All the Actors Who've Played Doctor Who

In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of 'Doctor Who,' look back at all the actors who've portrayed the time-traveling doctor

BBC's Doctor Who has had fans hooked since it premiered on the U.K. network back in 1963. Following an eccentric and clever two-hearted, time-traveling doctor, the show's eponymous lead has been played by many actors throughout the course of its decades-long tenure.

From well-known English actors such as Patrick Troughton and notable Scotsmen like David Tennant to relative newbies such as Matt Smith and Ncuti Gatwa, every iteration of The Doctor has always aimed to bring fresh takes while continuing the legacy of the classic science fiction program.

As Doctor Who commemorates its 60th anniversary, Disney+ will be airing three special episodes beginning Nov. 25. Before you venture into those, here's a list of all the actors who've played Doctor Who throughout the years.

(John Hurt and Jo Martin were not included, as they were featured as part of other Doctor's eras and not leads.)

William Hartnell

Starting the role as the First Doctor was William Hartnell, who opted to portray The Doctor as stubborn, yet warm, from 1963 to 1966.

Patrick Troughton

While it may be difficult to get fans on board with a new actor playing an old role, writers of the hit BBC show molded The Doctor into someone who can regenerate as Hartnell's health began to fail, per Entertainment Weekly.

That first regeneration came in the form of Patrick Troughton, who took over from Hartnell in 1966.

Unlike his predecessor, who played The Doctor as somewhat straight-laced and distrustful, Troughton brought some flair to the Time Lord, with a scruffier appearance and more eccentric disposition.

Troughton played the role until 1969, but made several appearances as the franchise carried on.

Jon Pertwee

Occupying the role for a strong five seasons, Jon Pertwee played Doctor Who from 1970 to 1974. In addition to his flamboyant and vibrant portrayal of The Doctor, Pertwee's was also the first to be broadcast on color television.

Tom Baker

Devoted fans of the franchise might list Tom Baker's whimsical portrayal of the Time Lord as their favorite. Putting a stamp on the character with a signature hat and scarf, Baker occupied the role for seven seasons (1974 to 1981) and 172 televised episodes, a record he still holds today, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Unlike Troughton, Baker only showed up in the franchise once more after his tenure ended, and that was in 2013's "The Day of the Doctor" special episode, which marked the show's 50th anniversary.

Peter Davison

Until Matt Smith took over the role in 2013, Peter Davison had been the youngest actor to play the time traveler. The actor took over as the Fifth Doctor in 1981, when he was just 29 years old. He would occupy the role for three seasons, exiting the show in 1984.

Davison's Doctor Who was a lot more benevolent and was never scared to offer a helping hand even in life-threatening moments. Like his predecessor, Davison also adorned the character with a signature wardrobe: the Fifth Doctor often donned a cricket-inspired look.

Colin Baker

Colin Baker's portrayal of Doctor Who was unfortunately not as upbeat as his bright ensemble suggested. According to Entertainment Weekly, the Sixth Doctor was known to be "arrogant, moody, and melodramatic," a drastic switch in personality that didn't go well with fans.

In fact, this version of The Doctor brought a dip in viewership numbers, which in turn caused the BBC to force the actor out of the role. He played the titular character from 1984 to 1986.

Sylvester McCoy

Bringing the original series to a close, Sylvester McCoy helmed the lead role from 1987 to 1989. While his performance brought the original light-heartedness of the thrifty doctor, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the "BBC quietly dropped it from the schedules," as fans were simply not responding the same.

Paul McGann

After the series went off air, producers made a film in an effort to regenerate interest. At the helm was Paul McGann, who played the titular doctor in 1996's TV movie of the same name. Unfortunately, not enough buzz was created, and the franchise wouldn't come back to screens for nearly a decade.

Christopher Eccleston

Reintroducing Doctor Who to old fans and introducing him to the new generation was Christopher Eccleston, who took on the role when the series came back after 16 years, in 2005.

Modified for the new era, Eccleston's leather-jacket-clad Doctor Who only lasted for one season, but is considered to have been instrumental in getting people buzzing about the series again.

David Tennant

Piggybacking off the success of Eccleston's portrayal, David Tennant took over as the Tenth Doctor and catapulted the series into a global phenomenon. Playing the role from 2005 to 2010, the Scottish actor had been a fan, long before he stepped into the TARDIS.

"I spent a lot of time in the back garden, making up TV shows, often Doctor Who-based," Tennant revealed while on The Off Camera Show. "The iteration of The Doctor that was around when I was young was played by an actor called Tom Baker and he had a long, multi-colored knitted scarf," he explained before adding, "My granny knitted me one, so I would put that on and run around the garden."

(Tennant will once again step into the role in the 60th anniversary specials.)

Matt Smith

People now know him from having played Prince Philip in the first two seasons of The Crown and (perhaps most notably) Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon, but when then-26-year-old Matt Smith stepped into the role of Doctor Who in 2010, not only was he still on the climb, but he was the youngest actor to have played the part.

His relative anonymity and young age turned out to be non-issues as fans quickly fell in love with his witty and adventurous portrayal of The Doctor.

Peter Capaldi

Adding some pragmatism to the character was Peter Calpadi, who took over from 2013 to 2017. During his three-season tenure, fans got to see a more reflective and introspective Doctor Who.

Jodie Whittaker

Making history as the first woman to play Doctor Who, Jodie Whittaker led the franchise from 2017 to 2022. Donning a whimsical rainbow-trimmed coat, Whittaker was heralded for her ability to bring the playful, frantic energy fans have long loved about The Doctor.

Ncuti Gatwa

The second Black actor (after Jo Martin) to take on the role, Ncuti Gatwa is no stranger to being the face of a popular show. The Rwandan-Scottish actor has been one of the stars of Netflix's wildly popular series Sex Education since 2019.

Starting in 2024, Gatwa will step in as the Fifteenth Doctor and while we don't know much about the upcoming regeneration, the 31-year-old actor told Rolling Stone U.K.,"My Doctor is emotionally vulnerable. He hides it with humour, but he’s lonely."

“I can’t say much more than that; I don’t want to spoil anything," he added, "But he’s also energetic! The poor cameramen struggled to keep up."

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