Who was Patrick Troughton? Everything You Need to Know

Patrick Troughton was born on March 25, 1920, in Mill Hill, Middlesex, England, to Dorothy Evelyn Offord and Alec George Troughton. He grew up along with his elder brother, Alec Robert, and his younger sister, Mary Edith.

He completed his education at the Mill Hill High School. He started taking an interest in acting as a young boy and appeared in a few high school stage shows. He later went to the Embassy School of Acting in London.

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Career as a Soldier

Patrick Troughton joined the Royal Navy as a lieutenant in 1940 and was first deployed on the East Coast, and later in the North Sea with the Coastal Forces' Motor Gun Boats, with whom he served from 1942 to 1945.

Television Career

Patrick Troughton made his acting debut on television in the 1947 television movie ‘Hamlet’. In the coming years, he featured in several similar productions on television.

He appeared in the TV shows ‘Kidnapped’ and ‘Robinhood’ between 1952 and 1953. He also featured in the TV show ‘Clementina as ‘Charles Wogan' for 6 episodes.

In 1956, Troughton appeared in the show ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel' as ‘Sir Andrew Ffoulkes' for 15 episodes. Later, he portrayed the character of ‘Gideon Sarn' in ‘Precious Bane' in 1957. He was also featured in ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ (1957) portraying multiple characters.

In the next decade, Troughton appeared in many popular shows, including ‘The Cabin in the Clearing', ‘The Splendid Spur', ‘The Old Curiosity Shop', ‘Dr. Finlay's Casebook', and ‘A Tale of Two Cities'.

He received the offer to portray the second incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction show ‘Doctor Who'. The long-running show is one of the most iconic television productions of all-time and several popular actors have featured in the show portraying the lead role.

Troughton became one of the most popular persons to play the title character in the history of the show ‘Doctor Who’ when he replaced William Hartnell as the lead actor in the show in 1966.

Despite his growing popularity, Troughton kept himself away from the limelight as much as possible. He rarely discussed about his character in the show in the public as he tried not to get stereotyped.

Film Career

Troughton had appeared in several feature films during his forty-year-long acting career. He made his debut on the silver screen in the 1948 film ‘Hamlet' as ‘Player King.’

In the ensuing decades, Troughton appeared in films like ‘The Woman with No Name', ‘The Black Knight', ‘The Phantom of the Opera', ‘Jason and the Argonauts', ‘Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell', and ‘Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger'.

Major Works

During his army career, Patrick Troughton and his company destroyed three enemy crafts during the Second World War. He was awarded the 1939–1945 Star as well as the Atlantic Star for his bravery and services.

As an actor, Troughton's biggest contribution has been in the science fiction television show ‘Doctor Who' where he appeared as the title character in 118 episodes between 1966 and 1969. He also portrayed the antagonist, ‘Salamander’, in six episodes between 1967 and 1968.

Family & Personal Life

Patrick Troughton married Margaret Dunlop in 1943 and had three children together. However, Troughton left his family to live with his then partner, Ethel Margaret "Bunny" Nuens, after the birth of his third child with Dunlop. Troughton later married Sheila Holdop in 1976.

Troughton had six children, two daughters and four sons, of his own and two stepchildren. Two of his sons, David Troughton and Michael Troughton, became actors and two of his grandsons, Sam Troughton and Harry Melling, also followed the same path.

Jim Troughton, one of his grandsons, is a cricket coach who played for the county side Warwickshire between 1999 and 2014.

While attending the Magnum Opus Con in Columbus, Georgia, on March 28, 1987, Troughton suffered a massive heart attack, his third one. He died instantly, as reported in his death certificate given by the Medical Center, Columbus, Georgia. His body was cremated and the ashes were scattered by his widow Sheila Holdop in Bushy Park, Teddington, near his hometown.

Patrick Troughton Biography