- Name: William Hartnell
- Date of Birth: January 08, 1908
- Place of Birth: St. Pancras, London, England, UK
Mini-bio:
British actor William Hartnell once billed himself as "Billy," befitting his previous life as an apprentice jockey and flyweight boxer. Yearning to be a comedian like his idol Charlie Chaplin, Hartnel... read more
William Hartnell Wiki Profile
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William Hartnell was born on 8 January 1908, just south of St. Pancras station, in London. Allegedly claiming in press materials in the 1940s to be have a farmer who was a famer and then later a stockbroker, it turns out that he was born out of wedlock, as his biography "Who's There?" states. At age 16, he was adopted by Hugh Blaker, a well-known art connoiseeur, who helped him to get a job with Sir Frank Benson's Shakespearean Company. He started as a general dogsbody - call-boy, assistant stage manager, property master and assistant lighting director - but was occasionally allowed to play small walk-on parts. Two years later he left Sir Frank Benson's group and went off on tour working for a number of different companies about Britain. He became known as an actor of farce and understudied renowned performers such as Lawrence Grossmith, Ernest Truex, Bud Flanagan and Charles Heslop. He played repertory in Richmond, Harrogate, Leeds and Sheffield and had a successful run as the lead in a touring production of "Charley's Aunt." He also toured Canada in 1928-29, acquiring much valuable experience. On his return to England, Hartnell married the actress Heather McIntyre. Hw starred in the movies "I'm an Explosive" (1933), "The Way Ahead" (1944), "Strawberry Roan" (1944), "The Agitator" (1944), "Murder in Reverse" (1945) and "Appointment with Crime" (1945). His memorable performance on the television series "The Army Game" and the movie "The Sporting Life" (1963) led to him being cast as the Doctor on "Doctor Who" (1963) which he is best remembered for. His son in law is agent Terry Carney. His granddaughter is Judith (stage name Jessica) Carney, who authored an autobiography of her grandfather, "Who's There?" in 1996.
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