[1] Based on A. J. Cronin's 1935 novella Country Doctor, the storylines centred on a general medical practice in the fictional Scottish town of Tannochbrae during the late 1920s.

In one of those first episodes, Dr. Finlay (Bill Simpson) crashed his old Bullnose Morris into the wall of Arden House—and that was not in the script.

Another episode, filmed at night along Mugdock Road,[citation needed] found the local policeman, somewhat inebriated, on his bicycle in a scene with Dr. Snoddie.

Episode 1 of series 8 was filmed in Kippen Stirlingshire using the local grocers and butchers shops and also the school.

A parody appears in an episode of "The Men from The Ministry" when they contact an expert on mice, Mr Finlay and his assistant Cameron.

The characters from the series are featured in a song entitled Dr. Finlay by Andy Stewart, which was a minor Top 50 hit in 1965.

[citation needed] Word leaked to the media, and in June 1964, stories appeared in the national press suggesting that the author wanted the series to end.

"[This quote needs a citation] The outcry from the viewing public was immediate, and sackfuls of mail were dispatched to Cronin's home in Switzerland.

He issued a statement on 7 June to contest the charges made against him: I have had hundreds of letters from viewers saying how sorry they were that the series was ending and that they were sorry that I was to blame.

A Bill Simpson Fan Club was set up, Andy Stewart's Dr Finlay was in the Hit Parade for five weeks, and Andrew Cruickshank was invited as a guest of honour at the British Medical Association's annual dinner to speak on medical matters as if he were a real GP.

[4] Following the assassination of President Kennedy on 22 November 1963, the BBC screened Dr Finlay's Casebook as part of its regular programming.