William Hartnell
Acting
🎂 1908-01-08
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.
Cast credits(127)
The Doctor
1963
1959
Sergeant Major Percy Bullimore
1957
1961
The Doctor
2023
Self
2013
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2013
Sgt. Ned Fletcher
1944
Irate Cabman
1952
Will Buckley
1959
'Dad' Johnson
1963
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2013
Recruiting Sergeant
1952
Dallow
1948
Walter 'Wally' Burton
1960
The Doctor
1965
Cartley, Hawlett Manager
1957
Herbert Moresby
1955
Sergeant Jenkins
1959
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2008
Bus Conductor
1938
Dr. Who (archive footage) (uncredited)
2025
Fencie - the barman
1947
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2017
Inspector Ross
1957
Sgt. Sutton
1956
Sergeant Grimshawe
1958
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2024
The Doctor
1966
Company Sergeant Major
1952
The Doctor
1964
Jim Brown
1947
Warder Jackson
1949
Sergeant Grimshawe
1977
Jim Towers (as Bill Hartnell)
1943
The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited)
2015
Detective Inspector Martin
1953
Radio Location Aerial Operator (uncredited)
1941
Minor Role
1937
The Doctor
1966
Sam Hackett
1952
The Doctor (archive footage)
2002
Major Fowler
1963
German Officer at Station
1942
Freddie Maddox
1963
Tom Masterick
1945
Charlie Durham
1950
The Doctor
1966
The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited)
1972
The Doctor (archive footage)
2006
Dr. Who
1964
The Doctor
1964
Car Salesman
1935
Leading Seaman Leslie Frank
1957
Sgt. Bright
1959
Brookes
1943
The Doctor
1965
Inspector Harris
1948
The First Doctor (archive footage)
2008
The Doctor
1965
Detective Sgt. Parsons
1955
The Doctor (archive footage)
2023
Peter Pettinger (as Billy Hartnell)
1945
Tracey
1958
Dr. Who
1963
The Doctor
1964
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
1983
Dr. Who
1964
The Doctor
1964
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited)
1976
Self / The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2023
The Doctor
1966
Scotty
1942
The Doctor / Abbot of Amboise
1966
The Doctor
1964
The Doctor (1)
1966
Detective Saunders
1942
Dick
1939
Supt. Frawley
1960
The Doctor
1964
Barnes
1949
Leo Martin
1946
The Doctor (archive footage)
2006
The Doctor (archive footage)
2012
Bert
1956
The Doctor (voice)
2025
1936
The Doctor (archive footage)
2009
The Doctor (voice)
2024
Undetermined Role
1940
The Doctor
1973
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
1982
The Doctor
1965
Jacob Digby
1942
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor (archive footage)
2006
Stubbs
1936
Grimshaw
1959
Colonel
1960
Insp. Roberts
1963
Chris Lowe
1944
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
1983
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor in the mirror (uncredited)
1966
Superintendent of Police
1951
Herbert Whiteway
1956
The Doctor (archive footage)
2006
The Doctor (archive footage)
2012
The Doctor
1966
Joseph (as Bill Hartnell)
1943
The Doctor (1) (archive footage) (uncredited)
1984
1936
Vickers
1934
Dell
1943
The Doctor
1964
The Doctor
1966
Dad
1963
The Doctor (voice)
2021
Billy
1933
The Doctor
1966
Mike Martindale
1933
Smith
1959
The Doctor
2023