Ivan F. Simpson
Born: 1875-02-04 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Died: 1951-10-12
Known For: Acting
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ivan F. Simpson (8 February 1875 – 12 October 1951) was a Scottish film and stage actor. Ivan Simpson was born in 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. Ivan F. Simpson starred in over 100 Hollywood films, his last was My Girl Tisa from 1948. He died three years later at the age of 76 years and was buried in Kensico Cemetery. His daughter was actress Pamela Simpson (1905-2002).
Filmography
1943
- Jane Eyre as Mr. Woods - the Minister
- This Land Is Mine as Judge
- Above Suspicion as Porter in Oxford (Uncredited)
- Forever and a Day as Dexter
- Two Weeks to Live as Professor Albert Frisby (as Ivan Simpson)
- My Kingdom for a Cook as Professor Harlow
1942
- Random Harvest as The Vicar
- Nazi Agent as Professor Sterling (as Ivan Simpson)
- Eagle Squadron as Simms
- The Male Animal as Dean Frederick Damon
- They All Kissed the Bride as Dr. Cassell
- Nightmare as Money Changer
1941
- The Body Disappears as Dean Claxton
1940
- The Invisible Man Returns as Mr. Cotton (uncredited)
- New Moon as Guizot
- The Earl of Chicago as Hargraves (uncredited)
1939
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes as Gates - Trial Prosecutor (uncredited)
- Made for Each Other as Simon (uncredited)
- Tower of London as Anne's Protector
- The Sun Never Sets as A Doctor
- Never Say Die as Kretsky
- Rulers of the Sea as Secretary (Uncredited)
1938
- The Baroness and the Butler as Count Dormo
- The Adventures of Robin Hood as Proprietor of Kent Road Tavern (uncredited)
- Marie Antoinette as Sauce (uncredited)
- Kidnapped as Old Man
- Invisible Enemy as Michael (as Ivan Simpson)
1937
- The Prince and the Pauper as Clemens
- Maid of Salem as Rev. Parris
- Youth on Parole as Henchman (uncredited)
- London by Night as Burroughs
- Night of Mystery
1936
- Lloyd's of London as Old Man
- Little Lord Fauntleroy as Reverend Mordaunt
- Trouble for Two as Collins (as Ivan Simpson)
1935
- Mutiny on the Bounty as Morgan
- Captain Blood as Prosecutor
- Mark of the Vampire as Jan
- David Copperfield as Littimer
- Splendor as Fletcher
- Shadow of Doubt as Morse
- The Bishop Misbehaves as Mr. Grantham
- The Great Impersonation as Dr. Harrison
- East of Java as Resident
1934
- Stingaree as Man with Beard (uncredited)
- Among the Missing as Smeed
- The House of Rothschild as Amschel Rothschild
- The Little Minister as Sanders Webster
- British Agent as 'Poohbah' Evans
- The World Moves On as Clumber
- The Mystery of Mr. X as Hutchinson
- Man of Two Worlds as Dr. Lott
1933
- Midnight Mary as Tindle
- The Past of Mary Holmes as Jacob Riggs
- The Secret of Madame Blanche as Aubrey's Lawyer (Uncredited)
- The Silk Express as Johnson, Kilgore's Secretary
- Her Secret as Lathrop
- Charlie Chan's Greatest Case as Brade
- The Monkey's Paw as Mr. White
1932
- Sherlock Holmes as Faulkner
- The Man Who Played God as Battle
- The Crash as Hodge
- The Phantom of Crestwood as Mr. Vayne
- A Passport to Hell as Simms
1931
- Safe in Hell as Crunch
- The Millionaire as Davis
- The Reckless Hour as Stevens - Adams' Butler (uncredited)
- The Lady Who Dared as Butler
1930
- The Sea God as Pearly Nick
- The Green Goddess as Watkins
- Isle of Escape as Judge
- Old English as Joe Pillin
- Manslaughter as Morson
- Inside the Lines as Capper
- The Way of All Men as Higgins
1929
- Disraeli as Sir Hugh Myers
1925
- Womanhandled as Butler
- Miss Bluebeard as Bounds
- Wild, Wild Susan as Malcolm
- Lovers in Quarantine as The Silent Passenger
- A Kiss for Cinderella as Mr. Cutaway
1924
- Twenty Dollars a Week as James Pettison
1923
- The Green Goddess as Watkins
1922
- The Man Who Played God as Battle
1916
- Out of the Drifts as Martin
1915
- The Dictator as Simpson