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Dr. Finlay's Casebook (TV & radio)
Encyclopedia
Dr. Finlay's Casebook is a television series that was broadcast on the BBC
from 1962 until 1971. Based on A. J. Cronin
's novella entitled Country Doctor, the storylines centred on a general medical practice in the fictional Scottish town of Tannochbrae
during the late 1920s. Cronin was the primary writer for the show between 1962 and 1964.
, the junior partner in the practice, played by Bill Simpson
, Dr. Cameron, the craggy senior partner, played by Andrew Cruickshank
, Janet, their unflappable housekeeper and receptionist at Arden House, played by Barbara Mullen
. Other recurrent characters included Dr. Snoddie, Finlay's crusty detractor and Janet's admirer, played by Eric Woodburn, and gossipy Mistress Niven (the district nurse), played by Effie Morrison.
in Perthshire
, the very first six episodes were filmed in Tannoch Drive, Milngavie
, where the fictional Arden House was situated on the right-hand side as one approaches Tannoch Loch. It was the ducks on that loch
that formed part of the opening sequence of the programme. The preceding shot is of the Red Bridge over the River Teith
. In one of those first episodes, Dr. Finlay (Bill Simpson) crashed his old Bullnose Morris into the wall of Arden House—and that was not in the script. Another episode, filmed at night along Mugdock Road, found the local policeman, somewhat inebriated, on his bicycle in a scene with Dr. Snoddie. Only exterior scenes were filmed on location, the interiors being shot in various BBC studios in London.
with some of the same actors from the television programme. Twenty episodes were broadcast on BBC 7 in the autumn of 2003 and have been repeated annually since. In 2001 and 2002, BBC Radio 4
broadcast a version of the original Cronin stories using the titles, The Adventures of a Black Bag and Doctor Finlay - Further Adventures of a Black Bag ; these have been rebroadcast by BBC 7. The adaptations are set in Levenford, the original setting chosen by Cronin, rather than Tannochbrae. The role of Dr. Finlay was played by John Gordon Sinclair
. Dr. Cameron was played by Brian Pettifer
, and Janet was played initially by Katy Murphy
, and then by Celia Imrie
. David Tennant
was a frequent guest actor.
's march from A Little Suite. The other two movements from the Suite were often used as background music. The characters from the series are also featured in a song entitled Dr. Finlay by Andy Stewart
, which scored a minor Top 50 hit in 1965.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
from 1962 until 1971. Based on A. J. Cronin
A. J. Cronin
Archibald Joseph Cronin was a Scottish physician and novelist. His best-known works are Hatter's Castle, The Stars Look Down, The Citadel, The Keys of the Kingdom and The Green Years, all of which were adapted to film. He also created the Dr...
's novella entitled Country Doctor, the storylines centred on a general medical practice in the fictional Scottish town of Tannochbrae
Tannochbrae
Tannochbrae is a fictional town in Scotland which serves as the setting for A. J. Cronin's Dr. Finlay stories, as well as for the television and radio series based on these short stories....
during the late 1920s. Cronin was the primary writer for the show between 1962 and 1964.
Characters
The main characters were Dr. FinlayDr. Finlay
Dr. Finlay is a fictional character, the hero of a series of stories by Scottish author A. J. Cronin.-History:The stories were used as the basis for the long-running BBC television programme, Dr. Finlay's Casebook, screened from 1962 to 1971, and radio series . Based on Cronin's novella entitled...
, the junior partner in the practice, played by Bill Simpson
Bill Simpson (actor)
William Nicholson Simpson was a Scottish film and television actor, most famous for his portrayal of the title role in the long-running BBC TV series, Dr. Finlay's Casebook.-Beginnings:...
, Dr. Cameron, the craggy senior partner, played by Andrew Cruickshank
Andrew Cruickshank
Andrew John Maxton Cruickshank was a Scottish supporting actor, most famous for his portrayal of Dr Cameron in the long-running UK BBC television series, Dr Finlay's Casebook, which ran for 191 episodes from 1962 until 1971.-Life and career:Andrew Cruickshank was born to Andrew and Mary...
, Janet, their unflappable housekeeper and receptionist at Arden House, played by Barbara Mullen
Barbara Mullen
Barbara Mullen was an American actress well known in the UK for playing the part of Janet the housekeeper in Dr Finlay's Casebook...
. Other recurrent characters included Dr. Snoddie, Finlay's crusty detractor and Janet's admirer, played by Eric Woodburn, and gossipy Mistress Niven (the district nurse), played by Effie Morrison.
Cast
- Bill SimpsonBill Simpson (actor)William Nicholson Simpson was a Scottish film and television actor, most famous for his portrayal of the title role in the long-running BBC TV series, Dr. Finlay's Casebook.-Beginnings:...
as Dr. Alan Finlay - Andrew CruickshankAndrew CruickshankAndrew John Maxton Cruickshank was a Scottish supporting actor, most famous for his portrayal of Dr Cameron in the long-running UK BBC television series, Dr Finlay's Casebook, which ran for 191 episodes from 1962 until 1971.-Life and career:Andrew Cruickshank was born to Andrew and Mary...
as Dr. Angus Cameron - Barbara MullenBarbara MullenBarbara Mullen was an American actress well known in the UK for playing the part of Janet the housekeeper in Dr Finlay's Casebook...
as Janet MacPherson - Eric Woodburn as Dr. Snoddie
- Effie Morrison as Mistress Niven
- Neil Wilson as Sgt. Gilbey
- David MacmillanDavid MacmillanDavid Graeme Salveson Macmillan was a Scottish actor and advertising agent.He was privately educated and served as an army officer...
as Constable Dickie - Molly Urquhart as Matron
- Robert JamesRobert James (actor)Robert James was a Scottish actor, who was best known for his television work.Born in Paisley, Scotland, Robert James trained to be a lawyer, before being spotted by a professional director while doing amateur dramatics....
as Mr. Gibson - Delia Paton as Sister
- Bryden Murdoch as Galbraith
- Marigold Sharman as Mrs. Rae
- James Copeland as 'Hooky' Buchanan
- Helena Gloag as Mrs. Ballantyne
- Leonard MaguireLeonard MaguireLeonard Maguire was a Scottish actor. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Maguire had a long career, beginning in the 1940s. He died in 1997, aged 73, after a lengthy illness.-Career:...
as Lewis Gilbride - Calum Mill as Andrew McGregor
Filming location
Although it is widely documented that the original series was filmed in the town of CallanderCallander
Callander is a burgh in the region of Stirling, Scotland, situated on the River Teith. The town is located in the former county of Perthshire and is a popular tourist stop to and from the Highlands....
in Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
, the very first six episodes were filmed in Tannoch Drive, Milngavie
Milngavie
Milngavie , is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It is on the Allander Water, at the northwestern edge of Greater Glasgow, and about from Glasgow city centre. It neighbours Bearsden....
, where the fictional Arden House was situated on the right-hand side as one approaches Tannoch Loch. It was the ducks on that loch
Loch
Loch is the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for a lake or a sea inlet. It has been anglicised as lough, although this is pronounced the same way as loch. Some lochs could also be called a firth, fjord, estuary, strait or bay...
that formed part of the opening sequence of the programme. The preceding shot is of the Red Bridge over the River Teith
River Teith
The River Teith in Scotland flows from the north-west into the River Forth near Drip north-west of Stirling.- Etymology :The name comes from the Scottish Gaelic Uisge Theavich, which translates into English as the "pleasant river".- Course :...
. In one of those first episodes, Dr. Finlay (Bill Simpson) crashed his old Bullnose Morris into the wall of Arden House—and that was not in the script. Another episode, filmed at night along Mugdock Road, found the local policeman, somewhat inebriated, on his bicycle in a scene with Dr. Snoddie. Only exterior scenes were filmed on location, the interiors being shot in various BBC studios in London.
Radio
From 1970 until 1978, episodes from Dr. Finlay's Casebook were broadcast on BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
with some of the same actors from the television programme. Twenty episodes were broadcast on BBC 7 in the autumn of 2003 and have been repeated annually since. In 2001 and 2002, BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
broadcast a version of the original Cronin stories using the titles, The Adventures of a Black Bag and Doctor Finlay - Further Adventures of a Black Bag ; these have been rebroadcast by BBC 7. The adaptations are set in Levenford, the original setting chosen by Cronin, rather than Tannochbrae. The role of Dr. Finlay was played by John Gordon Sinclair
John Gordon Sinclair
John Gordon Sinclair is a Scottish actor most famous for playing Gregory in Gregory's Girl. He was born as Gordon John but took the stage name 'John Gordon Sinclair' because Equity already had a Gordon John registered....
. Dr. Cameron was played by Brian Pettifer
Brian Pettifer
Brian Pettifer is an actor who has appeared in many television shows. Pettifer was born in Lower Durban, South Africa, and briefly brought up in Glasgow and London. He intended to become a photographer, but pursued a career as an actor...
, and Janet was played initially by Katy Murphy
Katy Murphy
Katy Murphy is a Scottish actress who has appeared in Mike and Angelo, Spatz, B&B, The Steamie, The River, Takin' Over the Asylum, Casualty and perhaps most memorably Tutti Frutti. She played the part of Janet in the Radio 4 series Adventures of a Black Bag, and her most recent performance was in...
, and then by Celia Imrie
Celia Imrie
Celia Diana Savile Imrie is an English actress. In a career starting in the early 1970s, Imrie has played Marianne Bellshade in Bergerac, Philippa Moorcroft in Dinnerladies, Miss Babs in Acorn Antiques, Diana Neal in After You've Gone and Gloria Millington in Kingdom...
. David Tennant
David Tennant
David Tennant is a Scottish actor. In addition to his work in theatre, including a widely praised Hamlet, Tennant is best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 TV serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch, Jr...
was a frequent guest actor.
Music
The programme's famous theme tune was Trevor DuncanTrevor Duncan
Trevor Duncan was an English composer, particularly noted for his light music compositions. Born in London, and largely self-taught, he originally composed as a sideline while working for the BBC...
's march from A Little Suite. The other two movements from the Suite were often used as background music. The characters from the series are also featured in a song entitled Dr. Finlay by Andy Stewart
Andy Stewart (musician)
Andrew "Andy" Stewart MBE was a Scottish singer and entertainer.-Career:The use of tartan patriotism and stereotypical Scottish humour goes back to Sir Harry Lauder and music hall songs. In the 1960s this strand was continued by the entertainer Andy Stewart.He was born in Glasgow, Scotland in...
, which scored a minor Top 50 hit in 1965.
Controversy
Cronin received copies of the scripts, and he wrote a blunt letter to the series' script editor in 1964, expressing his dissatisfaction with the progression of the show. Word leaked to the media, and in June 1964, stories appeared in the national press suggesting that the author wanted the series to end. One newspaper even accused the author of "maliciously doing millions out of legitimate enjoyment." The outcry from the viewing public was immediate, and sackfuls of mail were dispatched to Cronin's home in Switzerland. He issued a statement on 7 June to refute the charges made against him: By the following year, the series was in every sense a cult, even a national institution. A Bill Simpson Fan Club was set up, Andy Stewart's Dr Finlay was in the Hit Parade for five weeks, and Andrew Cruikshank was invited as a guest of honour at the British Medical Association's annual dinner to speak on medical matters as if he was a real GP.External links
- BBC Scotland - Dr. Finlay's Casebook at bbc.co.ukBbc.co.ukBBC Online is the brand name and home for the BBC's UK online service. It is a large network of websites including such high profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services co-branded BBC iPlayer, the pre-school site Cbeebies, and learning services such as Bitesize...
(clip) - Dr Finlay's Casebook episodes
- British Film Institute Screen Online
- Background to Dr. Finlay's Casebook - television & radio
- BBC Radio 4: Dr Finlay
- Doctor Finlay: The Further Adventures of a Black Bag - BBC Radio 7
- National Library of Scotland
- Article about Cronin and the NHS