Born in Sunderland, England, William Russell debuted in the 1952 film Glory at Sea, and came to prominence in the title role of the 1956 television series Adventures of Sir Lancelot. He later became part of the original cast in Doctor Who, playing the role of Ian Chesterton in the first episode through to 1965. In 2022 he made a cameo appearance as Ian in the episode The Power of the Doctor, 57 years after that characters final appearance.
Known For
Credits
Cast Credits
Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited (2013)
Guest starring as Ian Chesterton
- Episode 1x01: The First Doctor (Jan 27, 2013)
Doctor Who (2005)
Guest starring as Ian Chesterton
- Episode S13 Special: The Power of the Doctor (Oct 23, 2022)
Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989)
Guest starring as Lanscombe
- Episode 10x03: After the Funeral (Mar 26, 2006)
Blackadder (1983)
Guest starring as The Duke of Winchester
- Episode 1x03: The Archbishop (Jun 29, 1983)
Doctor Who (1963)
Starring as Ian Chesterton
(40 episodes)
- Episode 2x35: The Planet of Decision (The Chase, Part Six) (Jun 26, 1965)
- Episode 2x34: The Death of Doctor Who (The Chase, Part Five) (Jun 19, 1965)
- Episode 2x33: Journey into Terror (The Chase, Part Four) (Jun 12, 1965)
- Episode 2x32: Flight through Eternity (The Chase, Part Three) (Jun 5, 1965)
- Episode 2x31: The Death of Time (The Chase, Part Two) (May 29, 1965)
- Episode 2x30: The Executioners (The Chase, Part One) (May 22, 1965)
- Episode 2x29: The Final Phase (The Space Museum, Part Four) (May 15, 1965)
- Episode 2x27: The Dimensions of Time (The Space Museum, Part Two) (May 1, 1965)
- Episode 2x26: The Space Museum (The Space Museum, Part One) (Apr 24, 1965)
- Episode 2x09: Flashpoint (The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Part Six) (Dec 26, 1964)
- Episode 2x08: The Waking Ally (The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Part Five) (Dec 19, 1964)
- Episode 2x07: The End of Tomorrow (The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Part Four) (Dec 12, 1964)
- Episode 2x06: Day of Reckoning (The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Part Three) (Dec 5, 1964)
- Episode 2x05: The Daleks (The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Part Two) (Nov 28, 1964)
- Episode 2x04: World's End (The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Part One) (Nov 21, 1964)
- Episode 1x31: Strangers in Space (The Sensorites, Part One) (Jun 20, 1964)
- Episode 1x30: The Day of Darkness (The Aztecs, Part Four) (Jun 13, 1964)
- Episode 1x29: The Bride of Sacrifice (The Aztecs, Part Three) (Jun 6, 1964)
- Episode 1x28: The Warriors of Death (The Aztecs, Part Two) (May 30, 1964)
- Episode 1x27: The Temple of Evil (The Aztecs, Part One) (May 23, 1964)
- Episode 1x26: The Keys of Marinus (The Keys of Marinus, Part Six) (May 16, 1964)
- Episode 1x25: Sentence of Death (The Keys of Marinus, Part Five) (May 9, 1964)
- Episode 1x24: The Snows of Terror (The Keys of Marinus, Part Four) (May 2, 1964)
- Episode 1x23: The Screaming Jungle (The Keys of Marinus, Part Three) (Apr 25, 1964)
- Episode 1x22: The Velvet Web (The Keys of Marinus, Part Two) (Apr 18, 1964)
- Episode 1x21: The Sea of Death (The Keys of Marinus, Part One) (Apr 11, 1964)
- Episode 1x13: The Brink of Disaster (The Edge of Destruction, Part Two) (Feb 15, 1964)
- Episode 1x12: The Edge of Destruction (The Edge of Destruction, Part One) (Feb 8, 1964)
- Episode 1x11: The Rescue (The Daleks, Part Seven) (Feb 1, 1964)
- Episode 1x10: The Ordeal (The Daleks, Part Six) (Jan 25, 1964)
- Episode 1x09: The Expedition (The Daleks, Part Five) (Jan 18, 1964)
- Episode 1x08: The Ambush (The Daleks, Part Four) (Jan 11, 1964)
- Episode 1x07: The Escape (The Daleks, Part Three) (Jan 4, 1964)
- Episode 1x06: The Survivors (The Daleks, Part Two) (Dec 28, 1963)
- Episode 1x05: The Dead Planet (The Daleks, Part One) (Dec 21, 1963)
- Episode 1x04: The Firemaker (An Unearthly Child, Part Four) (Dec 14, 1963)
- Episode 1x03: The Forest of Fear (An Unearthly Child, Part Three) (Dec 7, 1963)
- Episode 1x02: The Cave of Skulls (An Unearthly Child, Part Two) (Nov 30, 1963)
- Episode 1x01: An Unearthly Child (An Unearthly Child, Part One) (Nov 23, 1963)
- Episode S01 Special: An Unearthly Child (The Pilot Episode) (Aug 26, 1991)
The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1956)
Starring as Sir Lancelot
(30 episodes)
- Episode 1x30: The Prince of Limerick (Apr 20, 1957)
- Episode 1x29: The Thieves (Apr 13, 1957)
- Episode 1x28: The Mortaise Fair (Apr 6, 1957)
- Episode 1x27: The Missing Princess (Mar 30, 1957)
- Episode 1x26: Knights' Choice (Mar 23, 1957)
- Episode 1x25: The Ugly Duckling (Mar 16, 1957)
- Episode 1x24: The Bridge (Mar 9, 1957)
- Episode 1x23: The Lady Lilith (Mar 2, 1957)
- Episode 1x22: Double Identity (Feb 23, 1957)
- Episode 1x21: Knight Errant (Feb 16, 1957)
- Episode 1x20: Maid of Somerset (Feb 9, 1957)
- Episode 1x19: Sir Crustabread (Feb 2, 1957)
- Episode 1x18: Witches' Brew (Jan 26, 1957)
- Episode 1x17: The Lesser Breed (Jan 19, 1957)
- Episode 1x16: The Ruby of Radnor (Jan 12, 1957)
- Episode 1x15: The Magic Book (Jan 5, 1957)
- Episode 1x14: Shepherd's War (Dec 15, 1956)
- Episode 1x13: The Black Castle (Dec 15, 1956)
- Episode 1x12: Theft of Excalibur (Dec 1, 1956)
- Episode 1x11: Caledon (Nov 24, 1956)
- Episode 1x10: Roman Wall (Nov 17, 1956)
- Episode 1x09: Lancelot's Banishment (Nov 10, 1956)
- Episode 1x08: The Magic Sword (Nov 3, 1956)
- Episode 1x07: The Pirates (Oct 27, 1956)
- Episode 1x06: Sir Bliant (Oct 20, 1956)
- Episode 1x05: Winged Victory (Oct 13, 1956)
- Episode 1x04: The Outcast (Oct 6, 1956)
- Episode 1x03: The Queen's Knight (Sep 29, 1956)
- Episode 1x02: Ferocious Fathers (Sep 22, 1956)
- Episode 1x01: The Knight with the Red Plume (Sep 15, 1956)