First Doctor
Geoffrey Bayldon told Doctor Who Magazine that he had declined the role. He would later play an alternative version of the First Doctor in two plays for the Doctor Who Unbound series of audio plays by Big Finish Productions: Auld Mortality (2003) and A Storm of Angels (2005). Furthermore, he played Organon in the Fourth Doctor serial The Creature from the Pit (1979).
Hugh David was the choice of Rex Tucker, who was the series' "caretaker producer" before the arrival of Verity Lambert. Lambert rejected this idea on the grounds that at 38, Hugh was too young. David later became a director and, in that capacity, worked on the Second Doctor serials The Highlanders (1966-7) and Fury from the Deep.
Alan Webb was then offered the role but declined, as did Cyril Cusack.
Leslie French was considered for the role. He later appeared in the Seventh Doctor serial Silver Nemesis (1988) as Lady Peinforte's mathematician. The role of the First Doctor went to William Hartnell.
Read more about this topic: List Of Actors Considered For The Part Of The Doctor
Famous quotes containing the word doctor:
“When a doctor does go wrong he is the first of criminals. He has nerve and he has knowledge.”
—Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930)
“Every doctor will allow a colleague to decimate a whole countryside sooner than violate the bond of professional etiquet by giving him away.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)