Consultant Harry Harper is spending what he hopes will be a nice day out at the fair with his kids. But you just know that, this being the first episode in a new series of CASUALTY, disaster is looming.
Sure enough, it’s not long before Harry is dealing with one of the biggest and goriest disasters ever to hit Holby – a crash involving the air ambulance which is called to an emergency at the fair.
The dashing actor, 50, veteran of long-running US shows such as Falcon Crest, joined the show as caring consultant Harry Harper earlier this year and he says: “It is a big commitment. It is very intensive – we work 49 weeks a year.
“I was worried about the balance of my life and I am still a bit worried but I knew what I was doing. I have been in TV from a young age.”
Series: Casualty Episode: S16Ep40 – Code Red First Aired: 29 June 2002 Character: Harry Harper
Description: A call to aid an injured man leads to a dangerous time for Nikki and Finlay as the situation turns violent. Harry is confirmed as the new consultant, and the pressure’s on for Lara as wife-beater and rapist David Collier continues his fight for life after their aggressive clash.
Series: Casualty Episode: S16Ep39 – Broken Hearts First Aired: 22 June 2002 Character: Harry Harper
Description: Lara’s desperate fight for her life has devastating results for evil attacker David Collier. A surprise visitor ruins Roxy’s plans to accompany Simon to his brother’s wedding – should the ceremony still go ahead following the revelation of the prospective bride’s infidelity.
New A&E consultant Harry Harper realises that he is going to be in for a rough ride with headstrong Lara Stone this fortnight. Lara has several run-ins with bullying Detective Inspector David Collier until finally, Harry is forced to reprimand her for her unprofessional manner.
“Harry picks up very quickly that Lara is a little fragile,” reveals Simon MacCorkindale, who plays the new recruit. “He doesn’t question her skills as a doctor but he feels that she can get a little too emotionally involved with the patients.”
While Harry and Lara clash, Simon is happily settling into his new role, where he is set to play the doctor for the foreseeable future.
“Harry’s a great character,” reveals Simon. “He’s a bit of a super doctor. He is also a family man and has five children but he still has an eye for a pretty girl! I like him a lot.”
Simon has a wealth of acting experience including the US soap Falcon Crest and hit films such as Death On The Nile. He admits that it was daunting to join such a close cast but he laughingly explains that some real-life experiences have helped him to adapt to the hospital environment.
“Being an outdoors person, I have spent a lot of time in A&E over the years with various war wounds!”
Series: Casualty Episode: S16Ep38 – Taking It All Back to the Streets First Aired: 15 June 2002 Character: Harry Harper
Description: Lara clashes with DI David Collier when a double shooting brings him back to the hospital on official business. Deliberately obstructing his enquiries, she threatens to share her suspicions about him with the rest of the staff – leading to a tense confrontation in the car park. Simon faces domestic strife as his brother’s wedding draws nearer, leading him into a heated argument with bride-to-be Claire.
Simon MacCorkindale, back on television as Casualty’s new consultant, has been delivering foals rather than lines of late…
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I was never too comfortable as a young actor and always felt that my best time in the business would be around now – I’m 50 – through to the age of 65 I’ve been doing a lot of production work in the past ten years, as well as writing and directing, so the opportunity to do something very visible – in a great part – was much too good to miss My character in Casualty [new consultant Harry Harper] is a disciplinarian, slightly old-fashioned, but pretty cool I’ve been filming since February and it’s a really nice show to be in – egos are at a minimum.
Series: Casualty Episode: S16Ep37 – Denial First Aired: 8 June 2002 Character: Harry Harper
Description: The doctors vie for the registrar’s job when new consultant Harry Harper holds interviews for the position – but Lara gets off to a bad start as she is forced to explain her actions after becoming emotionally attached to a patient who was raped. Charlie is shocked to see a face from the past, and asks for Dillon’s help in dealing with him.
Smoothy Simon MacCorkindale has had more than his fair share of visits to A&E
Playing the likes of Manimal’s Jonathan Chase and Falcon Crest’s Greg Reardon, actor Simon MacCorkindale has earned himself the reputation as one of TV’s eternal bachelor boys. But it’s as a family man that he’ll be seen from this week, playing Casualty’s new consultant, Harry Harper.
He’s recently moved to a new home, not far from where CASUALTY is made, and was looking for a local company to make him a mask for his character in the Sky 1 series Relic Hunter.
And it was then that he found himself wandering onto the CASUALTY set in Bristol, to meet the hospital drama’s special effects team.
Simon MacCorkindale:
Why I need time away from Susan
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Simon MacCorkindale is convinced he would have become the Army’s youngest general. He feels his dogged determination, dashing looks and slavish adherence to discipline would have sent him hurtling up the ranks. Indeed, thanks to his father’s contacts, a glittering military career was once guaranteed; instead, he chose to become the nearly man of British cinema, a decision he puts down to an in-built self-destruct button which he presses whenever his life is running smoothly.
To the horror of his family, Simon put showbusiness before the Army, and his role opposite Mia Farrow in Agatha Christie’s Death On The Nile in 1978 won him the Most Promising Film Actor award when he was 26. From there, anything seemed possible. Only now, years later, after disappearing from the movie actor radar, is he acting again, this time as Harry Harper, a dashing doctor in the BBC’s hospital drama, Casualty. He is expected to cause a stir with his character, who is married but has a penchant for sexy girls; a natural extension to the love-rat image from his TV heyday in the 1980s, when he played Greg Reardon in Falcon Crest.
Holby is to have a familiar face coming through its doors when actor Simon MacCorkindale joins the cast of Casualty. The former Falcon Crest and Manimal star has appeared in a long list of US productions, and is delighted to be back working in the UK. “I’ve always been a fan of Casualty” he reveals. “It’s great to be joining such an established show with a lovely bunch of people.” Simon will play consultant Harry Harper, and his first episode will be on screen in May.
Take A Break In Mauritius Before She Launches Her New Singing Career And He Prepares For A Starring Role In Hit Hospital Drama Casualty
Even the most assiduous actress needs rest and refreshment. But seven long years had passed without Susan George taking time out in the sun. “I’d almost forgotten how much I enjoyed holidays,” says the fine-boned blonde with the fierce work ethic and a long-ago romantic link with Prince Charles.
Age: 53 Style: Dashing English gent Significant others: Divorced Fiona Fullerton, his wife of five years, in 1981, and three years later married another actress, Susan George. He says: ‘I’ve always felt my time as and actor and leading man is now’ – on his starring role in Casualty Finest Hour: His performance in Death On The Nile in 1978 won him the Most Promising Actor award and made his famous. Don’t Mention: Driving. He was banned for two years last month after a hit-and-run accident, and had to pay £5,000 damages. Anything else? Simon’s first wedding was held in St Paul’s Cathedral, London – an honour granted to him because his father, an RAF officer, was awarded an OBE.
This is an ever growing list of everything Simon MacCorkindale has appeared, produced, directed or provided voiceover for. This is the most extensive filmography of Simon online.
