Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

129

Gender

Male

Birthday

1908-01-08

Day of Death

1975-04-23 (67 years old)

Place of Birth

Saint Pancras, London, England, UK

Also Known As

Billy Hartnell

Bill Hartnell

Уильям Хартнелл

William Henry Hartnell

William Hartnell

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.

Known For

Acting

Carry On Sergeant

1958

Carry On Sergeant

as

Sergeant Grimshawe

The Mouse That Roared

1959

The Mouse That Roared

as

Will Buckley

Brighton Rock

1948

Brighton Rock

as

Dallow

The Way Ahead

1944

The Way Ahead

as

Sgt. Ned Fletcher

Escape

1948

Escape

as

Inspector Harris

Double Confession

1950

Double Confession

as

Charlie Durham

Doctor Who: Galaxy 4

2021

Doctor Who: Galaxy 4

as

The Doctor (voice)

Odd Man Out

1947

Odd Man Out

as

Fencie - the barman

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

1957

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

as

Leading Seaman Leslie Frank

Hell Drivers

1957

Hell Drivers

as

Cartley, Hawlett Manager

That's Carry On!

1977

That's Carry On!

as

Sergeant Grimshawe

This Sporting Life

1963

This Sporting Life

as

'Dad' Johnson

The Magic Box

1952

The Magic Box

as

Recruiting Sergeant

Private's Progress

1956

Private's Progress

as

Sgt. Sutton

Appointment with Crime

1946

Appointment with Crime

as

Leo Martin

Temptation Harbour

1947

Temptation Harbour

as

Jim Brown

Date with Disaster

1958

Date with Disaster

as

Tracey

Headline

1943

Headline

as

Dell

Murder Will Out

1939

Murder Will Out

as

Dick

Now Barabbas

1949

Now Barabbas

as

Warder Jackson

The Dark Tower

1943

The Dark Tower

as

Jim Towers (as Bill Hartnell)

And the Same to You

1960

And the Same to You

as

Walter 'Wally' Burton

Piccadilly Third Stop

1960

Piccadilly Third Stop

as

Colonel

Will Any Gentleman...?

1953

Will Any Gentleman...?

as

Detective Inspector Martin

The Night We Dropped a Clanger

1959

The Night We Dropped a Clanger

as

Sgt. Bright

Midnight at Madame Tussaud's

1936

Midnight at Madame Tussaud's

as

Stubbs

The Perfect Flaw

1934

The Perfect Flaw

as

Vickers

The Bells Go Down

1943

The Bells Go Down

as

Brookes

The Lost People

1949

The Lost People

as

Barnes

Heavens Above!

1963

Heavens Above!

as

Major Fowler

Talking Doctor Who

2023

Talking Doctor Who

as

Self / The Doctor (1) (archive footage)

The World Ten Times Over

1963

The World Ten Times Over

as

Dad

The Ringer

1952

The Ringer

as

Sam Hackett

Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour

2023

Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour

as

The Doctor (archive footage)

Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker

2024

Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker

as

The Doctor (voice)

Doublecross

1956

Doublecross

as

Herbert Whiteway

The Desperate Man

1959

The Desperate Man

as

Smith

Shake Hands with the Devil

1959

Shake Hands with the Devil

as

Sergeant Jenkins

Strictly Confidential

1959

Strictly Confidential

as

Grimshaw

To Have and to Hold

1963

To Have and to Hold

as

Insp. Roberts

The Hypnotist

1957

The Hypnotist

as

Inspector Ross

The Agitator

1945

The Agitator

as

Peter Pettinger (as Billy Hartnell)

Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor

2013

Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor

as

The Doctor (1) (archive footage)

Doctor Who: The Aztecs

1964

Doctor Who: The Aztecs

as

The Doctor

The Crimson Circle

1936

The Crimson Circle

as

Follow the Lady

1933

Follow the Lady

as

Mike Martindale

Suspected Person

1942

Suspected Person

as

Detective Saunders

The Dark Man

1951

The Dark Man

as

Superintendent of Police

Jackpot

1960

Jackpot

as

Supt. Frawley

They Flew Alone

1942

They Flew Alone

as

Scotty

Farewell Again

1937

Farewell Again

as

Minor Role

Doctor Who: The Edge of Destruction

1964

Doctor Who: The Edge of Destruction

as

Dr. Who

Doctor Who: Marco Polo

1964

Doctor Who: Marco Polo

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus

1964

Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Sensorites

1964

Doctor Who: The Sensorites

as

The Doctor

The Guv'nor

1935

The Guv'nor

as

Car Salesman

Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror

1964

Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of Earth

1964

Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of Earth

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: Planet of Giants

1964

Doctor Who: Planet of Giants

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Rescue

1965

Doctor Who: The Rescue

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Crusade

1965

Doctor Who: The Crusade

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Web Planet

1965

Doctor Who: The Web Planet

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Romans

1965

Doctor Who: The Romans

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Space Museum

1965

Doctor Who: The Space Museum

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Chase

1965

Doctor Who: The Chase

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Time Meddler

1965

Doctor Who: The Time Meddler

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: Galaxy 4

1965

Doctor Who: Galaxy 4

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan

1966

Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Myth Makers

1965

Doctor Who: The Myth Makers

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Ark

1966

Doctor Who: The Ark

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Gunfighters

1966

Doctor Who: The Gunfighters

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Smugglers

1966

Doctor Who: The Smugglers

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve

1966

Doctor Who: The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve

as

The Doctor / Abbot of Amboise

Doctor Who: The Savages

1966

Doctor Who: The Savages

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker

1966

Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The War Machines

1966

Doctor Who: The War Machines

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Three Doctors

1973

Doctor Who: The Three Doctors

as

The Doctor

Tons of Trouble

1956

Tons of Trouble

as

Bert

Freedom Radio

1941

Freedom Radio

as

Radio Location Aerial Operator (uncredited)

They Came by Night

1940

They Came by Night

as

Undetermined Role

Strawberry Roan

1944

Strawberry Roan

as

Chris Lowe

Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time

2017

Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time

as

The Doctor (1) (archive footage)

Footsteps in the Fog

1955

Footsteps in the Fog

as

Herbert Moresby

The Holly and the Ivy

1952

The Holly and the Ivy

as

Company Sergeant Major

Tomorrow at Ten

1963

Tomorrow at Ten

as

Freddie Maddox

The Goose Steps Out

1942

The Goose Steps Out

as

German Officer at Station

Doctor Who: The Tenth Planet

1966

Doctor Who: The Tenth Planet

as

The Doctor (1)

Doctor Who: The Daleks

1964

Doctor Who: The Daleks

as

Dr. Who

Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child

1963

Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child

as

Dr. Who

Doctor Who: The Five Doctors

1983

Doctor Who: The Five Doctors

as

The Doctor (1) (archive footage)

Murder in Reverse?

1945

Murder in Reverse?

as

Tom Masterick

They Drive by Night

1938

They Drive by Night

as

Bus Conductor

Creation of the Daleks

2006

Creation of the Daleks

as

The Doctor (archive footage)

Josephine and Men

1955

Josephine and Men

as

Detective Sgt. Parsons

The Pickwick Papers

1952

The Pickwick Papers

as

Irate Cabman

The Peterville Diamond

1943

The Peterville Diamond

as

Joseph (as Bill Hartnell)

Doctor Who: Earthshock

1982

Doctor Who: Earthshock

as

The Doctor (1) (archive footage)

Sabotage at Sea

1942

Sabotage at Sea

as

Jacob Digby

An Adventure in Space and Time

2013

An Adventure in Space and Time

as

The Doctor (1) (archive footage)

Masters of Sound

2006

Masters of Sound

as

The Doctor (archive footage)

Inside the Spaceship: The Story of the TARDIS

2006

Inside the Spaceship: The Story of the TARDIS

as

The Doctor (archive footage)

The Sets of Marinus

2009

The Sets of Marinus

as

The Doctor (archive footage)

Remembering 'The Aztecs'

2002

Remembering 'The Aztecs'

as

The Doctor (archive footage)

Vision On

2012

Vision On

as

The Doctor (archive footage)

Don't Lose Your Head

2012

Don't Lose Your Head

as

The Doctor (archive footage)

The Lure

1933

The Lure

as

Billy

Parisian Life

1936

Parisian Life

as

Doctor Who: The Savages

2025

Doctor Who: The Savages

as

The Doctor (voice)

Doctor Who at the Proms

2024

Doctor Who at the Proms

as

The Doctor (1) (archive footage)

Doctor Who: The Next Doctor

2008

Doctor Who: The Next Doctor

as

The Doctor (1) (archive footage)

Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song

2015

Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song

as

The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited)

Doctor Who: Mawdryn Undead

1983

Doctor Who: Mawdryn Undead

as

The Doctor (1) (archive footage)

Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks

1966

Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks

as

The Doctor in the mirror (uncredited)

Doctor Who: Day of the Daleks

1972

Doctor Who: Day of the Daleks

as

The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited)

Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius

1976

Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius

as

The Doctor (1) (picture) (uncredited)

Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks

1984

Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks

as

The Doctor (1) (archive footage) (uncredited)

The Ties That Bind Us

2008

The Ties That Bind Us

as

The First Doctor (archive footage)

Doctor Who: Wish World & The Reality War

2025

Doctor Who: Wish World & The Reality War

as

Dr. Who (archive footage) (uncredited)

Tales of The TARDIS: The Three Doctors

2023

Tales of The TARDIS: The Three Doctors

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: Origins

2006

Doctor Who: Origins

as

The Doctor (archive footage)

Future Memories: Making 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth'

2003

Future Memories: Making 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth'

as

The Doctor (1) (archive footage)

Mounting the Rescue

2009

Mounting the Rescue

as

The Doctor (1) (archive footage)

Ghost Squad

Ghost Squad

as

No Hiding Place

No Hiding Place

as

Doctor Who

Doctor Who

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: Lost in Time

Doctor Who: Lost in Time

as

The Doctor

Tales of the Tardis

Tales of the Tardis

as

The Doctor

Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited

Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited

as

Self

The Army Game

The Army Game

as

Sergeant Major Percy Bullimore

Production

Crew

Directing