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, to a family with a strong military background. His father, Peter, was an Air Force pilot, and Simon initially followed in his footsteps by joining the Air Training Corps. However, his deteriorating eyesight forced him to explore alternative career paths.
Simon's interest in the performing arts led him to take drama classes after high school, and he subsequently attended the prestigious Haileybury and Imperial Service College in Hertfordshire in the late 1960s. He honed his craft on the repertory theatre stage, eventually making his West End debut in the acclaimed production of "Pygmalion" alongside Alec McCowen and Diana Rigg in 1974.
Simon's early television career included appearances in notable miniseries such as "I, Claudius" (1976) and "Jesus of Nazareth" (1977). His breakthrough in film came with the role of the charming and cunning shipboard suspect in the all-star whodunnit "Death on the Nile" (1978),followed by similar roles in films like "The Riddle of the Sands" (1979).
The 1980s saw Simon venture into Hollywood, where he found his patrician good looks well-suited for television. He took on series roles in soap operas like "Falcon Crest" (1981) and adventures like "Manimal" (1983). Since then, Simon has delved into stage projects, both as a director and actor, with notable performances in "Macbeth" and "The Merchant of Venice".
Much of the last decade was spent starring as a doctor in the British television series "Casualty" (1999). Simon was married to actress Susan George and produced a few of her films. Together, they raised Arabian horses and focused on a variety of personal projects. However, Simon's life was cut short when he lost his battle with bowel cancer in October 2010, at the age of 52.
