First Uploaded February 2001

Doctor Finlay's Casebook became one of the most popular TV series of the 1960s.  Running on BBC television from August 1962 to January 1971, clocking up 191 episodes in the process. It's popularity helped to make household names of stars Andrew Cruickshank, Barbara Mullen and Bill Simpson. The characters and settings were created by A.J. Cronin, in a number of short stories based on his own experience as a doctor, and his autobiography "Adventures in Two Worlds".

The BBC series was based around "Arden House" in the fictional town of Tannochbrae, where the young, idealist Doctor Finlay (Simpson) joins the crusty, older Doctor Cameron (Cruickshank) in medical practice. The other vital member of the household was the housekeeper Janet (Barbara Mullen). The difference in attitudes and "generation" were used as the basis for many stories, and the resolution to such stories usually saw the residents of Arden House learning something new from each other.
As the series neared the end of it's run on television, it debuted on BBC Radio 4 in March 1970. Many of the writers adapted there own 50 minute television scripts into 30 minute radio episodes, and experienced series writers Pat Dunlop and Donald Bull adapted many by other writers.

104 episodes were adapted over six series, up to the final television script "The Burgess Ticket" broadcast on Radio 4 in February 1975.

From "The Head of the Practice" (the first episode of Series Seven) in August 1976 till the final episode "Going Home" in December 1978 another 40 episodes were created, with Donald Bull writing 26 of them.

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:
'British Television - An Illustrated Guide" compiled for the BFI by Tise Vahimagi published by the Oxford University Press 1994.
"On Call With Doctor Finlay" by Peter Haining published by ABC Books, 1994.