Beginnings Simpson began his career as an
continuity announcer and
newsreader for
BBC Scotland and
Scottish Television. 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. 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. Later that year, he took the role of Mr. Ogilvie in "Appearance in Court", an episode of the popular BBC
police drama,
Z Cars.
''Dr Finlay's Casebook'' 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. Simpson also starred in 104 audio episodes of the
A. J. Cronin story, made by
BBC Radio 4, from 1970 to 1975.
Later work 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. In 1977–78 Simpson appeared on stage at the
Bradford Alhambra Theatre in the
pantomime Cinderella, alongside
Charlie Drake and
Dora Bryan. 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. He next travelled to France and
West Germany to shoot the 1979 television
mini-series Kidnapped, a co-production between
HTV in England, Technisonor of France and
Tele-München of Germany. Simpson played James of the Glens. 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. 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. 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, and presenting "Leadership Matters", a
middle management corporate video on behalf of The Industrial Society in 1984. 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; then in 1984 the
Scottish Television docu-drama ''Scotland's Story: Mary and an End to the French Connection'', playing John Knox; 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, was aired posthumously, on 16 March 1987. ==Personal life==