4 Actors who could've been the Second DOCTOR WHO and 2 who actually were!!

The second Doctor was, of course, played by Patrick Troughton, but several other actors were considered for the part first. Geek Dave reveals 4 of them, along with 2 other actors who did actually play the role...

Before Patrick Troughton took the keys of the TARDIS from William Hartnell, several other actors were approached. The BBC had already spoken with Geoffrey Bayldon when they were casting the First Doctor, but went back to him to try and open negotiations for him to become the Second. He turned them down yet again.

Also declining the part was Rupert Davies. Davies had just completed filming the John Le Carre adaptation The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, where he played George Smiley opposite Richard Burton's Alec Leamas. Davies went on to voice Professor Ian McClaine in Joe 90.

Valentine Dyall was also offered the role, but he didn't want to commit to a long running series. Dyall would later play the Black Guardian in four Doctor Who stories: The Armageddon Factor, Mawdryn Undead, Terminus and Enlightenment.

When Patrick Troughton was decided upon as the Second Doctor another actor was also chosen in case negotiations broke down with Troughton. The actor in reserve was Sir Michael Hordern. Hordern had a very long and distinguished career, he too appeared in The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, as well as Where Eagles Dare, countless plays and television adaptations, but many of you may remember him as the narrator of Paddington in the 1970s.


Patrick Troughton had two doubles who filled in for him during his time as the Second Doctor:

• Troughton was given a much needed holiday that coincided with the filming of episode 2 of The Wheel In Space. The Doctor remained unconscious during the episode but when we did see him it was in the form of body double Chris Jeffries.
• Whilst Troughton was on another holiday Tommy Laird portrayed the Doctor. He was seen laying face down on the floor throughout episode 4 of The Seeds Of Death. 

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Join The Trivia Geeks - Do you know of any other actors who were either considered for the role of the Second Doctor, or played an official version of him? If so let us know in the comments below and we'll update this post with the best ones.