Remembering William Hartnell: Five Memorable Performances

Philip Bates is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Today is the 40th anniversary of William Hartnell’s passing.

The great man, who played the First Doctor regularly between 1963 and 1966, died on 23rd April 1975, aged 67. But of course he’ll forever remain in the hearts of Whovians as the one who started it all.

Here are just a few of his fine performances, in tribute to an incredible man.

The Sensorites

This underrated classic is set partly on the Sense-Sphere and partly on a spaceship stuck in the planet’s orbit. It’s an interesting, claustrophic story with memorable aliens: lines are blurred, allegiances are questioned, and that original TARDIS team shine.

In previous months, the Doctor was grumpy and sometimes threatening. But here he is, showing the spirit that remains true to the show even now. The Doctor doesn’t think he makes threats, but he does make promises.

The Dalek Invasion of Earth

In one of the most famous, heartwarming scenes in Classic Who, Susan is locked out of the TARDIS by her own Grandfather – because he’s realised that to love someone, you’ve got to let them go.

It’s a truly emotional piece, right at the end of a cinematic invasion of our own planet by the Daleks – and it’s made even more affecting by the knowledge that Hartnell in real life couldn’t understand Carole Ann Ford’s need to move on from the series after just a year. It shows how close they had all grown, how torturous shooting schedules cast them as friends for life.

It was also recreated for the 50th anniversary drama, An Adventure in Space and Time, and the majority of Whovians can quote the speech verbatim.

The Romans

He can do dramatic; he can do funny! Oh, just watch The Romans. It’s glorious, and unfairly overlooked.

As Vicki’s second adventure, she has quite a few laughs witnessing a case of mistaken identity. That Doctor is a fantastic, uhm, lyre, yknow! Meanwhile, Ian and Barbara are shown true Roman barbarism. That’s this story in a nutshell: barbarism and comedy. It’s this combination that Doctor Who does so well. The fact that it gets so many historical facts wrong just adds to the sheer ludicrous brilliance.

There are so many great performances – Nero is a particular favourite – but Hartnell is at his best. Here, the Doctor inadvertently starts the Great Fire of Rome. As you do.

The War Machines

We know the Doctor is a hero, but Hartnell’s Time Lord was more of an anti-hero at times.

In his last season of stories, he steps up to defend London from WOTAN and his War Machines. This was the cliffhanger to Part Three, and is arguably the most memorable episode finale of the First Doctor era (apart from in The Daleks).

This four-part adventure introduced Polly Wright and Ben Jackson, two brilliant companions whose tenures are often overshadowed by others’ because many of their tales remain missing from the archive; unceremoniously got rid of Dodo Chaplet, who Hartnell nonetheless seemed fond of; and came from an idea by Kit Pedler – co-creator of the Cybermen, who would appear in Hartnell’s regeneration tale, The Tenth Planet.

Oh, and it also features WOTAN demanding the presence of ‘Doctor Who.’

The Three Doctors

The Tenth Planet wasn’t the last time we saw Hartnell, however.

Despite ongoing illness, Hartnell was adamant he should appear in the 10th anniversary celebratory serial, The Three Doctors. Sadly confined to pre-shot segments, it’s still lovely to see his interactions with Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor and Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor. He was dedicated to the role, to the audience, to the show.

Of course, it’s not the last time the First Doctor has cropped up in stories: aside from brief snapshots in Day of the Daleks, The Next Doctor, and Vincent and the Doctor (and then some!), he played important parts in the narratives of both The Name of the Doctor and The Day of the Doctor.

Our thoughts are with anyone who knew William Hartnell, particularly his family. Even 40 years after his passing, he remains an important presence and has touched so many. He’s the Doctor to all new generations.

Share some love for the First Doctor below.

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