Cliff Simon, who played the villain Ba-al on the TV series “Stargate SG 1”, died in a kite-boarding accident on Tuesday at Topanga Beach in Los Angeles.
His wife Collette reported her death on her Facebook page, writing “For friends, family and fans,
It is with unimaginable sadness that I am sharing with you that my beloved husband, Cliff Simon, passed away at 12:30 pm on Tuesday, March 9, 2021. He was in Topanga Beach, California and unfortunately died after a tragic kitesurfing accident. He was known to most of you on this page as the villain you loved to hate, Ba’al, from Stargate SG-1. But, as he said, “acting is what I do, it is just a part of who I am”.
“And he was much more – a true original, an adventurer, a sailor, a swimmer, a dancer, an actor, an author. There is a hole where he was on this earth. He was loved by many to mention and had a great impact on many lives. He was an incredible and much loved brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend. “
Born in South Africa, Simon competed in swimming and gymnastics. After moving to Britain, he competed in Olympic swimming events, but decided to return to South Africa, where he enlisted in the Air Force. After leaving the Air Force, Simon found a job as a windsurfing and water skiing teacher as a resort, where he was recruited to participate in a show. He performed around the world as a gymnast, then became a dancer at the Moulin Rouge in Paris. He wrote a book based on his experiences, called “Paris Nights: My Year at the Moulin Rouge”.
Returning from Paris, Simon was cast in the South African TV series “Egoli – Place of Gold” before moving to Hollywood. After a cameo in “Nash Bridges”, he won the role of “Ba’al”, staying on the show for five seasons.
He returned to the role in the 2008 Stargate SG1 film, “Continuum”. Simon also starred in “Castle”, “NCIS”, “The Americans”, “Days of Our Lives” and “24.”