Jon Pertwee played the role of the Doctor for four years and was the first actor to introduce the series to colour TV screens.
Pertwee introduced the persona as one of action and of gadgetry, in a similar style to James bond the latter typified by the third Doctor's two cars, an Edwardian roadster, named Bessie and the futuristic Whomobile, which could fly and was sort of a miniature hovercraft.
His first story, Spearhead from Space, which was broadcast January 1970, was the first to introduce UNIT as a regular part of the series. UNIT (United Nations Intelligence Taskforce), was led by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart following on from the Invasion of the Cybermen.
It also was the first story to feature the Autons, best described as "mobile shop mannequins". All of his first season adventures were confined to Earth, where he encountered the Silurians (The Silurians) and also found himself in an alternate, fascist Earth (Inferno). The following two seasons he was allowed limited travel off Earth, but was always controlled on behalf of the Time Lords, possibly by the Celestial Intervention Agency.
The tenth anniversary story, The Three Doctors, saw the Doctor save his home planet, and at the end of the story his freedom was restored to him which he travelled widely, but he often returned to 20th century Earth to help his friend the Brigadier.
The Master, a renegade Time Lord and possibly former friend of the Doctor, was introduced during Jon's tenure in the story, The Terror of the Autons, played by Roger Delgado. His sinister attitude, schemes and his disguises, at one stage threatened, the popularity of the good Doctor. The Master, however remains one of the most popular villains in the series - Roger played the role until Frontier in Space which was his last story before his untimely death in a car crash.
At the beginning of his last season, a new companion was introduced: Sarah-Jane Smith, played by Elisabeth Sladen, accompanied the Doctor for three years and steered the Doctor through his regeneration into the fourth Doctor. She has been consistently voted as the most popular companion by fans. Pertwee's last story, Planet of the Spiders saw him regenerate due to severe radiation exposure. .
Jon is the only Doctor who didn't meet the Cybermen
Jon Pertwee also appeared in the Five Doctors and in Dimensions in Time plus returned as the Third Doctor in Paradise of Death and Ghosts of N Space which was the last adventure he appeared in |
