Dudley Simpson (born 4 October 1922) is an Australian television composer who is best known for his work on Doctor Who. He was born in Melbourne.Prior to leaving Australia, Simpson composed for the Borovansky Ballet Company, forerunner to the Australian Ballet. Among his early television work was the music for Moonstrike. Simpson was also responsible for the memorable theme music for The Tomorrow People, Moonbase 3 (1973), The Ascent of Man (1973), Blake's 7 (1978) and the 1985 production of Titus Andronicus.
Composing for films requires a certain degree of adaptability. For example, I might be writing music to accompany the Ken Dodd show one minute and switch to something classical the next.
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Fact
1
Graduated in Composition and Pianoforte from Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. He is also qualified in Orchestration.
2
His distinctive music for television was often created using an ensemble of just a couple of horns, clarinet and bass clarinet, percussion and electric organ.
3
Before starting work for the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Simpson was Margot Fonteyn's musical director.
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Serial Thrillers
2003
Video documentary short composer: incidental music
Doctor Who: The Crusade
1999
Video composer: incidental music
Doctor Who: Shada
1992
Video composer original production: uncompleted
Great Performances
1987
TV Series musical director - 1 episode
Titus Andronicus
1985
TV Movie conductor
Richard III
1983
TV Movie composer: incidental music
The Third Part of Henry the Sixth
1983
TV Movie composer: incidental music
The Second Part of Henry the Sixth
1983
TV Movie composer: incidental music
The First Part of Henry the Sixth
1983
TV Movie composer: incidental music
Doctor Who
TV Series composer - 201 episodes, 1964 - 1980 conductor - 10 episodes, 1965
The Legend of King Arthur
1979
TV Series conductor - 8 episodes
Blakes 7
1978-1979
TV Series composer - 2 episodes
The Tomorrow People
1973-1979
TV Series composer - 68 episodes
Target
1977-1978
TV Series composer - 17 episodes
David Frost Interviews Richard Nixon
1977
TV Movie documentary music supervisor
Metamorphosis Alpha
1976
TV Movie composer: theme music
The Brothers
1972-1976
TV Series composer - 92 episodes
A Pin to See the Peepshow
1973
TV Series music arranger - 4 episodes
A Little Princess
1973
TV Series composer - 6 episodes
Paul Temple
1971
TV Series incidental music - 12 episodes
The Last of the Mohicans
1971
TV Mini-Series conductor - 8 episodes
The Portrait of a Lady
1968
TV Series conductor - 1 episode
Out of the Unknown
1965-1966
TV Series composer - 2 episodes
The Last Invasion
1966
TV Movie composer: music
The Scarlet and the Black
1965
TV Series music arranger - 5 episodes
Thursday Theatre
1965
TV Series composer - 2 episodes
Detective
1964
TV Series composer - 2 episodes
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Ian Levine: Shada
2013
Video
The U.N.I.T Dating Conundrum
2011
Video documentary short
Oh Mummy: Sutekh's Story
2004
Video short
Tales of the Unexpected
1988
TV Series 2 episodes
Super Gran
1986-1987
TV Series 14 episodes
The Diary of Anne Frank
1987
TV Series 4 episodes
The Good Doctor Bodkin-Adams
1986
TV Movie
Love Song
1985
TV Movie
Oliver Twist
1985
TV Mini-Series
Titus Andronicus
1985
TV Movie
Goodbye Mr. Chips
1984
TV Mini-Series 6 episodes
Amy
1984
TV Movie
Dombey & Son
1983
TV Mini-Series 10 episodes
Stalky & Co.
1982
TV Mini-Series 6 episodes
Blakes 7
1978-1981
TV Series 51 episodes
Sense and Sensibility
1981
TV Mini-Series 7 episodes
The Winter's Tale
1981
TV Movie
Maria Marten or Murder in the Red Barn
1980
TV Series 3 episodes
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
1980
TV Movie
Doctor Who
1965-1979
TV Series 92 episodes
The Legend of King Arthur
1979
TV Series 8 episodes
Blake's 7: The Beginning
1978
Video
The Lost Boys
1978
TV Mini-Series 3 episodes
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
1978
TV Series 4 episodes
Esther Waters
1977
TV Series
The Velvet Glove
1977
TV Series 6 episodes
Katy
1976
TV Series 6 episodes
Ubu roi
1976
TV Movie
North & South
1975
TV Mini-Series 4 episodes
Madame Bovary
1975
TV Mini-Series 4 episodes
Late Call
1975
TV Mini-Series
Microbes and Men
1974
TV Series 6 episodes
Hawkeye, the Pathfinder
1973
TV Mini-Series 5 episodes
Moonbase 3
1973
TV Mini-Series 6 episodes
A Pin to See the Peepshow
1973
TV Series 4 episodes
The Legend of Hell House
1973
uncredited
The Man Outside
1972
TV Series 13 episodes
The Brothers
1972
TV Series 1 episode
Paul Temple
1971
TV Series 1 episode
The Last of the Mohicans
1971
TV Mini-Series 8 episodes
Pegasus
1969
TV Series 4 episodes
Special Project Air
1969
TV Series 2 episodes
The Wednesday Play
1965-1969
TV Series 2 episodes
Thirty-Minute Theatre
1965-1969
TV Series 8 episodes
Triton
1968
TV Series 4 episodes
Boy Meets Girl
1967
TV Series
Theatre 625
1966
TV Series 1 episode
Curtain of Fear
1964
TV Series 6 episodes
Esther Waters
1964
TV Series 1 episode
Story Parade
1964
TV Series 3 episodes
Mary Barton
1964
TV Series 4 episodes
Kidnapped
1963
TV Mini-Series 11 episodes
Lorna Doone
1963
TV Mini-Series 11 episodes
Epitaph for a Spy
1963
TV Series 4 episodes
Jack's Horrible Luck
1961
TV Movie
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Doctor Who
1977
TV Series
Orchestra Conductor
Z Cars
1969
TV Series
Pianist
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Atop the Fourth Wall
2012
TV Series 1 episode
Doctor Who
1977
TV Series arranger - 1 episode
Sound Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Super Gran
1986
TV Series sound effects - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Doctor's Composer: Dudley Simpson - Part One
2009
Video short
Himself
Getting a Head
2008
Video documentary short
Himself
The Lively Arts
1977
TV Series documentary
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Culture Show
2013
TV Series documentary
Himself
Known for movies
Doctor Who (1964-1980) as Music Department
The Brothers (1972-1976) as Music Department
The Tomorrow People (1973-1979) as Music Department
$17 Million
