Editing William Hartnell

{{Short description|English actor (1908–1975)}}
{{For|the merchant, schoolmaster and governor|William Edward Petty Hartnell}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = William Hartnell
| image              = William Hartnell, 1946 (halftone filtered).jpg
| caption            = Hartnell in 1946
| birth_name         = William Henry Hartnell
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|df=y|1908|1|8}}
| birth_place        = [[London]], England
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|df=y|1975|4|23|1908|1|8}}
| death_place        = [[Marden, Kent]], England
| occupation = Actor
| known_for          = [[First Doctor]] in ''[[Doctor Who]]''
| alma_mater         = [[Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts|Italia Conti Academy]]
| years_active       = 1925–1973
| spouse             = {{marriage|Heather McIntyre|9 May 1929}}
| children           = 1<!-- per infobox documentation, this is for the number of children, so please do not add a name unless a Wikipedia page about that person exists -->
| relatives          = [[Norman Hartnell]] (second cousin)
}}

'''William Henry Hartnell''' ({{IPAc-en|'|h|ɑːr|t|n|ə|l}}; 8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975) was an English actor, who is best known for portraying the [[First Doctor|first incarnation]] of [[the Doctor]], in the long-running British [[science fiction on television|science-fiction television]] series ''[[Doctor Who]]'' from 1963 to 1966; he reprised the role in 1972–1973. In film, Hartnell notably appeared in ''[[Brighton Rock (1948 film)|Brighton Rock]]'' (1949), ''[[The Mouse That Roared (film)|The Mouse That Roared]]'' (1959) and ''[[This Sporting Life]]'' (1963). He was associated with military roles, playing Company Sergeant Major Percy Bullimore in the ITV sitcom ''[[The Army Game]]'' (1957, 1961) and Sergeant Grimshaw, the title character in the first ''Carry On'' film ''[[Carry On Sergeant]]'' (1958).

==Early life==
William Henry Hartnell was born on 8 January 1908 in the slums of the district of [[St Pancras, London]], England, the only child of Lucy Hartnell, an unmarried mother.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2018/01/08/UPI-Almanac-for-Monday-Jan-8-2018/2171515208436/|title= UPI Almanac for Monday, Jan. 8, 2018|work= [[United Press International]]|date=8 January 2018|access-date=21 September 2019| archive-date= 8 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108222931/https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2018/01/08/UPI-Almanac-for-Monday-Jan-8-2018/2171515208436/|url-status=live|quote=…actor William Hartnell in 1908}}</ref><ref>Carney, p. 20</ref> Hartnell never discovered the identity of his father, whose particulars were left blank on his birth certificate, despite his efforts to trace him.<ref>Carney, p. 21</ref> In various interviews, he claimed that he was born in [[Seaton, Devon]], and that his father was a dairy farmer, but later said he was a soldier turned stockbroker.<ref>Carney, p. 20-21</ref>

Hartnell was brought up partly by a foster mother, and also spent many holidays in Devon with his mother's family of farmers, from whom he learned to ride horses.<ref name="biog">[[#Carney|Carney]]</ref> Reportedly, Hartnell had a fall and was kicked by a horse. Disinfectant was applied to the open wound to cleanse it. However, the disinfectant was of a type unsuitable for [[first aid]] purposes and caused blisters. The result was a more serious wound than what would have otherwise occurred.<ref>Carney, p. 37-38</ref> Hartnell was left with a large scar on his temple, which is visible in some of his stills shots even though it was covered with make-up during filming.<ref name="biog"/> He was a second cousin of the fashion designer [[Norman Hartnell]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Keay |first=Douglas |date=26 July 1957 |title=Off Parade – At the Hartnell Home |newspaper=[[TVTimes|TV Times]] |location=London}}</ref>

Hartnell left school without prospects and dabbled in petty crime.<ref name="meyrick">{{cite journal|last=Meyrick|first=Robert|date=2004|title=Hugh Blaker: Doing His Bit for the Moderns|journal=Journal of the History of Collections|volume=16|issue=2|pages=173–89|doi=10.1093/jhc/16.2.173}} {{ISSN|0954-6650}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/william-hartnell-original-doctor-who-2814235 |title=William Hartnell: Original Doctor Who transformed himself from a poverty stricken illegitimate child and hard-drinking womaniser to one of television's most iconic characters |last=Retter |first=Emily |work=[[Daily Mirror|The Mirror]] |date=22 November 2013 |access-date=14 December 2013 }}</ref> At the age of 16, he met the art collector [[Hugh Blaker]], who later became his unofficial guardian, arranged for him to train as a jockey, and helped him to enter the [[Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts|Italia Conti Academy]].<ref name="dnb">{{cite web |url=http://0-www.oxforddnb.com.catalogue.ulrls.lon.ac.uk:80/view/article/46471 |title=Hartnell, William Henry (1908–1975) |work=[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]] |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |date=September 2004 |access-date=2 November 2007 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Theatre being a passion of Blaker's, he paid for Hartnell to receive some "polish" at the [[Imperial Service College]], though Hartnell found the strictures too much and ran away.<ref name="biog"/> When Hartnell married, he and his wife continued to live in one of Blaker's adjacent properties at Isleworth and their daughter was born there in 1929.<ref>{{cite book|author=Carney, Jessica |title=Who's There? The Life and Career of William Hartnell|location=London|date= 1996}}</ref>

==Career==
[[File:William Hartnell, 1950 (halftone filtered).jpg|thumb|upright|Hartnell in 1950]]

===Early career===
Hartnell entered the theatre in 1925<ref name="biog"/> working under [[Frank Benson (actor)|Frank Benson]] as a general stagehand.<ref name="meyrick"/><ref name="times">"Obituary: Mr William Hartnell&nbsp;– An actor of varied talents", ''[[The Times]]'', 25 April 1975.</ref> He appeared in numerous Shakespearian plays, including ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'', ''[[Julius Caesar (play)|Julius Caesar]]'', ''[[As You Like It]]'', ''[[Hamlet]]'', ''[[The Tempest]]'' and ''[[Macbeth]]'' (all 1926). He also appeared in ''[[She Stoops to Conquer]]'', ''[[The School for Scandal]]'' (both 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,<ref>Craig Cabell ''Who Were the Doctors'' (John Blake, 2013)</ref> whom he married during the following year.<ref name="dnb"/> His first of more than 60 film appearances was in ''[[Say It with Music (1932 film)|Say It With Music]]'' (1932).

Radio work also featured in his career, with his earliest known performance – in a production of ''Chinese Moon Party'' – being broadcast by the BBC on 11 May 1931.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/1389f789b52e478682ecbd2c680f7cc8 |title=BBC Genome Project, 11 May 1931|access-date=5 March 2018 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>

From the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], Hartnell attempted to volunteer for the [[Royal Air Force|RAF]].<ref>Carney, p. 91</ref> He served in the [[British Army]] in the Tank Corps, but he was invalided out after 18 months as the result of a nervous breakdown and returned to acting.<ref name="dnb"/> In 1942, he was cast as Albert Fosdike in [[Noël Coward]]'s film ''[[In Which We Serve]]''. He turned up late for his first day of shooting, and Coward berated him in front of the cast and crew for his unprofessionalism, made him personally apologise to everyone and then sacked him. [[Michael Anderson (director)|Michael Anderson]], who was the [[First Assistant Director|first assistant director]], took over the part (and was credited as "Mickey Anderson").<ref>{{cite book |last=Hoare |first=Philip |title=Noël Coward: A Biography |url=https://archive.org/details/nolcowardbiogr00hoar |url-access=registration |location=New York |publisher=Simon & Schuster |year=1995 |isbn=978-0-684-80937-3 |ref=Hoare}}</ref>

Hartnell continued to play comic characters until he was cast in the robust role of Sergeant Ned Fletcher in ''[[The Way Ahead]]'' (1944).<ref name="times" /> From then on, his career was defined by playing mainly policemen, soldiers and thugs. This typecasting bothered him, for even when he was cast in comedies he found he invariably played the "heavy". In 1947 he was cast in a major role in the [[Boulting brothers]] classic gangster film noir [[Brighton Rock (1948 film)|Brighton Rock]], playing the tough gang underboss, Dallow. In 1957 he appeared in [[Hell Drivers]] as a ruthless and hard-nosed transport yard manager, Cartley.  In 1958, he played the sergeant in the first [[Carry On (film series)|Carry On]] comedy film, ''[[Carry On Sergeant]]''. He appeared as [[serjeant-at-arms]] of [[Grand Fenwick]] Will Buckley, another military character, in the film ''[[The Mouse That Roared (film)|The Mouse That Roared]]'' (1959), which starred [[Peter Sellers]], and he played a town [[councillor]] in the [[Boulting brothers]]' film ''[[Heavens Above!]]'' (1963), again with Sellers.

His first regular role on television was as [[Sergeant Major]] Percy Bullimore in ''[[The Army Game]]'' in 1957. He left after the first season and returned for the final season in 1961. Again, although it was a comedy series, he found himself cast in a "tough guy" role. He also appeared in a supporting role in the film version of ''[[This Sporting Life]]'' (1963), giving a sensitive performance as an ageing [[rugby league]] talent scout known as "Dad".<ref name="times"/>

Hartnell described himself as "a legitimate character actor of the theatre and film".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/aug/22/doctor-who-rediscovered-william-hartnell-interview |first=Charles |last=Norton |title=Doctor Who: the rediscovered William Hartnell interview |newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 August 2013 |access-date=8 October 2013}}</ref><ref name="Points West">{{cite web |url=https://www.doctorwho.tv/news/?article=hartnell-the-daleks-were-difficult-to-play-to |title=Hartnell: 'The Daleks were difficult to play to' |last=Allen |first=Christopher |work=DoctorWho.tv |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=5 October 2013 |accessdate=8 July 2021 }}</ref>

===''Doctor Who''===
Hartnell's performance in ''This Sporting Life'' was liked by [[Verity Lambert]], the producer who was setting up a new science-fiction television series for the [[BBC]] entitled ''[[Doctor Who]]''; mainly on the strength of that performance, Lambert offered him the [[First Doctor|title role]]. Although Hartnell was initially uncertain about accepting a part in what was pitched to him as a children's series, in part due to his success in films,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-10-16/doctor-whos-waris-hussein-on-william-hartnell-bette-davis--peter-cook-loathing-david-frost |title=Doctor Who's Waris Hussein on William Hartnell, Bette Davis, & Peter Cook loathing David Frost |last=Mulkern |first=Patrick |magazine=[[Radio Times]] |date=16 October 2013 |access-date=14 December 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/oct/16/doctor-who-director-william-hartnell-time-lord |title=Doctor Who director exposes William Hartnell as reluctant first Time Lord |first=Mark |last=Sweney |work=The Guardian |date=16 October 2013 |access-date=13 November 2013}}</ref> Lambert and director [[Waris Hussein]] convinced him to take the part, and it became the character for which he gained the highest profile and is now most remembered. Hartnell later revealed that he took the role because it led him away from the gruff, military parts in which he had become [[Typecasting (acting)|typecast]], and, having two grandchildren of his own, he came to relish particularly the attention and affection that playing the character brought him from children. An obituary would state how delighted Hartnell was to get the role of the Doctor at the age of 55 after a career of "playing what he called bastards."<ref>[[Peter Haining (author)|Haining, Peter]]. ''Doctor Who: The Key to Time. A Year-by-Year Record.'' London: W. H. Allen, 1984, 151.</ref> His [[An Unearthly Child|first episode]] of ''Doctor Who'' aired on 23 November 1963.<ref>{{cite AV media |year=2006 |title=Doctor Who: Origins |url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMnKNp4o_BHeOKCrF_0awsx91AcfPukoL |access-date=28 July 2013 |author=2-entertain |author-link=2 Entertain |publisher=YouTube }}</ref>

''Doctor Who'' earned Hartnell a regular salary of £315 an episode by 1966 (in the era of 48 weeks per year production on the series), {{Inflation|UK|315|1966|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}. By comparison, in 1966 his co-stars [[Anneke Wills]] and [[Michael Craze]] were earning £68 and £52 per episode at the same time, respectively.<ref name="First Doctor Handbook">{{cite book | last1 = Howe | first1 = David J. | author-link1 = David J. Howe |last2=Stammers |first2=Mark |author-link3=Stephen James Walker |last3=Walker |first3=Stephen James | year = 1994 | title = The Handbook: The First Doctor&nbsp;– The William Hartnell Years 1963–1966 | publisher = Virgin Publishing | location = London | isbn = 978-0-426-20430-5}}</ref> Throughout his tenure as the Doctor, Hartnell wore a wig when playing the part, as the character had long hair.<ref name="Brief">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/news/briefhistory/hartnell.shtml |title=A Brief History of a Time Lord. |author=Doctor Who |author-link=Doctor Who |publisher=[[British Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=28 July 2013 }}</ref>

Hartnell described his character the Doctor as "a [[Wizard (fantasy)|wizard]]", and "a cross between the [[Wizard (Oz)|Wizard of Oz]] and [[Father Christmas]]".{{sfnp|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1993|pp=16–17}} According to [[William Russell (English actor)|William Russell]], Hartnell deliberately became occasionally tongue-tied and stumbled over words.{{sfnp|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1993|p=19}}

According to some of his colleagues on ''Doctor Who'', Hartnell could be a difficult person to work with; among the more caustic accounts, [[Nicholas Courtney]] and Wills described Hartnell as being [[Racism|racist]]<ref name="Harmes">{{cite book |last=Harmes |first=Marcus K. |date=2014 |title=Doctor Who and the Art of Adaptation: Fifty Years of Storytelling |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZdyJAwAAQBAJ&q=william+hartnell+racist&pg=PA40 |location=[[Lanham, Maryland]] |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |page=40 |isbn= 978-1442232853 |access-date=4 September 2014 }}</ref> and [[Antisemitism|antisemitic]].<ref>[http://www.timelash.com/tardis/display.asp?1223 Big Finish Talks Back: The Nicholas Courtney Memoirs (A Soldier in Time)]</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2008-04-01/interview-nicholas-courtney |title=Interview: Nicholas Courtney |last=Mulkern |first=Patrick |date=1 April 2008 |access-date=27 July 2013 }}</ref> Hussein stated that Hartnell was [[homophobic]], but also said "I never allowed him to think of me as anything other than a director". They enjoyed a good working relationship and Hussein developed a "great affection" for Hartnell; Hussein said Hartnell was upset when Hussein left the show.<ref name="Mulkern">{{cite news|last=Mulkern|first=Patrick|url= http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-10-16/doctor-whos-waris-hussein-on-william-hartnell-bette-davis--peter-cook-loathing-david-frost |title=Doctor Who's Waris Hussein on William Hartnell, Bette Davis, & Peter Cook loathing David Frost|work=[[Radio Times]] |date=16 October 2013 |accessdate=18 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lawrence |first=Ben |date=2024-01-30 |title=Waris Hussein: 'I am so angry the BBC sold Television Centre. They destroyed the world they had' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2024/01/30/waris-hussein-interview-bbc/ |access-date=2024-06-13 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> Hartnell's granddaughter, Jessica Carney, wrote that Hartnell was very bigoted and often made [[xenophobic]] comments but that "all those loudly expressed opinions were contradicted by his behaviour on a personal level". Val Speyer said that while Hartnell claimed not to like foreigners, "as one of his greatest friends on the show was half Greek and half Maltese, I didn't see how this could figure. However, if he liked someone, they weren't a foreigner, they were a friend!"<ref name="Carney, p. 171">Carney, p. 171</ref>

Hartnell's deteriorating health (undiagnosed [[arteriosclerosis]]) began to affect his ability to learn his lines, with the problem increasing as his time on the series progressed.{{sfnp|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1993|p=17}} In addition, he had a poor relationship with Lambert’s successor John Wiles, who resigned from the role after barely six months. The producer role was then given to Innes Lloyd who, with new story editor Gerry Davis, developed the idea that since the Doctor was an alien, he could transform himself physically, enabling the production to recast the lead role. Hartnell left ''Doctor Who'' in 1966.<ref name="Brief"/><ref>[[#Haining|Haining]], p. 39</ref> Hartnell himself suggested his successor; "There's only one man in England who can take over, and that's [[Patrick Troughton]]."{{sfnp|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1993|p=68}} Hartnell departed the show in the serial ''[[The Tenth Planet]]'' where the First Doctor [[Regeneration (Doctor Who)|regenerates]] into Troughton's [[Second Doctor]].<ref>{{Cite episode |title=The Tenth Planet |episode-link=The Tenth Planet |series=Doctor Who |series-link=Doctor Who |network=[[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]] |date=29 October 1966 |season=4 |number=2 }}</ref>

Hartnell reprised the role in the tenth anniversary story ''[[The Three Doctors (Doctor Who)|The Three Doctors]]'', broadcast from December 1972 to January 1973. When Hartnell's wife Heather found out about his planned involvement, she informed the show's crew that his failing memory and weakening health would prevent him from starring in the special. An agreement was made between the crew and Heather that Hartnell would sit down during the shoot and read his lines from [[cue cards]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfTGVnk_XEU | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/TfTGVnk_XEU| archive-date=11 December 2021 | url-status=live|title=Exclusive First Look: Hartnell's perseverance – Doctor Who – The Three Doctors |author=Doctor Who |author-link=Doctor Who |publisher=[[British Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=7 February 2012 |access-date=28 July 2013 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> His appearance in the story was his final piece of work as an actor due to his declining health.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Neil |date=16 July 2017 |title=All the Doctors, from William Hartnell to Jodie Whittaker |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40585673 |access-date=2024-11-13 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

As a result of the then-standard practice of discarding old recordings in order to make room for newer ones, 44 of Hartnell's 134 video episodes are [[Doctor Who missing episodes|missing from the archives]], although audio recordings exist.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}

==Personal life==
Hartnell was married to Heather McIntyre from 9 May 1929 until his death. They had a daughter, Heather Anne,<ref name="meyrick"/> and two grandchildren.<ref name="First Doctor Handbook"/> After living at 51 Church Street, [[Isleworth]], next door to Hugh Blaker, the Hartnells lived on [[Thames Ditton Island]].{{Citation needed|reason=this is a rumour among islanders but no information exists to substantiate|date=December 2018}} Then in the 1960s they moved to a cottage in [[Mayfield and Five Ashes|Mayfield]], Sussex. They lived in later life at Sheephurst Lane in [[Marden, Kent]]. Heather Hartnell died in 1984.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4yCtDwAAQBAJ&q=Heather+hartnell+1984&pg=PT35 |title = The Doctors Who's Who – the Story Behind Every Face of the Iconic Time Lord: Celebrating its 50th Year|isbn = 9781843585763|last1 = Cabell|first1 = Craig|date = 27 November 2011| publisher=Kings Road }}</ref>

Asked about his religious beliefs in an interview for ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' in 1966, Hartnell claimed to "have a natural belief there is something or someone great that exists beyond [his] comprehension", further stating that he did not believe that going to church should be a duty and that he himself preferred to visit church in solitude.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Barnes|first=Alan|date=28 March 2024|title=The Tell-Tale Hartnell|url=|magazine=[[Doctor Who Magazine]]|publisher=Panini Comics|page=47}}</ref>

==Later life and death==
Hartnell's health had worsened during the early 1970s and, in December 1974, he was admitted to hospital indefinitely. In early 1975, he suffered a series of strokes, brought on by [[cerebrovascular disease]], and he died in his sleep in hospital from [[congestive heart failure|heart failure]] on 23 April 1975, at the age of 67.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/changingwho/10307.shtml|title=BBC – Archive – The Changing Face of Doctor Who – 'Radio Times' Letters Page, 24 November 1966|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq4zkS34nlI | title=BBC News - Doctor Who, William Hartnell's Death - 23 April 1975 | website=[[YouTube]] | date=23 April 2021 }}</ref>

==Legacy==
Hartnell's granddaughter, Judith "Jessica" Carney, published a biography entitled ''Who's There? The Life and Career of William Hartnell'', first published in 1996 by [[Virgin Books|Virgin Publishing]]. To mark the 50th anniversary of ''Doctor Who'' Carney, with Fantom Publishing, revised and republished the book in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/william-hartnell-original-doctor-who-2814235|title=Story of the first Doctor Who: How illegitimate thief and womaniser William Hartnell became the original Time Lord|first=Emily|last=Retter|website=[[Daily Mirror]]|date=22 November 2013}}</ref>

For the 50th anniversary of ''Doctor Who'' in 2013, the BBC broadcast ''[[An Adventure in Space and Time]]'', a dramatisation of the events surrounding the creation of the series, which had [[David Bradley (English actor)|David Bradley]] portraying Hartnell.<ref name="rtcasting">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/0201-01-02/doctor-who-mark-gatiss-reveals-casting-for-an-adventure-in-space-and-time|title=Doctor Who: Mark Gatiss reveals casting for An Adventure in Space and Time|last=Jones|first=David|magazine=[[Radio Times]]|date=29 January 2013|access-date=30 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/24/showbiz/comic-con-doctor-who/?hpt=en_c1 |title='Doctor Who' celebrates 50 years with biopic |last=Zemler |first=Emily |publisher=CNN |date=24 July 2013 |access-date=27 July 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://au.ign.com/articles/2013/07/22/comic-con-doctor-whos-50th |title=Comic-Con: Doctor Who's 50th! |last=Cornet |first=Ron |website=IGN |date=22 July 2013 |access-date=27 July 2013 }}</ref>

A blue plaque marking Hartnell's work in film and television was unveiled at [[Ealing Studios]] by Carney on 14 October 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2018/10/dwas-honours-william-hartnell.html|title=DWAS honours William Hartnell|publisher=Doctor Who News. 14 October 2018 | access-date=14 October 2018}}</ref>

==Filmography==

===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! class=unsortable|Role
! class=unsortable|Notes
|-
| 1932 || ''[[Say It with Music (1932 film)|Say It with Music]]'' || || film debut
|-
| rowspan=3| 1933 || ''[[The Lure (1933 film)|The Lure]]'' || Billy ||
|-
| ''[[I'm an Explosive]]'' || Edward Whimperley ||
|-
| ''[[Follow the Lady (film)|Follow the Lady]]'' || Mike Martindale ||
|-
| rowspan=3| 1934 || ''[[Seeing Is Believing (film)|Seeing Is Believing]]'' || Ronald Gibson ||
|-
| ''[[The Perfect Flaw]]'' || Vickers ||
|-
| ''Swinging the Lead'' || Freddy Fordum ||
|-
| rowspan=3|1935 || ''[[Old Faithful (film)|Old Faithful]]'' || <small>''Minor role''</small> || Credited as "Billy Hartnell"
|-
| ''[[While Parents Sleep]]'' || George ||
|-
| ''[[The Guv'nor (film)|The Guv'nor]]'' || Car salesman || Uncredited
|-
| rowspan=5|1936 || ''[[The Crimson Circle (1936 film)|The Crimson Circle]]'' || <small>''Minor role''</small> || Credited as "Billy Hartnell"
|-
| ''The Shadow of Mike Emerald'' || <small>''Unknown''</small> || Uncredited
|-
| ''[[Midnight at Madame Tussaud's]]'' || Stubbs || Credited as "Billy Hartnell"
|-
| ''[[Parisian Life (1936 film)|La Vie parisienne]]'' || <small>''Unknown''</small> ||
|-
| ''[[Nothing Like Publicity]]'' || Pat Spencer || Credited as "Billy Hartnell"
|-
| 1937 || ''[[Farewell Again]]'' || <small>''Minor role''</small> || Uncredited
|-
| 1938 || ''[[They Drive by Night (1938 film)|They Drive by Night]]'' || Bus Conductor || rowspan=3|Credited as "Billy Hartnell"
|-
| rowspan=2|1939 || ''[[Too Dangerous to Live]]'' || <small>''Minor role''</small>
|-
| ''[[Murder Will Out (1939 film)|Murder Will Out]]'' || Dick
|-
| 1940 || ''[[They Came by Night]]'' || <small>''Minor role''</small> || rowspan="3" | Uncredited
|-
| 1941 || ''[[Freedom Radio]]'' || Radio Location Aerial Operator 
|-
| rowspan=6|1942 || ''[[Flying Fortress (film)|Flying Fortress]]'' || Gaylord Parker 
|-
| ''[[They Flew Alone]]'' || Scotty || Credited as "Billy Hartnell"
|-
| ''[[Suspected Person]]'' || Detective Saunders ||
|-
| ''[[The Goose Steps Out]]'' || German Officer at Station || Uncredited
|-
| ''[[Sabotage at Sea]]'' || Jacob Digby ||
|-
| ''[[The Peterville Diamond]]'' || Joseph || Credited as "Bill Hartnell"
|-
| rowspan=3|1943 || ''[[The Bells Go Down]]'' || Brookes || Credited as "Billy Hartnell"
|-
| ''[[The Dark Tower (1943 film)|The Dark Tower]]'' || Jim Powers || Credited as "Bill Hartnell"
|-
| ''[[Headline (film)|Headline]]'' || Dell ||
|-
| rowspan=2|1944 || ''[[The Way Ahead]]'' || Sgt Ned Fletcher || rowspan=3|Credited as "Billy Hartnell"
|-
| ''[[Strawberry Roan (1945 film)|Strawberry Roan]]'' || Chris Lowe
|-
| rowspan=2|1945 || ''[[The Agitator]]'' || Peter Pettinger
|-
| ''[[Murder in Reverse?]]'' || Tom Masterick || Credited as "Billy Hartnell" 
|-
| 1946 || ''[[Appointment with Crime]]'' || Leo Martin ||
|-
| rowspan=2|1947 || ''[[Odd Man Out]]'' || Fencie ||
|-
| ''[[Temptation Harbour]]'' || Jim Brown ||
|-
| rowspan=2|1948 || ''[[Brighton Rock (1948 film)|Brighton Rock]]'' || Dallow ||
|-
|''[[Escape (1948 film)|Escape]]'' || Inspector Harris ||
|-
| rowspan=2|1949 || ''[[Now Barabbas]]'' || Warder Jackson ||
|-
| ''[[The Lost People]]'' || Barnes ||
|-
| 1950 || ''[[Double Confession]]'' || Charlie Durham ||
|-
| 1951 || ''[[The Dark Man (film)|The Dark Man]]'' || Police Superintendent ||
|-
| rowspan=4|1952 || ''[[The Magic Box]]'' || Recruiting Sergeant ||
|-
| ''[[The Pickwick Papers (1952 film)|The Pickwick Papers]]'' || Irate Cabman ||
|-
| ''[[The Ringer (1952 film)|The Ringer]]'' || Sam Hackett ||
|-
| ''[[The Holly and the Ivy (film)|The Holly and the Ivy]]'' || The Company Sergeant-Major (C.S.M.) ||
|-
| 1953 || ''[[Will Any Gentleman...?]]'' || Detective Inspector (D.I.) Martin ||
|-
| rowspan=2|1955 || ''[[Footsteps in the Fog]]'' || Herbert Moseby ||
|-
| ''[[Josephine and Men]]'' || Detective Sgt Parsons ||
|-
| rowspan=3|1956 || ''[[Private's Progress]]'' || Sergeant Sutton ||
|-
| ''[[Doublecross (1956 film)|Doublecross]]'' || Herbert Whiteway ||
|-
| ''[[Tons of Trouble]]'' || Bert ||
|-
| rowspan=4|1957 || ''[[Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst]]'' || Leading Seaman Frank ||
|-
| ''[[Hell Drivers (film)|Hell Drivers]]'' || Cartley ||
|-
| ''[[The Hypnotist (1957 film)|The Hypnotist]]'' || Detective Inspector Ross ||
|-
| ''[[Date with Disaster]]'' || Tracey ||
|-
| rowspan=2|1958 || ''[[On the Run (1958 film)|On the Run]]'' || Tom Casey ||
|-
| ''[[Carry On Sergeant]]'' || Sergeant Grimshawe ||
|-
| rowspan=4|1959 || ''[[Shake Hands with the Devil (1959 film)|Shake Hands with the Devil]]'' || Sergeant Jenkins ||
|-
| ''[[The Mouse That Roared (film)|The Mouse That Roared]]'' || Sergeant-at-Arms Will Buckley ||
|-
| ''[[The Night We Dropped a Clanger]]'' || Sergeant Bright ||
|-
| ''[[Strictly Confidential (1959 film)|Strictly Confidential]]'' || Grimshaw ||
|-
| rowspan=3|1960 || ''[[And the Same to You]]'' || Walter "Wally" Burton ||
|-
| ''[[Piccadilly Third Stop]]'' || Colonel ||
|-
| ''[[Jackpot (1960 film)|Jackpot]]'' || Superintendent Frawley ||
|-
| rowspan="4" |1963 || ''[[This Sporting Life]]'' || 'Dad' Johnson ||
|-
| ''[[Heavens Above!]]'' || Major Fowler ||
|-
| ''[[Tomorrow at Ten]]'' || Freddie Maddox ||
|-
| ''[[The World Ten Times Over]]'' || Dad ||
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! class=unsortable|Role
! class=unsortable|Notes
|-
| rowspan=2|1955 || ''[[Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents]]'' || Christy || Season 3, Episode 28: "The Auction"
|-
| ''London Playhouse'' || Kenyon || Season 1, Episode 7: "The Inward Eye"
|-
| 1956 || ''[[The Errol Flynn Theatre]]'' || Himself || Season 1, Episode 13: "The Red Geranium"
|-
| 1957 || ''A Santa For Christmas'' || <small>''Unknown''</small> || TV movie
|-
| 1957, 1961 || ''[[The Army Game]]'' || <small>Company Sergeant Major</small><br/>Percy Bullimore || {{ubl
| [[The Army Game#Series One (1957)|Series 1]] (3 episodes)
| [[The Army Game#Series Four (1960–61)|Series 4]] (8 episodes)
}}
|-
| 1958–1959 || ''[[Dial 999 (TV series)|Dial 999]]'' || {{ubl|Joss Crawford|Jeff Richards}} || {{ubl
| Season 1, Episode 1: "The Killing Job"
| Season 1, Episode 16: "50,000 Hands"
}}
|-
| rowspan=2|1959 || ''[[Probation Officer (TV series)|Probation Officer]]'' || <small>''Unknown''</small> || Season 1, Episode 28
|-
| ''[[The Flying Doctor (TV series)|The Flying Doctor]]'' || Abe McKeller || Season 1, Episode 9: "The Changing Plain"
|-
| 1960 || ''ITV Television Playhouse'' || {{ubl|Reynolds|Jim}} || {{ubl
| Season 5, Episode 41: "Place of My Own"
| Season 5, Episode 44: "After the Party"
}}
|-
| rowspan=2|1961 || ''[[Kraft Mystery Theater]]'' || Smith || Season 1, Episode 11: "The Desperate Men"
|-
| ''[[Ghost Squad (TV series)|Ghost Squad]]'' || Fred Rice || Season 1, Episode 4: "High Wire"
|-
| rowspan="2" |1963 || ''[[The Plane Makers]]'' || Wally Griggs || Season 1, Episode 15: "One of Those Days"
|-
|''[[Edgar Wallace Mysteries]]''
|Inspector Roberts
|Season 4, Episode 15: "To Have and to Hold"
|-
| data-sort-value="1963" | {{cslist|1963–1966|1972–1973}} || rowspan=2|''[[Doctor Who]]'' ||[[First Doctor]]|| {{ubl
| [[Doctor Who (season 1)|Season 1]] (42 episodes)
| [[Doctor Who (season 2)|Season 2]] (39 episodes)
| [[Doctor Who (season 3)|Season 3]] (44 episodes)
| [[Doctor Who (season 4)|Season 4]] (8 episodes)
| [[Doctor Who (season 10)|Season 10]] ([[The Three Doctors (Doctor Who)|4 episodes]])
}}
|-
| 1966 || Abbot of Amboise || 4 episodes: ''[[The Massacre (Doctor Who)|The Massacre]]''
|-
| 1967 || ''[[No Hiding Place]]'' || Impey || Season 10, Episode 2: "The Game"
|-
| 1968 || ''[[Softly, Softly (TV series)|Softly, Softly]]'' || Henry Swift || Season 3, Episode 13: "Cause of Death"
|-
| 1969 || ''Life With Johnny'' || Dad || Season 1, 2 Episodes inc "Johnny Come Home"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2454554.html|title=William Hartnell as Cliff Richard's father|last=nwhyte|date=18 April 2015}}</ref>
|-
| 1970 || ''Crime of Passion'' || Henri Lindon || Season 1, Episode 6: "Alain"
|}

== Theatre ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1927
|''The Man Responsible''
|Dr. Ronald Warden
|[[Theatre Royal, Exeter|Theatre Royal]], Grand Pier Pavilion, Weston-super-Mare, and other locations
|-
|1934
|''[[Good Morning, Bill]]''
|Bill Paradene
|[[Richmond Theatre (London)|Richmond Theatre]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |1936
|''[[The Late Christopher Bean]]''
|Tallent
| rowspan="2" |[[Victoria Palace Theatre]]
|-
|''Family Affairs''
|Nevil Madehurst
|-
|1937-8
|''Power and Glory''
|First Journalist
|[[Savoy Theatre]]
|-
|1939-40
|[[Nap Hand (play)|''Nap Hand'']] 
|Customer
|Aldwych Theatre, London, [[Opera House, Manchester|Opera House]] and other locations
|-
|1942-3
|[[Brighton Rock (novel)|''Brighton Rock'']]
|Dallow
|Garrick Theatre, London, [[Grand Theatre, Blackpool|Grand Theatre]] and other locations
|-
|1950
|''What Anne Brought Anne''
|Douglas Purdie
|Royal County Theatre, Bedford
|-
|1950-4
|[[Seagulls Over Sorrento (play)|''Seagulls Over Sorrento'']] 
|Petty Officer Herbert
|Apollo Theatre (Shaftesbury Avenue), London, Duchess Theatre, London, and other locations
|-
|1955
|''Treble Trouble''
|George Knowles
|[[Richmond Theatre (London)|Richmond Theatre]]
|-
|1956
|''Ring for Catty''
|John Rhodes
|Coliseum Theatre, Harrow, Lyric Theatre (Shaftesbury Ave), London, and other locations
|-
|1961
|''The Cupboard''
|Alf Thompson
|Arts Theatre, London
|-
|1966-7
|''[[Puss in Boots]]''
|Buskin the Fairy Cobbler
|The Gaumont Theatre Ipswich, The Odeon Theatre, Southend, Cheltenham and Taunton 
|-
|1967-8
|''Brother and Sister''
|William Brazier
|[[Bristol Old Vic]]
|-
|1968
|''[[Lord Arthur Savile's Crime (play)|Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime]]''
|Baines
|Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon, [[Kings Theatre, Southsea|King’s Theatre]] and other locations
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
* {{cite book |last = Wood |first = Tat |author-link = Tat Wood |author2=Lawrence Miles |author2-link=Lawrence Miles |year = 2006 |title = About Time 1: The Unauthorized Guide to Doctor Who 1963–1966 |publisher = Mad Norwegian Press |location = Illinois |isbn = 978-0-9759446-0-8 |ref=Wood }}
* {{cite book |last = Carney |first = Jessica |year = 1996 |title = Who's There? The Life and Career of William Hartnell |publisher = [[Virgin Publishing]] |isbn = 978-1-85227-514-3 |ref=Carney }}
* {{cite book |last1 = Howe |first1 = David J. |last2=Stammers|first2= Mark |last3=Walker|first3= Stephen James |year = 1993 |title = Doctor Who: The Sixties |publisher = [[Virgin Publishing]] |location = London |isbn = 978-0-86369-707-4 }}
* {{cite book |last=Haining |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Haining (author) |title=Doctor Who: A Celebration |year=1983 |publisher=W.H. Allen and Co. |location=London |isbn=978-0-491-03351-0 |ref=Haining }}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0367156}}
* {{Screenonline name|id=544973}}

{{Subject bar|portal1=Biography|portal2=Doctor Who|portal3=London|commons=y|q=y|d=y}}
{{Marden}}
{{Authority control}}

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