The Death of William Hartnell

[LoganTech]

Ok how did this man get so sick and die at such a young age? He was only in his early 60's too

[ashleybroomhall]

I think his mind was going and he had major problems remembering his lines towards the end.
Ashley

[Dondunoon]

He suffered from hardening of the arteries which was later diagnosed as arteriosclerosis. This may well be the reason for the oft-quoted forgetting of his lines. Certainly when he left Doctor Who he worked very little as an actor and his role in The Three Doctors was massively curtailed due to his illness. This was his last acting role before he died 2 years later.

[LoganTech]

Thanks, Its sad to see someone so young pass away like that..

[buglass]

He wasn't that young. He was 67.

[Dominic Smith]

I believe his illness was brought on by the fact he was a heavy drinker and smoker (although don't quote me on that). It's such a shame he died at what I think was quite a young age, a great loss to his profession.

[davisonera]

What a delightfully gruesomely sad topic.

[neon]

I read in a DWM special that William Hartnell saw Doctor Who as a retirement Job. And it mentioned that after he finished Doctor Who he watched all the Troughton era, but stopped during the Pertwee days, not because Pertwee was bad, just because he found it heartbreaking. Don't blame him poor man.

oh- my source is page's 65-66 of Doctor Who Magazine In Their Own Words Volume 1: 1963-69 -Its a neat addition because it has quotes from all sorts of interviews with cast and crew members of that era It covers the entire Hartnell and Troughton days.

[The Thinker]

I wonder how long Hartnell would've lived if he wasn't such a heavy drinker? Maybe his mid 80's?

[Dalek]

dondunoon said:

He suffered from hardening of the arteries which was later diagnosed as arteriosclerosis.

My gran died of something very much the same, it's a pity he died like that hope it was'nt painful for him.

[The Thinker]

...And the moral of this story? Lay off the drink.

Or to put it more eloquently:

Abstain from the excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages if you wish to exceed the life expectancy limit.


But still, arteriosclerosis? Painful...

[Dalek]

johnlumicdavros said:

...And the moral of this story? Lay off the drink.

Or to put it more eloquently:

Abstain from the excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages if you wish to exceed the life expectancy limit

Could'nt have put it better myself, such a painful way to go is'nt it.

[The Thinker]

:: Clutches shirt collar nervously ::

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. I once had an uncle, drinking and smoking did him in at the end.

[Dalek]

So no good come from smoking and drinking well it's ok to have it some times but not every day.

[The Thinker]

Drinking maybe, smoking NO. I thought I'd point that out.