Patrick Troughton (1920 – 1987) was an English classically trained actor and the second Doctor Who, playing the role from 1966 until 1969, and starring in 119 episodes over 3 series.
Troughton started acting at school and eventually winning a scholarship at the John Drew Memorial Theatre on Long Island, New York.
When the Second World War began, his father arranged for his return onboard a Belgian ship which hit a sea mine and sank off the coast of Britain. However Troughton escaped in a lifeboat along with everyone else and returned home where he would join the Royal Navy in 1940, and join the war against the Nazis, going on to win medals for his service and being Mentioned in Dispatches “for outstanding courage, leadership and skill in many daring attacks on enemy shipping in hostile waters”.
After the war he returned to acting, becoming the first actor to play folk hero Robin Hood on television, and going on to star in many tv shows and films before taking on the role of Doctor Who in 1966. He eventually left the show 3 years later as he found the schedule too grueling, plus had a fear of becoming typcast by the role. He was eventually replaced in 1970 by Jon Pertwee, another Second World War veteran who also served in the Navy.
Troughton died of a heart attack in 1987, two days after his 67th birthday whilst attending a science fiction convention in America.
His son Michael Troughton is an actor who appeared in the 2014 Doctor Who Christmas Special ‘Last Christmas’ as Professor Albert.
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