Is There a Doctor in the Cast? Quiz

Answer: Jon Pertwee

Third Doctor (1970-1974) Jon Pertwee (1919-1996) played Crassus in the movie version of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." He'd played Marcus Lycus in the West End production and when Phil Silvers had a contract dispute, they brought Pertwee on set to replace him as Lycus. When the dispute was settled, Pertwee was cast in a smaller role.

Jon Pertwee came from a theatrical family. His father Roland Pertwee was also an actor, and Jon's brother Michael was a screenwriter who adapted "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" from the play by Steven Sondheim, Larry Gilbert, and Burt Shevelove. Jon's son Sean is also an actor who played Alfred in the TV series "Gotham." During WWII, Jon served in the Navy alongside James Bond creator Ian Fleming. His acting career spanned nearly 60 years, including a starring role in BBC Radio's "The Navy Lark," scarecrow Worzel Gummidge in the same-named children's TV show, and several Carry On! movies.

Answer: Peter Davison

Fifth Doctor Peter Davison (born 1951) came to notice as veterinary student (eventually qualified vet) Tristan Farnon in "All Creatures Great and Small," based on the books by James Herriot (pen name of Alf Wright). When he replaced Tom Baker as The Doctor in 1981, he was at the time the youngest actor to take the role (a title later taken by Matt Smith). Davison says he chose to keep the role for three years on the advice of Second Doctor Patrick Troughton.

Since leaving "Doctor Who," Davison has starred in several TV series including "Campion" based on the mystery novels by Margery Allingham and as the head of the Crown Prosecuting Service in "Law & Order: UK." He's also appeared in several stage shows, including roles as Amos Hart in "Chicago" and Professor Callahan in "Legally Blonde." Davison's daughter Georgia is an actress who played "The Doctor's Daughter" opposite her eventual husband, Tenth Doctor David Tennant. Their daughter Olive had a part in "Belfast."

Answer: Peter Capaldi

Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi (born 1958) played Danny Oldsen in "Local Hero." Oldsen is a young executive assigned to accompany Peter Reigart's character to a small town in Scotland and who is in love with a woman who may or may not be a mermaid. His movie roles include Valmont's valet in "Dangerous Liaisons," a WHO doctor in "World War Z" and cantankerous neighbor Mr. Curry in "Paddington" and "Paddington 2." His TV roles include a rock star in an episode of "The Ruth Rendell Mysteries," a TV producer in "The Vicar of Dibley" and foul-mouthed political staffer Malcolm Tucker in "The Thick of It.'

Capaldi originally trained as an artist and played guitar in a band with comedian/actor Craig Ferguson in the early 80s.

Answer: Tom Baker

Of course Fourth Doctor Tom Baker (born 1934) played Sherlock Holmes - he looked quite Holmsian in the 1977 "Doctor Who" story "The Talons of Weng-Chiang." Baker played Holmes in a 1981 4-part TV adaptation of "The Hound of the Baskervilles."

Although he'd been acting for several years and had a high-profile role as Rasputin in "Nicholas and Alexandra," Baker was working on a building site when he was cast as The Doctor. He played the role for 7 years and at 6'4" with a floppy hat and 17-foot scarf is the best-known incarnation.

After "Doctor Who" Baker made guest appearances in "Remington Steele" and "Blackadder," narrated "Little Britain," and performed in multiple radio programs. He has performed in multiple "Doctor Who" audio dramas for Big Finish and played a museum curator in the show's 50th anniversary special.

Answer: David Tennant

Tenth Doctor David Tennant (born 1971) played defense attorney Will Burton whose former client murders his wife and was then acquitted at trial. When the murderer dies soon after, Burton is the prime suspect. Tennant is a lifelong "Doctor Who" fan and the show inspired him to become an actor. He made his professional debut at age 16 and after several years of lower profile parts played the lead in the TV series "Casanova" and Barty Crouch, Jr. in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," both in 2005. Since playing The Doctor, Tennant has starred in "Broadchurch" and its American adaptation "Gracepoint," "Jessica Jones," and "Good Omens." He has also appeared extensively on stage, including a run as Hamlet in 2008.

Tennant met Georgia Moffett when she appeared in a 2008 episode of "Doctor Who" and they married in 2011. Her father is Fifth Doctor Peter Davison.

Answer: Christopher Eccleston

Ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston (born 1964) played the Duke of Norfolk, the main antagonist in "Elizabeth" (1998). His breakthrough role was as a mentally challenged man executed for murder in "Let Him Have It" (1991) and co-starred with Daniel Craig in the TV series "Our Friends in the North" (1996).

He played the title role in "Jude" (1996) opposite Kate Winslet and also appeared in "28 Days Later" (2002) and "Gone in 60 Seconds" (2000). Other post-Who projects include TV series "The A Word" (2016-), "Thor: The Dark World" (2013), and the 2024 season of "True Detective." Eccleston made his stage debut in "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1988) and later roles include Hamlet (2002), Macbeth (2018), and Ebenezer Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol" (2023).

Answer: Paul McGann

Eighth Doctor Paul McGann (born 1959) starred alongside Richard E. Grant in "Withnail and I" (1987) and also had roles in "Alien 3" (1992) and "The Three Musketeers" (1993) before being cast as the Doctor in the BBC/Fox co-production (1996) intended as a pilot for the revival of the series. Since playing the Doctor, McGann has mostly appeared on TV, including episodes of both "Poiroit" and "Marple," the first two seasons of "Luther," and "Hornblower." He has reprised his role as the Eighth Doctor for several audio dramas and made appearances in a 50th anniversary mini-episode and the 60th anniversary show.

McGann's brothers Joe, Mark, and Stephen are also actors. Stephen plays Dr. Patrick Turner in "Call the Midwife."

Answer: William Hartnell

First Doctor William Hartnell's (1908-1975) role as a rugby scout in "This Sporting Life" (1963) brought him to the attention of "Doctor Who" creator Verity Lambert. Hartnell's career began on stage in the 1920s and made his film debut in "Say It With Music" (1932). Although he also played comic roles, he was largely typecast in "gruff" soldier/policeman roles when he was cast as The Doctor. Hartnell's failing health and the character's popularity (initially, teachers Barbara and Ian were supposed to be the lead characters and The Doctor an eccentric sporting character) led to the idea of regeneration and the introduction of Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor.

Hartnell died in 1975 after making a brief appearance in the 10th anniversary episode "The Three Doctors" (1974).

Answer: Patrick Troughton

Patrick Troughton (1920-1987) played Father Brennan who warned Damien's parents that he might not be human in "The Omen" (1976). Troughton had a small part in Laurence Olivier's "Hamlet" (1948) and appeared in "Treasure Island" (1950). He spent most of his career in TV, including in the title role of "Robin Hood" (1953), the first TV appearance of the character, "The Old Curiosity Shop" (1962-63), as the Duke of Norfolk in "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" (1970), and episodes of long-running shows "Z-Cars," "Crown Court," and "Coronation Street." Troughton returned to "Doctor Who" for the tenth anniversary show "The Three Doctors" (1972-73), the twentieth anniversary show "The Five Doctors" (1983), and Sixth Doctor story "The Two Doctors" (1985).

Two of Patrick Troughton's sons became actors who appeared in "Doctor Who." David had small parts opposite his father and then played King Peladon in Third Doctor story "The Curse of Peladon" (1972) and in "Midnight" (2008), a Tenth Doctor episode. David also plays the Second Doctor in audio dramas. Michael appeared in the episode "Last Christmas" (2014). Patrick's grandson Harry Melling played Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films and Harry Beltik in "The Queen's Gambit" (2020). (Melling's mother is illustrator Johanna Troughton.)

Answer: Sylvester McCoy

Seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy (1943) played Radagast in "The Hobbit" trilogy (2012-2014). Percy Kent-Smith created a character named Sylvester McCoy in an experimental theater group and took Sylvester McCoy as his stage name after a reviewer thought it was his real name. McCoy has had a wide-ranging career including parts in movies "Dracula" (1979) and "The Munsters" (2022), miniseries "Tom Jones" (1997), and on stage as the Fool opposite Ian McKellen in "King Lear" (2007).

Answer: Matt Smith

Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith (born 1982) played Prince Phillip in the first two season of "The Crown" (2016-2017). The youngest actor at the time to play The Doctor, he had appeared on TV in "The Ruby in the Smoke" (2006) and "The Street" (2009) and on stage in "The History Boys." Since playing The Doctor, he's appeared as Mr. Collins in "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" (2016) and in "Last Night in Soho" (2021). Smith is the first actor to win a BAFTA award for playing The Doctor.

He initially trained to be a professional football (soccer) player but had to quit due to a back injury.

Answer: Colin Baker

Colin Baker (born 1943) appeared in the "Doctor Who" story "Arc of Infinity" (1983) where he shot Fifth Doctor Peter Davison. Baker has spent most of his career in TV, including a regular role in "The Brothers" (1974-78) and appearances in "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" (1993) and "Casualty" (1997). Baker has played the Sixth Doctor in over 100 audio plays and is the first Doctor Who portrayer to write a published "Doctor Who" story.

Answer: Jodie Whittaker

Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker (born 1982) played Beth Latimer, whose son's murder starts the first series of "Broadchurch" (2013-2017). The first woman to play The Doctor, her first major movie role was in "Venus" (2008), opposite Peter O'Toole. Her early TV roles include "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" (2008) and "Black Mirror" (2011). Since leaving "Doctor Who" she has appeared in "Toxic Town" and "One Night."