William Hartnell was born on January 8, 1908, in an area just south of St. Pancras railway station in London. Initially, he claimed that his father was a farmer and later a stockbroker in press materials from the 1940s; however, it was later revealed that he was actually born out of wedlock, as stated in his biography "Who's There?".
At the age of 16, Hartnell was adopted by Hugh Blaker, a renowned art connoisseur, who helped him secure a job with Sir Frank Benson's Shakespearean Company. He began as a general dogsbody, taking on various roles such as call-boy, assistant stage manager, property master, and assistant lighting director, and occasionally got to play small walk-on parts. Two years later, he left Benson's group and embarked on a tour, working for numerous theatre companies across Britain.
Hartnell became known for his work in farce and understudied esteemed performers like Lawrence Grossmith, Ernest Truex, Bud Flanagan, and Charles Heslop. He performed in repertory in Richmond, Harrogate, Leeds, and Sheffield, and had a successful run as the lead in a touring production of "Charley's Aunt". He also toured Canada in 1928-29, gaining valuable experience.
Upon his return to England, Hartnell married actress Heather McIntyre. He starred in notable films such as "I'm an Explosive" (1933),"The Way Ahead" (1944),"Strawberry Roan" (1944),"The Agitator" (1945),"Query" (1945),and "Appointment with Crime" (1946).
His notable performances on the television series "The Army Game" (1957) and the movie "This Sporting Life" (1963) led to his being cast as the Doctor on "Doctor Who" (1963),for which he is best remembered. His son-in-law is agent Terry Carney, and his granddaughter is Jessica Carney, who authored a biography of her grandfather, "Who's There?", in 1996.
