Jon Pertwee is best known for his portrayal of the Doctor, on the BBC science fiction television series "Doctor Who" (1963). He portrayed the Doctor from 1970 to 1974. His 60-year entertainment career included work in radio, films, and cabaret. This was despite the inauspicious beginning of having been thrown out of drama school as a young man and told he had no future as an actor. The BBC announced his death.

He was the younger brother of Michael Pertwee .Known as a comedy actor until he was cast in a dramatic and action role as the third Doctor in "Doctor Who" (1963).He was the son of Roland Pertwee .He was the first cousin of Bill Pertwee .He was the father of actress Dariel Pertwee and actor Sean Pertwee .Was well-known for his role in the long-lived BBC Radio comedy series "The Navy Lark", where he played the role of Chief Petty Officer Pertwee (plus Vice-Admiral "Burbly" Burwasher, Commander Weatherby and The Master) from 1959 to 1977.He changed his name from "John" to "Jon" as a young actor.He was told several times when he was young that he would never become a successful actor, due to such problems as a partial lisp and a close resemblance to the American actor Danny Kaye - whom he would actually double in the London location work for Knock on Wood (1954).Knew Laurence Olivier personally when he was a young man.His closest friend in later life was the broadcaster David Jacobs ..The 60 year old actor added pop star to his repertoire in 1980 when 'Worzel's Song' reached the top 33 in the UK and stayed in the chart for seven weeks.He contacted the BBC about the vacant role of the main character in "Doctor Who" (1963) in 1969 on the recommendation of his "Navy Lark" colleague Tenniel Evans .Jon was considered for the role of Captain Mainwaring in the BBC series "Dad's Army" (1968), which eventually went to Arthur Lowe . He claimed that he refused the part as he was working on Broadway at the time, and didn't know what he was being offered back home.Played "Lycus" in the original stage production of "Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, A". The film role was given to Phil Silvers since he had greater name-recognition internationally.He worked hard to bring the character of Worzel Gummidge ( "Worzel Gummidge" (1979)) to the television screen and counted it as his favourite role. He had been offered the part in the mid-70s for a film version which was never made, and persuaded the writers Willis Hall and Keith Waterhouse to pen a TV pilot instead.His experience of serving in the British Navy during the Second World War inspired him to conceive the popular BBC radio comedy "Navy Lark, The". He was a star of the series for many years and provided the voices for many of the diverse characters.During WW2 he served in the RNVR as an officer. He was appointed to HMS Hood from which he was extremely fortunate to be returned to shore shortly before that vessel was sunk by the Bismarck.Was a friend of Stephen Ward, a key figure in the John Profumo political scandal in the UK in the early 1960s.Following the instructions in his will, he was cremated with an effigy of the bumbling scarecrow Worzel Gummidge ( "Worzel Gummidge" (1979), his favorite role), attached to his casket. As the casket slid between the curtains, the effigy fell off and landed on the floor, leading one mourner to call out, "That's Jon for you. Always playing it for laughs". The mourners all broke into laughter.He was a talented water-skier and had a passion for fast cars and motorbikes. He carried on riding his last bike, a Honda VT500E, until he was 74, two years before his death.Died in his sleep of a heart attack while he and his wife were on holiday in the USA, staying with actor Richard Neilson and his wife at their house in Timber Lake, Connecticut.Appeared once on BBC television's team quiz show "Quiz Ball" (1966) as a last-minute substitute for comedian James Logan , and found himself playing for Scotland. They won.Was originally meant to star in The Baby and the Battleship (1956) with George Cole , but was replaced when Cole walked out.According to Pertwee's biography, "Moon Boot and Dinner Suits", as a young boy he played with the son of the gamekeeper on the family estate. The gamekeeper was A.A. Milne , and his son was Christopher, the inspiration for Milne's later tales of Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh.Was a life long fan of cartoons.He was a close friend of Patrick Troughton and Tom Baker , his predecessor and successor as the Doctor respectively. He also counted his "Doctor Who" (1963) co-stars Nicholas Courtney , Roger Delgado and Katy Manning among his closest friends.He was the oldest living Doctor from the death of William Hartnell on April 23, 1975 and the earliest living Doctor from the death of Patrick Troughton on March 28, 1987 until his own death on May 20, 1996. With his death, Tom Baker came both the oldest and earliest living Doctor.Like Patrick Troughton , his predecessor as the Doctor, he died of a heart attack while visiting the United States.He was a very good friend of Spike Milligan , but later on in his life the two would have arguments over who was the bigger Aladdin (1992) fan. He also considered Milligan's Goon colleague, Peter Sellers , a friend.He considered Aladdin (1992) to be the greatest animated film of all time, as well as one of the greatest films of all time.Had a reputation as a great raconteur, comedian and impressionist, making him a popular guest on talk shows, game shows and at "Doctor Who" (1963) conventions.His favorite aliens in "Doctor Who" (1963) were the Draconians from the 1973 story "Frontier in Space". In particular, he liked the quality of the half-masks that were designed for them, which allowed for more expressive performances from the actors than was sometimes able to the case.Of the 24 "Doctor Who" (1963) stories he starred in, he named "Doctor Who: The Dæmons: Episode One (#8.21)" (1971) as his favorite.Was the producers' second choice to play Dr Who. At the time, their first choice was Ron Moody .Was delighted when his wife passed him the message that he had been invited to appear in "the new Columbus film", and that the script was being sent over. He would wryly recall that his hopes of working with Gérard Depardieu in 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) were quickly dashed when he received the script of Carry on Columbus (1992).His final screen appearance was in a "Doctor Who" (1963)-inspired advertisement for Vodaphone in 1996, shot a week before his death.Was the original choice for the role of Elliot Hoover in Audrey Rose (1977).Was a founder member, along with his brother Michael, of The Waistcoat Club (of which he had a large collection, some dating back 300 years) which was set up in 1953 to counter the drabness of mens' dress. Another future Doctor Who, Peter Cushing , was a fellow member.He is the second longest-lived actor to have played the Doctor in "Doctor Who" (1963). He was surpassed in this regard by his immediate successor Tom Baker on December 5, 2010, who became the first Doctor to reach the age of 77 on January 20, 2011.