Scottish film and television actor (1931-1986)
Bill Simpson
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![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f1/Bill_Simpson_%28actor%29.jpg) |
Born
| William Nicholson Simpson
(
1931-09-11
)
11 September 1931
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Died
| 21 December 1986
(1986-12-21)
(aged 55)
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Notable work
| Dr. Finlay's Casebook
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Spouses
|
(
m.
1965;
div.
1969)
(
m.
1974;
div.
1982)
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Children
| 2
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William Nicholson Simpson
(11 September 1931 – 21 December 1986)
[1]
was a Scottish actor, best remembered for his portrayal of
the title role
in the long-running
BBC TV
series
Dr. Finlay's Casebook
.
Career
[
edit
]
Beginnings
[
edit
]
Simpson began his career as an
continuity announcer
and
newsreader
for
BBC Scotland
and
Scottish Television
.
[2]
[3]
His only appearance in a movie was as a non-speaking extra (his name was missing from the film credits) playing a bridegroom in the first remake of
John Buchan
's story
The 39 Steps
(1959), which starred
Kenneth More
as
Richard Hannay
.
[4]
He devoted the rest of his career to television,
radio
and
stage
.
In 1962
BBC
Television adapted
Robert Louis Stevenson
's novel
The Master of Ballantrae
in which Simpson played the part of Hastie in six 30-minute episodes.
[5]
Later that year, he took the role of Mr. Ogilvie in "Appearance in Court", an episode of the popular BBC
police drama
,
Z Cars
.
[6]
Dr Finlay's Casebook
[
edit
]
On 16 August 1962 the BBC began broadcasting its long-running
Scottish
medical drama
Dr Finlay's Casebook
, with an episode called "It's All in the Mind". Simpson played the title role of Dr Alan Finlay, and was supported by
Andrew Cruickshank
as Dr Cameron, his older partner at the Arden House surgery in
Tannochbrae
, and
Barbara Mullen
as their housekeeper, Janet. With locations at
Callander
in
Stirling
, Scotland, the show ran for eight
seasons
, the final episode, "The Burgess Ticket", being shown on 3 January 1971.
[7]
Simpson also starred in 104 audio episodes of the
A. J. Cronin
story, made by
BBC Radio 4
, from 1970 to 1975.
[8]
Later work
[
edit
]
After
Dr Finlay
finished its television run Simpson continued to work for the BBC. In 1973 he took a role as MacNair in the
Scottish independence
drama
series
Scotch on the Rocks
, which was broadcast in five 40-minute episodes.
[9]
In 1975 he appeared in one instalment of the BBC TV series
Quiller
. He played Sir Andrew Kilbrane, alongside
Michael Jayston
as Quiller, in an episode called "Target North", which involved the death of a government minister.
[10]
He also took the part of Rob Dow in the BBC's
Play of the Month
series on 2 November 1975, in an adaptation of
J. M. Barrie
's play
The Little Minister
, in which he co-starred with
Helen Mirren
and
Ian Ogilvy
.
[11]
Simpson had a feature part in "Happy New Year, Some Say", a 1976 episode of the
North East England
drama
When the Boat Comes In
, playing Sandy Lewis.
[12]
Simpson then made a complete series of
The Mackinnons
, taking the starring role of Donald, vet and head of the Mackinnon family, who live in the Scottish Highlands, and feel threatened by the influx of new people with new lifestyles into their community. "Whose Side Are You On?" was the first instalment of 13. Only one series was made.
[13]
In 1977?78 Simpson appeared on stage at the
Bradford Alhambra Theatre
in the
pantomime
Cinderella
, alongside
Charlie Drake
and
Dora Bryan
.
[14]
And in 1978, Simpson played Professor Edmund Bartlett in "The Imprudent Professor", an episode of
Return of the Saint
, which starred Ian Ogilvy as
Simon Templar
.
[15]
He next travelled to France and
West Germany
to shoot the 1979 television
mini-series
Kidnapped
,
[16]
a co-production between
HTV
in England, Technisonor of France and
Tele-Munchen
of Germany.
[17]
Simpson played James of the Glens.
[18]
In 1980 he was one of the stars who took part in the
ITV
variety show
performed in front of
Princess Margaret
,
Night of One Hundred Stars
, hosted by
Terry Wogan
.
[19]
Later that year, he appeared as Dr. Hugh McFarlane in the
Yorkshire Television
series
The Good Companions
, a "very unusual
musical
comedy drama
" based on the novel by
J. B. Priestley
, adapted by
Alan Plater
.
[20]
Given his history of heart problems, it is perhaps not surprising that Simpson became less busy around this time. He contributed less to television drama, and more to factual subjects, introducing the TV coverage of the
British Open Golf Championship
at
Royal Troon
in 1982, with
Peter Alliss
,
[21]
and presenting "Leadership Matters", a
middle management
corporate video
on behalf of The Industrial Society in 1984.
[22]
His final contributions to the performance side of television were 1983's
Tyne Tees Television
production,
Andy Robson: Lost and Found
, as Dr. George McKenzie;
[23]
then in 1984 the
Scottish Television
docu-drama
Scotland's Story: Mary and an End to the French Connection
, playing John Knox;
[24]
and one more, made in 1986, which he did not live to watch.
His role as a driver's boss in the TV drama,
Shoot for the Sun
,
[25]
was aired posthumously, on 16 March 1987.
[26]
Personal life
[
edit
]
Bill Simpson was born in
Dunure, Ayrshire
, one of 5 children (2 girls, 3 boys, of which he was the youngest). His father was an accountant who worked in
Ayr
, whilst his mother was a farmer's daughter. As a result, he spent every childhood holiday on his grandfather's farm.
[27]
He attended
Ayr Academy
and was raised an
Ayr United
fan, attending "every second Saturday" with his father and brothers.
[27]
On 24 July 1965 Simpson married the actress
Mary Miller
[1]
in
Callander
, near
Menteith
,
Scotland
and the couple bought a house there, called
Tamavoid
.
[28]
They divorced just four years later, having had no children. In the year leading up to his second marriage, to
Tracy Reed
on 17 April 1974, she gave birth to their first daughter, Kelly. They went on to have a second daughter, Katy, born in 1975.
[1]
The couple divorced in 1982.
Simpson died from
bronchopneumonia
, on 21 December 1986, at the age of 55,
[29]
in
Mauchline, East Ayrshire
.
[30]
Filmography
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
Birth, death and family details
:
thePeerage.com
website. Retrieved on 10 March 2008.
- ^
BBC Scotland announcer
, early career:
ZetaMinor.com
website. Retrieved on 10 March 2008.
- ^
https://wiki.scotlandonair.com/wiki/Bill_Simpson
- ^
The 39 Steps (1959 film)
, as a groom:
IMDB.com
website. Retrieved on 10 March 2008.
- ^
The Master of Ballantrae (1962 TV series)
, playing Hastie: IMDB.com website. Retrieved on 10 March 2008.
- ^
Z Cars (1962 TV series)
, episode "Appearance in Court", playing Mr. Ogilvie: IMDB.com website. Retrieved on 10 March 2008.
- ^
Dr. Finlay's Casebook (TV series, 1962?71)
, as Dr Alan Finlay: IMDB.com website. Retrieved on 10 March 2008.
- ^
"Dr. Finlay's Casebook 1962?1971 BBC"
. TVArk. Archived from
the original
on 20 August 2008
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"
Scotch on the Rocks
"
.
IMDb
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Quiller: Target North"
.
British Film Institute
. Archived from
the original
on 16 January 2009
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"BBC Play of the Month - The Little Minister"
.
IMDb
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"When the Boat Comes In - Happy New Year, Some Say"
.
IMDb
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"The Mackinnons: Whose Side Are You On?"
.
British Film Institute
. Archived from
the original
on 6 February 2009
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Bradford Pantomimes - Francis Laidler and Afterwards"
. Its-Behind-You.com
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Return of the Saint - The Imprudent Professor"
.
IMDb
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Die Abenteuer des David Balfour"
.
British Film Institute
. Archived from
the original
on 20 May 2009
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Peter Graham Scott"
.
The Independent
. London. 21 August 2007. Archived from
the original
on 12 April 2008
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Kidnapped (1978)"
.
IMDb
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Night of One Hundred Stars"
.
British Film Institute
. Archived from
the original
on 15 January 2009
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"The Good Companions (1980)"
.
IMDb
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"The Open Golf Championship 1982"
.
British Film Institute
. Archived from
the original
on 27 September 2012
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Leadership Matters"
.
British Film Institute
. Archived from
the original
on 3 June 2009
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Andy Robson: Lost and Found"
.
British Film Institute
. Archived from
the original
on 30 January 2009
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Scotland's Story: Mary and an End to the French Connection"
.
British Film Institute
. Archived from
the original
on 3 June 2009
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Shoot for the Sun (cast)"
.
British Film Institute
. Archived from
the original
on 27 September 2012
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Shoot For the Sun (transmission)"
.
British Film Institute
. Archived from
the original
on 27 September 2012
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
a
b
Bill Simpson
(1985). Kamm, Antony; Lean, Ann (eds.).
A Scottish Childhood: 70 Famous Scots Remember
. Glasgow: Collins. pp. 160?162.
ISBN
0-00-435696-9
.
- ^
"Dr Finlay's Casebook"
. TelevisionHeaven.co.uk website. Archived from
the original
on 9 July 2009
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
"Bill Simpson (I)"
.
IMDb
. Retrieved
14 June
2009
.
- ^
Place of death
:
BFI.org.uk
website. Retrieved on 10 March 2008.
External links
[
edit
]
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International
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National
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Other
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