William Hartnell

William Hartnell is best known for being the first actor to portray Doctor Who when the series launched in 1963. He was born on 8 January 1908 and died on 23 April 1975.

Biography

Hartnell was born on 8 January 1908 in St Pancras, London, the only son of Lucy Hartnell. Hartnell's mother was unmarried, which was the cause of some embarrassment to the actor, and he made numerous unsuccessful attempts to discover the identity of his father.

After training as a jockey and a boxer, he attended the Italia Conti Academy and began working on stage in 1924.

Until 1944, Hartnell usually played comic characters. Then he was cast in the robust role of sergeant Ned Fletcher in The Way Ahead. From then on his career was defined by playing mainly policemen, soldiers, and thugs — although he was noted for his ability to bring complexity to such roles, for example in his widely praised performance as Dallow in Brighton Rock. In 1958 he topped the bill in the first Carry On film, Carry On Sergeant playing Sergeant Grimshaw, and in 1963 he appeared as a town councillor in the Boulting Brothers' film Heavens Above! with Peter Sellers. William Hartnell also appeared as Will Buckley in the film The Mouse That Roared in 1955 (with Peter Sellers).

Hartnell's first regular role on television was in The Army Game from 1957–1961. In 1963, he appeared in a supporting role in the film version of This Sporting Life giving a sensitive performance as an ageing Rugby League talent scout known as 'Dad'.

He soon began to clock up film credits and comic characters epitomised most of his early roles. Among them was as Sergeant Grimshaw in Carry On Sergeant – the first Carry On movie. But he soon started to tackle more challenging roles.

Doctor Who

Hartnell was cast as The Doctor in the first series of Doctor Who in 1963 and stayed in the role until 1966. Far less cosy than future Doctors, this first incarnation started out as something of an anti-hero. In stories such as The Daleks, Hartnells’ Doctor would place his companions in jeopardy for the sake of his own curiosity.

Stories throughout the first Doctor’s era tended to alternate between fantastical science fiction stories and historical tales. One week, the Doctor would be battling giant ants on the Web Planet, the next encountering Richard the Lionheart during the Crusade.

A combination of ill-health and changing production team influenced William Hartnell’s decision to retire from the role that had made him a hero to millions of children. It's a matter of debate whether Hartnell voluntarily left the role or if it was desired by the new production team because of his high salary. Certainly, Hartnell returned to theatre work upon leaving Doctor Who.

He was succeeded in the role by Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor.