Peter Davison

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Peter Davison
Davison in 2016
Born
Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett

(1951-04-13) 13 April 1951 (age 72)
Streatham, London, England
Alma materRoyal Central School of Speech and Drama
Occupation
  • Actor
Years active1975–present
Known forFifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who
Spouses
  • Diane J. Russell
    (m. 1973; div. 1975)
  • (m. 1978; div. 1994)
  • (m. 2003)
Children3, including Georgia Tennant and Louis Davison
RelativesDavid Tennant (son-in-law)
Ty Tennant (grandson)
Signature

Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett[1] (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor with many credits in television dramas and sitcoms. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan Farnon in the BBC's television adaptation of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small stories.

Davison's subsequent starring roles included the sitcoms Holding the Fort (1980–1982) and Sink or Swim (1980–1982), the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who (1981–1984), Dr. Stephen Daker in A Very Peculiar Practice (1986–1988) and Albert Campion in Campion (1989–1990). He also played David Braithwaite in At Home with the Braithwaites (2000–2003), "Dangerous" Davies in The Last Detective (2003–2007) and Henry Sharpe in Law & Order: UK (2011–2014).

Early life[edit]

Davison was born to Claude and Sheila Moffett[2] in Streatham,[3] London. Claude was from British Guiana (now Guyana), and worked as a radio engineer before opening a grocer's shop, whilst Sheila worked in intelligence during World War II before becoming a housewife.[4] Davison had three sisters: Shirley, Pamela and Barbara.[5] Whilst in Streatham, he attended Granton Primary School. The family then moved to Knaphill in Surrey.[6] During this time, Davison was a member of an amateur theatre company called the Byfleet Players.[7]

Before becoming an actor, he gained one O-level in English Language[8] at Winston Churchill School, St John's, Woking, Surrey, and then had several odd jobs, including a stint as a mortuary attendant and a Hoffman Press operator.[6] Early aspirations at a teacher-training college or his father's plan for a job at a building society vanished.[8]

Davison studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama.[3] His first job was as an actor and assistant stage manager at the Nottingham Playhouse.[6] He chose the stage name Peter Davison to avoid confusion with the actor and director Peter Moffatt, with whom Davison later worked. He only uses Davison professionally.

Career[edit]

His first television work was a 1975 episode of the children's science fiction television programme The Tomorrow People, alongside American actress Sandra Dickinson, whom he married on 26 December 1978. Davison portrayed an alien named Elmer, who arrives on Earth along with his sister (played by Dickinson) and his mother, known as "the Mama" (played by Margaret Burton).

In the mid-1970s, during a lull in his acting career, Davison spent 18 months working in a tax office in Twickenham.[9]

In 1976, he was offered a prominent role in the 13-part TV series Love for Lydia opposite Jeremy Irons; the series was broadcast on ITV the following year.

All Creatures Great and Small (1978–1990)[edit]

In 1978, Davison's performance as the youthfully mischievous Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small made him a household name.[6] "I don't know how much it changed my life. It creeps up on you really. You become used to it quickly, I think. I wasn't aware of it suddenly changing my life, although I had a bit more money to spend on rubbish. I bought a house, but the money was rubbish because I was a BBC newcomer, though nobody's money was very good, except probably Robert Hardy's. I remember after the third series I bought a car, which was a Renault 18. I thought it was pretty flash, and I went to this garage to fill up with petrol, and the guy said, 'Aren't you that bloke off the vet series?' I said yes I was, and he said, 'Why are you driving that piece of shit?'"[10][page needed]

Davison was absent for 24 episodes in the second run of the series, including the majority of series 5 and 6, due to other acting commitments; Alison Lewis, who played Rosie Herriot in the final series, revealed: "I never met Peter Davison because I didn't have any scenes with him."[10] "I didn't ever want to leave the series, it's just that other programmes came up and I wanted to do them," he explained in 2016.[10] "I'd miss the second half of series 5 because of A Very Peculiar Practice and series 6 I missed because I was doing Campion. I was incredibly lucky to move onto the things I did. There was no plan to it; it's just good fortune, being in the right place at the right time. But in the end, when I'd finished Campion and A Very Peculiar Practice, All Creatures was still going and I never had any problem coming back."[10][page needed]

"Only days after finishing A Very Peculiar Practice, I was back in Yorkshire to film a second All Creatures Christmas Special," remembered Davison. "I can't remember when the idea of making another series of the show came up, but it was probably long before anyone mentioned it to the actors. Not that we raised too many eyebrows; I felt I had done enough other work to prove to myself that Tristan hadn't hindered my prospects. Quite the reverse, as Doctor Who had proved: Tristan was a stepping stone to other parts. By the end of 1986, it was agreed that the original cast, minus Carol Drinkwater, would re-assemble to film another series," continued Davison. "The date was set for the spring of the following year, dangerously close to the date set for a second series of A Very Peculiar Practice."[11][page needed]

Doctor Who (1981–1984 and later revivals)[edit]

In 1980, Davison signed a contract to play the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who for three years, succeeding Tom Baker (the Fourth Doctor) and, at age 29, was at the time the youngest actor to have played the lead role,[12] a record he retained for nearly thirty years until Matt Smith (the Eleventh Doctor) took the role in 2009 at age 26. Attracting such a high-profile actor as Davison was as much of a coup for the programme as getting the role was for him, but he did not renew his contract because he feared being typecast.[13] Patrick Troughton (who had played the Second Doctor and whom Davison had watched on the programme as a teenager) recommended to Davison that he leave the role after three years, and Davison followed his advice.[14] The Fifth Doctor encountered many of the Doctor's best-known adversaries, including the Cybermen in Earthshock (1982) and the Daleks and Davros in Resurrection of the Daleks (1984).

In the 1983 serial Arc of Infinity, in addition to portraying the Fifth Doctor, Davison portrayed the human form of Omega, sharing the role with Ian Collier.

Davison and Kate O'Mara at the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Celebration Weekend in 2013

Since leaving Doctor Who, Davison has returned to the franchise several times. He presented the special videotape documentary release Daleks – The Early Years (1993), showcasing selected episodes of missing Dalek stories from both the First and Second Doctor's eras. Davison returned to play the Fifth Doctor in the 1993 multi-doctor charity special Dimensions in Time and in the 1997 video game Destiny of the Doctors.

Since 1999, he has reprised his role as the Fifth Doctor in numerous Doctor Who audio dramas for Big Finish Productions; he also reprised the role of Omega in an audio drama of the same name, again sharing the role with Collier. He returned to the TV series in "Time Crash", a special episode written by Steven Moffat for Children in Need; in the episode, which aired on 16 November 2007, the Fifth Doctor met the Tenth Doctor, played by Davison's future son-in-law David Tennant.[15] Tennant later presented a documentary, Come in Number Five, which examined Davison's tenure in some detail, and which was included as a special feature on the 2011 DVD re-release of Resurrection of the Daleks. It is one of many DVD releases of his serials in which Davison has appeared as an in-vision interviewee or in DVD commentary recordings.

In 2012, Davison expressed further interest in returning to the role of the Doctor for the series' 50th anniversary special.[16] Although he did not appear in the 50th anniversary special, he wrote and directed The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot, an affectionate and comedic fictionalised account of Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and himself attempting to get parts in the Anniversary Special, featuring cameos from numerous Doctor Who cast, crew, and famous fans.[17] In July 2018, Davison reprised the role of the Doctor at the live show "The Muppets Take the O2" during the Pigs in Space sketch Mirthshock.[citation needed]

Davison has been critical of some aspects of Doctor Who's original run, and has expressed great admiration for the 21st century revival. In 2008, he spoke unfavourably of some of the writing for the series during his tenure, saying some of the scripts had been "suspect" and "knocked off" by authors who had not been science fiction fans, which he contrasted with the revived series and Big Finish audio productions.[18] In 2013, he also praised the frisson between the Doctor and companions in the revived series, and argued that the previous series had struggled to "write a good companion's part" because "they never once thought it was a good idea to put any frisson or sexual tension – even in its most innocent form – between the Doctor and companion". Davison said the series had failed to write a good companion's part until Rose, when the series came back.[19] Interviewed in 2013, Davison stated that The Caves of Androzani, The Visitation and Earthshock were his favourite serials from his time on the series, and that Time-Flight was the biggest disappointment because of a lack of budget.[20]

In 2013, Davison was asked in an interview about the possibility of a female Doctor, to which he replied: "I have a slight problem with that because it’s not as if genders are interchangeable on Gallifrey... I don’t like the idea of the Doctor having a sex change – it’s not as if you would have a female James Bond."[21] In July 2017, Davison reacted positively to the casting of Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, but expressed the belief that it was "the loss of a role model for boys who I think Doctor Who is vitally important for". He added: "I feel a bit sad about that, but I understand the argument that you need to open it up."[22] Davison closed his Twitter account following the backlash to his comments, saying the "toxicity" from the series’ viewers on both sides of the dispute had been "sobering".[23]

In 2022, he returned to portray the Doctor on television again in "The Power of the Doctor". With this appearance, he holds the record for the most returns to the role, tying it with Troughton. He reprised the role again in Tales of the TARDIS.[24]

1984–present[edit]

Davison in October 2016

After Davison left Doctor Who in 1984, he immediately landed a role in Anna of the Five Towns, a period drama. In 1985, he appeared in an All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special, and a feature-length episode of the American show Magnum, P.I. ("Deja Vu"), set in the UK.

Davison played Dr Stephen Daker, the central character in A Very Peculiar Practice (1986–88). Written by Andrew Davies, it concerns a university's health centre; Daker is the centre's only effective physician. The black comedy-drama ran for two series and had a sequel with A Very Polish Practice in 1992, a television film mainly set in a post-communist Polish hospital. In 1986 he appeared as Lance Fortescue in an episode of the BBC's Miss Marple ("A Pocketful of Rye").

Davison reprised his role as Tristan Farnon in four more series of All Creatures Great and Small between 1988 and 1990, although he was absent from 24 episodes of the final three to play the lead in Campion, a series based on the period whodunnits of Margery Allingham. He appeared in the sitcoms Fiddlers Three for ITV in 1991, and Ain't Misbehavin' in 1993 and 1995. He played Jim Huxtable in the 1993 TV movie Harnessing Peacocks, based on the novel by Mary Wesley.

In 1994, he provided the voice of Mole in The Wind in the Willows animated special Mole's Christmas. He also appeared as a doctor in Heartbeat episode "A Bird in the Hand", and played Squire Gordon in the 1994 film of Black Beauty.[25]

Davison presented Heavenly Bodies, a six-part series about astronomy broadcast on BBC1 in 1995. This led to him being featured on the cover of Practical Astronomy magazine.[26]

He guest starred in the sixth episode of the crime drama Jonathan Creek in 1998 as the son-in-law of a horror writer who was shot dead on Halloween. The following year he played the outgoing head teacher in the television series Hope and Glory, and appeared in Parting Shots, the last film to be directed by Michael Winner.[25]

It was not until 2000 that Davison returned in another major role, that of David Braithwaite in At Home with the Braithwaites. During convention appearances in 2013, Davison cited this as his favourite among the roles he has played. Also in 2000, he appeared in the recurring role of Inspector Christmas in several episodes of Diana Rigg's Mrs Bradley Mysteries. The first episode, Death at the Opera, saw Davison appear with his future son-in-law (and future Doctor Who actor), David Tennant.[27]

He starred as Dangerous Davies in the television series The Last Detective (2003–2007) and as Dr Bill Shore in Distant Shores (2005–2008), both for ITV. In 2006, he appeared as Professor George Huntley in The Complete Guide to Parenting, and appeared as himself in the TV series Hardware.

Davison starred as Martin Chadwick, one half of an overworked couple coping with two irresponsible daughters and his senile mother at home, in the BBC Two comedy Fear, Stress and Anger in early 2007. The show also starred his daughter Georgia Tennant. Later in 2007, he played Hubert Curtain in an episode of ITV's Agatha Christie's Marple ("At Bertram's Hotel").

In January 2009, he appeared in Unforgiven, an ITV1 drama starring Suranne Jones. Davison played John Ingrams, a lawyer who helps Jones' character, Ruth Slater, find her sister after her release from prison.[28] In July 2009, he appeared in an episode of Midsomer Murders,[29] and made a guest appearance as a teacher in Miranda Hart's sitcom, Miranda, in autumn 2009.[30] In October 2009, Davison was seen in a small but memorable role as a bank manager in Micro Men, a drama about the rise of the British home computer market in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and in December 2009, he played Denis Thatcher in The Queen, a docudrama on Channel 4.[3]

In November 2010, it was announced that Davison would be joining the regular cast of the UK version of Law and Order as Henry Sharpe, the Director of the London Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Davison's appeared from the beginning of the series' fifth season, alongside fellow Doctor Who actress Freema Agyeman. He appeared in an episode of the police comedy-drama New Tricks in 2011, and in 2013 he played divorcee Michael in the comedy series Pat and Cabbage, as well as appearing in an episode of the ITV detective series Lewis.

Davison had been lined up to appear in writer/director Daisy Aitkens' first feature-length film You, Me and Him (previously titled Fish Without Bicycles) in late 2016. However, due to a scheduling clash, Davison was forced to pull out of the film. The film stars his son-in-law David Tennant, and is co-produced by Davison's daughter, Georgia.[31]

In 2017, Davison appeared in an episode of the third series of Grantchester, playing a cricket-loving solicitor.[32]

In 2018, Davison appeared with Christopher Timothy in the three-part series Great British Car Journeys[33][34] (known internationally as Vintage Roads Great & Small) for More4. In the first series the pair travelled in a Morgan 4/4 on three trips from London to Land's End, from Loch Ness to The Isle of Skye and from Cardiff to Snowdonia.[35][36] On each trip, which was themed around the 'Golden Age of Motoring', the pair would meet people involved with the vintage car scene and take rides in a number of vintage cars. The series was recommissioned by Channel 4 for a second series on More4, with the four-part series starting off with a trip through Yorkshire on 12 October 2019.[33][37]

In April 2020, Davison was asked to narrate the tenth season of Channel 5's documentary series, The Yorkshire Vet, which follows a number of veterinarians working in Weatherby, Kirkbymoorside and Huddersfield.[38][39] Christopher Timothy had been the programme's narrator since the start of the series, but he was self-isolating due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Davison's home was equipped with a recording studio, making the role practical for him.[40][41] For the next series, Timothy was back as the narrator, though Davison would appear again in the 2021 Christmas Special, The Yorkshire Vet at Christmas: It's a Wonderful Life appearing on-screen with Kirkbymoorside-based vet[42] Peter Wright (from Gracey Lane Vets),[43][44][45][46] in a number of short dramatic scenes which linked the stories from each of the three vet practices featured.

Radio[edit]

Davison has appeared in several radio series, including the BBC Radio 4 comedy drama series King Street Junior in 1985. Davison played teacher Eric Brown, however, he left after two series and was replaced by Karl Howman (as Philip Sims). In 1995, he appeared in Change at Oglethorpe, and the following year he played Richard Stubbs in a six-part comedy called Minor Adjustment.

He played Dr Anthony Webster in the comedy series Rigor Mortis on Radio 4 in 2003 and 2006, and made a guest appearance in the first episode of the second series of the BBC Radio 4 science fiction comedy series Nebulous, broadcast in April 2006,

In 2008, he voiced Simon Draycott in the radio adaptation of The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, and between 2012 and 2013 he played Richard Lyons in the BBC Radio 2 comedy Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully.

Theatre roles[edit]

Davison has also worked on the stage. In 1984, he appeared in Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park at the Apollo Theatre alongside his then wife, Sandra Dickinson. In 1991, he appeared in Arsenic and Old Lace at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Further theatre appearances during the 1990s include: The Last Yankee, by Arthur Miller at the Young Vic Theatre and later the Duke of York's Theatre, London in 1993, and Vatelin in An Absolute Turkey, by Georges Feydeau, at the Gielgud Theatre in 1994. In 1996 he played the role of Tony Wendice in the theatrical production of Dial M for Murder, and in 1997 he played Buttons in the pantomime Cinderella in the Arts Theatre in Cambridge.

He appeared as Amos Hart in Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre in 1999, and played Dr Jean-Pierre Moulineaux, in Under the Doctor at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley and later at the Comedy Theatre, London in 2001.

Between July 2007 and March 2008, Davison performed as King Arthur in the London production of Spamalot.[3]

Throughout 2010 and 2011, he appeared as Professor Callahan in the West End production of Legally Blonde, which opened at the Savoy Theatre.[47]

Davison played the part of Oliver Lucas in David Hare's play The Vertical Hour at the Park Theatre, London between September and October 2014.[48]

In 2015, he joined the cast of Gypsy in its West End transfer to the Savoy Theatre in London, playing the role of Herbie,[3] alongside Imelda Staunton as Rose. The role was originally played by Kevin Whately during its run in Chichester in 2014.

It was announced in March 2024 that Davison would be joining the cast of the musical Kiss Me, Kate at the Barbican Theatre, London between June and September 2024, playing the part of the General.[49]

Other work[edit]

Davison and his wife composed and performed the theme tunes to Button Moon, a children's programme broadcast in the 1980s, and Mixed Blessings, a sitcom broadcast on ITV in 1978.[9] Davison subsequently appeared alongside Dickinson as the Dish of the Day in the television version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in 1981. The producers considered it humorous for an actor known for playing a veterinary surgeon to appear as a cow.

The couple have a daughter, Georgia Tennant, born in 1984. Davison and Dickinson divorced in 1994.[9]

Davison has also appeared in several British sitcoms, including Holding the Fort (1980–82) and Sink or Swim (1980–82), as well as appearing in dramatic roles.[9]

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1982 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while filming a promotional piece for Doctor Who in Trafalgar Square in London.[citation needed]

Other ventures[edit]

Davison lent his name to be used to endorse two science-fiction anthology books published by Hutchinson: Peter Davison's Book of Alien Monsters released in 1982[50] and Peter Davison's Book of Alien Planets released in 1983.[51]

Personal life[edit]

Davison has been married three times. His 1973 marriage to Diane J. Russell ended with divorce in 1975.[52]

On 26 December 1978, he married American-British actress Sandra Dickinson. The couple divorced in 1994. Davison's daughter from his second marriage is actress Georgia (1984). In December 2011, she married actor David Tennant, who played the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctors.

Davison married his third wife, actress and writer Elizabeth Morton, in 2003. The couple live in Twickenham and have two sons, Louis (born 1999) and Joel (born 2001). They both appeared in The Five(ish) Doctors playing themselves. Louis Moffett made his professional theatrical acting debut aged 14, playing Prince Edward in the 2014 Trafalgar Studios stage production of Richard III, credited as Louis Davison, having adopted his father's stage name as his own.[53] His brother Joel also made his theatrical debut aged 13 in the summer of 2014, playing Jack in The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond.[54] Louis Davison plays the part of Victor in Tim Burton's film, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children released in 2016,[55] and Joel Davison played Lord Heybrook in French Without Tears at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond.[56] Louis has appeared as Parker Whitfield in BBC One's Holby City, and as King Edmund Ironside in Netflix's Vikings: Valhalla.

Davison's autobiography, titled Is There Life Outside the Box?: An Actor Despairs, was published on 6 October 2016.[57]

Politics[edit]

In April 2010, Davison declared his support for the Labour Party at the general election of that year.[58] In the election campaign, Davison narrated one of Labour's election broadcasts. Tenth Doctor actor David Tennant featured in another one of the party's broadcasts a week earlier.[59] Davison was also one of 48 celebrities who signed a letter warning voters against Conservative Party policy towards the BBC.[60]

Davison publicly supported the UK's membership of the European Union in the 2016 EU referendum, describing Brexit supporters as "mad old farts who want to return the country to an age that never existed".[61]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1993 Harnessing Peacocks Jim Huxtable
The Airzone Solution Al Dunbar
1994 Black Beauty Squire Gordon
The Zero Imperative Patient One
A Man You Don't Meet Every Day Robert
1995 The Devil of Winterborne Gavin Purcell
1996 Ghosts of Winterborne
1998 Wuthering Heights Joseph Lockwood
The Stalker's Apprentice Maurice Burt
Parting Shots John
2014 Nerd Love Peter Davison
2016 End of Term Leigh
2017 You, Me and Him Teacher
2018 Patrick Alan
Say My Name Rich Herbig
2020 Dream Horse Lord Avery

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1975 The Tomorrow People Elmer 3 episodes
1977 Love for Lydia Tom Holland 10 episodes
1978–1990 All Creatures Great and Small Tristan Farnon 65 episodes
1980–1982 Sink or Swim Brian Webber All 19 episodes
1980–1982 Holding the Fort Russell Milburn All 20 episodes
1981 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Dish of the Day Episode: #1.5
1981–1984, 2007, 2022 Doctor Who Fifth Doctor 76 episodes
1983 Omega Serial: Arc of Infinity
1985 Fox Tales Various Voice only
1985 Anna of the Five Towns Henry Mynors All 4 episodes
1985 Agatha Christie's Miss Marple Lance Fortescue Episode: "A Pocket Full of Rye"
1985 Magnum, P.I. Ian Mackerras Episode: "Déjà vu"
1986–1988 A Very Peculiar Practice Dr Stephen Daker 15 episodes
1988 Tales of the Unexpected Jeremy Tyler Episode: "Wink Three Times"
1989–1990 Campion Albert Campion 16 episodes
1991 Fiddlers Three Ralph West All 14 episodes
1992 Screen One Dr Stephen Daker Episode: "A Very Polish Practice"
1992 Kinsey Bob Stacey 2 episodes
1993 Dimensions in Time Fifth Doctor TV film
1994 Heartbeat Doctor Episode: "A Bird in the Hand"
1994–1995 Ain't Misbehavin' Clive Quigley All 12 episodes
1995 Mole's Christmas Various Voice only
1996 Cuts Henry Babbacombe TV film
1997 Dear Nobody Mr Garton TV film
1997 Scene Episode: "A Man of Letters"
1998 Jonathan Creek Stephen Claithorne Episode: "Danse Macabre"
1998 Verdict Michael Naylor Episode: "Be My Valentine"
1999 Molly Mr Greenfield Unknown episodes
1999 Hope and Glory Neil Bruce Episode 1
1999 The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything Ferdinand Magellan TV film
2000 The Mrs Bradley Mysteries Inspector Henry Christmas 3 episodes
2000–2003 At Home with the Braithwaites David Braithwaite 26 episodes
2003 Too Good to be True Robert TV film
2003–2007 The Last Detective DC 'Dangerous' Davies All 17 episodes
2005–2008 Distant Shores Bill Shore 12 episodes
2006 The Complete Guide to Parenting Professor George Huntley 5 episodes
2007 Fear, Stress and Anger Martin Chadwick All 6 episodes
2007 Agatha Christie's Marple Hubert Curtain Episode: "At Bertram’s Hotel"
2009 Unforgiven John Ingrams All 3 episodes
2009 Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder Nazi Doctor Episode: #1.4
2009 Micro Men Bank Manager TV film
2009 Midsomer Murders Nicky Frazer Episode: "Secrets and Spies"
2009 Miranda Mr Clayton Episode: "Teacher"
2009 The Queen Denis Thatcher Episode: "The Rival"
2010 Sherlock Planetarium Voice Episode: "The Great Game"
2011 New Tricks Charles Allenforth Episode: "The End of the Line"
2011–2014 Law & Order: UK Henry Sharpe 27 episodes
2013 Lewis Peter Faulkner 2 episodes
2013 Pat & Cabbage Michael 4 episodes
2013 The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot Peter Davison Also writer and director
2014 Death in Paradise Arnold Finch Episode: "The Wrong Man"
2014–2015 Toast of London Peter Davison 3 episodes
2017 Brian Pern: A Tribute Peter Troughton TV film
2017 Grantchester Geoff Towler Episode: #3.2[62]
2017 Liar Denis Walters 2 episodes [63]
2019 Vera Matthew Wells Episode "Blind Spot"[64]
2019 The Name of the Rose Old Adso 7 episodes [63]
2019–2022 Gentleman Jack William Priestley 7 episodes [63]
2020 The Trial of Christine Keeler James Burge 2 episodes[65]
2020 Thunderbirds Are Go Higgins Voice; Episode: "Venom"
2020 Life Henry Reynolds All 6 episodes
2020 Call the Midwife Mr. Percival Episode: "Christmas Special"
2021–2022 The Larkins The Vicar All 8 episodes
2022 Bloods Alistair MacBeal Episode: #2.6
2023 The Gold ACP Gordon Stewart 5 episodes[66]
2023 The Windsors William IV Coronation special
2023 Good Omens Job Episode: "The Clue"
2023 Tales of the TARDIS Fifth Doctor Episode: "Earthshock"
2023 Murder, They Hope David Episode: "Blood Actually"

Non-acting television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2018-2019 Great British Car Journeys Himself The first series was also known as Vintage Roads Great and Small in North America[68][69]
2020–present The Yorkshire Vet Narrator Also features on-screen in a couple of the specials, acting in short dramatic scenes with the vets and farmer Jean Green
2023 The Big Steam Adventure Himself Peter Davison, John Sergeant and steam buff Paul Middleton travel from London to Scotland using only steam power.[70]

Theatre[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1972 Love's Labour's Lost Mercade Nottingham Playhouse
Brand villager Nottingham Playhouse
Robin Hood Robin Hood Nottingham Playhouse
The Three Musketeers John Felton/Guard Nottingham Playhouse
1973 The Two Gentlemen of Verona Speed Young Lyceum, Edinburgh
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Alfred Ledlanet House, Edinburgh
Hamlet Osric Ledlanet House, Edinburgh
Woyzeck Young Lyceum, Edinburgh
The Three Estates Soldier Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
The Taming of the Shrew Tranio/Grumio Open Space Theatre/Dutch tour
1974 A Narrow Road to the Deep North Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
Midsummer Night's Dream Lysander Leith Festival, Edinburgh
1980 Barefoot in the Park Paul Bratter Churchill Theatre, Bromley
1982 Cinderella Buttons Assembly Hall Theatre Tunbridge Wells
1984 Barefoot in the Park Paul Bratter UK tour
1986 The Owl and the Pussycat Felix UK tour
1991 Arsenic and Old Lace Mortimer Brewster Chichester Festival Theatre
1992 The Decorator Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
1992–1993 The Last Yankee Leroy Hamilton Young Vic Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre
1994 An Absolute Turkey Valetin Gielgud Theatre
1996 Dial M for Murder Tony Wendice UK tour
1997 Cinderella Buttons Arts Theatre, Cambridge
1998–1999 Chicago Amos Hart Adelphi Theatre
2001 Under the Doctor Dr Jean-Pierre Moulineaux Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and Comedy Theatre, London
2007–2008 Spamalot King Arthur Palace Theatre
2009–2012 Legally Blonde Professor Calahan Savoy Theatre
2014 The Vertical Hour Oliver Lucas Park Theatre
2015 Gypsy Herbie Savoy Theatre
2024 Kiss Me, Kate The General Barbican Theatre[49]

Radio and audio drama[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1985–1987 King Street Junior Eric Brown BBC Radio 4 Series 1 and 2
1995–1996 Change at Oglethorpe David Clare BBC Radio 2
1999–present Doctor Who: The Audio Adventures Fifth Doctor Big Finish Productions; 156 episodes
2003–2006 Rigor Mortis Dr. Anthony Webster BBC Radio 4
2006 Nebulous Professor Diplodocus BBC Radio 4
2008 The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul Simon Draycott BBC Radio 4
2012–2013 Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully Richard Lyons BBC Radio 2
2018 The Diary of River Song Fifth Doctor Big Finish Productions; Series 3

Video games[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1997 Destiny of the Doctors Fifth Doctor
2015 Lego Dimensions Archive recording sound
2023 Lies of P Pulcinella

Books[edit]

  • Davison, Peter (2016). Is There Life Outside The Box?. John Blake Publishing. ISBN 9781786063274.

References[edit]

  1. ^ GRO Register of Births: JUN 1951, 5c 47, Battersea, Peter M. G. Moffett, mother's maiden surname Hallett
  2. ^ This Is Your Life, Thames Television (1982)
  3. ^ a b c d e Sweeting, Adam (28 May 2015). "Peter Davison: having another Doctor Who as a son-in-law is rather weird". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  4. ^ Peter Davison: ‘Pedigree Chum enabled me to buy my flat’
  5. ^ Palmer, Camilla (11 August 2017). "Peter Davison: 'Britain wasn't as welcoming as it should have been for my father'". theguardian.com. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d Davison, Peter; Yvonne Swann (22 February 2007). "All Roles Great and Small". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 23 February 2007.
  7. ^ "Peter Moffett aka Peter Davison". streathamlife.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013.
  8. ^ a b Davison, Peter (2016). Is There Life Outside The Box?. John Blake. ISBN 9781786063274.
  9. ^ a b c d McGown, Alistair. "Profile: Peter Davison". www.screenonline.org.uk. BFI screenonline. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  10. ^ a b c d All Memories Great & Small, Oliver Crocker (2016; MIWK)
  11. ^ Is There Life Outside The Box?: An Actor Despairs, Peter Davison (John Blake; 2017)
  12. ^ "An actor's life outside the box". The Northern Echo. 25 November 2016.
  13. ^ Landman, Ben (23 January 1986). "In Brief: Peter Davison". Starlog (102): 24–25, 64. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  14. ^ Haining, Peter (1988). Doctor Who: 25 Glorious Years. WH Allen Planet.
  15. ^ "Who Needs Another Doctor?". BBC Doctor Who website. 21 October 2007. Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 23 October 2007.
  16. ^ "Peter Davison on Doctor Who's 50th anniversary:"I don't think it will involve the older Doctors"". Radio Times online. 7 March 2013.
  17. ^ "The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot, BBC Red Button Review". The Daily Telegraph online. 24 November 2013. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  18. ^ Rawson-Jones, Ben (12 March 2008). "Peter Davison ('Doctor Who')". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  19. ^ Jeffery, Morgan (5 November 2013). "'Doctor Who': Peter Davison talks the 50th and kissing companions". Digital Spy. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  20. ^ Tim Masters (21 November 2013). "Peter Davison: 'I was quicker than most Doctors'". BBC News. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  21. ^ Turbervill, Huw (4 November 2013). "Peter Davison interview: 'I don't like the idea of Doctor Who having a sex change'". Telegraph Online. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  22. ^ Horton, Helena (21 July 2017). ""Former Doctor Who Peter Davison says casting of woman means 'loss of role model for boys'"". Telegraph Online. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  23. ^ Jones, Paul (24 July 2017). "Doctor Who star Peter Davison 'calls it a day' on Twitter after "toxicity" around female Doctor comments". Radio Times. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  24. ^ "Doctor Who: Welcome to The Whoniverse where every Doctor, every companion and hundreds of terrifying monsters live". BBC Media Centre. BBC. 30 October 2023.
  25. ^ a b Dr Who: films of Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy | Den of Geek
  26. ^ Practical Astronomy, Volume 1, number 5, dated March 1995
  27. ^ "The Mrs Bradley Mysteries: Death at the Opera". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  28. ^ "Unforgiven". itv.com. January 2009. Archived from the original on 18 January 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  29. ^ "Midsomer Murders – Episode List". Archived from the original on 21 October 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  30. ^ Hart, Miranda. "When Miranda saw the Doctor..." www.bbc.co.uk/blogs. BBC. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  31. ^ "More Cast Changes For New David Tennant RomCom As Peter Davison Bows Out". www.david-tennant.com. 28 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  32. ^ Anderton, Joe (19 August 2016). "Grantchester's getting a Christmas special on ITV, as filming begins on a third series". Digital Spy. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  33. ^ a b "Great British Car Journeys - All 4".
  34. ^ "Great British Car Journeys Season 1".
  35. ^ "Vintage Roads: Great & Small". acorn.tv. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  36. ^ "More 4 commissions Vintage Roads". channel4.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  37. ^ "Great British Car Journeys: Series 2 Episode 1 - All 4".
  38. ^ "The Yorkshire Vet".
  39. ^ "Somerset Road 24/7 Surgery".
  40. ^ "Peter Davison will now narrate The Yorkshire Vet instead of Christopher Timothy". Yorkshire Post. 21 April 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2021. Peter Davison, who played Tristan Farnon in the television adaptation of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small stories, will take over from Christopher Timothy to narrate The Yorkshire Vet.
  41. ^ "Peter Davison to narrate Channel 5's The Yorkshire Vet". Evening Express. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  42. ^ "The Yorkshire Vet star Peter Wright marks 'end of an era' as he leaves famous practice". June 2021.
  43. ^ "'The Yorkshire Vet' Christmas Special Airs Tonight on Channel 5". 14 December 2021.
  44. ^ "My5".
  45. ^ "My5".
  46. ^ "The Yorkshire Vet star Peter Wright on the show's Christmas special and the challenges of working during a pandemic". 14 December 2021.
  47. ^ "Casting Complete for London's Legally Blonde The Musical" Archived 13 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Playbill, 10 September 2009
  48. ^ Coveney, Michael. "Review of The Vertical Hour". www.whatsonstage.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  49. ^ a b Dillon, Luke (26 March 2024). "Peter Davison to play The General in Kiss Me, Kate London Revival". westendtheatre.com. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  50. ^ "Peter Davison's Book of Alien Monsters". The TARDIS Library. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  51. ^ "Peter Davison's Book of Alien Planets". The TARDIS Library. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  52. ^ "Home Page". Official Peter Davison hub. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  53. ^ "Peter Davison Doctor Who Q&A Panel (5th Doctor) – Comicpalooza 2014". YouTube. Archived from the original on 8 June 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  54. ^ Loxton, Howard (3 September 2014). "British Theatre Guide review of The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd". www.britishtheatreguide.com. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  55. ^ Ulloa, Beatrice. "Tim Burton peculiar MOVIE!". www.moviepilot.com. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  56. ^ "Joel Davison at RBM". www.rbmactors.com. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  57. ^ "Peter Davison's autobiography will be published in the UK on 6th October 2016". www.doctorwhonews.net. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  58. ^ "My vote". The Guardian. London. 11 April 2010.
  59. ^ Sweney, Mark (21 April 2010). "Peter Davison voices Labour election ad". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  60. ^ "General Election 2010: leading stars oppose Tory BBC plans". The Daily Telegraph. London. 25 April 2010. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  61. ^ Chakelian, Anoosh (23 June 2016). "Celebrity Brexit wars: which famous people are for and against leaving the EU?". New Statesman.
  62. ^ Doran, Sarah (30 April 2017). "Yes, that is Doctor Who's Peter Davison in Grantchester". Radio Times. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  63. ^ a b c "Peter Davison". IMDB.
  64. ^ "Vera". ITV Press Centre. ITV. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  65. ^ "Peter Davison". IMDB.
  66. ^ "First Look images and further casting announced for upcoming BBC Drama The Gold". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  67. ^ Vintage Roads (TV Series 2018–2019) - IMDb
  68. ^ "Watch Vintage Roads: Great and Small on Acorn TV".
  69. ^ "Vintage Roads: Great and Small - S|-eries 1 Acorn TV".
  70. ^ "The Big Steam Adventure". channel5.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.

External links[edit]