A Matter of Time: Jon Pertwee

(07/07/1919 – 20/05/1996)

Jon Pertwee was an English actor of the twentieth century, who is best known for playing the character of the third incarnation of The Doctor in ‘Doctor Who’. He also starred in Worzel Gummidge, which led to him writing in his will that he wished to be cremated with a toy of Gummidge on the coffin.

• In 1969, Pertwee was selected by producer Peter Bryant to take over as the Doctor from Patrick Troughton. Pertwee had already applied for the role and was surprised to find he had been shortlisted for it.
• Pertwee played the character as an active crusader with a fondness for action and fancy clothes, even while the character was exiled on Earth and serving with UNIT.
• He died only a few days after the American broadcast of the Doctor Who television movie, which used the logo based on the one from his era of the television series. The later BBC broadcast of the television movie featured a dedication to Pertwee at the end.

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