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William Hartnell‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1908-01-08

Popularity

star4.5

William Hartnell

St. Pancras, London, England, UK

William Hartnell

St. Pancras, London, England, UK

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1908-01-08

Popularity

star4.5

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.

Movie Credits

Carry On Sergeant

Carry On Sergeant‌
star6.4
calendar 1958

The Mouse That Roared

The Mouse That Roared‌
star6.3
calendar 1959

Brighton Rock

Brighton Rock‌
star6.8
calendar 1948

The Way Ahead

The Way Ahead‌
star6.4
calendar 1944

Escape

Escape‌
star5.6
calendar 1948

Double Confession

Double Confession‌
star6.1
calendar 1950

Doctor Who: Galaxy 4

Doctor Who: Galaxy 4‌
star0.0
calendar 2021

Odd Man Out

Odd Man Out‌
star7.3
calendar 1947

Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst

Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst‌
star7.2
calendar 1957

Hell Drivers

Hell Drivers‌
star6.6
calendar 1957

That's Carry On!

That's Carry On!‌
star5.7
calendar 1977

This Sporting Life

This Sporting Life‌
star7.0
calendar 1963

The Magic Box

The Magic Box‌
star6.3
calendar 1952

Private's Progress

Private's Progress‌
star6.4
calendar 1956

Appointment with Crime

Appointment with Crime‌
star5.9
calendar 1946

Temptation Harbour

Temptation Harbour‌
star4.8
calendar 1947

Date with Disaster

Date with Disaster‌
star5.3
calendar 1958

Headline

Headline‌
star5.5
calendar 1943

Murder Will Out

Murder Will Out‌
star0.0
calendar 1939

Now Barabbas

Now Barabbas‌
star6.5
calendar 1949

The Dark Tower

The Dark Tower‌
star6.1
calendar 1943

And the Same to You

And the Same to You‌
star5.6
calendar 1960

Piccadilly Third Stop

Piccadilly Third Stop‌
star6.5
calendar 1960

Will Any Gentleman...?

Will Any Gentleman...?‌
star5.6
calendar 1953

The Night We Dropped a Clanger

The Night We Dropped a Clanger‌
star5.9
calendar 1959

Midnight at Madame Tussaud's

Midnight at Madame Tussaud's‌
star6.0
calendar 1936

The Perfect Flaw

The Perfect Flaw‌
star0.0
calendar 1934

The Bells Go Down

The Bells Go Down‌
star6.8
calendar 1943

The Lost People

The Lost People‌
star5.7
calendar 1949

Heavens Above!

Heavens Above!‌
star6.2
calendar 1963

The World Ten Times Over

The World Ten Times Over‌
star7.0
calendar 1963

Talking Doctor Who

Talking Doctor Who‌
star5.0
calendar 2023

The Ringer

The Ringer‌
star5.8
calendar 1952

Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour

Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour‌
star6.5
calendar 2023

Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker

Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker‌
star8.0
calendar 2024

Doublecross

Doublecross‌
star7.0
calendar 1956

The Desperate Man

The Desperate Man‌
star5.0
calendar 1959

Shake Hands with the Devil

Shake Hands with the Devil‌
star6.5
calendar 1959

Strictly Confidential

Strictly Confidential‌
star4.5
calendar 1959

To Have and to Hold

To Have and to Hold‌
star5.0
calendar 1963

The Hypnotist

The Hypnotist‌
star5.3
calendar 1957

The Agitator

The Agitator‌
star6.0
calendar 1945

Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor

Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor‌
star8.2
calendar 2013

Doctor Who: The Aztecs

Doctor Who: The Aztecs‌
star7.8
calendar 1964

The Crimson Circle

The Crimson Circle‌
star5.3
calendar 1936

Follow the Lady

Follow the Lady‌
star0.0
calendar 1933

Suspected Person

Suspected Person‌
star5.5
calendar 1942

The Dark Man

The Dark Man‌
star6.3
calendar 1951

Jackpot

Jackpot‌
star5.0
calendar 1960

They Flew Alone

They Flew Alone‌
star6.0
calendar 1942

Farewell Again

Farewell Again‌
star5.0
calendar 1937

Doctor Who: The Edge of Destruction

Doctor Who: The Edge of Destruction‌
star5.6
calendar 1964

Doctor Who: Marco Polo

Doctor Who: Marco Polo‌
star7.2
calendar 1964

Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus

Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus‌
star6.0
calendar 1964

Doctor Who: The Sensorites

Doctor Who: The Sensorites‌
star5.2
calendar 1964

The Guv'nor

The Guv'nor‌
star7.3
calendar 1935

Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror

Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror‌
star6.6
calendar 1964

Doctor Who: Planet of Giants

Doctor Who: Planet of Giants‌
star7.0
calendar 1964

Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of Earth

Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of Earth‌
star7.6
calendar 1964

Doctor Who: The Rescue

Doctor Who: The Rescue‌
star6.2
calendar 1965

Doctor Who: The Romans

Doctor Who: The Romans‌
star7.9
calendar 1965

Doctor Who: The Web Planet

Doctor Who: The Web Planet‌
star6.2
calendar 1965

Doctor Who: The Crusade

Doctor Who: The Crusade‌
star6.2
calendar 1965

Doctor Who: The Space Museum

Doctor Who: The Space Museum‌
star6.6
calendar 1965

Doctor Who: The Chase

Doctor Who: The Chase‌
star6.8
calendar 1965

Doctor Who: The Time Meddler

Doctor Who: The Time Meddler‌
star7.6
calendar 1965

Doctor Who: Galaxy 4

Doctor Who: Galaxy 4‌
star5.7
calendar 1965

Doctor Who: The Myth Makers

Doctor Who: The Myth Makers‌
star7.3
calendar 1965

Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan

Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan‌
star7.8
calendar 1966

Doctor Who: The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve

Doctor Who: The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve‌
star7.0
calendar 1966

Doctor Who: The Ark

Doctor Who: The Ark‌
star6.8
calendar 1966

Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker

Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker‌
star5.3
calendar 1966

Doctor Who: The Gunfighters

Doctor Who: The Gunfighters‌
star7.0
calendar 1966

Doctor Who: The Savages

Doctor Who: The Savages‌
star7.3
calendar 1966

Doctor Who: The War Machines

Doctor Who: The War Machines‌
star7.3
calendar 1966

Doctor Who: The Smugglers

Doctor Who: The Smugglers‌
star5.7
calendar 1966

Doctor Who: The Three Doctors

Doctor Who: The Three Doctors‌
star7.2
calendar 1973

Tons of Trouble

Tons of Trouble‌
star4.7
calendar 1956

Freedom Radio

Freedom Radio‌
star6.3
calendar 1941

They Came by Night

They Came by Night‌
star5.0
calendar 1940

Strawberry Roan

Strawberry Roan‌
star6.0
calendar 1944

Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time

Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time‌
star8.0
calendar 2017

Footsteps in the Fog

Footsteps in the Fog‌
star7.0
calendar 1955

The Holly and the Ivy

The Holly and the Ivy‌
star6.7
calendar 1952

Tomorrow at Ten

Tomorrow at Ten‌
star6.3
calendar 1962

The Goose Steps Out

The Goose Steps Out‌
star6.4
calendar 1942

Doctor Who: The Tenth Planet

Doctor Who: The Tenth Planet‌
star7.9
calendar 1966

Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child

Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child‌
star7.5
calendar 1963

Doctor Who: The Daleks

Doctor Who: The Daleks‌
star7.4
calendar 1964

Doctor Who: The Five Doctors

Doctor Who: The Five Doctors‌
star7.8
calendar 1983

Murder in Reverse?

Murder in Reverse?‌
star6.0
calendar 1945

They Drive by Night

They Drive by Night‌
star5.8
calendar 1938

Creation of the Daleks

Creation of the Daleks‌
star0.0
calendar 2006

Josephine and Men

Josephine and Men‌
star6.3
calendar 1955

The Pickwick Papers

The Pickwick Papers‌
star6.6
calendar 1952

The Peterville Diamond

The Peterville Diamond‌
star5.3
calendar 1943

Doctor Who: Earthshock

Doctor Who: Earthshock‌
star8.1
calendar 1982

Sabotage at Sea

Sabotage at Sea‌
star5.0
calendar 1942

An Adventure in Space and Time

An Adventure in Space and Time‌
star7.7
calendar 2013

Masters of Sound

Masters of Sound‌
star0.0
calendar 2006

Inside the Spaceship: The Story of the TARDIS

Inside the Spaceship: The Story of the TARDIS‌
star0.0
calendar 2006

The Sets of Marinus

The Sets of Marinus‌
star0.0
calendar 2009

Remembering 'The Aztecs'

Remembering 'The Aztecs'‌
star0.0
calendar 2002

Vision On

Vision On‌
star0.0
calendar 2012

Don't Lose Your Head

Don't Lose Your Head‌
star0.0
calendar 2012

Tv Credits

The Army Game

The Army Game‌
star5.0
calendar 1957

Ghost Squad

Ghost Squad‌
star5.0
calendar 1961

No Hiding Place

No Hiding Place‌
star3.7
calendar 1959

Doctor Who

Doctor Who‌
star7.9
calendar 1963

Doctor Who: Lost in Time

Doctor Who: Lost in Time‌
star0.0
calendar 1965

Doctor Who

Doctor Who‌
star7.5
calendar 2005

Tales of the Tardis

Tales of the Tardis‌
star4.4
calendar 2023

Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited

Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited‌
star6.4
calendar 2013