d2 – TARDIS Regenerated

1966-1969. Honorable mentions: Red Buttons, Leonard Stone, Peter Graves and Martin Landau

Supporting Cast: Ben Jackson: Stephen Brooks; Polly Wright: Stefanie Powers

Leslie Nielsen wrapped up two films in 1966 (The Plainsman, Beau Geste) just before auditioning for Doctor Who. Being cast as a tough guy for most of his Hollywood career, he relished the chance to utilize his comedy skills as the second Doctor.

Stefanie Powers thankfully chose Doctor Who over a role in The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., which turned out to be a 1-season flop. They wanted a “demure, passive figure” instead of an action heroine like Emma Peel. Luckily for generations of Who fans, Powers found the role of Polly Wright a lot more interesting.

Stephen Brooks earned respect as a character actor in Route 66, The Doctors and the Nurses, 12 O’Clock High and The F.B.I. (a show he abruptly left after auditioning for Doctor Who). His audition went so well, he unknowingly beat out a young Michael Craze).

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The Second Doctor: “It’s a fact. I do get involved.”

Peter (ThisThus) on “The War Games“, Patrick Troughton’s final Doctor Who serial:

“What struck me upon was the sadness at Jaime’s and Zoe’s leaving. [The Time Lords sent them back to their own times, erasing their memories beyond their first encounter with the Doctor.] But after the heartbreak of Donna forgetting her time with the Doctor, the loss that Jaime and Zoe will not know that they suffered struck me as particularly distressing. Especially as Troughton was generally a more concerned and caring Doctor than his previous incarnation.”

The author’s dead-on assessment of Troughton’s performance:

“Indeed, what I most like about Troughton’s Doctor is his expressiveness, the way his face displays joy and sorrow, sadness and ferocity, concern and anger. Where Hartnell was contained, Troughton is expansive.”

Hartnell’s last laugh in “The Three Doctors“.

“The War Games” photo colored by Tom Newsom