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(128)
The Doctor
1963
1959
The Doctor
1964
Dr. Who (archive footage) (uncredited)
2025
The Doctor (voice)
2021
Chris Lowe
1944
The Doctor
1964
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2009
Minor Role
1937
The Doctor (archive footage)
2006
The Doctor
1965
1961
Bert
1956
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2013
The Doctor
2023
Leading Seaman Leslie Frank
1957
Sergeant Major Percy Bullimore
1957
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor
1966
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2003
1936
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
1983
The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited)
2015
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor / Abbot of Amboise
1966
The Doctor
1966
The Doctor (1)
1966
The Doctor
1966
Recruiting Sergeant
1952
The Doctor (archive footage)
2023
The Doctor (archive footage)
2006
The Doctor
1964
Sgt. Sutton
1956
The Doctor
1966
Smith
1959
The Doctor
1964
The First Doctor (archive footage)
2008
The Doctor
1965
Sgt. Ned Fletcher
1944
Radio Location Aerial Operator (uncredited)
1941
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor (archive footage)
2006
Dr. Who
1963
Sgt. Bright
1959
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited)
1972
The Doctor
1964
Major Fowler
1963
Jacob Digby
1942
The Doctor in the mirror (uncredited)
1966
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2017
Insp. Roberts
1963
Irate Cabman
1952
Sergeant Grimshawe
1958
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2024
Inspector Ross
1957
Cartley, Hawlett Manager
1957
The Doctor
1965
The Doctor (1) (archive footage) (uncredited)
1984
Herbert Moresby
1955
Company Sergeant Major
1952
The Doctor
1966
The Doctor
1966
Walter 'Wally' Burton
1960
Dallow
1948
The Doctor (archive footage)
2002
Detective Sgt. Parsons
1955
The Doctor
1966
Supt. Frawley
1960
Freddie Maddox
1963
Dr. Who
1964
The Doctor (voice)
2024
Will Buckley
1959
Sergeant Jenkins
1959
Joseph (as Bill Hartnell)
1943
The Doctor (voice)
2025
The Doctor
1964
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2008
Detective Inspector Martin
1953
The Doctor (archive footage)
2006
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2013
Self
2013
Peter Pettinger (as Billy Hartnell)
1945
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
1982
Herbert Whiteway
1956
The Doctor
1964
'Dad' Johnson
1963
Tracey
1958
Dr. Who
1964
Grimshaw
1959
Sergeant Grimshawe
1977
Fencie - the barman
1947
Charlie Durham
1950
Dell
1943
Self / The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
2023
The Doctor (1) (archive footage)
1983
Barnes
1949
The Doctor (archive footage)
2012
Tom Masterick
1945
Warder Jackson
1949
The Doctor (archive footage)
2012
Bus Conductor
1938
Superintendent of Police
1951
The Doctor
1965
Vickers
1934
The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited)
1976
German Officer at Station
1942
Brookes
1943
Colonel
1960
The Doctor
1973
Scotty
1942
Billy
1933
1936
Leo Martin
1946
Car Salesman
1935
Inspector Harris
1948
Sam Hackett
1952
Jim Towers (as Bill Hartnell)
1943
Jim Brown
1947
Dick
1939
Stubbs
1936
Undetermined Role
1940
Detective Saunders
1942
The Doctor (archive footage)
2009
Mike Martindale
1933
Dad
1963