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William Hartnell
Actor
Born January 8, 1908Died April 23, 1975 (67 years)
William Henry Hartnell (8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975), also known as Billy Hartnell or Bill Hartnell, was an English actor. Hartnell played the first incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, from 1963 to 1966. He was also known for his roles as Sergeant Grimshaw, the title character of the first Carry On film, Carry On Sergeant in 1958, and Company Sergeant Major Percy Bullimore in the sitcom The Army Game from 1957 until 1958, and again in 1960.
Hartnell entered the theatre in 1925 working under Frank Benson as a general stagehand. He appeared in numerous Shakespearian plays, including The Merchant of Venice (1926), Julius Caesar (1926), As You Like It (1926), Hamlet (1926), The Tempest (1926) and Macbeth (1926). He also appeared in She Stoops to Conquer (1926), School for Scandal (1926) and Good Morning, Bill (1927), before performing in Miss Elizabeth's Prisoner (1928). This play was written by Robert Neilson Stephens and E. Lyall Swete. It featured the actress Heather McIntyre, whom he married during the following year. His first of more than sixty film appearances was in Say It With Music (1932).
Hartnell continued to play comic characters until he was cast in the robust role of Sergeant Ned Fletcher in The Way Ahead (1944). From then on his career was defined by playing mainly policemen, soldiers, and thugs.
Hartnell's performance in This Sporting Life was noted by Verity Lambert, the producer who was setting up a new science-fiction television series for the BBC entitled Doctor Who; and, mainly on the strength of that performance, Lambert offered him the title role.
Hartnell entered the theatre in 1925 working under Frank Benson as a general stagehand. He appeared in numerous Shakespearian plays, including The Merchant of Venice (1926), Julius Caesar (1926), As You Like It (1926), Hamlet (1926), The Tempest (1926) and Macbeth (1926). He also appeared in She Stoops to Conquer (1926), School for Scandal (1926) and Good Morning, Bill (1927), before performing in Miss Elizabeth's Prisoner (1928). This play was written by Robert Neilson Stephens and E. Lyall Swete. It featured the actress Heather McIntyre, whom he married during the following year. His first of more than sixty film appearances was in Say It With Music (1932).
Hartnell continued to play comic characters until he was cast in the robust role of Sergeant Ned Fletcher in The Way Ahead (1944). From then on his career was defined by playing mainly policemen, soldiers, and thugs.
Hartnell's performance in This Sporting Life was noted by Verity Lambert, the producer who was setting up a new science-fiction television series for the BBC entitled Doctor Who; and, mainly on the strength of that performance, Lambert offered him the title role.
William Hartnell Filmography
| 2025 | Doctor Who: Wish World & The Reality War · as Dr. Who (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2025 | Doctor Who: The Savages · as The Doctor (voice) |
| 2023 | The Daleks in Colour · as The Doctor (archive Footage) |
| 2023 | Tales of the Tardis (TV Series) · as The Doctor |
| 2021 | Doctor Who: Galaxy 4 (TV Series) · as Doctor Who |
| 2017 | Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time · as The Doctor (1) (archive Footage) |
| 2015 | Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song · as The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited) |
| 2014 | Doctor Who: The Ultimate Companion · as The Doctor |
| 2013 | Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor · as The Doctor (1) (archive Footage) |
| 2013 | An Adventure in Space and Time · as The Doctor (1) (archive Footage) |
| 2013 | Doctor Who: Tales from the TARDIS · as First Doctor |
| 2013 | Doctor Who Explained · as The Doctor |
| 2013 | Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor · as The Doctor |
| 2013 | Both Feet in the Army · as Cast |
| 2013 | Being a Girl · as The Doctor |
| 2012 | Second Time Around: The Troughton Years · as The Doctor |
| 2012 | Don't Lose Your Head · as The Doctor (archive Footage) |
| 2012 | Vision On · as The Doctor (archive Footage) |
| 2011 | The U.N.I.T Family: Part Two · as The Doctor |
| 2011 | The End of the Line? · as Dr. Who |
| 2011 | Race Against Time · as The Doctor |
| 2009 | The Sets of Marinus · as The Doctor (archive Footage) |
| 2009 | Dennis Spooner: Wanna Write a Television Series? · as The Doctor |
| 2009 | Mounting the Rescue · as The Doctor (1) (archive Footage) |
| 2008 | Doctor Who: The Next Doctor · as The Doctor (1) (archive Footage) |
| 2008 | The Ties That Bind Us · as The First Doctor (archive Footage) |
| 2008 | What Lies Beneath · as The Doctor |
| 2007 | A Darker Side · as The Doctor |
| 2007 | Terror Nation: Terry Nation and Doctor Who · as The Doctor |
| 2007 | Are Friends Electric · as The Doctor |
| 2007 | The Crowded TARDIS · as The Doctor |
| 2006 | Love Off-Air · as The Doctor |
| 2006 | The U.N.I.T Family: Part One · as The Doctor |
| 2006 | Creation of the Daleks · as The Doctor (archive Footage) |
| 2006 | Doctor Who: Origins · as The Doctor (archive Footage) |
| 2005 | Tales of Isop · as The Doctor |
| 2003 | The Story of 'Doctor Who' · as The Doctor |
| 2003 | Future Memories: Making 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth' · as The Doctor (1) (archive Footage) |
| 2003 | Putting the Shock Into 'Earthshock' · as The Doctor |
| 2002 | Remembering 'The Aztecs' · as The Doctor (archive Footage) |
| 2002 | Restoring 'The Aztecs' · as The Doctor |
| 2001 | 'Dad's Army': Missing Presumed Wiped · as The Doctor |
| 1999 | Doctor Who: The Crusade · as The Doctor |
| 1998 | What's a Carry On? · as Sergeant Grimshawe (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 1998 | Doctor Who: The Missing Years · as The Doctor |
| 1994 | Smashie and Nicey, the End of an Era · as The Doctor |
| 1993 | Doctor Who: Thirty Years in the TARDIS · as The Doctor |
| 1992 | Doctor Who: Daleks - The Early Years · as The Doctor |
| 1992 | Cybermen: The Early Years · as The Doctor |
| 1991 | Doctor Who: The Hartnell Years · as The Doctor |
| 1991 | Doctor Who: The Troughton Years · as The Doctor |
| 1984 | Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks · as The Doctor (1) (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 1983 | Doctor Who: The Five Doctors · as The Doctor (1) (archive Footage) |
| 1982 | Doctor Who: Earthshock · as The Doctor (1) (archive Footage) |
| 1977 | That's Carry On! · as Sergeant Grimshawe (archive Footage) |
| 1976 | Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius · as The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited) |
| 1973 | Doctor Who: The Three Doctors · as The Doctor |
| 1972 | Doctor Who: Day of the Daleks · as The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited) |
| 1966 | Doctor Who: The Tenth Planet · as The Doctor (1) |
| 1966 | Doctor Who: The War Machines · as The Doctor |
| 1966 | Doctor Who: The Gunfighters · as The Doctor |
| 1966 | Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker · as The Doctor |
| 1966 | Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan · as The Doctor |
| 1966 | Softly Softly (TV Series) · as Henry Swift |
| 1965 | Doctor Who: The Time Meddler · as The Doctor |
| 1965 | Doctor Who: The Chase · as The Doctor |
| 1965 | Doctor Who: The Space Museum · as The Doctor |
| 1965 | Doctor Who: The Crusade · as The Doctor |
| 1965 | Doctor Who: The Web Planet · as The Doctor |
| 1965 | Doctor Who: The Romans · as The Doctor |
| 1965 | Doctor Who: The Rescue · as The Doctor |
| 1964 | Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of Earth · as The Doctor |
| 1964 | Doctor Who: Planet of Giants · as The Doctor |
| 1964 | Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror · as The Doctor |
| 1964 | Doctor Who: The Sensorites · as The Doctor |
| 1964 | Doctor Who: The Aztecs · as The Doctor |
| 1964 | Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus · as The Doctor |
| 1964 | Doctor Who: Marco Polo · as The Doctor |
| 1964 | Doctor Who: The Edge of Destruction · as Dr. Who |
| 1964 | Doctor Who: The Daleks · as Dr. Who |
| 1963 | Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child · as Dr. Who |
| 1963 | Doctor Who (TV Series) · as The Doctor |
| 1963 | The World Ten Times Over · as Dad |
| 1963 | To Have and to Hold · as Insp. Roberts |
| 1963 | Tomorrow at Ten · as Freddie Maddox |
| 1963 | Heavens Above! · as Major Fowler |
| 1963 | This Sporting Life · as 'dad' Johnson |
| 1963 | The Plane Makers (TV Series) · as Wally Griggs |
| 1961 | Ghost Squad (TV Series) |
| 1960 | Piccadilly Third Stop · as Colonel |
| 1960 | And the Same to You · as Walter 'wally' Burton |
| 1960 | Jackpot · as Supt. Frawley |
| 1959 | Make Mine a Double · as Sgt. Bright |
| 1959 | No Hiding Place (TV Series) |
| 1959 | Probation Officer (TV Series) · as Greg Miller |
| 1959 | The Mouse That Roared · as Will Buckley |
| 1959 | Shake Hands with the Devil · as Sergeant Jenkins |
| 1959 | The Edgar Wallace Mysteries (TV Series) · as Insp. Roberts |
| 1959 | Strictly Confidential · as Grimshaw |
| 1958 | Carry on Sergeant · as Sergeant Grimshawe |
| 1958 | Dial 999 (TV Series) · as Jeff Richards |
| 1957 | Scotland Yard Dragnet · as Inspector Ross |
| 1957 | Hell Drivers · as Cartley, Hawlett Manager |
| 1957 | Date with Disaster · as Tracey |
| 1957 | The Army Game (TV Series) · as Sergeant Major Percy Bullimore |
| 1957 | Battle Hell · as Leading Seaman Leslie Frank |
| 1956 | The Errol Flynn Theatre (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1956 | Tons of Trouble · as Bert |
| 1956 | Private's Progress · as Sgt. Sutton |
| 1956 | Doublecross · as Herbert Whiteway |
| 1955 | Josephine and Men · as Detective Sgt. Parsons |
| 1955 | ITV Television Playhouse (TV Series) · as Jim |
| 1955 | Footsteps in the Fog · as Herbert Moresby |
| 1953 | Will Any Gentleman...? · as Detective Inspector Martin |
| 1953 | Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Presents (TV Series) · as Christy |
| 1952 | The Holly and the Ivy · as Company Sergeant Major |
| 1952 | The Ringer · as Sam Hackett |
| 1952 | The Pickwick Papers · as Irate Cabman |
| 1951 | The Dark Man · as Superintendent Of Police |
| 1951 | The Magic Box · as Recruiting Sergeant |
| 1950 | Double Confession · as Charlie Durham |
| 1949 | The Lost People · as Barnes |
| 1949 | Now Barabbas · as Warder Jackson |
| 1948 | Escape · as Inspector Harris |
| 1948 | Brighton Rock · as Dallow |
| 1947 | Temptation Harbor · as Jim Brown |
| 1947 | Odd Man Out · as Fencie - The Barman |
| 1946 | Appointment with Crime · as Leo Martin |
| 1946 | A Defeated People · as Commentator (voice) |
| 1945 | Query · as Tom Masterick |
| 1945 | The Agitator · as Peter Pettinger (as Billy Hartnell) |
| 1944 | Strawberry Roan · as Chris Lowe |
| 1944 | The Way Ahead · as Sgt. Ned Fletcher |
| 1943 | Headline · as Dell |
| 1943 | The Dark Tower · as Jim Towers (as Bill Hartnell) |
| 1943 | Far into the Night · as Brookes |
| 1943 | The Peterville Diamond · as Joseph (as Bill Hartnell) |
| 1942 | Flying Fortress · as Gaylord Parker |
| 1942 | Sabotage at Sea · as Jacob Digby |
| 1942 | The Goose Steps Out · as German Officer At Station |
| 1942 | Wings and the Woman · as Scotty |
| 1942 | Suspected Person · as Detective Saunders |
| 1941 | The Voice in the Night · as Radio Location Aerial Operator (uncredited) |
| 1938 | They Drive by Night · as Bus Conductor |
| 1937 | Troopship · as Minor Role |
| 1936 | Midnight at the Wax Museum · as Stubbs |
| 1936 | Nothing Like Publicity · as Pat Spencer |
| 1935 | Mister Hobo · as Car Salesman |
| 1934 | Seeing Is Believing · as Ronald Gibson |
| 1933 | I'm an Explosive · as Edward Whimperley |
| 1932 | Say It with Music · as Cast |
| 2023 | Talking Doctor Who · as Self / The Doctor (1) (archive Footage) |
| 2013 | Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1957 | BBC Points West (TV Series) · as Self |