David Simeon

David John Townsend born 17 May 1943 Chippenham Wiltshire known professionally as David Simeon is a British actor David Simeon began his acting career after being accepted into RADA the Rose Bruford College and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Ultimately he chose the latter and completed his training in 1964 After years working in Wiltshire rep and Birmingham rep Simeon began working extensively in theatre and television from the late 1960s His first television role was as a murderer in Sexton Blake which Simeon puts down to his honest face being the reason for his casting2 From this point he moved to London and continued working in theatre in between television roles which by the early 1970s were becoming plentiful Among these were small parts in the Doctor Who serials Inferno 1970 and The Dæmons 1971 which Simeon now says despite his vast experience Im now known as being in Doctor Who During the 1970s he secured guest roles in television series such as Paul Temple ZCars Fawlty Towers The Pathfinders and The Liver Birds In 1973 he starred in his first major regular role as Detective Constable Mickey Finn in Hunters Walk appearing in 38 episodes until 1976 From 1980 onwards he continued to gain further regular roles in television series End of Part One 197980 impersonating television personalities such as Frank Muir and Derek Batey Vice Versa 1981 as Mr Blinkhorn Coronation Street December 1981 as sales rep Bobby Simpson love interest of Bet Lynch Mavis Riley The New Adventures of Lucky Jim 1982 as Philip Lassiter Jury 1983 as David Farrell He also appeared in several episodes of the hospital drama Angels In 1988 he had a role in the hit John Cleese film A Fish Called Wanda During the 1990s and 2000s he continued extensively in theatre and on television appearing in Coronation Street as Gareth Bird a hospital consultant in July 1998 Casualty EastEnders and The Bill He also secured another recurring role in Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married as Ken Kennedy between 1999 and 2000