William Hartnell Movies

The Boulting Brothers enjoyed one of their biggest box-office successes of the 1950s with the wry service comedy Private's Progress. Though billed fourth, Ian Carmichael plays the central character, feckless British soldier Stanley Windrush. Interrupting his college education to serve his country, Windrush flunks out of officer's candidate school and is demoted to private. Much of the humor arises from the bookish hero's confrontation with the ruder and cruder side of army life, as represented by rough-hewn fellow private Cox (Richard Attenborough). As Major Hitchcock, Terry-Thomas offers a brilliant parody of the "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" school of military service, while Dennis Price is equally amusing as a nonplussed commanding officer named Tracepurcel (!) Also worth watching is future "Dr. Who" star William Hartnell as a loudmouthed sergeant. Halfway through the film, the plot rears its ugly head as the protagonists become involved with the covert reclamation of art treasures confiscated by the Nazis during WW2. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Leo Martin (William Hartnell) is a low-level member of a smash-and-grab gang run by shady dance-club owner Loman (Raymond Lovell), who is cajoled into a risky job on a major jewelry store. When the robbery goes wrong, and Martin is caught (and his wrists broken), the hood keeps silent and does his stretch in prison -- all along, he nurses a grudge against Loman and his driver Hatchett (Victor Weske) for running out on him. And that grudge grows to full-blown, murderous vengeance when Loman blows off the newly-released Martin as no use to the gang (as his hands aren't what they used to be). Now Martin plans to get even by squeezing Loman dry of everything he has, starting with his peace-of-mind -- he implicates the club owner in a murder, while planning a seemingly perfect alibi for himself, and also manages to latch on to the ring-leader that Loman is fronting for, "respectable" art dealer Gregory Lang (Herbert Lom). Lang has a knack for tying up loose ends -- including Loman -- and thinks he can handle a low-level spiv like Martin, but he doesn't reckon with the latter's rage, deviousness, or resourcefulness. Martin's planning gets him past all of the obstacles in his way, even -- so it seems -- the plodding efforts of Inspector Rogers (Robert Beatty), still investigating the killing that put Martin's plan into operation. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

This first entry in the long-running (some would say interminable) British "Carry On" series is at base a collection of motheaten army jokes, albeit served up with freshness and energy. Future Doctor Who star William Hartnell plays Sergeant Major Grimshaw, whose fondest wish is to win the coveted Best Troop Award before his retirement. Alas, this may never come to pass: his newest batch of conscripts include some of the biggest and stupidest foul-ups in military history. Popular comedian-cartoonist Bob Monkhouse and cockney bombshell Shirley Eaton head up the supporting cast, which includes such "Carry On" stalwarts-to-be as Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey and Kenneth Williams. Carry On Sergeant was very loosely based on The Bull Boys, a novel by R. F. Delderfield. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Doctor Who saga began on November 23, 1963, with the first episode of the four-part story arc known variously as "An Unearthly Child," "100,000 BC," and "The Tribe of Gum." Curious about their secretive pupil Susan (Carole Ann Ford), schoolteachers Ian Chesterson (William Russell) and Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) follow her home. Stopping off at a junk yard, they meet Susan's grandfather, the Doctor (William Hartnell), who is able to travel in space and time with his marvelous machine, the TARDIS. Entering the machine, the two teachers join the Doctor on a journey back in time -- 100,000 years back, to the era of the Great Cold. Episode one of "An Unearthly Child" was written by Anthony Coburn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the four-part story arc "An Unearthly Child," Doctor Who (William Hartnell) and his companions, Ian and Barbara (William Russell, Jacqueline Hill), have managed to escape the Cave of Skulls. But they have not yet managed to escape the prehistoric-earth surroundings -- and the TARDIS is far from ready to return the travelers to their own time. With an angry cave-dwelling tribe hot on their heels, the little party must make their way through a blazing forest inferno. Written by Anthony Coburn, "The Forest of Fear" originally aired on December 7, 1963. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The six-part Dr. Who adventure "Dalek Invasion of Earth" gets under way when the TARDIS materializes in 22nd century England. Trapped outside of their time-traveling vessel, the Doctor (William Hartnell) and his companions quickly learn that the Earth has been taken over by the mutant Daleks from the planet Skaro. Before the Doctor can do anything with this knowledge, his granddaughter Susan (Carole Ann Ford) vanishes, and Barbara (Jacqueline Hill) is seriously injured. Written by Terry Nation, "World's End" first aired on November 21, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the six-part story "Dalek Invasion of Earth," the Doctor (William Hartnell) is rescued from a Dalek operating table by his traveling companions. By now thoroughly dedicated to fomenting a revolt against the Daleks, the Doctor must first discover why the evil mutants have come to Earth in the first place. If star William Hartnell looks queasy during the closing scenes, it is because the actor injured his spine during filming. Written by Terry Nation, "Day of Reckoning" first aired on December 5, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the six-part story "Dalek Invasion of Earth," the Doctor (William Hartnell) has finally tumbled onto the Daleks' scheme to convert the earth into a huge space vessel. Racing against time, the Doctor must find a way to foil the mutants' plans. He receives help in this respect from a most unexpected source -- but is it already too late to save the world? Written by Terry Nation, "The Walking Ally" first aired on December 18, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the four-part story "Galaxy 4," the Rills and the Dravins of the planet Galaxy continue their centuries-old feud as their planet draws nearer and nearer to destruction. Inasmuch as both races hope to use the TARDIS to make their escape, it is only logical that the Doctor's traveling companion Steven (Peter Purves) is taken hostage. In trying to rescue their friend, the Doctor and Vicki (Maureen O'Brien) must first locate the Rill stronghold. Written by William Emms, "Trap of Steel" originally aired on September 18, 1965; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the concluding episode of the four-part story "Galaxy 4," time is running out on the planet Galaxy, as it edges even closer to its inevitable destruction. If he hopes to escape with the lives of himself and his traveling companions, the Doctor (William Hartnell) must quickly negotiate a truce between the planet's two warring factions. The climax of the story serves as a logical lead-in to the next episode, "Mission to the Unknown." Written by William Emms, "The Exploding Planet" originally aired on October 2, 1965; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the seven-part story arc "Marco Polo," the Doctor and his companions reluctantly accompany Marco Polo (Mark Eden) on a long journey to the Peking stronghold of Kublai Khan. The first leg of their journey requires them to cross the Gobi Desert, known as "the singing sands" due to the eerie sounds made by the relentless wind. What no one yet suspects is that Marco's "trusted" associate Tegana (Derren Nesbitt) plans to use the Doctor's TARDIS to topple Kublai Khan from power -- and it is Tegana who has volunteered to search for water on behalf of Marco and his entourage. Written by John Lucarotti, "The Singing Sands" first aired on February 29, 1964; alas, none of the episodes in the "Marco Polo" arc are known to have survived. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fourth episode of the seven-part story arc "Marco Polo," the Doctor's (William Hartnell) granddaughter Susan (Carole Ann Ford), is terrified by the phantoms which seem to haunt the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes. Meanwhile, Tegana (Derren Nesbitt) returns to advise Marco Polo (Mark Eden) to rid himself of the Doctor and his friends. And on another front, Ian (William Russell) uncovers gruesome evidence that someone in the traveling party intends to use the TARDIS time-traveling machine for his own evil purposes. Written by John Lucarotti, "The Wall of Lies" first aired on March 14, 1964; alas, none of the episodes in the "Marco Polo" arc are known to have survived. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide