Anthony Ainley

Anthony Ainley (20 August 1932-3 May 2004The Independent) was an actor best known for his recurring role as the Tremas Master in Doctor Who, portraying the character's third major form from 1981 to the programme's end in 1989. He reappeared in this role in the 1997 video game Destiny of the Doctors.
== Biography ==
He was born in London, England on 20 August 1932, son of , a West-End actor, and brother of .
In 1942 he made his first appearance (uncredited) in the war propaganda film The Foreman Went to France. His first major break was in the 1965 TV show It's Dark Outside, in which he played Detective Sergeant Hunter. He also appeared in Naked Evil (1966), had an uncredited role in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice (1967), and played Clive Hawksworth in the ITC action/adventure series Spyder's Web (1972).
Ainley played Reverend Emilius in the 26-part classic serial The Pallisers (1974). Its production manager, John Nathan-Turner, would eventually be in charge of Doctor Who. Ainley's performance on the serial was so memorable that Nathan-Turner offered him the role of the Master without an audition.
Although Ainley was invited to reprise the role of the Master for Big Finish Productions' Doctor Who audio stories, beginning with Dust Breeding in June 2001, Big Finish were unable to reach a suitable deal with him, and so the part went instead to Geoffrey Beevers. Since Ainley's death in 2004, Jon Culshaw recreated the role of the Tremas Master for Big Finish, beginning with the Time Lord Victorious audio story Lesser Evils in 2020.
A keen cricketer and a member of the London Theatres Cricket Club, Ainley played the sport frequently from his retirement in the 1990s up to his death on 3 May 2004. The cause of his death wasn't publicly released, although it was rumoured to be cancer or a heart attack. As reported in Downtime – The Lost Years of Doctor Who, shortly before his death, Ainley was in talks with BBV Productions to star as Koschei (a young version of the Master) in an audio series of the same name written by David A. McIntee.
In Castrovalva he was credited by the pseudonym Neil Toynay (an anagram of "Tony Ainley") to avoid giving away plot details. This anagram tactic was used on several later occasions — in Time-Flight, he is credited as Leon Ny Taiy (another anagram of "Tony Ainley"); and in The King's Demons as James Stoker (an anagram of "Master's Joke").
== Personal life ==
He was the uncle of John Ainley.
== Legacy ==
His life and career was commemorated in the documentary Remembering Anthony Ainley. It was here it was stated he never married.
Since his death, Jon Culshaw recreated the role of the 'Tremas' Master for Big Finish's audio adventures.
He contributed to the commentary for the audio commentary for The Keeper of Traken, which was released almost two years after his death. The release was dedicated to his memory.
== Credits ==
=== Doctor Who stories ===
As Tremas
* The Keeper of Traken
As the Tremas Master
* The Keeper of Traken 
* Logopolis
* Castrovalva
* Time-Flight
* The King's Demons (also as Kamelion, uncredited)
* The Five Doctors
* Planet of Fire (also as Kamelion, uncredited)
* The Caves of Androzani
* The Mark of the Rani
* The Ultimate Foe
* Survival
* Destiny of the Doctors (a PC game based on Doctor Who)
== External links ==
== Footnotes ==
Category:Doctor Who semi-regular cast
Category:Actors who portrayed the Tremas Master
Category:Actors who portrayed Kamelion
Category:Video game actors
Category:Performers of songs about the Doctor Who universe
Category:Doctor Who cast reprising their roles
pt:Anthony Ainley
Category:Actors who portrayed companions of the Doctor