Patrick Troughton for me is probably the least known of the Doctors. I have never really seen any of his serials and if I have it isn’t but one or two. The ability to watch this man play the role of the Doctor goes a long way in how I see him as an actor and man. Outside of Doctor Who, I don’t know much about him.
The one thing I do know is that he is an English actor who portrays the second incarnation of the Doctor. As a result I had to do a little research to see who this man is and what he did while he is alive. Therefore, I hope to shed light on him and his career before Doctor Who, while he is the Doctor and after he leaves the show.
Patrick Troughton’s formal education will come at Mill Hill School. Therefore there is always the possibility this is where he begins acting. Hey, not to sarcastic, but sure that is the truth. It seems as with almost all actors begin at an early age and are main players in school plays. All you have to do is to look many of them up and you see that.
Troughton is born to Alec Troughton and Dorothy Offord on March 25, 1920. He has one brother and a sister. His brother Alec is older and his sister Mary is younger.(1)
His first gig as an actor was as I said at school in J.B. Priestly’s Bees on the Boat Dock in March 1937.(2) Now, I can see where this will lead. I can recall times when I act in plays either at school or at church. There is always a little desire to do more than just school plays or church plays. In my case, I never desire to go any further with acting, but many times this is what happens. I believe that this first time give him an itch. An itch to do more in the line of acting.
For Troughton and most of the actors we see on television or in the movies, they must train. In the case of Patrick Troughton he attends the Embassy School of Acting in the UK and at Leighton Rollin’s Studio for for Actors at Long Island, New York in the USA. (3) Then after formal training he joins the Tonbridge Repertory Company.(4)
Troughtons rise in the art of acting only comes because he is willing to put in the time to train. An endeavor of such, requires putting in time to learn the art. For me or anyone who wishes to act you must be dedicated to learning the ins and outs. At the same time, you must also be able to take instruction even though it may be harsh. Then at the same time you must implement the instruction you get from coaches and others in the business.
From what little I have seen of Troughton, I can tell he is a great actor. His Doctor at times seems a little dingy but that is only after seeing him once of twice. I can say that as far as an expert knowledge of Troughton as the Doctor, I am not. My information and all I know is very little and the information I have is where I get my view. Once I see more of this mans serial of Doctor Who the more I will know about him. From allot I have read he is one of the best who plays the Doctor. I do like him, but I am not sure of how much.
.