Robert Simpson's professional journey began in the Navy, where he served until he met his future wife Betty, who would later persuade him to leave the Navy to assist her at her dancing school. During this period, Simpson and his wife taught hundreds of Navy personnel stationed at Key West how to dance.
In 1950, Simpson made the decision to relocate his family to Hollywood, where they would establish a dance studio and he would pursue a career in film. This marked the beginning of his journey in the entertainment industry. Simpson's stepson, whom he convinced to join the Screen Extras Guild, would later change his stage name to Robert Fuller. Simpson occasionally appeared alongside his son during Fuller's various Hollywood endeavors, while also carving out his own niche in the industry by appearing in iconic sequences of musicals, including Elvis' Jail House Rock as one of the prisoners.
As the 1960s arrived, the decline of musicals posed a challenge for Simpson, who found himself at a crossroads. However, his rugged appearance allowed him to establish a new identity as an everyday man, leading to frequent appearances in dramas and detective shows during the 1960s-1980s. Despite this, Simpson continued to find work as a dancer in musicals and westerns whenever the situation demanded it. He maintained a steady income through his dance studio and work as a movie extra until his eventual retirement in 1986.
