Person
William Russell
Acting · 1924–2024 · Sunderland, County Durham, England, UK
Biography
William Russell Enoch (19 November 1924–3 June 2024) was an English actor. He achieved prominence in 1956 when he took the title role in the ITV television series The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1956–1957). In 1963, he became part of the original lead cast of BBC1's Doctor Who, playing the role of schoolteacher Ian Chesterton opposite William Hartnell from the show's first episode until 1965. Russell's film roles include parts in The Man Who Never Was (1956), The Great Escape (1963) and Superman (1978). On television, he notably appeared as Ted Sullivan in Coronation Street in 1992. In recent years, Russell has maintained his association with Doctor Who; he returned to the show in 2022, making a cameo appearance as Ian in "The Power of the Doctor", 57 years after the character's last television appearance. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Known for
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Lanscombe
Coronation Street
Ted Sullivan
Doctor Who
Ian Chesterton
Casualty
Mo Meredrew
Great Performances
1971
Play for Today
Don
Heartbeat
Gabriel Firth
ITV Playhouse
Frank
Blackadder
The Duke of Winchester
The Professionals
Charles Holly
Filmography
- 2023Doctor Who: The Daleks in ColourIan Chesterton (archive footage)
- 2022William Russell: In ConversationSelf
- 2022Executive Order
- 2017The Doctors: The William Hartnell Years
- 2013An Adventure in Space and TimeHarry
- 2012Rediscovering the Urge to Live
- 2012Don't Lose Your Head: The Making of 'The Reign of Terror'Himself
- 2012Vision OnIan Chesterton (archive footage)
- 2010Last Stop White CitySelf
- 2009The Sets of MarinusIan Chesterton (archive footage)
- 2009Dennis Spooner: Wanna Write a Television Series?
- 2009What Has 'The Romans' Ever Done For Us?Self
- 2009Mounting the RescueSelf
- 2008The Ties That Bind UsIan Chesterton (archive footage)
- 2006Creation of the DaleksIan Chesterton (archive footage)
- 2006Doctor Who: OriginsSelf
- 2006Masters of SoundIan Chesterton (archive footage)
- 2006Over the Edge: The Story of 'The Edge of Destruction'Self / Ian Chesterton
- 2006Inside the Spaceship: The Story of the TARDISSelf / Ian Chesterton
- 2005Tales of IsopSelf
- 2003Future Memories: Making 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth'Ian Chesterton (archive footage)
- 2002Remembering 'The Aztecs'Ian Chesterton (archive footage)
- 1997Henry V at Shakespeare's GlobeKing Charles VI of France / Bishop of Ely / Sir Thomas Erpingham
- 1995The AffairDr. Hastings
- 1992HeartbeatGabriel Firth
- 1989Agatha Christie's PoirotLanscombe
- 1988The Four Minute MileAAA Official
- 1986CasualtyMo Meredrew
- 1984Robin of SherwoodThe Duke of Gloucester
- 1984Doctor Who: Resurrection of the DaleksIan Chesterton (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1983BlackadderThe Duke of Winchester
- 1981Little Girls Don'tDaddy
- 1980Dead Man's KitSenior Officer
- 1980Death WatchDr. Mason
- 1979Instant Enlightenment Including VATDon
- 1979Testament of Youth
- 1979TerrorLord Garrick
- 1979ShoestringDavid Carn
- 1978Superman8th Elder
- 1978DisraeliWyndham Lewis
- 1978StrangersBamford Harker
- 1978Armchair ThrillerSenior Officer
- 1977The ProfessionalsCharles Holly
- 1977BBC2 Play of the WeekHeadmaster / Lord Folkestone / Chapman
- 1976Newsworthy - The Girl Who Saw a TigerMr Rose
- 1975Three Men in a BoatDoctor
- 1975The Hanged ManPeter Kroger
- 1974Father BrownReverend Wilfred Bohun
- 1972Van der ValkRokin
- 1971JusticeDr. Victor Ainsworth
- 1971Great Performances
- 1970Play for TodayDon
- 1969The Main ChanceArnold Galbraith
- 1967ITV PlayhouseFrank
- 1966Breaking Point
- 1965Doctor Who: The ChaseIan Chesterton
- 1965Doctor Who: The Space MuseumIan Chesterton
- 1965Doctor Who: The CrusadeIan Chesterton
- 1965Doctor Who: Lost in TimeIan
- 1965Doctor Who: The Web PlanetIan Chesterton
- 1965Doctor Who: The RomansIan Chesterton
- 1965Doctor Who: The RescueIan Chesterton
- 1964Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of EarthIan Chesterton
- 1964Doctor Who: Planet of GiantsIan Chesterton
- 1964Doctor Who: The Reign of TerrorIan Chesterton
- 1964Doctor Who: The SensoritesIan Chesterton
- 1964Doctor Who: The AztecsIan Chesterton
- 1964Doctor Who: The Keys of MarinusIan Chesterton
- 1964Doctor Who: Marco PoloIan Chesterton
- 1964DetectiveBill Cartwright
- 1964Doctor Who: The Edge of DestructionIan Chesterton
- 1964Doctor Who: The DaleksIan Chesterton
- 1963Doctor Who: An Unearthly ChildIan Chesterton
- 1963Doctor WhoIan Chesterton
- 1963The Great EscapeSorren
- 1963Return to SenderMike Cochran
- 1962Dr. Finlay's Casebook
- 1962SuspenseJohn Richards
- 1962The Share OutMike Stafford
- 1961Adventure StoryHephaestion
- 1960Coronation StreetTed Sullivan
- 1960Sunday-Night PlayColonel Friedrich Eilers, Leader of a Fighter Squadron
- 1957Nicholas NicklebyNicholas Nickleby
- 1957The Big ChanceBill Anderson
- 1957The Adventures of Hal 5
- 1956The Adventures of Sir LancelotSir Lancelot du Lac
- 1956Armchair TheatreSmoky
- 1956The Man Who Never WasJoe
- 1955Lilli Palmer TheatreBoy
- 1955Above Us the WavesRamsey
- 1955One Good TurnAlec Bigley
- 1954The Gay DogLeslie Gowland
- 1954They Who DareLieutenant Poole
- 1953The Saint's ReturnKeith Merton
- 1953Malta StoryOfficer at Prison
- 1953Intimate RelationsMichael
- 1952Gift HorseCrewman
- 1950Sunday Night TheatreBill Bolton
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