He is first heard of at Covent Garden on 21 September 1785, when, as ‘Master’ Simmons, he played the Duke of York in Colley Cibber's ‘Richard III,’ and showed promise.

On 12 May 1801 he was the first Jerry in William Dimond's ‘Seaside Story,’ 29 October the first Dr. Infallible in Frederick Reynolds's ‘Folly as it flies,’ and 9 February 1802 the first Manikin in Thomas Dibdin's ‘Cabinet.’ After playing Linco in ‘Cymon’ he was, 30 October, the original Privilege in Reynolds's ‘Delays and Blunders,’ and, 18 December, the original Squire Supplejack in Dibdin's ‘Family Quarrels.’ He was then seen as Pistol in ‘King Henry V,’ and was, 5 November 1803, the first Fainwou'd in Kenney's ‘Raising the Wind.’ Old Woman in ‘Rule a Wife and have a Wife,’ Totterton in ‘Love laughs at Locksmiths,’ Feeble in the ‘Second Part of King Henry IV,’ Capias, an original part in Dibdin's ‘Will for the Deed,’ and Robert Shallow in the ‘Merry Wives of Windsor’ followed; and, 18 April 1805, he was the first Jonathan Oldskirt in George Colman's ‘Who wants a Guinea?’ On 28 January 1806 he was the first Stubby in Colman's ‘We fly by Night.’ Lord Sands in ‘King Henry VIII’ was then entrusted him, as was Fulmer in the ‘West Indian,’ and Dr.

Peter in ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ Stephano in the ‘Tempest,’ Francis Flute in ‘A Midsummer-night's Dream,’ were seen, and he was, 12 March 1816, the first Bailie Mucklethrift in Daniel Terry's version of ‘Guy Mannering.’ On 23 September 1818 he was the original French Ambassador in Reynolds's ‘Burgomaster of Saardam,’ and 13 October, the original Argus in the ‘Barber of Seville;’ on 17 April the first Saddletree in the ‘Heart of Midlothian.’ Simmons played on 8 September 1819 his old part of Moses in the ‘School for Scandal.’ He died suddenly of apoplexy three days later.

He was very useful in taking at short notice parts for which absent actors had been cast, and in comic waiters and old men showed much genuine and unforced humour with no trace of affectation or extravagance.

Though his voice was powerful, Simmons was small in person, and was popularly called ‘Little Simmons.’ Henry Erskine Johnston once at rehearsal carried him on the stage on his shoulders, both covered with a long cloak, in order to parody Lacy, who was remarkably tall, and was sensitive on the subject (see Genest, vii.