Ivan Simpson

Ivan F. Simpson (8 February 1875 – 12 October 1951) was a Scottish film and stage actor.

Life and career Simpson was born on 8 February 1875 in Glasgow, Scotland, and went as a young man to New York City, where he worked for four decades on Broadway from 1906 until his death. In 1915 he started his film silent career and starred in notable silent films like The Green Goddess from 1923, where he played the role of Mister Watkins. He also replied in this role seven years later in the sound film version of The Green Goddess. In 1929 he portrayed Hugh Myers in Disraeli, where he played along his close friend George Arliss. Arliss and Simpson appeared together in a total of nine films.

Especially in the 1930s, Simpson was a successful character actor in supporting and bit parts and appeared in many classics. He often played servants, like in MGM's literature adaption David Copperfield as Littimer and the horror movie Mark of the Vampire. He also portrayed priests like in Little Lord Fauntleroy and Random Harvest, judges like in This Land Is Mine or doctors like in They All Kissed the Bride. Simpson was also a frequent actor in the Errol Flynn movies, he appeared in The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Prince and the Pauper and Captain Blood.

Selected filmography

The Dictator (1915) – Simpson Out of the Drifts (1916) – Martin The Man Who Played God (1922) – Battle The Green Goddess (1923) – Watkins Twenty-One (1923) – Mr. Willis Twenty Dollars a Week (1925) – James Pettison Miss Bluebeard (1925) – Bounds Wild, Wild Susan (1925) – Malcolm Lovers in Quarantine (1925) – The Silent Passenger A Kiss for Cinderella (1925) – Mr. Cutaway Womanhandled (1925) – Butler (uncredited) Disraeli (1929) – Sir Hugh Myers (uncredited) Evidence (1929) – Peabody The Green Goddess (1930) – Watkins Isle of Escape (1930) – Judge Golden Dawn (1930) – Minor Role (uncredited) Inside the Lines (1930) – Capper Manslaughter (1930) – Morson Old English (1930) – Joe Pillin The Way of All Men (1930) – Higgins The Sea God (1930) – Pearly Nick The Lady Who Dared (1931) – Butler The Millionaire (1931) – Davis The Reckless Hour (1931) – Stevens – Adams' Butler (uncredited) Safe in Hell (1931) – Crunch The Man Who Played God (1932) – Battle A Passport to Hell (1932) – Simms The Crash (1932) – Hodge The Phantom of Crestwood (1932) – Mr. Vayne Sherlock Holmes (1932) – Faulkner The Monkey's Paw (1933) – Mr. White The Past of Mary Holmes (1933) – Jacob Riggs The Secret of Madame Blanche (1933) – Aubrey's Lawyer (uncredited) The Silk Express (1933) – Johnson, Kilgore's Secretary Midnight Mary (1933) – Tindle Voltaire (1933) – Lelain – Actor (uncredited) Blind Adventure (1933) – Perkins—Butler (uncredited) Charlie Chan's Greatest Case (1933) – Brade Her Secret (1933) – Lathrop Man of Two Worlds (1934) – Dr. Lott The Mystery of Mr. X (1934) – Hutchinson The House of Rothschild (1934) – Amschel Rothschild Murder in Trinidad (1934) – First Doctor (uncredited) Stingaree (1934) – Man with Beard (uncredited) The World Moves On (1934) – Clumber British Agent (1934) – Poohbah Evans Among the Missing (1934) – Smeed The Little Minister (1934) – Sanders Webster (uncredited) David Copperfield (1935) – Littimer Shadow of Doubt (1935) – Morse Mark of the Vampire (1935) – Jan The Bishop Misbehaves (1935) – Mr. Grantham Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) – Morgan Splendor (1935) – Fletcher East of Java (1935) – Resident (uncredited) The Great Impersonation (1935) – Dr. Harrison Captain Blood (1935) – Prosecutor Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936) – Rev. Mordaunt Trouble for Two (1936) – Collins Mary of Scotland (1936) – Judge Lloyd's of London (1936) – Old Man Maid of Salem (1937) – Rev. Parris The Prince and the Pauper (1937) – Clemens Night of Mystery (1937) – Sproot London by Night (1937) – Burroughs Youth on Parole (1937) – Minor Role (uncredited) 45 Fathers (1937) – Chamberlain (uncredited) The Baroness and the Butler (1938) – Count Dormo Invisible Enemy (1938) – Michael The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) – Proprietor of Kent Road Tavern Kidnapped (1938) – Old Man (uncredited) Marie Antoinette (1938) – Sauce (uncredited) Booloo (1938) – 1st Governor Made for Each Other (1939) – Simon – Judge Doolittle's Brother (uncredited) Never Say Die (1939) – Kretsky The Sun Never Sets (1939) – A Doctor (uncredited) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) – Gates – Trial Prosecutor (uncredited) Rulers of the Sea (1939) – Secretary (uncredited) Tower of London (1939) – Anne's Protector (uncredited) The Earl of Chicago (1940) – Hargraves (uncredited) The Invisible Man Returns (1940) – Mr. Cotton (uncredited) New Moon (1940) – Guizot The Body Disappears (1941) – Dean Claxton Nazi Agent (1942) – Professor Sterling The Male Animal (1942) – Dean Frederick Damon They All Kissed the Bride (1942) – Dr. Cassell Eagle Squadron (1942) – Simms (uncredited) Youth on Parade (1942) – Dean Wharton Nightmare (1942) – Arnold – Money Changer Random Harvest (1942) – The Vicar My Kingdom for a Cook (1943) – Dexter Two Weeks to Live (1943) – Professor Albert Frisby This Land Is Mine (1943) – Judge Above Suspicion (1943) – Porter in Oxford (uncredited) My Kingdom for a Cook (1943) – Professor Harlow Government Girl (1943) – Judge Leonard (uncredited) Jane Eyre (1943) – Mr. Woods – the Minister (uncredited) The Uninvited (1944) – Will Hardy – Tobacconist (uncredited) The Hour Before the Dawn (1944) – Magistrate (uncredited) My Girl Tisa (1948) – Old Man (uncredited)