William Russell: Original Doctor Who cast member dies aged 99
Russell became well-known after his role as Sir Lancelot in the television series Adventures of Sir Lancelot in 1965.
William Russell, who was among the first four members of the cast of Doctor Who, has passed away at the age of 99.
On Tuesday, the Guardian newspaper confirmed and reported his passing.
Russell acted as the character of school instructor Ian Chesterton on the initial two seasons of the BBC's science fiction program. Furthermore, he was the first buddy of the Doctor.
He departed from the program in 1965, yet he made a reappearance in his role and had a brief appearance in Jodie Whittaker's ultimate episode, The Power of The Doctor, in year 2022.
The performer achieved a Guinness World Record for having the largest interval of time between appearances on TV.
The inaugural episode, titled An Unearthly Child and broadcasted in 1963, featured Russell's persona encountering the Doctor, portrayed by William Hartnell.
Russell's persona accidentally refers to him as Doctor Foreman, to which Hartnell retorts, "Who is Doctor?"
After departing from the show in 1965, Russell went on to lend his voice as a narrator for several audiobooks during the 1990s.
Russell made an appearance in an episode called Who's The Man? back in 1964. This particular episode showcases the Doctor crossing paths with the Aztecs from long ago.
He also starred in other TV shows such as the lead character in the 1956 drama series on ITV called The Adventures of Sir Lancelot, and played the role of Ted Sullivan in Coronation Street.
He starred in movies like The Man Who Never Was back in 1956, the legendary war movie The Great Escape that came out in 1963, and Superman from 1978.
On Instagram, Russell T Davies, known for writing Doctor Who, expressed his sadness over the passing of Russell. Davies praised his fellow colleague as a talented actor who possessed agility, humor, and sincerity which he used to perfectly convey the essence of those early years.
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Actor and author Nicholas Pegg posted on X: "Let's all raise a glass to William Russell, who has sadly passed away just a few months before celebrating his 100th birthday."
He stated that Russell was an "excellent performer and a pleasant individual".
Nicola Bryant, a performer of Doctor Who's character, Peri Brown, who was on the show from 1984 to 1986, also expressed her condolences on X.
The person expressed admiration for a great man who has an amazing family, remarkable life, and successful career. This man is known for his captivating smile and sparkling eyes, as he brightens up any place he goes to. The person hopes that there will be several events and festivities to commemorate and honor this magnificent individual.
According to Stuart Humphryes, an artist, Russell was the initial and the most excellent among all the companions.
Russell was born in Sunderland back in 1924 and he had a total of four children. One of his children is Alfred Enoch who is famous for his roles in Harry Potter as Dean Thomas and in How to Get Away with Murder as Wes Gibbins.
