Jon Pertwee
Encyclopedia
John Devon Roland Pertwee (7 July 1919 – 20 May 1996), was an English actor
. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC
science fiction television series Doctor Who
, in which he played the third incarnation
of the Doctor
from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge
. He is also well-known for his 18-year stint on BBC Radio
as Chief Petty Officer
Pertwee in The Navy Lark
.
, to a family descended from Huguenots (the name was an Anglicisation of "Perthuis"; his full surname being "de Perthuis de Laillevault"), he was the son of noted screenwriter and actor Roland Pertwee
and distant cousin of actor Bill Pertwee
, who played Chief Warden Hodges in the comedy Dad's Army
(coincidentally, Jon Pertwee was the writers' first choice for the role of Captain George Mainwaring
in Dad's Army
). The actor Henry Ainley
, a close friend of his father, was his godfather and Ainley's son Anthony
appeared alongside Pertwee in the 1983 Doctor Who anniversary story The Five Doctors
.
, an independent school
in Rowledge
, near Farnham
in Surrey
, at Sherborne School
in Sherborne
in north-west Dorset
, and at some other schools from which he was expelled. After school, he went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
(RADA), from which he was also expelled after he refused to play a Greek "wind" during one of the lessons, feeling it was a waste of both his time and his father's money. He was also accused of writing graffiti about the tutors on the toilet walls.
, spending some time working in naval intelligence during the Second World War. He was a crew member of HMS Hood
and was transferred off the ship shortly before she was sunk, losing all but three men. During his time in the Navy Pertwee woke up one morning after a drunken night out while in port to find a tattoo on his right arm, which was occasionally seen during his time in Doctor Who.
After the war he made a name for himself as a comedy actor, notably on radio in Waterlogged Spa, alongside Eric Barker
, and Puffney Post Office in which he played a hapless old postman with the catch-phrase "It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you tears them up". From 1959 to 1977, he had a long-running role as the conniving Chief Petty Officer
Pertwee in The Navy Lark
on BBC Radio
. He was known as a Danny Kaye
look-alike, and his impersonation of Kaye can be seen in the 1949 film Murder at the Windmill
.
On stage, he played the part of Lycus in the 1963 London production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
with Frankie Howerd
and appeared in the smaller role of Crassus in the 1966 film version
. He appeared as Sidney Tait in the 1963 comedy Ladies Who Do
and later in four Carry On films
: Carry On Cleo
(1964, as the soothsayer), Carry On Screaming
(1966, as Dr. Fettle), Carry On Cowboy
(1965, as Sheriff Earp) and Carry On Columbus
(1992, as Duke of Costa Brava). On television, he started off with small parts in children's shows like Mr Pastry. Later he made an appearance in The Avengers
episode "From Venus with Love" as Brigadier Whitehead, and in the 1970s, he guest-starred as a vicar in The Goodies'
episode "Wacky Wales".
He had one of his most memorable film roles in the 1971 Amicus horror compendium The House That Dripped Blood
. Filmed in the summer of 1970, between his first and second Doctor Who
seasons, Pertwee played the lead in the last segment of the film as Paul Henderson, a deliciously arrogant horror film star who meets his quasi-comedic doom thanks to a genuine vampire cloak.
He was married twice, first in 1955 to Jean Marsh
(1955–1960), whom he divorced, and then, on 13 August 1960, to Ingeborg Rhoesa, by whom he had two children, Sean
and Dariel.
to take over as the Doctor from Patrick Troughton
in the television series Doctor Who
. Pertwee had asked his agent to apply for the role for him and was surprised to find he was already on the shortlist for the role. He was the second choice of the producer; Ron Moody
was the first but was unavailable. In a departure from the Doctor's first two incarnations, Pertwee played the character as an active crusader with a penchant for action and fancy clothes, even while the character was exiled on Earth and serving with UNIT
. He played the Doctor for five seasons from 1970 to 1974, at the time the longest stint of any of the actors who played the part, surpassing predecessors William Hartnell
's and Patrick Troughton's three years each in the role, although due to shortened broadcast seasons, he appeared in fewer episodes than Hartnell. Of the eleven actors to portray the role, only two would play the Doctor for longer chronological time: David Tennant
(four years and six and a half months from June 2005 to January 2010, thus longer by a matter of months) and Pertwee's immediate successor, Tom Baker
(seven years from 1974 to 1981). In terms of screen time and in terms of being contracted to the role, only the latter has played the Doctor for longer. In early 1974, Pertwee announced he would step down as the Doctor in order to resume his stage career in The Bedwinner, also citing typecasting in the role as the reason for leaving, though later he would say that the catalyst for his departure was the death of his good friend and co-star Roger Delgado
and the departures of co-star Katy Manning
and producer Barry Letts
. His last fulltime appearance in the series was in the story "Planet of the Spiders
"' in June 1974. Pertwee later reprised the role in the 20th anniversary story The Five Doctors
, in two radio adventures and on stage in The Ultimate Adventure. On 14 April 1971, Pertwee was the subject of Thames Television
's This Is Your Life
which featured the first television appearance of his son Sean Pertwee
, who went on to become an actor.
murder-mystery game show Whodunnit!
, Pertwee took the starring role
in Worzel Gummidge
, based on the books written by Barbara Euphan Todd
. First aired in 1979 on ITV
, the series saw Pertwee as a scarecrow, as well as utilising several comedic voices. The show was an immediate hit and ran on the channel until 1981. Keen to continue beyond this, Pertwee campaigned for the series and it was picked up by a New Zealand network in 1987. Worzel Gummidge Down Under aired for the next two years and was screened in the UK on Channel 4
. In 1995, Pertwee played the role one last time in a one-off special for ITV, which celebrated 40 years of the Channel. Pertwee also played the character on stage and recorded an album, Worzel Gummidge Sings, as well as a Christmas single.
" in the 1980s cartoon series SuperTed
and in 1985 he starred in Do You Know The Milkyway?, a television adaptation of Karl Wittlinger's stage play in which he played Dr. Neuross and another nine characters. In 1995 Pertwee also had the key voice of Death
and other voice characterizations in the PC and PlayStation renditions of "Discworld". Also in 1995, Jon Pertwee played General Von Kramer in the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles episode "Attack of the Hawkmen". Pertwee voiced and appeared in the television advertisement which promoted the Green Cross Code
by use of the mnemonic "SPLINK".
and in the 1993 charity special Dimensions in Time
for Children in Need
. He also portrayed the Doctor in the stage play Doctor Who – The Ultimate Adventure which toured theatres in the United Kingdom from March to June 1989. During the 1990s, he made a guest appearance in the "Lords and Ladies" episode of the BBC Radio 4
comedy series Harry Hill's Fruit Corner
, playing a Time Lord
and also spoofed the role in the Radio 4 comedy The Skivers.
In 1993, Pertwee was featured in the unofficial 30th anniversary VHS release of Doctor Who entitled '30 Years of Time Travel and Beyond'. When asked in an interview for this documentary if the show should be brought back he simply replied with 'No...no'. Pertwee would continue to act in films and television as well as make appearances worldwide in support of Doctor Who. Ultimately, Pertwee was successful in seeing the Third Doctor return to the airwaves with two audio productions for BBC Radio
, The Paradise of Death
and The Ghosts of N-Space
.
In late 1995, he appeared in Devious, an amateur video drama set between the second Doctor's trial at the end of The War Games and before the start of Spearhead From Space, which shows an interim (between second and third) Doctor played by Tony Garner being told he was "never meant to be the Doctor" and that the third, played by Jon, will complete him. This video was created by Doctor Who enthusiasts, is around 8 minutes long and has never been on sale or publicly shown, but Pertwee's scenes are included on the BBC DVD The War Games.
Pertwee's final film role was in a short film, "Cloud Cuckoo" for Scottish Screen, released on 18 June 1994. His last formal television appearance was on Cilla's Surprise Surprise, broadcast on 21 April 1996. At the date of his death, Pertwee was regularly being seen at the tail end of an enigmatic UK TV commercial for mobile phone operator Vodafone
: dressed somewhat in his flamboyant 'Doctor' manner, his character walked wordlessly across an alleyway in sight of a Liverpool landmark, and entered a garage evidently containing some kind of 'time machine'.
in Connecticut
on 20 May 1996, two months before his 77th birthday. (Some reports place the location of his death in New York.) He was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium with a toy Worzel Gummidge
affixed to the coffin, following the instructions in his will.http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/pertwee/2561638http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675727/bio
He died only days after the American broadcast of the Doctor Who television movie, which used in its opening credits a logo based on the one from his era of the television series. The BBC broadcast of the television movie featured a dedication to Pertwee at its end.
His last association with the series was posthumous. With the approval of his widow, Ingeborg, his voice was utilised as part of the plot of the Big Finish Productions
' 40th Anniversary Doctor Who audio drama, Zagreus
, appearing as messages from the Doctor's TARDIS
as it attempted to help the currently corrupted Eighth Doctor
(voiced by Paul McGann
). Pertwee's voice was culled from a fan-produced Doctor Who film Devious, portions of which were recorded just prior to his death.
Pertwee wrote two autobiographies: Moon Boots and Dinner Suits (published in 1984), which primarily covers his life and career prior to Doctor Who, and the posthumously published Doctor Who: I Am the Doctor – Jon Pertwee’s Final Memoir (published in 1996 by Virgin Publishing Ltd and co-written with David J. Howe
), which covered his life during and after the series. In 2000, Jon Pertwee: The Biography by Bernard Bale (ISBN 0-233-99831-4) was published by André Deutsch
, and included a few chapters by Pertwee's widow Ingeborg.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
science fiction television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, in which he played the third incarnation
Third Doctor
The Third Doctor is the third incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee....
of the Doctor
Doctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge
Worzel Gummidge (TV series)
Worzel Gummidge is a children's television series, produced by Southern Television for ITV, based on the books by Barbara Euphan Todd. Starting in 1979, the programme starred Jon Pertwee in the title role and ran for four series in the UK until 1981...
. He is also well-known for his 18-year stint on BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
as Chief Petty Officer
Chief Petty Officer
A chief petty officer is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards.-Canada:"Chief Petty Officer" refers to two ranks in the Canadian Navy...
Pertwee in The Navy Lark
The Navy Lark
The Navy Lark was a radio sit-com about life aboard a British Royal Navy frigate named HMS Troutbridge, based in HMNB Portsmouth, though in series 1 and 2 the ship and crew were stationed offshore at an unnamed location known simply as "The Island." In series 2 this island was revealed to be...
.
Early life
Born in Chelsea, LondonChelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, to a family descended from Huguenots (the name was an Anglicisation of "Perthuis"; his full surname being "de Perthuis de Laillevault"), he was the son of noted screenwriter and actor Roland Pertwee
Roland Pertwee
Roland Pertwee was an English playwright, film and television screenwriter, director and actor. He was the father of both Doctor Who star Jon Pertwee and fellow playwright and screenwriter Michael Pertwee...
and distant cousin of actor Bill Pertwee
Bill Pertwee
William Desmond Anthony Pertwee MBE is a British comedy actor. He is best known for playing the part of antagonist ARP Warden Hodges in the popular sitcom Dad's Army.-Early and personal life:...
, who played Chief Warden Hodges in the comedy Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
(coincidentally, Jon Pertwee was the writers' first choice for the role of Captain George Mainwaring
Captain George Mainwaring
Captain George Mainwaring is the bank manager and Home Guard platoon commander portrayed by Arthur Lowe on the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army, set in the fictional seaside town of Walmington-on-Sea during the Second World War...
in Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
). The actor Henry Ainley
Henry Ainley
Henry Hinchliffe Ainley was an English Shakespearean stage and screen actor. He was married three times to Susanne Sheldon, Elaine Fearon and the novelist Bettina Riddle, later Baroness von Hutten zum Stolzenberg...
, a close friend of his father, was his godfather and Ainley's son Anthony
Anthony Ainley
Anthony Ainley was an English actor best known for his work on British television and particularly for his role as the third Master in Doctor Who. He was the fourth actor to play the role of the Master, and the first actor to portray the Master as a recurring role after the death of Roger Delgado...
appeared alongside Pertwee in the 1983 Doctor Who anniversary story The Five Doctors
The Five Doctors
The Five Doctors is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced in celebration of the programme's twentieth anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago PBS station WTTW and various other PBS member stations...
.
Education
Pertwee was educated at Frensham Heights SchoolFrensham Heights School
Frensham Heights School is an independent school located in Surrey, United Kingdom, run by the registered charity, Frensham Heights Educational Trust Ltd. It was founded in 1925 and formed as part of the movement for progressive education...
, an independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in Rowledge
Rowledge
Rowledge is a village in England, situated on the Surrey–Hampshire border. It lies south of the A31 running between Farnham and Alton. Neighbouring villages include Wrecclesham, Spreakley and Frensham...
, near Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, at Sherborne School
Sherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
in Sherborne
Sherborne
Sherborne is a market town in northwest Dorset, England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The A30 road, which connects London to Penzance, runs through the town. The population of the town is 9,350 . 27.1% of the population is aged 65 or...
in north-west Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, and at some other schools from which he was expelled. After school, he went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...
(RADA), from which he was also expelled after he refused to play a Greek "wind" during one of the lessons, feeling it was a waste of both his time and his father's money. He was also accused of writing graffiti about the tutors on the toilet walls.
Early career
Pertwee was an officer in the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, spending some time working in naval intelligence during the Second World War. He was a crew member of HMS Hood
HMS Hood (51)
HMS Hood was the last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. One of four s ordered in mid-1916, her design—although drastically revised after the Battle of Jutland and improved while she was under construction—still had serious limitations. For this reason she was the only ship of her class to be...
and was transferred off the ship shortly before she was sunk, losing all but three men. During his time in the Navy Pertwee woke up one morning after a drunken night out while in port to find a tattoo on his right arm, which was occasionally seen during his time in Doctor Who.
After the war he made a name for himself as a comedy actor, notably on radio in Waterlogged Spa, alongside Eric Barker
Eric Barker
Eric Leslie Barker born in Thornton Heath, Surrey, was an English comedy actor. He is most remembered for his roles in the popular British Carry On films.-Career:...
, and Puffney Post Office in which he played a hapless old postman with the catch-phrase "It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you tears them up". From 1959 to 1977, he had a long-running role as the conniving Chief Petty Officer
Chief Petty Officer
A chief petty officer is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards.-Canada:"Chief Petty Officer" refers to two ranks in the Canadian Navy...
Pertwee in The Navy Lark
The Navy Lark
The Navy Lark was a radio sit-com about life aboard a British Royal Navy frigate named HMS Troutbridge, based in HMNB Portsmouth, though in series 1 and 2 the ship and crew were stationed offshore at an unnamed location known simply as "The Island." In series 2 this island was revealed to be...
on BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
. He was known as a Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye was a celebrated American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian...
look-alike, and his impersonation of Kaye can be seen in the 1949 film Murder at the Windmill
Murder at the Windmill
Murder at the Windmill , titled Mystery at the Burlesque in the U.S., is a British crime film directed by Val Guest, and featuring Garry Marsh, Jon Pertwee, and Peter Butterworth....
.
On stage, he played the part of Lycus in the 1963 London production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart....
with Frankie Howerd
Frankie Howerd
Francis Alick "Frankie" Howerd OBE was an English comedian and comic actor whose career, described by fellow comedian Barry Cryer as "a series of comebacks", spanned six decades.-Early career:...
and appeared in the smaller role of Crassus in the 1966 film version
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (film)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a 1966 farce musical comedy film, based on the stage musical.Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus – specifically Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus and Mostellaria – it tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus...
. He appeared as Sidney Tait in the 1963 comedy Ladies Who Do
Ladies Who Do
Ladies Who Do 1963 British comedy film starring Peggy Mount, Robert Morley and Harry H. Corbett.-Cast:*Peggy Mount as Mrs. Cragg*Robert Morley as Colonel Whitforth*Harry H. Corbett as James Ryder*Miriam Karlin as Mrs. Higgins...
and later in four Carry On films
Carry On films
The Carry On films are a series of low-budget British comedy films, directed by Gerald Thomas and produced by Peter Rogers. They are an energetic mix of parody, farce, slapstick and double entendres....
: Carry On Cleo
Carry On Cleo
Carry On Cleo is the tenth film in the Carry On film series and was released in 1964. The website ICONS.a portrait of England cites the Carry On films as iconic of British cinema, and describes Carry On Cleo as "perhaps the best". Regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor, Charles...
(1964, as the soothsayer), Carry On Screaming
Carry On Screaming
Carry On Screaming! is the twelfth Carry On film and was released in 1966. It was the last of the series to be distributed by Anglo-Amalgamated before the series moved to The Rank Organisation. It was originally rated in the UK as an 'A' , it is currently rated 'PG'...
(1966, as Dr. Fettle), Carry On Cowboy
Carry On Cowboy
Carry On Cowboy is the eleventh in the Carry On series of films. It was released in 1965 and was the first film to feature series regulars Peter Butterworth and Bernard Bresslaw...
(1965, as Sheriff Earp) and Carry On Columbus
Carry On Columbus
Carry On Columbus is the 31st and last film in the Carry On series, following 1978's Carry On Emmannuelle. The only main series regulars present are Jim Dale , Bernard Cribbins , Leslie Phillips , Jon Pertwee and June Whitfield...
(1992, as Duke of Costa Brava). On television, he started off with small parts in children's shows like Mr Pastry. Later he made an appearance in The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
episode "From Venus with Love" as Brigadier Whitehead, and in the 1970s, he guest-starred as a vicar in The Goodies'
The Goodies (TV series)
The Goodies is a British television comedy series of the 1970s and early 1980s. The series, which combines surreal sketches and situation comedy, was broadcast by BBC 2 from 1970 until 1980 — and was then broadcast by the ITV company LWT for a year, between 1981 to 1982.The show was...
episode "Wacky Wales".
He had one of his most memorable film roles in the 1971 Amicus horror compendium The House That Dripped Blood
The House That Dripped Blood
The House That Dripped Blood is a 1970 British horror anthology film directed by Peter Duffell and distributed by Amicus Productions. It stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Nyree Dawn Porter, Denholm Elliott, and Jon Pertwee...
. Filmed in the summer of 1970, between his first and second Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
seasons, Pertwee played the lead in the last segment of the film as Paul Henderson, a deliciously arrogant horror film star who meets his quasi-comedic doom thanks to a genuine vampire cloak.
He was married twice, first in 1955 to Jean Marsh
Jean Marsh
Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh is an English actress, occasional screenwriter, and co-creator of the television series Upstairs, Downstairs and The House of Eliott....
(1955–1960), whom he divorced, and then, on 13 August 1960, to Ingeborg Rhoesa, by whom he had two children, Sean
Sean Pertwee
Sean Pertwee is an English actor known for his television, film and voice-over work.-Career:In the early 80s, he auditioned for a place at the Surrey County Youth Theatre where he was cast as Captain Fitzpatrick in the play Tom Jones, based on the novel by Henry Fielding...
and Dariel.
Doctor Who (1970–1974)
In 1969, Pertwee was selected by producer Peter BryantPeter Bryant
Peter Bryant was the fourth producer of the BBC science fiction programme Doctor Who. He was born in London....
to take over as the Doctor from Patrick Troughton
Patrick Troughton
Patrick George Troughton was an English actor most widely known for his roles in fantasy, science fiction and horror films, particularly in his role as the second incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running British science-fiction television series Doctor Who, which he played from 1966 to 1969,...
in the television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. Pertwee had asked his agent to apply for the role for him and was surprised to find he was already on the shortlist for the role. He was the second choice of the producer; Ron Moody
Ron Moody
Ron Moody is an English actor.- Personal life :Moody was born in Tottenham, North London, England, the son of Kate and Bernard Moodnick, a studio executive. His father was of Russian Jewish descent and his mother was a Lithuanian Jew. He is a cousin of director Laurence Moody and actress Clare...
was the first but was unavailable. In a departure from the Doctor's first two incarnations, Pertwee played the character as an active crusader with a penchant for action and fancy clothes, even while the character was exiled on Earth and serving with UNIT
UNIT
UNIT is a fictional military organisation from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures...
. He played the Doctor for five seasons from 1970 to 1974, at the time the longest stint of any of the actors who played the part, surpassing predecessors William Hartnell
William Hartnell
William Henry Hartnell was an English actor. During 1963-66, he was the first actor to play the Doctor in the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Early life:...
's and Patrick Troughton's three years each in the role, although due to shortened broadcast seasons, he appeared in fewer episodes than Hartnell. Of the eleven actors to portray the role, only two would play the Doctor for longer chronological time: David Tennant
David Tennant
David Tennant is a Scottish actor. In addition to his work in theatre, including a widely praised Hamlet, Tennant is best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 TV serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch, Jr...
(four years and six and a half months from June 2005 to January 2010, thus longer by a matter of months) and Pertwee's immediate successor, Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
(seven years from 1974 to 1981). In terms of screen time and in terms of being contracted to the role, only the latter has played the Doctor for longer. In early 1974, Pertwee announced he would step down as the Doctor in order to resume his stage career in The Bedwinner, also citing typecasting in the role as the reason for leaving, though later he would say that the catalyst for his departure was the death of his good friend and co-star Roger Delgado
Roger Delgado
Roger Caesar Marius Bernard de Delgado Torres Castillo Roberto was an English actor, best known for his role as the first Master in Doctor Who....
and the departures of co-star Katy Manning
Katy Manning
Katy Manning is an English actress best known for her part as the companion Jo Grant in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. She has also made many theatre appearances, and is now a citizen of Australia. She is myopic...
and producer Barry Letts
Barry Letts
Barry Leopold Letts was a British actor, television director, writer and producer best known for his work on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, and for producing the BBC's Sunday Classic drama serials in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
. His last fulltime appearance in the series was in the story "Planet of the Spiders
Planet of the Spiders
Planet of the Spiders is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from May 4 to June 8, 1974. It was Jon Pertwee's last serial as the Doctor and marks the first, uncredited appearance of Tom Baker in the role. It also marks...
"' in June 1974. Pertwee later reprised the role in the 20th anniversary story The Five Doctors
The Five Doctors
The Five Doctors is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced in celebration of the programme's twentieth anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago PBS station WTTW and various other PBS member stations...
, in two radio adventures and on stage in The Ultimate Adventure. On 14 April 1971, Pertwee was the subject of Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
's This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961. In the show, the host surprises a guest, and proceeds to take them through their life in front of an audience including friends and family.Edwards...
which featured the first television appearance of his son Sean Pertwee
Sean Pertwee
Sean Pertwee is an English actor known for his television, film and voice-over work.-Career:In the early 80s, he auditioned for a place at the Surrey County Youth Theatre where he was cast as Captain Fitzpatrick in the play Tom Jones, based on the novel by Henry Fielding...
, who went on to become an actor.
Worzel Gummidge
After a stint between 1974 and 1978 as the host of the Thames TelevisionThames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
murder-mystery game show Whodunnit!
Whodunnit!
Whodunnit? is a British television game show, broadcast between 1972 and 1978 for ITV by Thames Television.It was written by Lance Percival and Jeremy Lloyd, and hosted first by Edward Woodward, then by Jon Pertwee...
, Pertwee took the starring role
Worzel Gummidge
Worzel Gummidge is a British children's fictional character who originally appeared in a series of books by the novelist Barbara Euphan Todd. A walking, talking scarecrow, Gummidge has a set of interchangeable turnip, mangel worzel and swede heads, each of which suit a particular occasion or endow...
in Worzel Gummidge
Worzel Gummidge (TV series)
Worzel Gummidge is a children's television series, produced by Southern Television for ITV, based on the books by Barbara Euphan Todd. Starting in 1979, the programme starred Jon Pertwee in the title role and ran for four series in the UK until 1981...
, based on the books written by Barbara Euphan Todd
Barbara Euphan Todd
Barbara Euphan Todd was a British writer, most notable for her children's books about the scarecrow Worzel Gummidge....
. First aired in 1979 on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, the series saw Pertwee as a scarecrow, as well as utilising several comedic voices. The show was an immediate hit and ran on the channel until 1981. Keen to continue beyond this, Pertwee campaigned for the series and it was picked up by a New Zealand network in 1987. Worzel Gummidge Down Under aired for the next two years and was screened in the UK on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. In 1995, Pertwee played the role one last time in a one-off special for ITV, which celebrated 40 years of the Channel. Pertwee also played the character on stage and recorded an album, Worzel Gummidge Sings, as well as a Christmas single.
Other roles
Pertwee also voiced the character of "SpottySuperTed
SuperTed is a Welsh teddy bear who has magical super powers. He along with his friend Spotty try to do good. SuperTed was a series of stories created by Mike Young who eventually created a television series based on those stories.-Creation:...
" in the 1980s cartoon series SuperTed
SuperTed
SuperTed is a Welsh teddy bear who has magical super powers. He along with his friend Spotty try to do good. SuperTed was a series of stories created by Mike Young who eventually created a television series based on those stories.-Creation:...
and in 1985 he starred in Do You Know The Milkyway?, a television adaptation of Karl Wittlinger's stage play in which he played Dr. Neuross and another nine characters. In 1995 Pertwee also had the key voice of Death
Death (Discworld)
Death is a fictional character in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and a parody of several other personifications of death. Like most Grim Reapers, he is a black-robed skeleton usually carrying a scythe...
and other voice characterizations in the PC and PlayStation renditions of "Discworld". Also in 1995, Jon Pertwee played General Von Kramer in the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles episode "Attack of the Hawkmen". Pertwee voiced and appeared in the television advertisement which promoted the Green Cross Code
Green Cross Code
The Green Cross Code is a brand created by the UK National Road Safety Committee to raise awareness of pedestrian road safety in the UK...
by use of the mnemonic "SPLINK".
Later life
He returned to the role of the Doctor in the 1983 20th anniversary television special The Five DoctorsThe Five Doctors
The Five Doctors is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced in celebration of the programme's twentieth anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago PBS station WTTW and various other PBS member stations...
and in the 1993 charity special Dimensions in Time
Dimensions in Time
Dimensions in Time is a charity special crossover between the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and the soap opera EastEnders that ran in two parts on 26 and 27 November 1993. It was filmed on the EastEnders Albert Square set, and features several of the stars of that programme...
for Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
. He also portrayed the Doctor in the stage play Doctor Who – The Ultimate Adventure which toured theatres in the United Kingdom from March to June 1989. During the 1990s, he made a guest appearance in the "Lords and Ladies" episode of the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
comedy series Harry Hill's Fruit Corner
Harry Hill's Fruit Corner
Harry Hill's Fruit Corner was a radio show broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom. It starred Harry Hill. Hill achieved his big breakthrough in 1992 when he won the Perrier Award for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe...
, playing a Time Lord
Time Lord
The Time Lords are an ancient extraterrestrial race and civilization of humanoids in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, of which the series' eponymous protagonist, the Doctor, is a member...
and also spoofed the role in the Radio 4 comedy The Skivers.
In 1993, Pertwee was featured in the unofficial 30th anniversary VHS release of Doctor Who entitled '30 Years of Time Travel and Beyond'. When asked in an interview for this documentary if the show should be brought back he simply replied with 'No...no'. Pertwee would continue to act in films and television as well as make appearances worldwide in support of Doctor Who. Ultimately, Pertwee was successful in seeing the Third Doctor return to the airwaves with two audio productions for BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
, The Paradise of Death
The Paradise of Death
The Paradise of Death is a radio audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced by the BBC and first broadcast in five episodes on BBC Radio 5 from 27 August to 24 September 1993. The original radio play was released on CD as part of the BBC...
and The Ghosts of N-Space
The Ghosts of N-Space
The Ghosts of N-Space is a radio audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was recorded in 1994 and finally broadcast in six parts on BBC Radio 2 from January 20 to February 24, 1996. This was the second Third Doctor radio play, following The...
.
In late 1995, he appeared in Devious, an amateur video drama set between the second Doctor's trial at the end of The War Games and before the start of Spearhead From Space, which shows an interim (between second and third) Doctor played by Tony Garner being told he was "never meant to be the Doctor" and that the third, played by Jon, will complete him. This video was created by Doctor Who enthusiasts, is around 8 minutes long and has never been on sale or publicly shown, but Pertwee's scenes are included on the BBC DVD The War Games.
Pertwee's final film role was in a short film, "Cloud Cuckoo" for Scottish Screen, released on 18 June 1994. His last formal television appearance was on Cilla's Surprise Surprise, broadcast on 21 April 1996. At the date of his death, Pertwee was regularly being seen at the tail end of an enigmatic UK TV commercial for mobile phone operator Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
: dressed somewhat in his flamboyant 'Doctor' manner, his character walked wordlessly across an alleyway in sight of a Liverpool landmark, and entered a garage evidently containing some kind of 'time machine'.
Death and legacy
Pertwee continued on the convention circuit and with his voice and television acting until his death from a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
on 20 May 1996, two months before his 77th birthday. (Some reports place the location of his death in New York.) He was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium with a toy Worzel Gummidge
Worzel Gummidge
Worzel Gummidge is a British children's fictional character who originally appeared in a series of books by the novelist Barbara Euphan Todd. A walking, talking scarecrow, Gummidge has a set of interchangeable turnip, mangel worzel and swede heads, each of which suit a particular occasion or endow...
affixed to the coffin, following the instructions in his will.http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/pertwee/2561638http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675727/bio
He died only days after the American broadcast of the Doctor Who television movie, which used in its opening credits a logo based on the one from his era of the television series. The BBC broadcast of the television movie featured a dedication to Pertwee at its end.
His last association with the series was posthumous. With the approval of his widow, Ingeborg, his voice was utilised as part of the plot of the Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
' 40th Anniversary Doctor Who audio drama, Zagreus
Zagreus (Doctor Who audio)
Zagreus is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. This audio drama was presented on three compact discs, and was made by Big Finish as their primary release to celebrate forty years of Doctor Who.-Plot:Following directly...
, appearing as messages from the Doctor's TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
as it attempted to help the currently corrupted Eighth Doctor
Eighth Doctor
The Eighth Doctor is the eighth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by Paul McGann...
(voiced by Paul McGann
Paul McGann
Paul McGann is an English actor who made his name on the BBC serial The Monocled Mutineer, in which he played the lead role...
). Pertwee's voice was culled from a fan-produced Doctor Who film Devious, portions of which were recorded just prior to his death.
Pertwee wrote two autobiographies: Moon Boots and Dinner Suits (published in 1984), which primarily covers his life and career prior to Doctor Who, and the posthumously published Doctor Who: I Am the Doctor – Jon Pertwee’s Final Memoir (published in 1996 by Virgin Publishing Ltd and co-written with David J. Howe
David J. Howe
David J. Howe is a British writer, journalist, publisher, and media historian.-Biography:David Howe was born in 1961 and established himself as an authoritative media historian through writing articles for fanzines and other publications...
), which covered his life during and after the series. In 2000, Jon Pertwee: The Biography by Bernard Bale (ISBN 0-233-99831-4) was published by André Deutsch
André Deutsch
André Deutsch was a British publisher.After having learned the business of publishing working for Francis Aldor with whom he was interned in the Isle of Man during the Second World War and who had introduced him to the industry, André Deutsch left Aldor's employment after a few months to continue...
, and included a few chapters by Pertwee's widow Ingeborg.
Discography
- In 1966 Pertwee contributed to the children's album Children's Favourites by EMI and Paul Hamilin. Songs sung by him include "The Runaway Train", "Froggy Went A-Courtin'", "My Grandfather's Clock", "Three Little Fishes" and "I Know An Old Lady". Published by Music for PleasureMusic for Pleasure (record label)Music for Pleasure was a record label that issued budget-priced albums of popular and classical music, although the latter were marketed under the Classics for Pleasure name...
in mono (catalogue MDP 1175), the recordings were produced by Norman Newell, with a synopsis written on the back by Roger St. Pierre. On the front cover is the picture of a glove puppet by Carol Patmore & Rima Reed. At least one of the songs, "The Runaway Train" (b/w "The Ugly Duckling"), was released as a single on Music for Pleasure (catalogue FP 10). - In 1972 he released, with June WhitfieldJune WhitfieldJune Rosemary Whitfield, CBE is an English actress, well known in the United Kingdom since the 1950s for roles in radio and television comedy series....
, "Wonderful Children's Songs" on the Contour label (catalogue 2870191) - In 1972, while still in the role of the DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
, he released a vocal version of the Doctor Who theme musicDoctor Who theme musicThe Doctor Who theme is a piece of music composed by Ron Grainer and realised by Delia Derbyshire at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Created in 1963, it was one of the first electronic music signature tunes for television and after nearly five decades remains one of the most easily...
entitled "Who is the Doctor". - In 1976 he recorded a promotional flexi-disc for HeinzH. J. Heinz CompanyThe H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
called "The Noodle Doodle Man". - In 1980 he released "Worzel's Song", from the album Worzel Gummidge Sings. The single reached No.33 on the UK charts in March. A second single was released in 1987 when the series was revived, but this met with less success. Also released was a single of "YesterdayYesterday (song)"Yesterday" is a song originally recorded by The Beatles for their 1965 album Help!. The song first hit the United Kingdom top 10 three months after the release of Help!. The song remains popular today with more than 1,600 cover versions, one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded...
", semi-spoken word and "When I'm 64", in the guise of Worzel to aid a hospital charity. - Other chart action came in 1993 when an audio release of the radio play The Paradise of DeathThe Paradise of DeathThe Paradise of Death is a radio audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced by the BBC and first broadcast in five episodes on BBC Radio 5 from 27 August to 24 September 1993. The original radio play was released on CD as part of the BBC...
reached No.48 in the album charts. - In 1984 He featured in the computer game audio tape of "DEUS EX MACHINA" by Automata(UK)Ltd, released for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum in 1984.
Filmography
- A Yank at OxfordA Yank at OxfordA Yank at Oxford is a 1938 British film, directed by Jack Conway from a screenplay by John Monk Saunders and Leon Gordon. It was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios...
(1938) - The Four Just MenThe Four Just Men (film)The Four Just Men is a 1939 British thriller film directed by Walter Forde and starring Hugh Sinclair, Griffith Jones, Edward Chapman and Garry Marsh. It is based on the novel The Four Just Men by Edgar Wallace.-Cast:...
(1939) - Trouble in the Air (1946)
- A Piece of CakeA Piece of CakeA Piece of Cake is a 1948 British fantasy comedy film directed by John Irwin and starring the husband and wife team of Cyril Fletcher and Betty Astell as well as Laurence Naismith and Jon Pertwee.-Plot:...
(1948) - William Comes to TownWilliam Comes to TownWilliam Comes to Town is a 1948 British comedy film directed by Val Guest and starring William Graham and Garry Marsh. It was based on the Just William series of novels by Richmal Crompton. It served as a loose sequel to 1947 film Just William's Luck. It is also known by the alternative title...
(1948) - Murder at the WindmillMurder at the WindmillMurder at the Windmill , titled Mystery at the Burlesque in the U.S., is a British crime film directed by Val Guest, and featuring Garry Marsh, Jon Pertwee, and Peter Butterworth....
(1949) - Helter SkelterHelter Skelter (1949 film)Helter Skelter is a 1949 British romantic comedy film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Carol Marsh, David Tomlinson and Mervyn Johns. A police detective becomes involved with a wealthy socialite....
(1949) - Dear Mr. ProhackDear Mr. ProhackDear Mr. Prohack is a 1949 British comedy film directed by Thornton Freeland and starring Cecil Parker, Glynis Johns and Dirk Bogarde.-Plot:...
(1949) - Miss Pilgrim's ProgressMiss Pilgrim's ProgressMiss Pilgrim's Progress is a 1950 British black-and-white film by producer Nat Cohen....
(1950) - The Body Said No!The Body Said No!The Body Said No! is a 1950 British comedy crime film directed by Val Guest and starring Michael Rennie, Yolande Donlan and Hy Hazell.-Cast:* Michael Rennie - The Body* Yolande Donlan - Mikki Brent* Hy Hazell - Sue* Jon Pertwee - Watchman...
(1950) - Mister Drake's DuckMister Drake's DuckMister Drake's Duck is a 1951 British science fiction comedy film directed by Val Guest and starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Yolande Donlan, Jon Pertwee, Wilfrid Hyde-White and Reginald Beckwith. Mr Drake, a farmer, discovers that his hens have started laying radioactive eggs.-Cast:* Douglas...
(1951) - Will Any Gentleman...?Will Any Gentleman...?Will Any Gentleman...? is a 1953 British comedy film directed by Michael Anderson and starring George Cole, Veronica Hurst, Jon Pertwee and William Hartnell. A young man is hypnotised into leading a more fulfilling life. It was based on a play by Vernon Sylvaine.-Cast:* George Cole as Henry...
(1953) - The Gay DogThe Gay DogThe Gay Dog is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Wilfred Pickles, Petula Clark and Megs Jenkins. A family acquire ownership of a greyhound which they plan to enter into a race.-Cast:* Wilfred Pickles - Jim Gay...
(1954) - A Yank in ErmineA Yank in ErmineA Yank in Ermine is a 1955 British comedy film starring Peter M. Thompson, Jon Pertwee and Sid James. An American soldier inherits the Lordship of an English village.-Cast:*Peter M. Thompson as Joe Turner*Noelle Middleton as Angela*Harold Lloyd Jr...
(1955) - It's a Wonderful WorldIt's a Wonderful World (1956 film)It's a Wonderful World is a 1956 British musical film directed by Val Guest and starring Terence Morgan, George Cole and Kathleen Harrison.-Synopsis:...
(1956) - The Ugly Duckling (1959)
- Just JoeJust JoeFor the professional wrestler who used the name "Just Joe", see Joe Hitchen.Just Joe is a 1960 British comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Leslie Randall, Joan Reynolds, Michael Shepley and Anna May Wong.-Cast:* Leslie Randall - Joe...
(1960) - Not a Hope in Hell (1960)
- Nearly a Nasty AccidentNearly a Nasty AccidentNearly a Nasty Accident is a 1961 British comedy film directed by Don Chaffey and starring Jimmy Edwards, Kenneth Connor, Shirley Eaton and Eric Barker.-Cast:* Jimmy Edwards as Group Captain Kingsley* Kenneth Connor as AC 2 Alexander Wood...
(1961) - Carry on CleoCarry On CleoCarry On Cleo is the tenth film in the Carry On film series and was released in 1964. The website ICONS.a portrait of England cites the Carry On films as iconic of British cinema, and describes Carry On Cleo as "perhaps the best". Regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor, Charles...
(1964) - Runaway RailwayRunaway RailwayRunaway Railway is a 1965 British family adventure film directed by Jan Darnley-Smith and starring John Moulder-Brown, Kevin Bennett, Ronnie Barker and Graham Stark...
(1965) - You Must Be Joking!You Must Be Joking! (1965 film)You Must Be Joking! is a 1965 British comedy film directed by Michael Winner.-Cast:* Michael Callan - Leuitenant Tim Morton* Lionel Jeffries - Sergeant Major McGregor* Denholm Elliott - Captain Tabasco* Wilfrid Hyde-White - General Lockwood...
(1965) - I've Gotta HorseI've Gotta Horse- Summary :Based on the star's famous love of animals, this musical comedy portrays Billy setting out to add a sheepdog to his vast entourage of animals and coming back with an irresistible horse named Armitage instead. To his manager's horror, Billy smuggles the horse backstage during rehearsals...
(1965) - Carry on CowboyCarry On CowboyCarry On Cowboy is the eleventh in the Carry On series of films. It was released in 1965 and was the first film to feature series regulars Peter Butterworth and Bernard Bresslaw...
(1965) - Carry on Screaming! (1966)
- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (film)A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a 1966 farce musical comedy film, based on the stage musical.Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus – specifically Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus and Mostellaria – it tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus...
(1966) - Up in the Air (1969)
- The House That Dripped BloodThe House That Dripped BloodThe House That Dripped Blood is a 1970 British horror anthology film directed by Peter Duffell and distributed by Amicus Productions. It stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Nyree Dawn Porter, Denholm Elliott, and Jon Pertwee...
(1971) - One of Our Dinosaurs Is MissingOne of Our Dinosaurs is MissingOne of Our Dinosaurs is Missing is a 1975 British comedy film, which is set in the early 1920s, about the theft of a dinosaur skeleton from the Natural History Museum. The film was produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Buena Vista Distribution Company. The title is a parody of the...
(1975) - Wombling FreeWombling FreeWombling Free was a 1977 film adaption of the children's television series The Wombles.-Humans:*David Tomlinson: Roland Frogmorton*Frances de la Tour: Julia Frogmorton*Bonnie Langford: Felicity 'Kim' Frogmorton*Bernard Spear: Arnold Takahashi...
(1977) (voice) - Adventures of a Private EyeAdventures of a Private EyeThe Adventures of a Private Eye is a 1977 British sex comedy film starring Christopher Neil, Suzy Kendall, Harry H. Corbett and Liz Fraser. It was the second in the trilogy of 'Adventures' films after the 1976 film Adventures of a Taxi Driver...
(1977) - No. 1 of the Secret Service (1977)
- The Water BabiesThe Water Babies (film)The Water Babies is a 1978 animated feature film based on the book The Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley.-Plot:When a 12-year-old chimney sweep is wrongfully blamed for being a thief, he makes a run for it, he jumps into a violent river. There he encounters a wondrous civilization of anthropomorphic...
(1978) - The Boys in BlueThe Boys in BlueThe Boys in Blue is a 1982 British comedy film directed by Val Guest and starring Tommy Cannon, Bobby Ball, Suzanne Danielle and Roy Kinnear. It is loosely based on the 1938 Will Hay film Ask a Policeman...
(1982) - Carry on ColumbusCarry On ColumbusCarry On Columbus is the 31st and last film in the Carry On series, following 1978's Carry On Emmannuelle. The only main series regulars present are Jim Dale , Bernard Cribbins , Leslie Phillips , Jon Pertwee and June Whitfield...
(1992) - Cloud Cuckoo (1994)
- The Young Indiana Jones ChroniclesThe Young Indiana Jones ChroniclesThe Young Indiana Jones Chronicles is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 4, 1992, to July 24, 1993. The series explores the childhood and youth of the fictional character Indiana Jones and primarily stars Sean Patrick Flanery and Corey Carrier as the title character, with...
(1995)
External links
- Action Who – Jon Pertwee article at Kasterborous.com
- Jon Pertwee's career including The Navy Lark at http://www.kastria.net
- An Hour with Jon Pertwee Jon Pertwee reminisces, including time serving on the HoodHMS Hood (51)HMS Hood was the last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. One of four s ordered in mid-1916, her design—although drastically revised after the Battle of Jutland and improved while she was under construction—still had serious limitations. For this reason she was the only ship of her class to be...
– streaming audio (No longer available)