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Richard Gibbon Hurndall (3 November 1910 – 13 April 1984) was an English actor. [1] [2] [3] He is best remembered for replacing William Hartnell in the role of the First Doctor for Doctor Who's 20th anniversary special "The Five Doctors".
Richard Hurndall (1910-1984) was a British actor who appeared in theatre, radio and TV. He played the First Doctor in the 1983 Doctor Who special The Five Doctors, after William Hartnell's death.
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- Darlington, Durham, England, UK
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- Camden, London, England, UK
Dec 2, 2023 · Richard Hurndall was born in Darlington in 1910 and became the first doctor to appear in The Five Doctors in 1983. He was also a Quaker, like his ancestors who settled in Wensleydale and America, and a botanist who worked with Benjamin Franklin.
- Overview
- Early Life and Career
- Doctor Who
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Richard Hurndall (born in Darlington on 3 November 1910, died 13 April 1984) portrayed the First Doctor in the television story The Five Doctors, replacing the late William Hartnell.
Hurndall was born in Darlington. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, he appeared in several plays at Stratford-upon-Avon. Hurndall acted with the BBC radio drama repertory company from 1949 to 1952.
In 1958 he became the third host of the Radio Luxembourg program This I Believe, which had originally been hosted by Edward R. Murrow on the U.S. CBS Radio Network from 1951 to 1955. It was edited in London for rebroadcast on Radio Luxembourg's 208 wavelength with a British style of presentation.
In 1983, to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, producer John Nathan-Turner planned a special event, The Five Doctors, a ninety-minute episode to feature the five actors who had at that point played the role of the Doctor. However, William Hartnell, the actor who originated the role, had died in 1975. The show's unofficial fan consultant, Ian Levine, had seen Hurndall in Blake's 7, another BBC science fiction series, and suggested him to the producers as a possible replacement. Hurndall eventually won the role of the First Doctor, playing him as acerbic and temperamental but in some ways wiser than his successors. When the Fourth Doctor, Tom Baker, decided not to appear in the programme, Hurndall's role was beefed up slightly to have the First Doctor take a greater part in the action.
Hurndall died of a heart attack, less than half a year after the first broadcast of The Five Doctors. As with William Hartnell a decade earlier, Hurndall's heart condition was known at the time of filming the show; those involved with the production of The Five Doctors subsequently praised Hurndall's bravery in accepting such a demanding part and shoot. A myth claims that he was going to reprise his role in The Two Doctors prior to his death, but knowledge of his heart condition makes this more than likely a false rumour.
•Richard Hurndall at the Internet Movie Database
Richard Hurndall was an actor who played the First Doctor in the 1983 special The Five Doctors. He had a long career in radio, stage and television, and died of a heart attack shortly after filming.
Jan 9, 2020 · Richard Gibbon Hurndall was an English actor who played the First Doctor in the 20th Anniversary story. Hurndall was born in Darlington and he attended Claremont Preparatory School, Darlington and Scarborough College, before training as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Richard Hurndall was a British actor who appeared in various TV shows and movies, including Doctor Who. He was chosen to replace William Hartnell as the First Doctor in the 1983 special The Five Doctors, but died shortly after the broadcast.
Aug 23, 2014 · Richard Hurndall, the actor who died on April 13 at the age of 73, was recognized not only for his quality in the theatre, which he entered over 50 years ago, but also on television and as a familiar radio voice.
