PETER DAVISON

'Peter Davison' (born 'Peter Moffett' 13 April, 1951) is an English actor, best known for his roles as Tristan Farnon in the television version of James Herriot's ''All Creatures Great and Small'' and as the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in ''Doctor Who'', which he played from 1981 to 1984.

Contents

Early life

''Doctor Who'' (1981–1984)

After ''Doctor Who''

Video games

References

External links

Early life

Davison was born Peter Moffett in London, son of an electrical engineer who was originally from Guyana. The family then moved to Knaphill in Surrey.^[1] Before becoming an actor, he gained three O-levels at Winston Churchill School, St Johns, Woking, Surrey, and then had several odd jobs, including a stint as a mortuary attendant.
Davison studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama. His first job was as an actor and assistant stage manager at the Nottingham Playhouse.¹ He chose the stage name Peter Davison to avoid confusion with the actor and director Peter Moffatt, with whom Davison later worked. His first television work was in a 1975 episode of the children's science fiction television programme ''The Tomorrow People'', alongside American actress Sandra Dickinson (The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy).
In 1977, Davison had a prominent role in the 13-segment TV miniseries ''Love for Lydia'' opposite a young Jeremy Irons.
In 1978, Davison's performance as the ne'er-do-well Tristan Farnon in ''All Creatures Great and Small'' made him a household name. Davison has said that he was mainly cast in the role because he looked as if he could be Robert Hardy's younger brother. Also in 1978, Davison married Sandra Dickinson. The couple composed and performed the theme tune to ''Button Moon'', a children's programme broadcast in the 1980s. Davison subsequently appeared alongside Dickinson as the Dish of the Day in the television version of ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (1981), whose producers considered it humorous for an actor known for playing a veterinary surgeon to appear as a cow! The two divorced in 1994.
Davison also appeared in some British sitcoms, including ''Holding the Fort'', ''Sink or Swim'' and ''Ain't Misbehavin''', as well as appearing in dramatic roles.

''Doctor Who'' (1981–1984)

Davison as The Doctor

In 1981, Davison signed a contract to play the Doctor for three years, succeeding Tom Baker (the Fourth Doctor) and, at age 29, still the youngest actor to assume the lead role. Attracting such a high-profile actor as Davison was as much of a coup for the programme's producers as getting the role was for him, but he did not renew his contract because he feared being typecast. Reportedly, Patrick Troughton (who had played the Second Doctor) had recommended to Davison that he leave the role after three years, and Davison followed his advice.

After ''Doctor Who''

It was not until 1986 that Davison worked on another very popular series. He played Dr Stephen Daker, the ingenuous hero of ''A Very Peculiar Practice'', written by Andrew Davies. The surreal comedy-drama was revived several years later as ''A Very Polish Practice''. Davison also played the lead in ''Campion'', a series based on the period whodunnits of Margery Allingham. This, and the opportunity to play Tristan Farnon again in 1985 and 1990, kept Davison busy until the early 1990s, when he gradually faded from the public eye. He continued to appear occasionally on television, including playing the lead in ''Harnessing Peacocks'' in 1992 and an appearance on the American show ''Magnum, P.I.'', but it was not until 2000 that he returned in another major role, that of David Braithwaite in ''At Home with the Braithwaites''.
Davison has appeared in several radio series including ''Change at Oglethorpe'' in 1995 and ''Minor Adjustment'' in 1996. In 1985 he appeared in the BBC Radio 4 comedy drama series ''King Street Junior'', as teacher Eric Brown, but he left after only two series and was replaced by Karl Howman (as Philip Sims). In the 2000s, he starred in the comedy series ''Rigor Mortis''.
In 1999 he appeared as the outgoing headteacher in the television series ''Hope and Glory''. He has also starred in the television series ''The Last Detective'' (2003–) and ''Distant Shores'' (2005) for ITV, in the latter of which he also played a doctor. In 2006 he appeared as Professor George Huntley in ''The Complete Guide to Parenting''. He has also appeared on the TV series ''Hardware'' as himself.
Davison returned to play the Doctor in the 1993 charity special ''Dimensions in Time''. He continues to reprise the role in a series of audio plays by Big Finish Productions. In 2007, ''The Sun'' claimed that Davison would appear alongside Tenth Doctor David Tennant in a ''Doctor Who'' special for Children in Need, written by Steven Moffat; the BBC has not confirmed this story.^[2]
Davison 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.
Davison also worked on the stage. In 1996 he played the role of Tony Wendice in the theatrical production of ''Dial M for Murder'', the play on which the movie by Alfred Hitchcock was based.
Following the success of ''At Home with the Braithwaites'', Davison appeared in a BBC comedy ''Fear, Stress and Anger'' in early 2007, also starring his daughter Georgia Moffett. Davison plays one-half of an overworked couple with two irresponsible daughters and mother-in-law at home.
Prior to her casting in ''Fear, Stress and Anger'', Davison's daughter Georgia auditioned for the role of Rose Tyler in ''Doctor Who''. Georgia Moffett is Davison's daughter by his marriage to Sandra Dickinson; he has two other children, sons Louis and Joel, with his present wife, Elizabeth Morton.
Davison is currently playing King Arthur in the London production of ''Spamalot''. He first appeared in the role on July 23, 2007.

Video games

Peter Davison returned to the role of the Fifth Doctor in 1997 in ''Destiny of the Doctors''.

References

1. All Roles Great and Small Peter Davison
2. Dr Peter is back in the Tardis Sara Nathan

External links

★

★ Violence & Vulnerability - Peter Davison article at Kasterborous.com

★ Fear Stress and Anger website