# Sad Day for Classic Who Buffs - William Russell, RIP

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-day-for-classic-who-buffs-william-russell-rip/1002490>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 4, 2024, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-day-for-classic-who-buffs-william-russell-rip/1002490 "2024-06-04T21:51:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2024, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-day-for-classic-who-buffs-william-russell-rip/1002490/1 "2024-06-04T21:51:19Z")

</div>

[Ah well, he made it to 99.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Russell_(English_actor))

The actor who played one of the first companions on _Doctor Who_ has died. William Russell played science teacher Ian Chesterton. He did all the action stuff, because the First Doctor was so dang old.

He was likable in the role. Much more likable than Barbara Wright, the other teacher companion, who always to me seemed like a teacher upset that new regulations wouldn’t let her smack her students with a ruler no more.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-day-for-classic-who-buffs-william-russell-rip/1002490/2 "2024-06-05T00:13:13Z")

</div>

Not only was in the first season way, way back in 1963, but he also had a cameo appearance in 2022 playing the same character. A gap of nearly 60 years, think it set a new record.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-day-for-classic-who-buffs-william-russell-rip/1002490/3 "2024-06-05T01:52:11Z")

</div>

> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#):
>
> He did all the action stuff, because the First Doctor was so dang old.

You take that back dammit! William Hartnell was 55 when he got the job.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-day-for-classic-who-buffs-william-russell-rip/1002490/4 "2024-06-05T01:59:57Z")

</div>

Hartnell was 55, but the Doctor was north of 400 at the time. 😉

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-day-for-classic-who-buffs-william-russell-rip/1002490/5 "2024-06-05T02:16:30Z")

</div>

> [@Broomstick](#):
>
> A gap of nearly 60 years, think it set a new record.

For a certain definition of “gap”, though. He had appeared in character in spin-off media a few times.

A very sad day.