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| Jon Pertwee IS The Third Doctor 1970 - 1974 |
| Beginning the Doctor's colour adventures on television was a new Doctor, in the form of Jon Pertwee, and a new format for the series. Although he still has the TARDIS, he third Doctor began his tenure being exiled to Earth. In his debut story, Spearhead From Space, the Third Doctor hooks up with para-military organisation UNIT (United Nations Intelligence Taskforce) as their scientific advisor. This way the Doctor is still fighting aliens, but repelling their invasions of Earth. Pertwee repeatedly saying that he thought it was more frightening to find a Yeti on your loo in Tooting Bec than encountering aliens in space. He was definitely in the right place at the right time, though, with an inordinate number of species attempting conquest of Earth while he was here. With most of them believing that invading the Home Counties would lead to the rest of the world falling, and the Master's penchant for operating right under the nose of his arch-nemesis, the Third Doctor was certainly kept busy. The most flamboyant Doctor to date, with velvet smoking jackets and frilly shirts, Pertwee fancied his character as a man of action, incorporating martial arts and fast cars into the series wherever possible. Although never quite pulling off the 'science-fiction James Bond' he was aiming for, Pertwee did bring wider, more adult, appeal to the series, playing the part much straighter than his predecessor. Pertwee lasted longer than either Hartnell or Troughton, putting in five seasons as the Doctor, but ultimately quit citing the same reasons, that the pressure of being the lead in such a big show was getting to him. He returned to the role in 1983 for the twentieth anniversary story, The Five Doctors. Arguably achieving the most success post-Doctor Who of any of his fellow Doctors, Pertwee remained a house-hold name as Worzel Gummidge, though in latter years sinking so low as to appear in Dictionary Corner on Countdown. Jon Pertwee died in 1996, the TV-movie made that year being dedicated to his memory. |
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| First Doctor | Second Doctor | Third Doctor | Fourth Doctor | Fifth Doctor | Sixth Doctor | Seventh Doctor | Eighth Doctor |
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| Here's a link to a most tragic composition: Jon Pertwee's foray into the world of pop music. |
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