Photo of Simon Cowell
Acting

Simon Cowell

Profession
Acting
Born
October 7, 1959 · Lambeth, 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.

Known for

The Simpsons poster
The Simpsons
Series · 1989 · ★ 8.0
Family Guy poster
Family Guy
Series · 1999 · ★ 7.4
Scary Movie 3 poster
Scary Movie 3
Film · 2003 · ★ 6.0
Scoob! poster
Scoob!
Film · 2020 · ★ 7.0
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping poster
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
Film · 2016 · ★ 6.6
One Direction: This Is Us poster
One Direction: This Is Us
Film · 2013 · ★ 8.2
Top Gear poster
Top Gear
Series · 2002 · ★ 7.6
Saturday Night Live poster
Saturday Night Live
Series · 1975 · ★ 6.9
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon poster
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Series · 2014 · ★ 5.8
One Chance poster
One Chance
Film · 2013 · ★ 6.7
America's Got Talent poster
America's Got Talent
Series · 2006 · ★ 5.7
Far Far Away Idol poster
Far Far Away Idol
Film · 2004 · ★ 6.3

Filmography