Dudley Simpson (4 October 1922 – 4 November 2017) was an Australian composer and conductor.
He was the Principal Conductor of the Royal Opera House orchestra for three years, although he is best known for his work as a composer on British television, especially his long association with the BBC science-fiction series Doctor Who, for which he composed incidental music during the 1960s and 1970s.
Among his early television work was the music for Moonstrike (1963). Simpson was also responsible for the theme music for The Brothers (1972), The Tomorrow People (1973), Moonbase 3 (1973), The Ascent of Man (1973) and Blake's 7 (1978). He also composed music for several plays from the BBC Television Shakespeare series.
The Invasion of Time Dudley Simpson Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Collection Soundtrack
Simpson's first work on Doctor Who was during William Hartnell's era as the First Doctor in Planet of Giants, in 1964, but he is primarily associated with the programme in the 1970s. He also appeared on screen as a music hall conductor in the Fourth Doctor story The Talons of Weng-Chiang (1977) at the invitation of Philip Hinchcliffe who was the series producer at the time.[2] Simpson had to be paid a special fee for this appearance, as he was a member of the Musicians' Union and not Equity.
Special Feature - Dudley Simpson - Doctor Who - The Sun Makers
When John Nathan-Turner became producer of Doctor Who in 1980, he decided that the music needed to be updated, and took Simpson out for a meal telling him how much he appreciated his work on Doctor Who but that it would no longer be required as he intended to have the BBC Radiophonic Workshop provide music from that point. Simpson's last broadcast work on Doctor Who was for The Horns of Nimon.
