Biography
It takes a special man to play the Saint -- the greatest British sleuth/secret agent/assassin since James Bond -- and who better to assume that sanctified role than Simon Dutton, whose names is pleasingly close to that of the Saint's alter ego, Simon Templar. Born in Buckinghamshire, England, Dutton began his acting career with a string of small roles after graduating from the prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama. His big break came in 1989 when he landed the titular role in the TV movie "The Saint: The Brazillian Connection." Five more Saint movies followed, helping make Dutton a Templar mainstay, as he has portrayed the character more times than any other actor with the exception of Roger Moore. Dutton continued to work after his "Saint" run ended. His other credits include memorable performances in the period dramas "Royal Blood: William The Conqueror" and "Dangerous Beauty," and playing an obsessed commander in "The Place of the Dead." Dutton's more recent roles almost harken back to his days as Templar, and include William Hester, an MI5 agent who is tasked to bring a retired colleague back into the fold in the short film "Now Retired," and debonair Alister from the chilling "Doctor Who" episode "The Time of Angels." Dutton joined British thespian royalty after a fashion when he married Tamsin Olivier, daughter of Dame Joan Plowright and the late Sir Laurence Olivier.
