Doctor Who #2 - Patrick Troughton (1966–1969)
Patrick George Troughton (25 March 1920 – 28 March 1987) 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, reappearing in 1973, 1983 and 1985. He was also the first actor to play Robin Hood on television.
In 1966, Doctor Who producer Innes Lloyd decided to replace William Hartnell in the series' lead role. The continued survival of the show depended on audiences accepting another actor in the role, despite the bold decision that the replacement would not be a Hartnell look-alike or sound-alike. Lloyd later stated that Hartnell had approved of the choice, saying, "There's only one man in England who can take over, and that's Patrick Troughton". Lloyd chose Troughton because of his extensive and versatile experience as a character actor. After he was cast, Troughton considered various ways to approach the role, to differentiate his portrayal from Hartnell's amiable-yet-tetchy patriarch. Troughton's early thoughts about how he might play the Doctor included a "tough sea captain", and a piratical figure in blackface and turban. Doctor Who creator Sydney Newman suggested that the Doctor could be a "cosmic hobo" in the mould of Charlie Chaplin, and this was the interpretation eventually chosen. Troughton was the first Doctor to have his face appear in the opening titles of the show, and one of six Doctor Who actors to play two roles in the same story when he appeared as Salamander in The Enemy of the World (the others being William Hartnell in The Chase and The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve, Tom Baker in Meglos, Peter Davison in Arc of Infinity, David Tennant in Journey's End, and Matt Smith in "The Rebel Flesh"/"The Almost People").
During his time on the series, Troughton tended to shun publicity and rarely gave interviews. He told one interviewer, "I think acting is magic. If I tell you all about myself it will spoil it". Years later, he told another interviewer that his greatest concern was that too much publicity would limit his opportunities as a character actor after he left the role.
A rare interview with Ernest Thompson from Radio Times reveals that Patrick "always liked dressing up, and would have been happy as a school teacher as children keeps one young". Troughton gave away the secret of what Jamie (Frazer Hines) wore underneath his kilt - "khaki shorts".
Troughton was popular with both the production team and his co-stars. Producer Lloyd credited Troughton with a "leading actor's temperament. He was a father figure to the whole company and hence could embrace it and sweep it along with him". Troughton also gained a reputation on set as a practical joker.
Many of the early episodes in which Troughton appeared were wiped by the BBC (a full list of Doctor Who episodes missing from the BBC Archives is available here). Troughton found Doctor Who's schedule (at the time, 40 to 44 episodes per year) grueling, and decided to leave the series in 1969, after three years in the role. This decision was also motivated in part by fear of typecasting. Troughton's decision would eventually become something of an unwritten law (the "Troughton Rule") among actors, in order to prevent one from becoming typecast in a particular role in a potentially long-running television program. Patrick Troughton was succeeded in the role by Jon Pertwee.
Troughton returned to Doctor Who three times after he originally left the program, becoming the only former "Doctor" to reprise the role that many times on television after his original run. The first time was in The Three Doctors, a 1973 serial celebrating the program's 10th anniversary. Ten years later, Troughton overcame some reluctance to reprise his role and agreed to appear in the 20th anniversary special The Five Doctors at the request of series producer John Nathan-Turner. He also agreed to attend Doctor Who conventions including the show's 20th anniversary celebrations at Longleat in 1983. He also appeared around the world with Nathan-Turner. Troughton enjoyed the return to the program so much that he readily agreed to appear one more time as the Second Doctor, with Colin Baker's Sixth Doctor in The Two Doctors (1985). Reportedly, he also advised the Fifth Doctor, actor Peter Davison, to limit his time in the role to three seasons in order to avoid being typecast and the young actor followed that advice.
Patrick Troughton British Stamp
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