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William Hartnell

Acting 67 (deceased) years old Saint Pancras, London, England, UK ★ 0.7
Born: January 8, 1908
Died: April 23, 1975

Biography

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.

Filmography

Acting Credits (133)

Doctor Who: Wish World & The Reality War
Doctor Who: Wish World & The Reality War Dr. Who (archive footage) (uncredited) 2025
Doctor Who: The Savages
Doctor Who: The Savages The Doctor (voice) 2025
Doctor Who at the Proms
Doctor Who at the Proms The Doctor (1) (archive footage) 2024
Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker
Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker The Doctor (voice) 2024
Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour
Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour The Doctor (archive footage) 2023
Talking Doctor Who
Talking Doctor Who Self / The Doctor (1) (archive footage) 2023
Tales of the Tardis
Tales of the Tardis The Doctor 2023
Doctor Who: Galaxy 4
Doctor Who: Galaxy 4 The Doctor (voice) 2021
Doctor Who: Galaxy 4
Doctor Who: Galaxy 4 Doctor Who 2021
Mission to the Unknown
Mission to the Unknown Dr. Who 2019
Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time
Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time The Doctor (1) (archive footage) 2017
Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song
Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited) 2015
Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor
Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor The Doctor (1) (archive footage) 2013
An Adventure in Space and Time
An Adventure in Space and Time The Doctor (1) (archive footage) 2013
Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited
Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited Self 2013
Don't Lose Your Head: The Making of 'The Reign of Terror'
Don't Lose Your Head: The Making of 'The Reign of Terror' The Doctor (archive footage) 2012
Vision On
Vision On The Doctor (archive footage) 2012
The Sets of Marinus
The Sets of Marinus The Doctor (archive footage) 2009
Mounting the Rescue
Mounting the Rescue The Doctor (1) (archive footage) 2009
Doctor Who: The Next Doctor
Doctor Who: The Next Doctor The Doctor (1) (archive footage) 2008
The Ties That Bind Us
The Ties That Bind Us The First Doctor (archive footage) 2008
Creation of the Daleks
Creation of the Daleks The Doctor (archive footage) 2006
Masters of Sound
Masters of Sound The Doctor (archive footage) 2006
Inside the Spaceship: The Story of the TARDIS
Inside the Spaceship: The Story of the TARDIS The Doctor (archive footage) 2006
Doctor Who: Origins
Doctor Who: Origins The Doctor (archive footage) 2006
Future Memories: Making 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth'
Future Memories: Making 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth' The Doctor (1) (archive footage) 2003
Remembering 'The Aztecs'
Remembering 'The Aztecs' The Doctor (archive footage) 2002
What's a Carry On?
What's a Carry On? Sergeant Grimshawe (archive footage) (uncredited) 1998
Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks
Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks The Doctor (1) (archive footage) (uncredited) 1984
Doctor Who: The Five Doctors
Doctor Who: The Five Doctors The First Doctor (archive footage) 1983
Doctor Who: Mawdryn Undead
Doctor Who: Mawdryn Undead The Doctor (1) (archive footage) 1983
Doctor Who: Earthshock
Doctor Who: Earthshock The Doctor (1) (archive footage) 1982
That's Carry On!
That's Carry On! Sergeant Grimshawe (archive footage) 1977
Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius
Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited) 1976
Doctor Who: The Three Doctors
Doctor Who: The Three Doctors The Doctor 1973
Doctor Who: Day of the Daleks
Doctor Who: Day of the Daleks The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited) 1972
Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks
Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks The Doctor in the mirror (uncredited) 1966
Doctor Who: The Tenth Planet
Doctor Who: The Tenth Planet The Doctor (1) 1966
Doctor Who: The Smugglers
Doctor Who: The Smugglers The Doctor 1966
Doctor Who: The War Machines
Doctor Who: The War Machines The Doctor 1966
Doctor Who: The Savages
Doctor Who: The Savages The Doctor 1966
Doctor Who: The Gunfighters
Doctor Who: The Gunfighters The Doctor 1966
Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker
Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker The Doctor 1966
Doctor Who: The Ark
Doctor Who: The Ark The Doctor 1966
Doctor Who: The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve
Doctor Who: The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve The Doctor / Abbot of Amboise 1966
Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan
Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan The Doctor 1965
Doctor Who: The Myth Makers
Doctor Who: The Myth Makers The Doctor 1965
Doctor Who: Galaxy 4
Doctor Who: Galaxy 4 The Doctor 1965
Doctor Who: The Time Meddler
Doctor Who: The Time Meddler The Doctor 1965
Doctor Who: The Chase
Doctor Who: The Chase The Doctor 1965
Doctor Who: The Space Museum
Doctor Who: The Space Museum The Doctor 1965
Doctor Who: The Crusade
Doctor Who: The Crusade The Doctor 1965
Doctor Who: Lost in Time
Doctor Who: Lost in Time The Doctor 1965
Doctor Who: The Web Planet
Doctor Who: The Web Planet The Doctor 1965
Doctor Who: The Romans
Doctor Who: The Romans The Doctor 1965
Doctor Who: The Rescue
Doctor Who: The Rescue The Doctor 1965
Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of Earth
Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of Earth The Doctor 1964
Doctor Who: Planet of Giants
Doctor Who: Planet of Giants The Doctor 1964
Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror
Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror The Doctor 1964
Doctor Who: The Sensorites
Doctor Who: The Sensorites The Doctor 1964
Doctor Who: The Aztecs
Doctor Who: The Aztecs The Doctor 1964
Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus
Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus The Doctor 1964
Doctor Who: Marco Polo
Doctor Who: Marco Polo The Doctor 1964
Doctor Who: The Edge of Destruction
Doctor Who: The Edge of Destruction The Doctor 1964
Doctor Who: The Daleks
Doctor Who: The Daleks The Doctor 1964
Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child
Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child The Doctor 1963
Doctor Who
Doctor Who The Doctor 1963
The World Ten Times Over
The World Ten Times Over Dad 1963
To Have and to Hold
To Have and to Hold Insp. Roberts 1963
Tomorrow at Ten
Tomorrow at Ten Freddie Maddox 1963
Heavens Above!
Heavens Above! Major Fowler 1963
This Sporting Life
This Sporting Life 'Dad' Johnson 1963
Ghost Squad
Ghost Squad 1961
Piccadilly Third Stop
Piccadilly Third Stop Colonel 1960
And the Same to You
And the Same to You Walter 'Wally' Burton 1960
Jackpot
Jackpot Supt. Frawley 1960
The Desperate Man
The Desperate Man Smith 1959
The Night We Dropped a Clanger
The Night We Dropped a Clanger Sgt. Bright 1959
No Hiding Place
No Hiding Place 1959
The Mouse That Roared
The Mouse That Roared Will Buckley 1959
Shake Hands with the Devil
Shake Hands with the Devil Sergeant Jenkins 1959
Strictly Confidential
Strictly Confidential Grimshaw 1959
Carry On Sergeant
Carry On Sergeant Sergeant Grimshawe 1958
On the Run
On the Run Tom Casey 1958
Date with Disaster
Date with Disaster Tracey 1958
The Hypnotist
The Hypnotist Inspector Ross 1957
Hell Drivers
Hell Drivers Cartley, Hawlett Manager 1957
The Army Game
The Army Game Sergeant Major Percy Bullimore 1957
Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst
Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst Leading Seaman Leslie Frank 1957
Tons of Trouble
Tons of Trouble Bert 1956
Private's Progress
Private's Progress Sgt. Sutton 1956
Doublecross
Doublecross Herbert Whiteway 1956
Josephine and Men
Josephine and Men Detective Sgt. Parsons 1955
Footsteps in the Fog
Footsteps in the Fog Herbert Moresby 1955
Will Any Gentleman...?
Will Any Gentleman...? Detective Inspector Martin 1953
The Holly and the Ivy
The Holly and the Ivy Company Sergeant Major 1952
The Ringer
The Ringer Sam Hackett 1952
The Pickwick Papers
The Pickwick Papers Irate Cabman 1952
The Magic Box
The Magic Box Recruiting Sergeant 1952
The Dark Man
The Dark Man Superintendent of Police 1951
Double Confession
Double Confession Charlie Durham 1950
The Lost People
The Lost People Barnes 1949
Now Barabbas
Now Barabbas Warder Jackson 1949
Escape
Escape Inspector Harris 1948
Brighton Rock
Brighton Rock Dallow 1948
Temptation Harbour
Temptation Harbour Jim Brown 1947
Odd Man Out
Odd Man Out Fencie - the barman 1947
Appointment with Crime
Appointment with Crime Leo Martin 1946
A Defeated People
A Defeated People Commentator (voice) 1946
Murder in Reverse?
Murder in Reverse? Tom Masterick 1945
The Agitator
The Agitator Peter Pettinger (as Billy Hartnell) 1945
Strawberry Roan
Strawberry Roan Chris Lowe 1944
The Way Ahead
The Way Ahead Sgt. Ned Fletcher 1944
Headline
Headline Dell 1943
The Dark Tower
The Dark Tower Jim Towers (as Bill Hartnell) 1943
The Bells Go Down
The Bells Go Down Brookes 1943
The Peterville Diamond
The Peterville Diamond Joseph (as Bill Hartnell) 1943
Sabotage at Sea
Sabotage at Sea Jacob Digby 1942
The Goose Steps Out
The Goose Steps Out German Officer at Station 1942
They Flew Alone
They Flew Alone Scotty 1942
Suspected Person
Suspected Person Detective Saunders 1942
Freedom Radio
Freedom Radio Radio Location Aerial Operator (uncredited) 1941
They Came by Night
They Came by Night Undetermined Role 1940
Murder Will Out
Murder Will Out Dick 1939
They Drive by Night
They Drive by Night Bus Conductor 1938
Farewell Again
Farewell Again Minor Role 1937
Midnight at Madame Tussaud's
Midnight at Madame Tussaud's Stubbs 1936
The Crimson Circle
The Crimson Circle 1936
Parisian Life
Parisian Life 1936
The Guv'nor
The Guv'nor Car Salesman 1935
The Perfect Flaw
The Perfect Flaw Vickers 1934
The Lure
The Lure Billy 1933
Follow the Lady
Follow the Lady Mike Martindale 1933

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