Alan Simpson dies aged 87

Wednesday 8th February 2017, 1:14pm

Image shows from L to R: Ray Galton, Alan Simpson

Alan Simpson OBE (on the right of the picture), the comedy writer best known for his partnership with Ray Galton (left), has died at the age of 87.

He had been suffering from lung disease.

Together with Galton, Simpson was best known as the co-creator of staple sitcom classics Hancock's Half Hour and Steptoe And Son. Their considerable list of credits range from television to stage and film to radio, working not only with Tony Hancock but also the likes of Frankie Howerd, Leslie Phillips and Spike Milligan, and many more.

Both from south London, the pair met at Surrey's Milford Sanatorium as teenagers in the 1940s, where they were recovering from tuberculosis. They quickly formed a friendship over their love of American Forces' radio comedy, and established a wired radio station through the hospital, for which they began writing their own material.

Ray Galton and his family said in a statement today: "From their first attempts at humour in Milford sanatorium, through a lifetime of work together, the strength of Alan and Ray's personal and professional bond was always at the heart of their success."

The pair's manager, Tessa Le Bars, says: "Having had the privilege of working with Alan and Ray for over 50 years, the last 40 as agent, business manager and friend, and latterly as Alan's companion and carer, I am deeply saddened to lose Alan after a brave battle with lung disease."

Galton & Simpson's experience at Milford Sanatorium was turned into a sitcom in 1997 called Get Well Soon.

On Monday, a 1969 collection of one-off sitcom plays the duo wrote, The Galton & Simpson Comedy, was released on DVD for the first time.

Alan Simpson was born on 27th November 1929 in Brixton, south London, and died on Wednesday 8th February 2017.

The BBC has published a comprehensive obituary


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