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Alan Simpson

Alan Simpson

Writer · Died February 8, 2017, aged 87 · Brixton, London, England, UK

Alan Francis Simpson was an English scriptwriter. He was best known as part of the Galton and Simpson comedy writing partnership with Ray Galton.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 27, 1929
Died
February 8, 2017 (aged 87)
From
Brixton, London, England, UK
Works as
Writer
Titles
5 on MovieCove · 34 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 34% in 30 days

What are Alan Simpson's films like?

Across their 5 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
38%
Bonds
19%
Self
19%
Power
19%
Survival
6%
Deception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 5 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Wry: How sincerely it treats its story and characters, from ironic to earnest. Browse their wry movies.
Tone · Sincerity
ironicearnest

A split, not a type: Ironic 2 · Wry 1 · Earnest 1

Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 5 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 0 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 2 · Intense 0

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 2 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 1

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 5

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
5
Joyful
2
Warm
2
Thrilling
1
Manic
1
Other
1

How their films linger

Fun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet1
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Alan Simpson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 1 of their 5 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Alan Simpson's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted.

Filmography

34 credits, 5 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Lost Sitcoms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

  • Det Bästa med Albert & Herbert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Writer

  • Paul Merton in Galton & Simpson's (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 14 episodes · Writer

  • Sommarkvetter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Writer

  • Mordet på Skolgatan 15 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Writer

  • Albert & Herberts julkalender (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 24 episodes · Creator · Writer

  • Albert & Herbert på Lisebergsteatern (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 2 episodes · Creator · Original Series Creator

  • Le Petomane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Writer

  • Zwei Mann um einen Herd (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 4 episodes · Idea

  • Don't Blame Me! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 5 episodes · Original Concept

  • The Galton & Simpson Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 7 episodes · Associate Producer · Creator · Writer

  • Dawson's Weekly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 7 episodes · Writer

  • The Last Fleksnes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Story

  • Steptoe and Son Ride Again(1973)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Fleksnes fataliteter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 33 episodes · Creator · Writer

  • Steptoe & Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Writer

  • Clochemerle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 9 episodes · Writer

  • The Chastity Belt(1972)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins(1971)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Loot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Screenplay

  • Never Talk to Strangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Writer

  • Galton and Simpson Comedy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • The Spy with a Cold Nose(1966)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Hancock at the Royal Festival Hall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Writer

  • The Bargee (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Writer

  • The Wrong Arm of the Law(1963)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Steptoe and Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 55 episodes · Creator · Writer

  • Comedy Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 11 episodes · Writer

  • The Rebel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Writer

  • Citizen James (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 5 episodes · Writer

  • The Siege of Sidney Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Uniformed Police Inspector

  • Hancock's Half Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 63 episodes · Creator · Writer · Actor

  • Walk in St George (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director

  • Wake Up and Dance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 34 titles from 1950 to 2016.

Highest rated

Steptoe and Son Ride Again (1973)

Midcredits 72nd

Most popular right now

The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (1971)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 34: 1 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting2 of 34: 2 only directing, 0 with another roleWriting31 of 34: 25 only writing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score22ndProducing1 of 34: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew6 of 34: 0 only other crew, 6 with another role

34 titles, 6 with more than one role — writing and other crew overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

1950s3 · 1 acting · 3 crew1960s11 · 1 acting · 10 crew1970s13 · crew1980s4 · crew1990s1 · crew2000s1 · crew2010s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Alan Simpson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 22nd percentile, the median of all 5; across their 5 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 30th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

30thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Approval · how many liked their films

23rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Reach · how many have seen their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Midcredits score across 5 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th2
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

None of their 5 titles divides audiences: 3 are Mixed.

  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Mixed3

Most loved · writer

Steptoe and Son Ride Again (1973)

Midcredits 72nd · 63% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 57/100 and the plot and story 45/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Alan Simpson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Alan Simpson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ray Galton shares the most, 5.

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles