Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell

Acting • Born 1959-10-07

Acting2Lambeth, London, England, UK

Biography

Simon Phillip Cowell (born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the founder and sole owner of the British entertainment company Syco and is the creator of the X Factor and Got Talent franchises. He has judged on the British television talent competition shows Pop Idol (2001–2003), The X Factor UK (2004–2010, 2014–2018) and Britain's Got Talent (2007–present), and the American television talent competition shows American Idol (2002–2010), The X Factor US (2011–2013) and America's Got Talent (2016–present). After some success in the 1980s and 1990s as a record producer, talent agent and consultant in the UK music industry, Cowell came to public prominence in 2001 as a judge on Pop Idol, a talent television show which he and its creator Simon Fuller successfully pitched to ITV Controller of Entertainment Claudia Rosencrantz. He subsequently created The X Factor in 2004 and Got Talent in 2006, which have become successful television franchises sold around the world. Cowell often makes blunt and controversial comments as a television music and talent show judge, including insults and wisecracks about contestants and their singing abilities. He combines activities in both the television and music industries. Cowell has produced and promoted successful singles and albums for various recording acts whom he has signed and taken under his wing, including Little Mix, James Arthur, Labrinth, Leona Lewis, Fifth Harmony, Il Divo, Olly Murs, Noah Cyrus, Cher Lloyd, Fleur East, Ella Henderson, and Susan Boyle. He has also signed successful boy bands such as Westlife, One Direction, PrettyMuch, and CNCO. In 2004 and 2010, Time named Cowell one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2008, The Daily Telegraph ranked him sixth in their list of the "100 most powerful people in British culture".The same year, he received the Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards.At the 2010 British Academy Television Awards, Cowell received the BAFTA Special Award for his "outstanding contribution to the entertainment industry and for his development of new talent". In 2018, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the television category. Description above from the Wikipedia article Simon Phillip Cowell, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Filmography

87 credits
Scary Movie 3

Scary Movie 3

Movie • 2003

Simon Cowell

Julia Scotti: Funny That Way

Julia Scotti: Funny That Way

Movie • 2020

Self (archive footage)

The X Factor Revealed: The Greatest Auditions Ever

The X Factor Revealed: The Greatest Auditions Ever

Movie • 2004

Self

Susan Boyle:  An Unlikely Superstar

Susan Boyle: An Unlikely Superstar

Movie • 2011

Self

Far Far Away Idol

Far Far Away Idol

Movie • 2004

Simon Cowell (voice)

Family Guy Presents: Stewie Kills Lois and Lois Kills Stewie

Family Guy Presents: Stewie Kills Lois and Lois Kills Stewie

Movie • 2009

Simon Cowell (voice)

American Idol: The Search For A Superstar

American Idol: The Search For A Superstar

Movie • 2002

Judge

Stock Aitken Waterman: Legends of Pop

Stock Aitken Waterman: Legends of Pop

Movie • 2023

Self

Square Roots: The Story of SpongeBob SquarePants

Square Roots: The Story of SpongeBob SquarePants

Movie • 2009

Self (archive footage)

Who Shot Simon Cowell?

Who Shot Simon Cowell?

Movie • 2017

Simon Cowell

American Idol: The Best of Seasons 1-4

American Idol: The Best of Seasons 1-4

Movie • 2005

Self - Judge (archive footage)

P!NK: Staying True

P!NK: Staying True

Movie • 2013

Self

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Movie • 2016

Simon Cowell

Harry Hill's TV Burp Gold 3

Harry Hill's TV Burp Gold 3

Movie • 2010

Self (archive footage)

Britain's Greatest Hoaxer

Britain's Greatest Hoaxer

Movie • 2017

Self

American Idol: The Worst of Seasons 1-4

American Idol: The Worst of Seasons 1-4

Movie • 2005

Self - Judge

One Direction: This Is Us

One Direction: This Is Us

Movie • 2013

Self

The Kylie Show

The Kylie Show

Movie • 2007

Self

Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives

Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives

Movie • 2017

Self

Darci Lynne: My Hometown Christmas

Darci Lynne: My Hometown Christmas

Movie • 2018

The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story

The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story

Movie • 2019

Self - Talent Scout

The National Television Awards Celebrate 25 Years

The National Television Awards Celebrate 25 Years

Movie • 2020

Self

20 Moments That Rocked Talent Shows

20 Moments That Rocked Talent Shows

Movie • 2015

Self (archive footage)

Scoob!

Scoob!

Movie • 2020

Simon Cowell (voice)

Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story

Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story

Movie • 2006

Self

Ant and Dec's 30 Greatest Moments

Ant and Dec's 30 Greatest Moments

Movie • 2020

Self (archive footage)

One Direction: A Year in the Making

One Direction: A Year in the Making

Movie • 2011

Self (archive footage)

Made in Miami

Made in Miami

Movie • 2018

Self

Top Gear

Top Gear

TV • 2002

Self

This Morning

This Morning

TV • 1988

Self

The Simpsons

The Simpsons

TV • 1989

Simon Cowell (voice)

Pop Idol

Pop Idol

TV • 2001

Self - Judge

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

TV • 2003

Self

Family Guy

Family Guy

TV • 1999

Simon Cowell (voice)

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

TV • 2003

Self

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

TV • 1988

Self - Guest

Punk'd

Punk'd

TV • 2003

Self

The View

The View

TV • 1997

Self

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

TV • 1992

Self

Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway

Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway

TV • 2002

Self

The Paul O'Grady Show

The Paul O'Grady Show

TV • 2004

The Celebrity Apprentice

The Celebrity Apprentice

TV • 2004

World Idol

World Idol

TV • 2003

Self

MADtv

MADtv

TV • 1995

Self

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

TV • 1993

Self - Guest

On Air with Ryan Seacrest

On Air with Ryan Seacrest

TV • 2004

Self

The Frank Skinner Show

The Frank Skinner Show

TV • 1995

Self

So Graham Norton

So Graham Norton

TV • 1998

Self

GMTV

GMTV

TV • 1993

Self

The Story of Light Entertainment

The Story of Light Entertainment

TV • 2006

Self

E!'s 101

E!'s 101

TV • 2003

Self

Cupid

Cupid

TV • 2003

Britain's Got More Talent

Britain's Got More Talent

TV • 2007

Self

Britain's Got Talent

Britain's Got Talent

TV • 2007

Self - Judge

2009 Game Show Awards

2009 Game Show Awards

TV • 2009

Self (archive footage)

The Late Late Show with James Corden

The Late Late Show with James Corden

TV • 2015

Self

America's Got Talent

America's Got Talent

TV • 2006

Self - Judge

America's Got Talent: Extreme

America's Got Talent: Extreme

TV • 2022

Self - Judge

Kate Garraway's Life Stories

Kate Garraway's Life Stories

TV • 2009

America's Got Talent: The Champions

America's Got Talent: The Champions

TV • 2019

America's Got Talent: Fantasy League

America's Got Talent: Fantasy League

TV • 2024

Self - Judge

Late Night with Seth Meyers

Late Night with Seth Meyers

TV • 2014

Self

When Louis Met...

When Louis Met...

TV • 2000

Self

The Jennifer Hudson Show

The Jennifer Hudson Show

TV • 2022

Self

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

TV • 2014

Self

The Reichen Show

The Reichen Show

TV • 2005

Self

The X Factor

The X Factor

TV • 2004

Self - Judge

OBJECTified

OBJECTified

TV • 2017

Self

American Idol

American Idol

TV • 2002

Self - Judge

The X Factor Celebrity

The X Factor Celebrity

TV • 2019

Self - Judge

Entertainment Tonight

Entertainment Tonight

TV • 1981

Self

Britain's Got Talent: The Champions

Britain's Got Talent: The Champions

TV • 2019

Judge

The Kelly Clarkson Show

The Kelly Clarkson Show

TV • 2019

Self

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

TV • 1975

Self - Cameo (uncredited)

Stock Aitken Waterman: Legends of Pop

Stock Aitken Waterman: Legends of Pop

TV • 2023

Self

America's Got Talent: All-Stars

America's Got Talent: All-Stars

TV • 2023

Self - Judge

The X Factor The Band

The X Factor The Band

TV • 2019

Self - Judge

Loose Women

Loose Women

TV • 1999

Self (voice)

Britain's Got Talent: Unseen

Britain's Got Talent: Unseen

TV • 2020

Judge

The X Factor

The X Factor

TV • 2011

Self - Judge

The Simpsons

The Simpsons

TV • 1989

Henry (voice)

Boybands Forever

Boybands Forever

TV • 2024

Self

1D Day

1D Day

TV • 2013

Self

Canada's Got Talent

Canada's Got Talent

TV • 2022

Self - Guest Judge

The X Factor: Battle of the Stars

The X Factor: Battle of the Stars

TV • 2006

Self - Judge

Simon Cowell: The Next Act

Simon Cowell: The Next Act

TV • 2025

Self - Host

Late Show with David Letterman

Late Show with David Letterman

TV • 1993

Self - Guest

Simon Cowell – Filmography & Biography – Critifan