Dr. Finlay
Dr. Finlay is the hero of a series of stories by
Scottish author
A.J. Cronin. The stories were used as the basis for the long-running
BBC television programme,
Dr. Finlay's Casebook, screened from 1962 to 1971. Based on Cronin's short story entitled "Country Doctor," the storylines centered on Dr. Finlay's general medical practice in the fictional Scottish town of Tannochbrae in the late 1920s.
The main characters were Dr. Finlay, a 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, and Dr. Snoddie, Finlay's crusty detractor and Janet's admirer, played by
Eric Woodburn. The programme's famous theme tune was
Trevor Duncan's march from "A Little Suite".
Dr. Finlay returned to British Television in
1993 with a newly-scripted series titled
Doctor Finlay, made by Scottish Television, which is part of the
ITV network. The show starred
David Rintoul as Dr. John Finlay,
Annette Crosbie as his housekeeper, Janet McPherson,
Ian Bannen as his semi-retired practice partner, Dr. Alexander Cameron, and
Jason Flemyng as Finlay's assistant, Dr. David Neil. The storyline of
Doctor Finlay picked up with John Finlay returning from the
Second World War and the setup of the
National Health Service. The series aired in the
U.S. on
PBS'
Masterpiece Theatre.
The original series was filmed in the town of
Callander in
Perthshire, and the 1990s series was filmed in
Auchtermuchty in
Fife, both of which are in
Scotland.
From 1970 until 1978, episodes from
Dr. Finlay's Casebook were broadcast on
BBC Radio 4 with some of the same actors from the television programme. In 2001,
BBC Radio 4 broadcast a version of the original Cronin stories using the title,
The Adventures of a Black Bag, and starring
John Gordon Sinclair as Dr. Finlay.
The characters from the series are also featured in a song entitled "Dr. Finlay" by
Andy Stewart.
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ITV website*
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British Film Institute Screen Online*
BBC Scotland trailer from Dr. Finlay's Casebook*
PBS - Masterpiece Theatre - Doctor Finlay: Part I*
PBS - Masterpiece Theatre - Doctor Finlay: Part II*
New York Times synopsis - Doctor Finlay*
Background to Dr. Finlay's Casebook - television & radio
