Patrick Troughton
 

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Patrick Graham Troughton was born March 25, 1920 in Mill Hill, London, England and went to Mill Hill Public School.  At the age of sixteen he graduated and hearing the call of the stage enrolled at the Embassy School of Acting in Swiss Cottage, London run by the sister of actor/writer Russell Thorndyke and the famous Dame Sybil Thorndyke. 

His ability and commitment earned Patrick a scholarship to the renowned Leighton Rollins Studios at the John Drew Theatre at Easthampton, on Long Island, New York. Patrick returned to England upon the completion of his scholarship and then joined the Tonbridge Repertory Company.  His stay was short lived as the outbreak of World War II enforced a short break in his acting career. 

When the Second World War broke out, he returned to Britain on a Belgian ship. Just in sight of the coast it hit a mine and sank, but Troughton was fortunate enough to escape in a life boat.

Patrick was drafted into the Royal Navy and served his first tours patrolling the east coast in a destroyer.  Showing ability to command he was promoted, eventually getting  his own command, becoming captain of a motor gun boat patrolling the North Sea.  He continued to serve successfully until the end of the war when upon being demobilized in March 1944, he resumed his acting career, joining the Amersham Repertory Company. 

Shortly after Patrick went on to join the well known Bristol Old Vic Company before spending a couple of years with the Pilgrim Players performing T. S. Elliot's plays at the Mercury Theatre in Nottingham.  His cinema debut came in 1948, with small roles in "Hamlet" and the TCF production "Escape" (one of the stars of which was William Hartnell). Several play, film and television roles followed playing such parts as Adolf Hitler, Disraeli, St. Paul and the Dickens character Quilp, with appearances in the TV series Dr. Finley's Casebook and Coronation Street. 

Notably early work included parts in "Robin Hood" (BBC 1953, title role), "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (ITC 1957, 1959), "Paul of Tarsus" (BBC 1960), title role), "Dr. Finlay's Casebook" (BBC 1962, semiregular) and, perhaps best remembered of all, "The Old Curiosity Shop" (BBC 1962, as Quilp).

It was Patrick's performance in the role of Tristram in the 1966 movie The Viking Queen that drew the attention of Innes Lloyd, the new Doctor Who producer who had taken over from Verity Lambert, to offer the role of the Doctor, after William Hartnell had left.  Patrick took the part and brought his love of clowning and fun into the role of the Doctor for three years, from 1966 - 1969, before leaving the series, prior to feeling type-cast.

Patrick went on to appear in several movies and TV guest appearances including The Omen, Edward and Mrs. Simpson (TV mini series), The Six Wives of Henry VIII (TV mini series), Sinbad and The Eye of The Tiger, and The Scars of Dracula. 

Patrick was married with six children, four boys and two girls and lived near Hampton in Middlesex, England. 

At the age of 67 Patrick died of a heart attack in his Hotel room while being a guest at a  Sci-Fi convention in Columbus, Georgia, USA on March 28, 1987.

Image of Patrick Troughton
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Image of Patrick Troughton
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Image of Patrick Troughton
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Image of Patrick Troughton
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2nd Doctor
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Clip 1
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Video 1
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  Clip 2
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Video 2
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  Clip 3
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Video 3
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