Jon Pertwee Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Jon Pertwee
Pertwee at a Doctor Who Convention in Glasgow, March 1996
Born	John Devon Roland Pertwee (1919-07-07)7 July 1919 Chelsea, London, England
Died	20 May 1996(1996-05-20) (aged 76) Sherman, Connecticut, U.S.
Cause of death	Heart attack
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1938–1996
Notable work	Doctor Who (1970–74) Worzel Gummidge (1979–81, 1987–89) The Navy Lark (1959–1977)
Spouse(s)	Jean Marsh (m. 1955; div. 1960) Ingeborg Rhoesa (m. 1960; ~~his death~~ 1996)
Children	2, including Sean Pertwee
Parent(s)	Roland Pertwee Avice Scholtz

John Devon Roland Pertwee (born 7 July 1919 – died 20 May 1996), known as Jon Pertwee, was a famous English actor. He was also a comedian and entertainer.

Jon Pertwee came from a family of actors. During World War II, he served in the Royal Navy. After the war, he started his career as a comedian. He was known for his funny faces and silly voices. He also appeared in several Carry On comedy films.

Pertwee became very well-known for playing Chief petty officer Pertwee in the radio series The Navy Lark. This show was on BBC Radio for 18 years! He also starred as the Third Doctor in the science-fiction TV show Doctor Who. He played the Doctor from 1970 to 1974.

Later, he had more success playing the main character in the TV series Worzel Gummidge. This show ran from 1979 to 1981, and he played the role again from 1987 to 1989. Towards the end of his life, he often went to Doctor Who fan events. He gave interviews and performed for audiences in a show called Who Is Jon Pertwee?.

About Jon Pertwee's Life
Playing the Doctor in Doctor Who (1970–1974)
Starring in Worzel Gummidge
Later Career and Life
Death and What He Left Behind
Images for kids
See also

About Jon Pertwee's Life

Tom Baker as Dr Who

Jon Pertwee was born in Chelsea, London. His father, Roland Pertwee, was also a writer and actor. Jon went to several schools, including Frensham Heights School and Sherborne School. He was even asked to leave some of them! He later went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) to study acting. But he was asked to leave there too, after he refused to play a "wind" in a lesson. He felt it was not a good use of his time.

During World War II, Pertwee spent six years in the Royal Navy. He was on a ship called HMS Hood. Luckily, he was moved off the ship for officer training just before it was sunk by a German battleship. Almost everyone on board died. Later, he worked in a very secret part of the Navy called the Naval Intelligence Division. He even worked with Ian Fleming, who later wrote the James Bond books. He also reported directly to Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Jon Pertwee was married twice. His first marriage was in 1955 to Jean Marsh, but they divorced in 1960. Later that same year, he married Ingeborg Rhoesa. They had two children, Dariel and Sean Pertwee. Both of his children became actors, just like him.

Playing the Doctor in Doctor Who (1970–1974)

Third and Fourth Doctor costumes in the Doctor Who Experience - Jon Pertwee & Tom Baker

In 1969, Jon Pertwee was chosen to be the new Doctor in Doctor Who. He took over the role from Patrick Troughton. Pertwee played the Doctor as an active hero who loved action and wore fancy clothes. He was the Doctor for five seasons, from early 1970 to mid-1974. This was longer than the two Doctors before him. His time as the Doctor included 128 episodes.

In 1974, Pertwee announced he would leave Doctor Who. He wanted to go back to acting on stage. He also felt that playing the Doctor for so long meant people only saw him in that role. His last full appearance as the Doctor was in the story Planet of the Spiders in June 1974. After that, Tom Baker took over the role. Many people, including critics, have praised Pertwee's time as the Doctor. They call it a "high point" for the show as serious science fiction.

Pertwee returned to play the Doctor again for special episodes. These included the 20th anniversary story The Five Doctors and the Children in Need story Dimensions in Time. He also played the Doctor in two radio adventures and a stage play.

Starring in Worzel Gummidge

People dressed up like characters from 'Worzel Gummidge'

After hosting a TV game show called Whodunnit? from 1974 to 1978, Pertwee took on the main role in Worzel Gummidge. This show was based on books by Barbara Euphan Todd. It first aired in 1979. In the show, Pertwee played a scarecrow and used many funny voices.

The show was an instant success and ran until 1981. A TV network in New Zealand picked up the series in 1987. This new version, called Worzel Gummidge Down Under, aired for two years. It was also shown in the UK on Channel 4. In 1995, Pertwee played Worzel one last time for a special TV show. He also starred in a musical version of Worzel Gummidge in London. He even recorded an album and a Christmas song as Worzel.

Later Career and Life

Doctor Who – The Ultimate Adventure was a 1989 stage play

Jon Pertwee returned to his role as the Doctor for the 20th anniversary TV special The Five Doctors in 1983. He also appeared in the 1993 charity special Dimensions in Time for Children in Need. From March to June 1989, he played the Doctor in a stage play called Doctor Who – The Ultimate Adventure. In 1993, he was part of a special video release celebrating 30 years of Doctor Who.

Pertwee's last film role was in a short movie called Cloud Cuckoo in 1994. His final TV appearance was on a show called Surprise, Surprise in April 1996. At the time of his death, he was often seen in a TV commercial for Vodafone. In it, he walked silently across an alleyway, dressed a bit like his Doctor character, and entered a garage with what looked like a time machine.

Death and What He Left Behind

His work was honoured with a blue plaque at the New Wimbledon Theatre

Jon Pertwee kept attending Doctor Who fan events and doing voice acting until he passed away. He died peacefully in his sleep from a heart attack in Connecticut on 20 May 1996. He was 76 years old. His wife, Ingeborg Rhoesa, and his two children, Sean Pertwee and Dariel Pertwee, survived him. Both of his children became actors.

Tom Baker, who played the Doctor after Pertwee, said he was a great admirer of such a stylish actor. Colin Baker, another actor who played the Doctor, said Pertwee was a man with a strong presence. He also said that Pertwee's version of the Doctor was the most serious, avoiding comedy. Jon Pertwee was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium. A toy Worzel Gummidge was placed on his coffin, as he had wished.

His death happened just six days after the American TV movie Doctor Who was shown. The opening credits of this movie used a logo from Pertwee's time as the Doctor. When the BBC showed the film on 27 May 1996, it ended with a special message dedicated to Jon Pertwee.

Many action figures of Pertwee's Doctor have been released. In 2016, his work was honored with a blue plaque at the New Wimbledon Theatre. This was arranged by the Doctor Who Appreciation Society.