William Russell obit

William Russell obituary

Stage and screen actor who was part of the original cast of Doctor Who 

He was not on the list.

On 23 November 1963 – the day after the assassination of President John F Kennedy – the actor William Russell, who has died aged 99, appearing in a new BBC television series, approached what looked like an old-fashioned police box in a scrapyard, from which an old chap emerged, saying he was the doctor. Russell responded: “Doctor Who?”

And so was launched one of the most popular TV series of all time, although the viewing figures that night were low because of the political upheaval, so the same episode was shown again a week later. It caught on, big time, with Russell – as the science schoolteacher Ian Chesterton – and William Hartnell as the Doctor establishing themselves alongside Jacqueline Hill as the history teacher Barbara Wright and Carole Ann Ford as Susan Foreman.

Russell stayed until 1965, returning to the show in 2022 in a cameo appearance as Ian and, since then, participating happily in all the hoop-la and fanzine convention-hopping, signing and schmoozing that such a phenomenon engenders.

Before that, though, Russell had achieved prominence in the title role of the ITV series The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1956-57) – he was strongly built with an air of dashing bravado about him; he had been an RAF officer in the later stages of the second world war – and as the lead in a 1957 BBC television adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby, transmitted live in 18 weekly episodes.

When Sir Lancelot went to the US, the first British TV import to be shot in colour for an American audience, Russell rode down Fifth Avenue on a horse in full regalia, like some returning, mystical, medieval knight in the heart of Normandy. The show was a smash hit.

By now he was established in movies, playing a servant to John Mills in The Gift Horse (1952) and a clutch of second world war action movies including They Who Dare (1954) opposite Dirk Bogarde, directed by Lewis “All Quiet on the Western Front” Milestone – he met his first wife, the French model and actor Balbina Gutierrez on a boat sailing to Cyprus to a location shoot in Malta – and Ronald Neame’s The Man Who Never Was (1956), the first Operation Mincemeat movie, in which he played Gloria Grahame’s fiance.

Until this point in his career, he was known as Russell Enoch. But Norman Wisdom, with whom he played in the knockabout comedy farce One Good Turn (1955) objected to his surname because he felt (oddly) that it would publicise a vaudevillian rival of his called Enoch. So, somewhat meekly, and to keep Wisdom happy, he became William Russell, although, in the 1980s, for happy and productive periods with the Actors Touring Company and the RSC, he reverted to the name Russell Enoch. Later, he settled again on William Russell. All very confusing for the historians. His doorbell across the road from me in north London bore the legend “Enoch”.

He was born in Sunderland, the only child of Alfred Enoch, a salesman and small business entrepreneur, and his wife, Eva (nee Pile). They moved to Solihull, and then Wolverhampton, where William attended the grammar school before moving on to Fettes college in Edinburgh and Trinity College, Oxford, where his economics tutor was the brilliant Labour parliamentarian Anthony Crosland.

But Russell didn’t “get” the economics part of the PPE (philosophy, politics and economics) course and switched, much to Crosland’s relief, to English. In those years, 1943-46, he worked out his national service and appeared in revues and plays with such talented contemporaries as Kenneth Tynan, Tony Richardson and Sandy Wilson.

On graduating, he played in weekly rep in Tunbridge Wells, fortnightly rep at the Oxford Playhouse and featured, modestly, in the Alec Guinness Hamlet of 1951 at the New (now the Noël Coward) theatre. He had big roles in seasons at the Bristol Old Vic and the Oxford Playhouse in the early 60s, while on television he was in JB Priestley’s An Inspector Calls with John Gregson, and was St John Rivers in Jane Eyre.

He played Shylock and Ford (in the Merry Wives of Windsor) in 1968-69 at the Open Air, Regent’s Park, before joining the RSC in 1970 as the Provost in Measure for Measure (with Ian Richardson and Ben Kingsley), Lord Rivers in Norman Rodway’s Richard III and Salisbury in a touring King John, with the title role played by Patrick Stewart.

His billing slipped in movies, but he played small parts in good films such as Superman (1978), starring Christopher Reeve, as one of the Elders; as a passerby drawn into the violence in the Spanish-American slasher film Deadly Manor (1990); and in Bertrand Tavernier’s Death Watch (1980), a sci-fi futuristic fable about celebrity, reality TV and corruption, starring Romy Schneider and Harvey Keitel.

With John Retallack’s Actors Touring Company in the 80s, he was a lurching, apoplectic Sir John Brute in John Vanbrugh’s The Provok’d Wife, possessing, said Jonathan Keates in the Guardian, “a weirdly philosophical elegance”; a civilised Alonso, expertly discharging some of the best speeches in The Tempest; and a quick-change virtuosic king, peasant, soldier and tsar in Alfred Jarry’s 1896 surrealist satire Ubu Roi in the Cyril Connolly translation.

Back at the RSC in 1989, he was the courtly official Egeus in white spats (Helena wore Doc Martens) in an outstanding production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by John Caird, and both the Ghost and First Player in Mark Rylance’s pyjama-clad Hamlet directed by Ron Daniels. In 1994 he took over (from Peter Cellier) as Pinchard in Peter Hall’s delightful production of Feydeau’s Le Dindon, retitled in translation An Absolute Turkey, which it wasn’t.

He rejoined Rylance in that actor/director’s opening season in 1997 at the new Shakespeare’s Globe. He was King Charles VI of France in Henry V and Tutor to Tim in Thomas Middleton’s riotous Jacobean city comedy, A Chaste Maid in Cheapside. Many years later, in 2021, his son Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter movies), would play on the same stage as a fired-up Romeo.

Russell is survived by his second wife, Etheline (nee Lewis), a doctor, whom he married in 1984, and their son, Alfred, and by his children, Vanessa, Laetitia and Robert, from his marriage to Balbina, which ended in divorce, and four grandchildren, James, Elise, Amy and Ayo.

 

Film

Russell appeared in British films from 1950 onwards, appearing in well-known productions such as They Who Dare (1954), One Good Turn (1955), The Man Who Never Was (1956) and The Great Escape (1963). Later, he had minor roles in Terror (1978), Superman (1978) and Death Watch (1979) with Harvey Keitel and Harry Dean Stanton.

 

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1952    Gift Horse a.k.a. Glory at Sea            Crewman         As Russell Enoch

1953            Appointment in London a.k.a. Raiders in the Sky      RAF Officer            Uncredited

Intimate Relations a.k.a. Disobedient            Michael            As Russell Enoch

Malta Story            Officer in Prison            Uncredited

Always a Bride            Dutton's Chauffeur            Uncredited

The Saint's Return a.k.a. The Saint's Girl Friday  Keith Merton As Russell Enoch

1954    They Who Dare            Lieut. Tom Poole            As Russell Enoch

The Gay Dog            Leslie Gowland            As Russell Enoch

1955    One Good Turn            Alec Bigley  

Above Us the Waves  Ramsey           

1956    The Man Who Never Was            Joe      

1957    The Big Chance Bill Anderson        

1958    The Adventures of Hal 5    The Vicar   

1963    The Great Escape            Sorren 

1978    Terror            Lord Garrick

Superman            8th Elder   

1980    Death Watch  Dr Mason  As William Russel

1981    Mark Gertler: Fragments of a Biography            Roger Fry      

1990    Deadly Manor  Alfred  

2020            Executive Order                      Cameo appearance

Television

His big break was the title role in The Adventures of Sir Lancelot on ITV in 1956, which for sale to the American NBC network became the first UK television series to be shot in colour. Russell has acted in many plays and TV series including Disraeli, Testament of Youth and the part of Ted Sullivan, the short-lived second husband of Rita Sullivan in Coronation Street. He also had a small part in an episode of The Black Adder, as a late replacement for Wilfrid Brambell, who had become impatient with delays to his scene and left the set before shooting it, and appeared as the Duke of Gloucester in the Robin of Sherwood episode "The Pretender". Other roles include Lanscombe in an episode of the 2005 series of Agatha Christie's Poirot ("After the Funeral").

 

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1954            Lonesome Like            Rev. Frank Alleyne            Short Film, As Russell Enoch

1955    St. Ives            St. Ives            Main character, all 6 episodes

The Sleeping Beauty  The Prince   TV movie

1956    Theatre Royal   Boy            Episode: "The Assassin"

Assignment Foreign Legion            Gerry Brooke            Episode: "The Ghost"

The Adventures of Aggie a.k.a. Aggie   Ted Jordan            Episode: "Hypertension"

1956–1957            The Adventures of Sir Lancelot            Sir Lancelot du lac / Sir Blaint            Main character, all 30 episodes

1957    Hour of Mystery            Kevin Ormond            Episode: "Crime of Margaret Foley"

Nicholas Nickleby            Nicholas Nickleby            Main character, all 10 episodes

Sword of Freedom            Count Rene D'Albert            Episode: "The Strange Intruder"

1958            Television World Theatre Prince Pao            Episode: "The Circle of Chalk"

Who Fought Alone: Epitaph on a Scottish Soldier             TV movie

Saturday Playhouse            Voulain            Episode: "The Duke in Darkness"

Television Playwright            Anthony Broderick            Episode: "In a Backward Country"

1959    ITV Play of the Week   Nevil Rigden            Episode: "The Face of Treason"

Armchair Theatre Smoky            Episode: "The Girl on the Beach"

Never Die            Inspector Sauvé            TV movie

Tales From Dickens            David Copperfield            3 episodes: "Uriah Heep" (1959), "David and Dora" (1959), "David and Dora Get Married" (1961)

1960    St. Ives            St. Ives            Main character, all 6 episodes; remake of 1955 serial

BBC Sunday-Night Play            Lord Bleane /

John Freeman /

 

Oliver Farrant /

 

Charles Hemington /

 

Col. Friedrich Eilers, Leader of a Fighter Squadron /

 

Gerald Croft /

 

Frank

 

7 episodes

"Twentieth Century Theatre: Our Betters" (1960)

 

"Twentieth Century Theatre: The Fanatics" (1960)

 

"Twentieth Century Theatre: I Have Been Here Before" (1960)

 

"Twentieth Century Theatre: The Elder Statesman" (1960)

 

"Summer Theatre: The Devil's General" (1960)

 

"An Inspector Calls" (1961)

 

"Pig in the Middle" (1963)

 

1961            Adventure Story            Hephaestion     TV movie

Triton   Captain Belwether            Main character, all 6 episodes

A Song of Sixpence            Alberto Monzelli            Short Film

Hamlet Hamlet            5 episodes

1962–1963            The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre Mike Stafford / Mike Cochrane            2 episodes, "The Share Out" (1962) and "Return to Sender" (1963)

1963    Drama 61-67   Mick Lambert            Episode: "Drama 63: Somebody's Dying"

Jane Eyre            St. John Rivers            2 episodes, Episodes 5 and 6

Moonstrike            Philippe            Episode: "The Biggest Bandit"

Suspense            John Richards            Episode: "The Patch Card"

1963–1965, 2022    Doctor Who     Ian Chesterton            78 episodes

1966            Breaking Point  Martin Kennedy            Main character, all 5 episodes

1966–1967            This Man Craig            Peter Rogers / Peter Woodburn / Avis     3 episodes: "Mates" (1966), "Old Flame" (1966), "You Can Choose Your Friends" (1967)

1967    Dr. Finlay's Casebook            Neville            Episode: "Who Made You?"

1969    Who-Dun-It  Marcel Dupre            Episode: "Don't Shoot the Cook" (1969)

Detective            Bill Cartwright            Episode: "And So to Murder"

Parkin's Patch            Wilkins            Episode: "No Friendship For Coppers"

1972            Buggins' Ermine            Frank  

1972–1973            Harriet's Back in Town            Tom Preston 90 episodes

1972–1981            ITV Playhouse            Daddy / Dr. Crane / Frank   3 episodes

1974    Justice            Dr. Victor Ashworth            Episode: "Point of Death"

Father Brown            Reverend Wilfred Bohun            Episode: "The Hammer of God"

Whodunnit?            Captain Alexander Anderson            Episode: "A Piece of Cake: Christmas Special"

1975    The Hanged Man            Peter Kroger            Episode: "Knave of Coins"

The Main Chance Arnold Galbraith            Episode: "We're the Bosses Now"

Against The Crowd Arthur Penwarren            Episode: "Bread and Circuses"

The Doll            Julian Osborne            Episode: "#1.2"

Three Men in a Boat     Doctor            TV movie

1975–1977            Crown Court   Edward Birkland /Robert Aldrich            2 episodes

1977    Van der Valk            Kees Rokin            Accidental

1978    BBC2 Play of the Week   Lord Folkestone

Chapman

Headmaster            Fearless Frank

Disraeli            Wyndham Lewis            2 episodes

Parables            Peter Vernon            Episode: "A Gentle Rain"

Strangers            Bamford Harker            Episode: "Accidental Death"

1979            Testament of Youth            Marriott            Episode: "Buxton 1913"

Shoestring            David Carn     Private Ear

Spearhead            Mr. Dickson B.F.S            Episode: "Repercussions"

1980            Mackenzie      Francis Hammond            2 episodes

Armchair Thriller  Senior Officer            Episode: "Dead Man's Kit: Part 1"

Play for Today            Don            Episode: "Instant Enlightenment Including V.A.T."

The Professionals            Charles Holly            Episode: "Involvement"

1983    The Black Adder            The Duke of Winchester            Episode: "The Archbishop"

1986    Robin of Sherwood            The Duke of Gloucester            Episode: "The Pretender"

1988    The Four Minute Mile     AAA Official

1990    Boon            John Loseley            Episode: "Tales from the River Bank"

1992            Coronation Street            Ted Sullivan 46 episodes

1995    The Affair    Dr. Hastings            TV film

Casualty            Mo Meredrew            Episode: "Halfway House"

1997    Great Performances            Henry V (at Shakespeare's Globe) 

2000            Heartbeat        Gabriel Firth            Episode: "Gabriel's Last Stand"

2005    Agatha Christie: Poirot            Lanscombe            Episode: "After the Funeral"

2013    An Adventure in Space and Time     Harry - Security Guard

Audio drama

Year     Title            Role            Notes

2005    Doctor Who: The Monthly Range            Darzil Carlisle Big Finish Productions; Story: "The Game"

2009-2014            Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles            Ian Chesterton            Big Finish Productions; 8 releases

2010-2013            Doctor Who: The Lost Stories  Ian Chesterton            Big Finish Productions; 4 releases

2011    The Five Companions            Ian Chesterton            Big Finish Productions; Special release

2013    The Light at the End            Ian Chesterton, First Doctor            Big Finish Productions; Special release

2014-2015            Doctor Who: The Early Adventures            Ian Chesterton, First Doctor            Big Finish Productions; 4 releases

2016-2017            Big Finish Short Trips            Narrator           4 releases

2020    Susan's War     Ian Chesterton            Big Finish Productions; Story: "Sphere of Influence"