num_pages: 350
description: William Hartnell was already a well-known and experienced film and television actor when, in 1963, he took on a new role: a mysterious and crotchety time traveller in a new BBC drama series for children. Nothing else about the programme was as tried and tested; the fictional premise was offbeat, the producer was a young woman at the start of her television career, and the future direction of the series was unknown.Doctor Who went on to thrill millions of children and adults around the world for three decades. But the foundations of success were laid in the first three years, when the TARDIS and the Daleks became as known and loved as the Beatles.This is the third in the handbook series by David J Howe, Mark Stammers and Stephen James Walker, the team who also produced The SIxties and The Seventies. Drawing on the latest research they have included in this book the definitive account of the genesis of Doctor Who, as well as a profile of William Hartnell, critical reviews of all the TV stories, a detailed analysis of a typical First Doctor story and a complete review of the programme's production development.
language: English
title: Doctor Who: The Handbook - The First Doctor
titlecomplete: Doctor Who: The Handbook - The First Doctor
genres: Nonfiction, Reference, British Literature, Doctor Who
ratings_count: 100
series: Doctor Who: The Handbook
publisher: London Bridge