Autographs of William Hartnell
William Henry Hartnell (/ˈhɑːrtnəl/; 8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975) was an English actor, who is best known for portraying the first incarnation of the Doctor, in the long-running British science-fiction television series Doctor Who from 1963 to 1966; he reprised the role in 1972–1973. In film, Hartnell notably appeared in Brighton Rock (1949), The Mouse That Roared (1959) and This Sporting Life (1963). He was associated with military roles, playing Company Sergeant Major Percy Bullimore in the ITV sitcom The Army Game (1957, 1961) and Sergeant Grimshaw, the title character in the first Carry On film Carry On Sergeant (1958).
William Henry Hartnell was born on 8 January 1908 in the slums of the district of St Pancras, London, England, the only child of Lucy Hartnell, an unmarried mother. Hartnell never discovered the identity of his father, whose particulars were left blank on his birth certificate, despite his efforts to trace him. In various interviews, he stated that he was born in Seaton, Devon, and that his father was a dairy farmer, but later said he was a soldier turned stockbroker.
Hartnell was brought up partly by a foster mother, and also spent many holidays in Devon with his mother's family of farmers, from whom he learned to ride horses. Reportedly, Hartnell had a fall and was kicked by a horse. Disinfectant was applied to the open wound to cleanse it. However, the disinfectant was of a type unsuitable for first aid purposes and caused blisters. The result was a more serious wound than what would have otherwise occurred. Hartnell was left with a large scar on his temple, which is visible in some of his stills shots even though it was covered with make-up during filming. He was a second cousin of the fashion designer Norman Hartnell.
More about William Hartnell Wikipedia
Affiliate disclosure: When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Current items with a signature of William Hartnell
These are the most current items with a signature of William Hartnell that were listed on eBay and on other online stores - click here for more items.
Traded items with a signature of William Hartnell
The most expensive item with a signature of William Hartnell (WILLIAM HARTNELL as DOCTOR WHO Hand-signed 1960s 5.5” x 3.5” portrait) was sold in March 2013 for £3,571.00 while the cheapest item (WILLIAM HARTNELL DR WHO SIGNED AUTOGRAPH 6 x 4 inches VINTAGE PRE PRINTED PHOTO) found a new owner for £0.49 in December 2023. The month with the most items sold (7) was March 2013 with an average selling price of £155.00 for an autographed item of William Hartnell. Sold items reached their highest average selling price in November 2025 with £2,005.95 and the month that saw the lowest prices with £0.49 was November 2020. In average, an autographed item from William Hartnell is worth £70.00.
Most recently, these items with a signature of William Hartnell were sold on eBay - click here for more items.
