Actor profile

William Russell

19th November 1924 Sunderland, County Durham, England, UK Acting

William Russell Enoch (19 November 1924–3 June 2024) was an English actor. He achieved prominence in 1956 when he took the title role in the ITV television series The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1956–1957). In 1963, he became part of the original lead cast of BBC1's Doctor Who, playing the role of schoolteacher Ian Chesterton opposite William Hartnell from the show's first episode until 1965. Russell's film roles include parts in The Man Who Never Was (1956), The Great Escape (1963) and Superman (1978). On television, he notably appeared as Ted Sullivan in Coronation Street in 1992. In recent years, Russell has maintained his association with Doctor Who; he returned to the show in 2022, making a cameo appearance as Ian in "The Power of the Doctor", 57 years after the character's last television appearance. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

64 Movies 33 TV Shows 108 Credits

Filmography

Movies & TV Shows

Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour poster

Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour 23rd November 2023 as Ian Chesterton (archive footage)

William Russell: In Conversation poster

William Russell: In Conversation 5th December 2022 as Self

Executive Order poster

Executive Order 14th April 2022

The Doctors: The William Hartnell Years poster

The Doctors: The William Hartnell Years 1st June 2017

An Adventure in Space and Time poster

An Adventure in Space and Time 21st November 2013 as Harry

Rediscovering the Urge to Live poster

Rediscovering the Urge to Live 20th August 2012

Don't Lose Your Head: The Making of 'The Reign of Terror' poster

Don't Lose Your Head: The Making of 'The Reign of Terror' 28th January 2012 as Himself

Vision On poster

Vision On 23rd January 2012 as Ian Chesterton (archive footage)

Last Stop White City poster

Last Stop White City 1st March 2010 as Self

The Sets of Marinus poster

The Sets of Marinus 21st September 2009 as Ian Chesterton (archive footage)

Dennis Spooner: Wanna Write a Television Series? poster

Dennis Spooner: Wanna Write a Television Series? 23rd February 2009

What Has 'The Romans' Ever Done For Us? poster

What Has 'The Romans' Ever Done For Us? 23rd February 2009 as Self

Mounting the Rescue poster

Mounting the Rescue 17th February 2009 as Self

The Ties That Bind Us poster

The Ties That Bind Us 3rd March 2008 as Ian Chesterton (archive footage)

Creation of the Daleks poster

Creation of the Daleks 31st January 2006 as Ian Chesterton (archive footage)

Doctor Who: Origins poster

Doctor Who: Origins 30th January 2006 as Self

Inside the Spaceship: The Story of the TARDIS poster

Inside the Spaceship: The Story of the TARDIS 30th January 2006 as Self / Ian Chesterton

Masters of Sound poster

Masters of Sound 30th January 2006 as Ian Chesterton (archive footage)

Over the Edge: The Story of 'The Edge of Destruction' poster

Over the Edge: The Story of 'The Edge of Destruction' 30th January 2006 as Self / Ian Chesterton

Tales of Isop poster

Tales of Isop 3rd October 2005 as Self

Future Memories: Making 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth' poster

Future Memories: Making 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth' 9th June 2003 as Ian Chesterton (archive footage)

Remembering 'The Aztecs' poster

Remembering 'The Aztecs' 21st October 2002 as Ian Chesterton (archive footage)

Henry V at Shakespeare's Globe poster

Henry V at Shakespeare's Globe 5th November 1997 as King Charles VI of France / Bishop of Ely / Sir Thomas Erpingham

The Affair poster

The Affair 14th October 1995 as Dr. Hastings

The Four Minute Mile poster

The Four Minute Mile 9th November 1988 as AAA Official

Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks poster

Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks 15th February 1984 as Ian Chesterton (archive footage) (uncredited)

Dead Man's Kit poster

Dead Man's Kit 30th September 1980 as Senior Officer

Death Watch poster

Death Watch 23rd January 1980 as Dr. Mason

Instant Enlightenment Including VAT poster

Instant Enlightenment Including VAT 22nd November 1979 as Don

Terror poster

Terror 26th October 1979 as Lord Garrick

Superman poster

Superman 14th December 1978 as 8th Elder

Newsworthy - The Girl Who Saw a Tiger poster

Newsworthy - The Girl Who Saw a Tiger 18th November 1976 as Mr Rose

Three Men in a Boat poster

Three Men in a Boat 31st December 1975 as Doctor

Doctor Who: The Chase poster

Doctor Who: The Chase 26th June 1965 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: The Space Museum poster

Doctor Who: The Space Museum 15th May 1965 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: The Crusade poster

Doctor Who: The Crusade 17th April 1965 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: The Web Planet poster

Doctor Who: The Web Planet 20th March 1965 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: The Romans poster

Doctor Who: The Romans 6th February 1965 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: The Rescue poster

Doctor Who: The Rescue 9th January 1965 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of Earth poster

Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of Earth 26th December 1964 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: Planet of Giants poster

Doctor Who: Planet of Giants 14th November 1964 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror poster

Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror 12th September 1964 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: The Sensorites poster

Doctor Who: The Sensorites 1st August 1964 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: The Aztecs poster

Doctor Who: The Aztecs 13th June 1964 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus poster

Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus 16th May 1964 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: Marco Polo poster

Doctor Who: Marco Polo 4th April 1964 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: The Edge of Destruction poster

Doctor Who: The Edge of Destruction 15th February 1964 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: The Daleks poster

Doctor Who: The Daleks 1st February 1964 as Ian Chesterton

Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child poster

Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child 23rd November 1963 as Ian Chesterton

The Great Escape poster

The Great Escape 3rd July 1963 as Sorren

Return to Sender poster

Return to Sender 1st March 1963 as Mike Cochran

The Share Out poster

The Share Out 1st February 1962 as Mike Stafford

Adventure Story poster

Adventure Story 12th June 1961 as Hephaestion

The Big Chance poster

The Big Chance 1st September 1957 as Bill Anderson

The Adventures of Hal 5 poster

The Adventures of Hal 5 1st January 1957

The Man Who Never Was poster

The Man Who Never Was 3rd April 1956 as Joe

Above Us the Waves poster

Above Us the Waves 29th March 1955 as Ramsey

One Good Turn poster

One Good Turn 4th January 1955 as Alec Bigley

The Gay Dog poster

The Gay Dog 1st June 1954 as Leslie Gowland

They Who Dare poster

They Who Dare 2nd February 1954 as Lieutenant Poole

The Saint's Return poster

The Saint's Return 12th October 1953 as Keith Merton

Malta Story poster

Malta Story 1st June 1953 as Officer at Prison

Intimate Relations poster

Intimate Relations 1st May 1953 as Michael

Gift Horse poster

Gift Horse 1st June 1952 as Crewman

Heartbeat poster

Heartbeat 10th April 1992 as Gabriel Firth

Agatha Christie's Poirot poster

Agatha Christie's Poirot 8th January 1989 as Lanscombe

Casualty poster

Casualty 6th September 1986 as Mo Meredrew

Robin of Sherwood poster

Robin of Sherwood 28th April 1984 as The Duke of Gloucester

Blackadder poster

Blackadder 15th June 1983 as The Duke of Winchester

Testament of Youth poster

Testament of Youth 4th November 1979

Shoestring poster

Shoestring 30th September 1979 as David Carn

Disraeli poster

Disraeli 5th September 1978 as Wyndham Lewis

Strangers poster

Strangers 5th June 1978 as Bamford Harker

Armchair Thriller poster

Armchair Thriller 21st February 1978 as Senior Officer

The Professionals poster

The Professionals 30th December 1977 as Charles Holly

BBC2 Play of the Week poster

BBC2 Play of the Week 21st September 1977 as Headmaster / Lord Folkestone / Chapman

Father Brown poster

Father Brown 26th September 1974 as Reverend Wilfred Bohun

Van der Valk poster

Van der Valk 13th September 1972 as Rokin

Justice poster

Justice 8th October 1971 as Dr. Victor Ainsworth

Great Performances poster

Great Performances 28th January 1971

Play for Today poster

Play for Today 15th October 1970 as Don

The Main Chance poster

The Main Chance 18th June 1969 as Arnold Galbraith

ITV Playhouse poster

ITV Playhouse 25th September 1967 as Frank

ITV Playhouse poster

ITV Playhouse 25th September 1967 as Daddy

Doctor Who: Lost in Time poster

Doctor Who: Lost in Time 27th March 1965 as Ian

Detective poster

Detective 30th March 1964 as Bill Cartwright

Doctor Who poster

Doctor Who 23rd November 1963 as Ian Chesterton

Jane Eyre poster

Jane Eyre 7th April 1963 as St. John Rivers

Dr. Finlay's Casebook poster

Dr. Finlay's Casebook 16th August 1962

Suspense poster

Suspense 30th April 1962 as John Richards

Coronation Street poster

Coronation Street 9th December 1960 as Ted Sullivan

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot poster

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot 15th September 1956 as Sir Lancelot du Lac

Armchair Theatre poster

Armchair Theatre 8th July 1956 as Smoky

Lilli Palmer Theatre poster

Lilli Palmer Theatre 25th September 1955 as Boy

Sunday Night Theatre poster

Sunday Night Theatre 1st January 1950 as Bill Bolton

Sunday Night Theatre poster

Sunday Night Theatre 1st January 1950 as Renny

Sunday Night Theatre poster

Sunday Night Theatre 1st January 1950 as Vicomte de Tournai