Cliff Simon

South African actor (1962–2021)

Cliff Simon (7 September 1962 – 9 March 2021) was a South African actor, best known for his portrayal of Ba'al in Stargate SG 1.

Simon was born in Johannesburg, the fourth child of Emmanuelle and Phylis Simon. Both of his parents are of Jewish ancestry from Poland and Lithuania. He attended Sandringham Primary School and Sandringham High School in Johannesburg. In 1975, Simon's parents decided to emigrate to the United Kingdom, due to the then current turmoil in Africa. It was there that Simon completed his schooling and was chosen to swim on the British international squad. He competed in Olympic trials and qualified for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The University of Houston and Southern Methodist University in Texas offered him scholarships, where he trained with the United States swimming team, the Mustangs. This could have culminated in his competing in the 1984 Olympic Games. However, he never made it into the games.

In 1982, after serving his two year term in the air force, he landed a job teaching windsurfing and waterskiing at a resort hotel. A stage show was in production at the resort, and Simon was informed by one of the performers that the choreographer was looking for a gymnast. While studying drama, Simon secured himself a modelling agent and enjoyed success in ramp, print, and television commercials. Simon received recognition as a model in South Africa and was asked to enter the Mr. South Africa talent and action man competition. On winning this competition in 1992, Simon was offered an audition on the television series, Egoli: Place of Gold. After three months as guest star on the show, he accepted a lead role which he continued for six years. Ba'al became a recurring character for six seasons and was featured in the 2008 Stargate movie Stargate: Continuum. In 2015, Simon appeared in a video as Ba'al for the conservation group, Sea Shepherd. In July 2015, Simon was cast in a supporting role in the sci fi/thriller film Project Eden. In 2019, Simon presented the travelogue documentary Into the Unknown (Uncharted Mysteries UK title) which premiered on The History Channel in the UK on 24 February 2020. The premise of that show was solo global travel, searching for hidden clues to "history's most nightmarish myths."

In 1997, Simon and his wife Collette were married in a game lodge in South Africa. In 2005, Simon became a United States citizen. in Topanga, California on 9 March 2021 at the age of 58.