William Hartnell
Known for
William Hartnell is a British actor whose face carries further than his name. Work on screen dates back to 1933. Drama dominates the filmography. Screen work has filled the last 93 years. 'Doctor Who' is the anchor of the filmography, built on the part of The Doctor. Cast lists also place him in 'Odd Man Out'.
William Hartnell
75 Movies
3 Series
William Hartnell is a British actor whose face carries further than his name. Work on screen dates back to 1933. Drama dominates the filmography. Screen work has filled the last 93 years. 'Doctor Who' is the anchor of the filmography, built on the part of The Doctor. Cast lists also place him in 'Odd Man Out'.
Movies
Plays Will Buckley
The Mouse That Roared
1959
Plays Cartley, Hawlett Manager
Hell Drivers
1957
Plays Fencie - the barman
Odd Man Out
1947
Plays Sergeant Jenkins
Shake Hands with the Devil
1959
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Chase
1965
Plays 'Dad' Johnson
This Sporting Life
1963
Plays Major Fowler
Heavens Above!
1963
Plays Sergeant Grimshawe
Carry On Sergeant
1958
Plays Company Sergeant Major
The Holly and the Ivy
1952
Plays Dallow
Brighton Rock
1948
Plays Sgt. Sutton
Private's Progress
1956
Plays Irate Cabman
The Pickwick Papers
1952
Plays Herbert Moresby
Footsteps in the Fog
1955
Plays Car Salesman
The Guv'nor
1935
Plays Undetermined Role
They Came by Night
1940
Plays Recruiting Sergeant
The Magic Box
1952
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Three Doctors
1973
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan
1965
Plays Insp. Roberts
To Have and to Hold
1963
Plays Sgt. Ned Fletcher
The Way Ahead
1944
Plays Tracey
Date with Disaster
1958
Plays Sam Hackett
The Ringer
1952
Plays Charlie Durham
Double Confession
1950
Plays Scotty
They Flew Alone
1942
Plays Leading Seaman Leslie Frank
Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst
1957
Plays Freddie Maddox
Tomorrow at Ten
1963
Plays Sgt. Bright
The Night We Dropped a Clanger
1959
Plays Jim Brown
Temptation Harbour
1947
Plays Inspector Harris
Escape
1948
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Myth Makers
1965
Plays Dad
The World Ten Times Over
1963
Plays Brookes
The Bells Go Down
1943
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: The War Machines
1966
Plays Walter 'Wally' Burton
And the Same to You
1960
Plays Barnes
The Lost People
1949
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Gunfighters
1966
Plays German Officer at Station
The Goose Steps Out
1942
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Web Planet
1965
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Smugglers
1966
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child
1963
Plays Colonel
Piccadilly Third Stop
1960
Plays Detective Inspector Martin
Will Any Gentleman...?
1953
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Ark
1966
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Space Museum
1965
Plays Leo Martin
Appointment with Crime
1946
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: Planet of Giants
1964
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Daleks
1964
Plays Peter Pettinger (as Billy Hartnell)
The Agitator
1945
Plays Grimshaw
Strictly Confidential
1959
Plays The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus
1964
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius
Full Filmography
Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius
The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited)
1976
Film
Doctor Who: The Three Doctors
The Doctor
1973
Film
Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks
The Doctor in the mirror (uncredited)
1966
Film
Doctor Who: The Smugglers
The Doctor
1966
Film
Doctor Who: The War Machines
The Doctor
1966
Film
Doctor Who: The Savages
The Doctor
1966
Film
Doctor Who: The Gunfighters
The Doctor
1966
Film
Doctor Who: The Ark
The Doctor
1966
Film
Doctor Who: Lost in Time
The Doctor · 3 episodes
1965
TV
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Is William Hartnell still alive?
William Hartnell passed away on April 23, 1975 at age 67.
What are the most famous roles of William Hartnell?
William Hartnell is best known for roles in Odd Man Out, The Mouse That Roared, Brighton Rock.
How many movies has William Hartnell been in?
Over a 42-year career (since 1933), William Hartnell has appeared in 75 movies and 3 TV shows.
What was William Hartnell's first movie?
The career of William Hartnell began with Follow the Lady (1933).
What is William Hartnell's most recent movie or series?
William Hartnell's most recent release is Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius, which premiered on January 24, 1976.
What TV shows has William Hartnell appeared in?
On television, William Hartnell has appeared in Doctor Who, No Hiding Place, The Army Game, Ghost Squad.
William Hartnell
1908-01-08 · Saint Pancras, London, England, UK
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.