Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Simon Russell Beale, CBE (born 12 January 1961) is an English actor. He has been described as "the greatest stage actor of his generation."Beale was born to General Peter Beale, and Julia Winter in Penang, Malaya, where his father served as a physician. Several members of his family had careers in medicine. He was first drawn to performance when, at the age of eight, he became a chorister at St. Paul''s Cathedral, and a pupil at the adjoining St Paul''s Cathedral School.