Simon Pegg

English actor, writer and comedian 'Simon Pegg' (qv) was born Simon John Beckingham in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, to Gillian Rosemary (Smith), a civil servant, and John Henry Beckingham, a jazz musician. His parents divorced when Pegg was seven. He later took his stepfather's surname, "Pegg". He was educated at Brockworth Comprehensive Secondary School in Gloucestershire and went on to Stratford-upon-Avon College to study English literature and performance studies. He then attended the University of Bristol, and earned a bachelor's degree in drama. In the early 1990s, Pegg moved to London and began forging a successful career in stand-up comedy. Television opportunities followed including roles in _Six Pairs of Pants (1995)_ (qv), _Asylum (1996)_ (qv) and _We Know Where You Live (1997)_ (qv). In 1999, Pegg and 'Jessica Hynes' (qv) teamed up to write and star in cult sitcom _Spaced (1999)_ (qv), directed by 'Edgar Wright' (qv). The series also featured Pegg's best friend, 'Nick Frost' (qv). Pegg's breakthrough in film came with the zom-rom-com _Shaun of the Dead (2004)_ (qv), which he also co-wrote with director 'Edgar Wright' (qv). Again, the film featured 'Nick Frost' (qv). The trio also scored a hit with police comedy _Hot Fuzz (2007)_ (qv). Further film successes followed for Pegg, notably in the iconic role of Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in _Star Trek (2009)_ (qv) and alongside 'Tom Cruise' (qv) in _Mission: Impossible III (2006)_ (qv) and _Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)_ (qv).::Anonymous