List of actors who have played the Doctor

Since the beginning of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who in 1963, many actors have played the title character of the Doctor on television and in various BBC-licensed spin-offs on television, stage, radio, film, audio plays and webcasts. The character's ability to periodically regenerate appearance and personality has facilitated the ability of new actors to take over the role – in official and unofficial productions – while in most cases maintaining continuity with the television series.

This list does not include Doctors who have appeared in fan films or amateur stage shows and audios, nor does it include rare occasions where a companion or other character has impersonated the Doctor (such as Mawdryn in the television serial Mawdryn Undead (1983) or Clara Oswald in the episode "Death in Heaven" (2014)).

The incumbent is Jodie Whittaker, who succeeded Peter Capaldi in the role at the conclusion of the 2017 Christmas special.[1]

Television

Series leads

Actor
(role)
TenureFirst regular appearanceLast regular appearance
William Hartnell
(First Doctor)
23 November 1963 – 29 October 1966
(2 years, 11 months and 6 days)
An Unearthly Child
"An Unearthly Child"
The Tenth Planet
Episode 4
William Hartnell also played the Doctor in an initial version of An Unearthly Child. This was the first attempt at the first episode of the original series, filmed in September 1963 and first released on The Hartnell Years VHS in 1990.

Patrick Troughton
(Second Doctor)
29 October 1966 – 21 June 1969
(2 years, 7 months, 3 weeks and 2 days)
The Power of the Daleks
Episode One
The War Games
Episode Ten
Jon Pertwee
(Third Doctor)
3 January 1970 – 8 June 1974
(4 years, 5 months and 5 days)
Spearhead from Space
Episode One
Planet of the Spiders
Part Six
Tom Baker
(Fourth Doctor)
8 June 1974 – 21 March 1981
(6 years, 9 months, 1 week and 6 days)
Robot
Part One
Logopolis
Part Four

Tom Baker appeared as the Curator in "The Day of the Doctor" (2013). It was implied that he was a future incarnation of the Doctor revisiting "a few of the old favourites" of his past faces, and who had retired from adventuring and was now the curator of the National Gallery in London.[2]

Peter Davison
(Fifth Doctor)
21 March 1981 – 16 March 1984
(2 years, 11 months, 3 weeks and 3 days)
Castrovalva
Part One
The Caves of Androzani
Part Four
Colin Baker
(Sixth Doctor)
16 March 1984 – 6 December 1986
(2 years, 8 months, 2 weeks and 6 days)
The Twin Dilemma
Part One
The Ultimate Foe
Part Two
Sylvester McCoy
(Seventh Doctor)
7 September 1987 – 6 December 1989
(2 years, 2 months, 4 weeks and 1 day)
Time and the Rani
Part One
Doctor Who

Sylvester McCoy also briefly played the Sixth Doctor in Time and the Rani, during the regeneration scene, wearing a curly blond wig.

Paul McGann
(Eighth Doctor)
27 May 1996Doctor Who (TV-movie)
Christopher Eccleston
(Ninth Doctor)
26 March 2005 – 18 June 2005
(2 months, 3 weeks and 2 days)
"Rose""The Parting of the Ways"
David Tennant
(Tenth Doctor)
18 June 2005 – 1 January 2010
(4 years, 6 months and 2 weeks)
"The Christmas Invasion""The End of Time"
Part Two

David Tennant also played the Doctor's half-human clone in "Journey's End" – 5 July 2008

Matt Smith
(Eleventh Doctor)
1 January 2010 – 25 December 2013
(3 years, 11 months, 3 weeks and 3 days)
"The Eleventh Hour""The Time of the Doctor"
Peter Capaldi
(Twelfth Doctor)
25 December 2013 – 25 December 2017
(4 years)
"Deep Breath""Twice Upon a Time"

Peter Capaldi previously appeared on Doctor Who playing a different character in the Tenth Doctor's episode "The Fires of Pompeii" and in the spin-off Torchwood as John Frobisher.

Jodie Whittaker
(Thirteenth Doctor)
25 December 2017 – present
(3 years, 1 month and 1 week)
"The Woman Who Fell to Earth"N/A

Other

Actor Title Dates Role
Christopher BarryThe Brain of Morbius24 January 1976Past Doctors seen during the Fourth Doctor's mind-bending battle against Morbius
Robert Banks Stewart
Christopher Baker
Philip Hinchcliffe
Douglas Camfield
Graeme Harper
Robert Holmes
George Gallaccio
Adrian GibbsLogopolis28 February – 21 March 1981The Watcher[Note 2]
Richard HurndallThe Five Doctors23 November 1983Hurndall replaced Hartnell, who had died in 1975, as the First Doctor for the programme's 20th anniversary special.
Michael JaystonThe Trial of a Time Lord6 September – 6 December 1986The Valeyard, an evil version of the Doctor, an amalgamation of the Doctor's darker sides from between his twelfth and final incarnations
Geoffrey HughesThe Ultimate Foe29 November – 6 December 1986Mr Popplewick, a matrix projection of the Valeyard
Toby Jones"Amy's Choice"15 May 2010The Dream Lord, a darker, psychic manifestation of the Doctor
John Hurt"The Name of the Doctor"18 May 2013The Doctor's incarnation known as the War Doctor,[21] whose actions in the Time War were so drastic that he deemed himself unworthy of the name "Doctor". The other Doctors said in "The Day of the Doctor" "you were the Doctor more than anybody else" and "you were the Doctor on the day it wasn't possible to get it right".
"The Night of the Doctor"14 November 2013
"The Day of the Doctor"23 November 2013
John GuilorPlanet of Giants DVD20 August 2012Re-dubbed voice work in the reconstruction of the original third and fourth episodes
"The Day of the Doctor"23 November 2013Vocal cameo
Michael Jones"Listen"13 September 2014The First Doctor as a child; uncredited[22]
David Bradley"The Doctor Falls"1 July 2017Similarly to Hurndall, Bradley replaced Hartnell as the First Doctor, who had died 42 years previously. Bradley also portrayed Hartnell in the docudrama An Adventure in Space and Time (2013).
"Twice Upon a Time" 25 December 2017
Jo Martin "Fugitive of the Judoon" 26 January 2020 Previously unseen incarnation known as the Fugitive Doctor[23]
"The Timeless Children" 1 March 2020
Evan McCabe "Ascension of the Cybermen" / "The Timeless Children" 23 February – 1 March 2020 Brendan, a decoy Matrix construct used to conceal records of the Timeless Child. Brendan is also portrayed as a child and an old man by other, uncredited actors.
Grace Nettle[24] "The Timeless Children" 1 March 2020 An incarnation of the Timeless Child
Leo Tang[25] An incarnation of the Timeless Child
Jesse Deyi[26] An incarnation of the Timeless Child, and the one who joined the Division

Film

ActorTitleDatesRole
Peter CushingDr. Who and the Daleks23 August 1965Dr. Who
Daleks – Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D.5 August 1966

Webcast

ActorTitleDatesRole
Richard E. GrantScream of the Shalka13 November – 18 December 2003A previously official Ninth Doctor prior to the programme's 2005 revival
David Bradley Doctors Assemble![27] 23 May 2020 The First Doctor
Chris Walker-Thomson The Second Doctor
Jon Culshaw The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Doctors
Angus Villiers-Stuart The Sixth and Eighth Doctors
Wink Taylor The Seventh Doctor
Jonathon Carley The War and Twelfth Doctors
Pete Walsh The Ninth Doctor
Elliott Crossley The Tenth Doctor
Jacob Dudman The Eleventh Doctor
Debra Stephenson The Thirteenth Doctor

Theatre

ActorTitleDatesRole
Trevor MartinThe Seven Keys to Doomsday16 December 1974 – 7 January 1975Alternative Fourth Doctor (shown on stage to be regenerated from the Third Doctor)[Note 3]
Michael SagarThe Seven Keys to Doomsday24 November – 8 December 1984The Doctor[Note 4][28]
David BanksDoctor Who – The Ultimate Adventure29 April 1989The Doctor (understudy for Jon Pertwee; performed as the Doctor for two performances when Pertwee fell ill)

Audio

ActorTitleDatesRole
Michael JaystonHe Jests at Scars...September 2003The Valeyard (alternate reality version)
Trial of the Valeyard17 December 2013The Valeyard
The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure17 August 2015
Bernice Summerfield: The Story So Far: Volume Two 25 September 2018
The Eighth Doctor: The Time War: Volume Three 13 August 2019
Geoffrey BayldonAuld MortalityMay 2003Alternative Doctor
A Storm of AngelsJanuary 2005
David WarnerSympathy for the DevilJune 2003Alternative Doctor
Masters of WarDecember 2008
The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield. Volume Three: The Unbound Universe24 August 2016
The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield. Volume Four: Ruler of the Universe20 September 2017
Bernice Summerfield: The Story So Far: Volume Two 25 September 2018
The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield. Volume Five: Buried Memories 10 September 2019
The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield. Volume Six: Lost in Translation 9 September 2020
David CollingsFull Fathom FiveAugust 2003Alternative Doctor
Ian BrookerAlternative Doctor (uncredited)
Arabella WeirExileSeptember 2003Alternative Doctor
Nicholas BriggsSeptember 2003The previous incarnation of Arabella Weir's Doctor.[Note 5]
The Seven Keys to Doomsday23 October 2008The Third Doctor
The Ninth Doctor Chronicles May 2017 The Ninth Doctor
Joe BassettMasterOctober 2003Child version of the First Doctor heard briefly in a flashback; credited only as "Child".
Jon CulshawThe KingmakerApril 2006The Fourth Doctor[Note 6]
Peter PurvesThe Early AdventuresDecember 2014 -The First Doctor
Frazer HinesThe Jigsaw WarMay 2012The Second Doctor
The Second Doctor in Jamie's body (The Jigsaw War)
The Lost StoriesDecember 2010 - November 2013
The Light at the End23 October 2013
The Early AdventuresSeptember 2015 -
Trevor MartinThe Seven Keys to Doomsday23 October 2008Alternative Fourth Doctor
William RussellThe Lost StoriesNovember 2010 - September 2013The First Doctor
The Light at the End23 October 2013
The Early AdventuresOctober 2014 - October 2016
India FisherSolitaireJune 2010The Eighth Doctor speaking through Charley Pollard
David TroughtonSerpent Crest: The Hexford Invasion/Survivors in SpaceDecember 2011Clone of the Second Doctor
Terry MolloyThe Curse of DavrosJanuary 2012The Sixth Doctor in the body of Davros
Melvyn HayesThe Scorchies7 March 2013The Third Doctor in Professor Baffle's body
Damian LynchGhost in the MachineOctober 2013The Third Doctor in Benjamin Chikoto's voice
Katy ManningThe Third Doctor in Jo's body
Tim TreloarThe Light at the End23 October 2013The Third Doctor
The Third Doctor Adventures September 2015 -
The Legacy of Time 17 July 2019
The Diary of River Song: Series 6 27 August 2019 The Third Doctor (cameo)
John BanksTrial of the ValeyardDecember 2013The Hermit / The Thirteenth Doctor (a disguise used by the Valeyard)
Nicola BryantThe Widow's Assassin30 October 2014The Sixth Doctor in Peri's body
Anthony HowellThe End of the LineAugust 2015Tim Hope (a disguise used by the Valeyard)
Liz WhiteThe Brink of DeathAugust 2015Genesta (a disguise used by the Valeyard)
John HurtThe War Doctor seriesDecember 2015 - February 2017The War Doctor
David Bradley The First Doctor Adventures December 2017 - The First Doctor
The Legacy of Time 17 July 2019 The First Doctor (cameo)
The Diary of River Song: Series 6 27 August 2019
Jacob DudmanThe Tenth Doctor ChroniclesApril 2018The Tenth Doctor
The Eleventh Doctor ChroniclesAugust 2018The Eleventh Doctor
The Twelfth Doctor ChroniclesFebruary 2020The Twelfth Doctor
Short Trips: Regeneration Impossible May 2020 The Twelfth/Eleventh Doctor
Derek Jacobi Deadline September 2003 The First Doctor (as imagined by Martin Bannister)
The War Master: Hearts of Darkness October 2020 The Eighth Doctor in The Master's body

Official parodies

ActorTitleDatesRole
Rowan AtkinsonThe Curse of Fatal Death12 March 1999The Doctor
Richard E. GrantThe Quite Handsome Doctor
Jim BroadbentThe Shy Doctor
Hugh GrantThe Handsome Doctor
Joanna LumleyThe Female Doctor[Note 7]
Mark GatissThe Web of Caves13 November 1999The Doctor

See also

Notes

  1. This trailer was shown at the end of The Enemy of the World Episode 6, with the Doctor advising younger viewers that the Yeti would be appearing in the next adventure, and would be a little more frightening than their last encounter (The Abominable Snowmen), and if their mummy and daddy were scared to "just get them to hold your hand".
  2. Nyssa comments, "He was the Doctor all the time."
  3. At the beginning of the play Martin acted as Jon Pertwee with his face covered and then regenerated.
  4. Porirua Little Theatre production, directed by Brian Hudson. This New Zealand production had approval from writer Terrance Dicks, the BBC (for the use of the Doctor), and Terry Nation (for the use of the Daleks) and did not include a regeneration sequence
  5. Briggs had previously played the Doctor in a series of fan-made audio stories for Audio Visuals, including the original version of Minuet in Hell. He appeared in all but the pilot, in which the Doctor was voiced by Stephen Payne. Brigg's Audio Visuals Doctor was the inspiration for a future incarnation of the Doctor that appeared with the Seventh Doctor and Ace, in the Doctor Who Magazine comic adventure "Party Animals" in issue 173. Brigg’s future Doctor made a reappearance in the fourth part of the DWM comic "The Final Chapter" (issue 265), when the Eighth Doctor regenerates into him. This "Ninth Doctor" was revealed to be Shayde acting undercover for the Eighth Doctor in the next story "Wormwood" (DWM issues 266–271).
  6. Culshaw also impersonated the Fourth Doctor, and currently does Tenth Doctor impressions, in the radio and television series Dead Ringers.
  7. Lumley is the first woman to play the Doctor in an officially licensed production.

References

  1. "Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker is to replace Peter Capaldi in the Time Lord regeneration game". The Telegraph. 16 July 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  2. "Doctor Who: Tom Baker Returns in 50th Special". 23 December 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  3. "Tom Baker Doctor Who 1979 New season advert". YouTube. 19 December 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  4. Howe's Transcendental Toybox: The Unauthorised Guide to "Doctor Who" Collectibles by David J. Howe, Telos Publishing, 2003
  5. Allen, Ben (4 July 2018). "Doctor Who stars David Tennant and Peter Davison set to join The Muppets live on stage". Radio Times. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  6. "Doctor Who: The Night of the Doctor Schedule Released For BBC Red Button". Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  7. "The Doctor Who News Page: First "Proper" Trailer Airs, plus Screen Grabs". Gallifreynewsbase.blogspot.com. 15 March 2005. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  8. Methven, Nicola (6 February 2015). "Christopher Eccleston plays Doctor Who to help a young couple get engaged". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  9. Jeffery, Morgan (14 December 2015). "Christopher Eccleston plays the ninth Doctor again in a touching video for sick Doctor Who fan". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  10. "Christopher Eccleston is back as Doctor Who for fans' wedding video". Radio Times. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  11. "The Doctor Who News Page: New Trailer Debuts". Gallifreynewsbase.blogspot.com. 3 April 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  12. British Broadcasting Corporation (11 December 2012). "'It's Showtime!' with Rob Brydon - Episode Two - BBC One Christmas 2012 Trailer". YouTube. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  13. "BAFTA Celebrates 50 Years of Doctor Who". BBC. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  14. "Doctor Who Trailer to Celebrate the Last 50 Years". BBC. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  15. "#SaveTheDay". Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  16. "The Day of the Doctor: The Clock's ticking". Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  17. "The Day of the Doctor: It's All Been Leading..." Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  18. "The Science of Doctor Who". Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  19. "Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide". Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  20. British Broadcasting Corporation (1 December 2012). "Sprout Boy meets a galaxy of stars: Trailer - BBC One Christmas 2015". YouTube. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  21. "The Night of the Doctor: A Mini Episode – Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor". BBC. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  22. Cook, Benjamin (16 November 2017). "Double Bill". Doctor Who Magazine (519): 16.
  23. "Doctor Who brings back major fan favourite – and then drops another huge reveal". Digital Spy. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  24. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9OhfHkhGHu
  25. https://www.spotlight.com/interactive/cv/16/M193512.html
  26. https://www.spotlight.com/interactive/cv/16/M204708.html
  27. Doctor Who: LOCKDOWN | Doctors Assemble!, retrieved 28 May 2020
  28. "The Dalek Invasion of Porirua: 1984". tetrap.com. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
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