William Russell (actor)
Encyclopedia
William Russell is an English
actor
, mainly known for his television
work. He was born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear.
on ITV
in 1956, which for sale to the NBC
network in the U.S.
became the first UK
television series to be shot in colour. Following this, he won a role in Doctor Who
as one of the Doctor's
companions, science teacher Ian Chesterton
, appearing in most episodes of the first two seasons of the programme.
Russell was one of the four original cast members of Doctor Who in 1963, starring opposite William Hartnell
as the Doctor, Jacqueline Hill
as Barbara Wright, Carole Ann Ford
as Susan Foreman and later Maureen O'Brien
as Vicki. His first involvement in the series took the form of the untransmitted pilot episode, which was eventually reshot and aired as "An Unearthly Child
". He eventually departed, alongside Hill, in the penultimate story of the second season, The Chase
.
Four decades on from his first appearance, Russell continues his involvement with Doctor Who, having lent his voice as a narrator to several of the audio book
releases of the 'lost' 1960s episodes
. He has also appeared in The Game
, one of the continuing Doctor Who audio stories produced by Big Finish
. More recently, Russell has recorded readings of some of the Target Novelisations
of Doctor Who episodes, also for CD release.
In the late 1990s Russell returned to the role of Ian for the VHS release of the story The Crusade
, of which episodes two and four are currently lost. He recorded several in-character scenes to camera, which helped to bridge the gap between the existing episodes.
Russell has also contributed to the Doctor Who DVD range, having participated in several audio commentaries and on-screen interviews since 2002.
(1954), The Man Who Never Was
(1956) and The Great Escape
(1963). He also later had a minor role in Superman: The Movie (1978) and Death Watch
with Harvey Keitel
and Harry Dean Stanton
(1979).
and the opening season of The Globe Theatre.
, Testament of Youth
and the part of Ted Sullivan, the short-lived second husband of Rita Sullivan in Coronation Street
. (Ted already had a terminal illness when he married Rita in 1992, and died peacefully while watching a bowls match). He also had a small part in an episode of the The Black Adder
, as a late replacement for Wilfrid Brambell
, who had become impatient with delays to his scene and left the set before shooting it.
In the 1980s, while being in the Actors Touring Company he used the name of Russell Enoch, professionally. However, when he left the Company he reverted to William Russell.
He continued to act in other roles on stage and television, the last being as the character of Lanscombe in an episode of the 2005 series of Agatha Christie's Poirot
("After the Funeral
").
, his son from his second marriage to French actress Etheline Margareth Lewis Enoch, played Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter
films.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, mainly known for his television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
work. He was born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear.
Doctor Who
His big break was the title role in The Adventures of Sir LancelotThe Adventures of Sir Lancelot
The Adventures of Sir Lancelot is a British television series first broadcast in 1956, produced by Sapphire Films for ITC Entertainment and screened on the ITV network...
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...
in 1956, which for sale to the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
network in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
became the first UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television series to be shot in colour. Following this, he won a role in 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...
as one of the Doctor's
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....
companions, science teacher Ian Chesterton
Ian Chesterton
Ian Chesterton is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and a companion of the First Doctor. He was played in the series by William Russell, and was one of the members of the programme's very first regular cast, appearing in the bulk of the first two...
, appearing in most episodes of the first two seasons of the programme.
Russell was one of the four original cast members of Doctor Who in 1963, starring opposite 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:...
as the Doctor, Jacqueline Hill
Jacqueline Hill
Jacqueline Hill was a British actress known for her role as Barbara Wright in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. As the history teacher of the Doctor's granddaughter, Susan Foreman, Barbara Wright was the first of the companions to appear in the show in 1963, with Hill speaking...
as Barbara Wright, Carole Ann Ford
Carole Ann Ford
Carole Ann Ford is a British actress best known for her role as Susan Foreman in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. She also appeared in the 1962 film version of The Day of the Triffids....
as Susan Foreman and later Maureen O'Brien
Maureen O'Brien
Maureen O'Brien is an English actress of Irish descent and author best known for playing the role of Vicki in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, although she has appeared in many other television programmes as well.She played the part of Vicki in 38 episodes of Doctor Who from 2...
as Vicki. His first involvement in the series took the form of the untransmitted pilot episode, which was eventually reshot and aired as "An Unearthly Child
An Unearthly Child
The serial that became An Unearthly Child was originally commissioned from writer Anthony Coburn in June 1963, when it was intended to run as the second Doctor Who serial. At this stage, it was planned that the series would open with a serial entitled The Giants, to be written by BBC staff...
". He eventually departed, alongside Hill, in the penultimate story of the second season, The Chase
The Chase (Doctor Who)
The Chase is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from 22 May to 26 June 1965. The story is set on multiple locations including the Mary Celeste, the Empire State Building, and the planet Aridius...
.
Four decades on from his first appearance, Russell continues his involvement with Doctor Who, having lent his voice as a narrator to several of the audio book
Audio book
An audiobook or audio book is a recording of a text being read. It is not necessarily an exact audio version of a book or magazine.Spoken audio has been available in schools and public libraries and to a lesser extent in music shops since the 1930s. Many spoken word albums were made prior to the...
releases of the 'lost' 1960s episodes
Doctor Who missing episodes
The Doctor Who missing episodes are the instalments of the long-running British science-fiction television programme Doctor Who that have no known film or videotape copies. They were wiped by the BBC during the 1960s and 1970s for economic and space-saving reasons...
. He has also appeared in The Game
The Game (Doctor Who audio)
The Game is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Plot:...
, one of the continuing Doctor Who audio stories produced by Big Finish
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
. More recently, Russell has recorded readings of some of the Target Novelisations
Target Books
Target Books was a British publishing imprint, established in 1973 by Universal-Tandem Publishing Co Ltd, a paperback publishing company. The imprint was established as a children's imprint to complement the adult Tandem imprint, and became well known for their highly successful range of...
of Doctor Who episodes, also for CD release.
In the late 1990s Russell returned to the role of Ian for the VHS release of the story The Crusade
The Crusade (Doctor Who)
The Crusade is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from March 27 to April 17, 1965. The story is set in Palestine, near Jerusalem, during the Third Crusade.-Plot:...
, of which episodes two and four are currently lost. He recorded several in-character scenes to camera, which helped to bridge the gap between the existing episodes.
Russell has also contributed to the Doctor Who DVD range, having participated in several audio commentaries and on-screen interviews since 2002.
Movies
Russell appeared in British films from 1950 onwards, appearing in well-known productions such as They Who DareThey Who Dare
They Who Dare is a 1954 World War II war film directed by Lewis Milestone and starring Dirk Bogarde, Harold Siddons, Akim Tamiroff and Eric Pohlmann. The story is based on events that took place during World War II in the Dodecanese islands where special forces attempted to disrupt the Luftwaffe...
(1954), The Man Who Never Was
The Man Who Never Was
The Man Who Never Was is a nonfiction 1953 book by Ewen Montagu and a 1956 Second World War war film, based on the book and dramatising actual events...
(1956) and The Great Escape
The Great Escape (film)
The Great Escape is a 1963 American film about an escape by Allied prisoners of war from a German POW camp during World War II, starring Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Richard Attenborough...
(1963). He also later had a minor role in Superman: The Movie (1978) and Death Watch
Death Watch
Death Watch is a 1980 science fiction film directed by Bertrand Tavernier. It is based on the novel The Unsleeping Eye by David G. Compton, also known as The Continuous Katherine Mortenhoe...
with Harvey Keitel
Harvey Keitel
Harvey Keitel is an American actor. Some of his most notable starring roles were in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets and Taxi Driver, Ridley Scott's The Duellists and Thelma and Louise, Ettore Scola's That Night in Varennes, Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, Jane Campion's The...
and Harry Dean Stanton
Harry Dean Stanton
Harry Dean Stanton is an American actor, musician, and singer. Stanton's career has spanned over fifty years, which has seen him star in such films as Paris, Texas, Kelly's Heroes, Dillinger, Alien, Repo Man, The Last Temptation of Christ, Wild at Heart, The Green Mile and The Pledge...
(1979).
Theatre
He has played a number of roles in theatre with The Royal Shakespeare Company, The National TheatreRoyal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
and the opening season of The Globe Theatre.
Television
On television he acted in many plays and series including DisraeliDisraeli (TV serial)
Disraeli is a British mini-series about the great statesman and first Prime Minister of Jewish descent of the United Kingdom, Benjamin Disraeli. It was originally featured on British network ITV. With a screenplay by David Butler, it was produced by Cecil Clarke and directed by Claude Whatham...
, Testament of Youth
Testament of Youth
Testament of Youth is the first installment, covering 1900–1925, in the memoir of Vera Brittain . It was published in 1933. Brittain's memoir continues with Testament of Experience, published in 1957, and encompassing the years 1925–1950...
and the part of Ted Sullivan, the short-lived second husband of Rita Sullivan in Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
. (Ted already had a terminal illness when he married Rita in 1992, and died peacefully while watching a bowls match). He also had a small part in an episode of the The Black Adder
The Black Adder
The Black Adder is the first series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, directed by Martin Shardlow and produced by John Lloyd...
, as a late replacement for Wilfrid Brambell
Wilfrid Brambell
Henry Wilfrid Brambell was an Irish film and television actor best known for his role in the British television series Steptoe and Son. He also performed alongside The Beatles in their film A Hard Day's Night, playing Paul McCartney's fictional grandfather.- Early life :Brambell was born in Dublin...
, who had become impatient with delays to his scene and left the set before shooting it.
In the 1980s, while being in the Actors Touring Company he used the name of Russell Enoch, professionally. However, when he left the Company he reverted to William Russell.
He continued to act in other roles on stage and television, the last being as the character of Lanscombe in an episode of the 2005 series of Agatha Christie's Poirot
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Agatha Christie's Poirot is a British television drama that has aired on ITV since 1989. It stars David Suchet as Agatha Christie's fictional detective Hercule Poirot. It was originally made by LWT and is now made by ITV Studios...
("After the Funeral
After the Funeral
After the Funeral is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in March 1953 under the title of Funerals are Fatal and in UK by the Collins Crime Club on May 18 of the same year under Christie's original title...
").
Family
From his first marriage to Brazilian physician Balbina Gutierrez, he has three children, Vanessa, Laetitia and Robert, and three grandchildren, Elise, Amy and James. Alfred EnochAlfred Enoch
Alfred "Alfie" Lewis Enoch is a British actor. He is known for his portrayal of Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter films. He currently attends Oxford University.-Life and career:...
, his son from his second marriage to French actress Etheline Margareth Lewis Enoch, played Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
films.