104-601: Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison , is an English actor. 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. He subsequently played the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who from 1981 to 1984. Davison's other starring roles included
208-490: A 2006 episode of the show in which the Doctor carried the torch. On 1 June 2013, the BBC announced that Smith would be leaving Doctor Who at the end of the 2013 Christmas special . He was succeeded by Peter Capaldi . Reflecting upon his decision to leave in a 2016 interview, he expressed regret for not staying longer, stating that he wanted to work longer with co-star Jenna Coleman . In 2018, while appearing on Desert Island Discs , he revealed that he nearly turned down
312-401: A book by Wight's son, Jim, was published. A review of The Real James Herriot: A Memoir of My Father noted, "Wight portrays his father as a modest, down-to-earth and generous man, utterly unchanged by fame, a private individual who bottled up his emotions, which led to a nervous breakdown and electroshock therapy in 1960." Wight's obituary confirmed his modesty and preference to stay away from
416-1209: A children's programme broadcast in the 1980s, and Mixed Blessings , a sitcom broadcast on ITV in 1978. 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. Davison 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. 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 and Peter Davison's Book of Alien Planets released in 1983. Davison has been married three times. His 1973 marriage to Diane J. Russell ended with divorce in 1975. On 26 December 1978, Davison married American-British actress Sandra Dickinson . The couple divorced in 1994. Davison's daughter from his second marriage
520-518: A copy and arranged to have both books published as one volume in the United States that year. Wight named this volume All Creatures Great and Small from the second line of the hymn " All Things Bright and Beautiful ". The book was a huge success. Wight wrote seven more books in the series started by If Only They Could Talk . In the United States, the first six books of the original series were thought too short to publish independently. Most of
624-637: A docudrama on Channel 4 . In 2010, Davison was announced as 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 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 (2011), and in 2013 he played divorcee Michael in
728-819: A football player and believed acting would damage his social life. His teacher persisted, eventually persuading him to join the National Youth Theatre in London. After leaving school, Smith studied Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia , graduating in 2005. With the National Youth Theatre, he played Thomas Becket in Murder in the Cathedral (2003) and Bassoon in The Master and Margarita (2004). His role in
832-618: A lawyer who helps Jones' character, Ruth Slater, find her sister after her release from prison. In July 2009, he appeared in an episode of Midsomer Murders , and made a guest appearance as a teacher in the sitcom Miranda (2009). In 2009, Davison had a small 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. In 2009, he played Denis Thatcher in The Queen ,
936-502: A museum, The World of James Herriot , which focuses on his life and writings. A local pub renamed itself the "Darrowby Inn", after the village name that Wight created to represent the locale in which he practised. (By 2020, the pub had been renamed The Red Bear.) Portions of the surgery sets used in the All Creatures Great and Small BBC series are on display at the museum, including the living room and dispensary. Some of
1040-447: A romantic outlook of the political world while being cynical elsewhere. He talked about his character's emotional and intellectual maturity; emotionally, he lacks confidence around women, though Smith portrays him as a caring and sensitive but "wry, sarcastic, [and] witty" romantic. Intellectually, Danny is portrayed as attentive and possessing a strong work ethic. During Smith's tenure in On
1144-708: A rural practice and accepted a position in July, based at 23 Kirkgate in Thirsk , Yorkshire, near the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors . The practice owner, Donald Sinclair , had enlisted in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and was soon to leave for training; he gave Wight all the practice's income in return for Wight's looking after it during his absence. (His brother, Brian Sinclair , was not yet
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#17327943167811248-557: A shotgun during a dinner party to let his guests know it was time to leave.)" When he asked a vet who knew Sinclair if he was eccentric, actor Samuel West (who researched the vet for his role in the Channel 5 TV series) was told, "Oh, no ... he was mad." The books are novels and most sources agree that about 50 per cent of the content was fiction. In a BBC interview taped in 1976, Wight recalled his life in Yorkshire, his career, and
1352-485: 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
1456-519: A vet.) After Sinclair was discharged from the RAF four months later, he asked Wight to stay permanently with the practice, offering a salaried partnership, which Wight accepted. Wight enlisted in the RAF in November 1942. He did well in his training and was one of the first in his flight to fly solo . After undergoing surgery on an anal fistula in July 1943, he was deemed unfit to fly combat aircraft and
1560-571: A year later by a critically acclaimed performance in That Face . Smith's first television role came in 2006 as Jim Taylor in the BBC adaptations of Philip Pullman 's The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in the North , while his first major role in television came as Danny in the 2007 BBC series Party Animals . In film, he has played a dual role in the science fiction film Womb (2010),
1664-673: Is actress Georgia Tennant , then Georgia Moffett(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
1768-711: Is known for playing the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who (2010–2014), Prince Philip in Netflix 's historical series The Crown (2016–2017)—for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination—and Daemon Targaryen in HBO 's fantasy drama series House of the Dragon (2022–present). Smith initially aspired to be a professional footballer , but spondylolysis forced him out of
1872-642: The Byfleet Players. Before becoming an actor, Davison gained one O-level in English Language 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. Early aspirations at a teacher-training college or his father's plan for a job at a building society vanished. Davison studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama . His first job
1976-620: The HBO fantasy series House of the Dragon , a prequel to the fantasy drama series Game of Thrones . The series premiered on 21 August 2022. For his performance he received a nomination for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2023. Smith joined the cast of Edgar Wright 's psychological horror-mystery Last Night in Soho starring opposite Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy . The film
2080-541: The National Television Awards . Smith is the first actor in the role to garner a nomination for a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor . Smith said of his character: "The Doctor is excited and fascinated by the tiniest of things. By everything. By every single thing. That's what's wonderful about him as a character. It's why children like him, I think. Because he doesn't dismiss anything. He's not cynical. He's open to every single facet of
2184-613: The Netflix royal drama The Crown . He played the role for the series' first two seasons, garnering a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2018. Smith reunited with his The Crown co-star Claire Foy in a production of the Duncan Macmillan play Lungs at The Old Vic beginning in October 2019. In 2020, Smith was cast as Daemon Targaryen in
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#17327943167812288-764: The Orange Tree Theatre , Richmond . 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, Is There Life Outside the Box?: An Actor Despairs , was published in 2016. In April 2010, Davison declared his support for the Labour Party at the general election of that year. In the election campaign, Davison narrated one of Labour's election broadcasts . Davison
2392-756: The Polly Stenham play That Face at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in Chelsea . The play transferred to the Duke of York's Theatre in the West End in 2008 and became Smith's second role there. That Face focuses primarily upon alcohol and drug addiction in an upper-middle-class family after the paternal figure in the family leaves. As Henry, Smith portrayed an aspiring artist who left school to take care of his mother. To prepare for
2496-778: 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. 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
2600-459: The physical forms of Skynet in the cyberpunk action film Terminator Genisys (2015), a 1960s pimp in the psychological horror film Last Night in Soho (2021) and Milo Morbius in the superhero film Morbius (2022). Matthew Robert Smith was born in Northampton , England on 28 October 1982, the son of Lynne and David Smith. He has an elder sister named Laura Jayne, who was one of
2704-435: The 1960s and 70s. Most of the stories are set in the fictional town of Darrowby , which Wight described as a composite of Thirsk, its nearby market towns Richmond , Leyburn , and Middleham , and 'a fair chunk of my own imagination'. Wight anonymised the majority of his characters by renaming them: Notably, he gave the pseudonyms Siegfried and Tristan Farnon, respectively, to Donald Sinclair and his brother Brian , and used
2808-826: 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 . Davison appeared as Amos Hart in Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre in 1999, and played Dr Jean-Pierre Moulineaux, in Under
2912-759: The 2014 Trafalgar Studios stage production of Richard III , credited as Louis Davison, having adopted his father's stage name as his own. 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. Louis Davison plays the part of Victor in Tim Burton's film, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children released in 2016, and Joel Davison played Lord Heybrook in French Without Tears at
3016-523: The BBC television series, unveiled a statue of Wight in October 2014 at Thirsk Racecourse . Wight received an honorary doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 1979, and was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1979 New Year Honours . In 1994, the library at Glasgow Veterinary College was named the 'James Herriot Library' in honour of Wight's achievements. Wight
3120-760: The Doctor at the Churchill Theatre , Bromley and later at the Comedy Theatre , London (2001). Between July 2007 and March 2008, Davison performed as King Arthur in the London production of Spamalot . Throughout 2010 and 2011, Davison appeared as Professor Callahan in the West End production of Legally Blonde , which opened at the Savoy Theatre . Davison played the part of Oliver Lucas in David Hare 's play The Vertical Hour at
3224-621: The Fifth Doctor, Davison portrayed the human form of Omega , sharing the role with Ian Collier . Since 1999, Davison 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
Peter Davison - Misplaced Pages Continue
3328-411: The North . His first major television role came in the television series Party Animals , a BBC drama series about fictional parliamentary advisors and researchers . Smith portrayed Danny Foster, a parliamentary researcher who was described as an intelligent but timid "politics geek" who should have moved on from researching at his age. In an interview in 2007, Smith summarised the character as having
3432-654: The Park Theatre, London (2014). In 2015, Davison joined the cast of Gypsy in its West End transfer to the Savoy Theatre in London, playing the role of Herbie, alongside Imelda Staunton as Rose. In 2024 Davison joined the cast of the musical Kiss Me, Kate at the Barbican Theatre , playing the part of the General. Davison and his wife composed and performed the theme tunes to Button Moon ,
3536-721: The Shore of the Wide World , the play transferred to the Royal National Theatre in London. After finishing the play, he took on the role of Lockwood, a pupil in the Alan Bennett play The History Boys . After The History Boys , he acted in the teen play Burn/Chatroom/Citizenship and with Christian Slater in Swimming with Sharks , the latter being his West End début. In 2007, Smith appeared as Henry in
3640-814: The Soul , and between 2012 and 2013 he played Richard Lyons in the BBC Radio 2 comedy Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully . Davison appeared in Neil Simon 's Barefoot in the Park (at the Apollo Theatre alongside his then wife, Sandra Dickinson (1984). In 1991, he appeared in Arsenic and Old Lace at the Chichester Festival Theatre . Further theatre appearances during
3744-512: 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 (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 2009, Davison appeared in Unforgiven , an ITV1 drama starring Suranne Jones . Davison played John Ingrams,
3848-412: The UK on Channel 5 on 1 September 2020 and in the US on PBS as part of Masterpiece on 10 January 2021. All Creatures Great and Small has now run four series, also of six episodes plus a Christmas special, and a fifth series has been approved as of November 2023. Thirsk has become a magnet for fans of Wight's books. Following his death, the practice at 23 Kirkgate was restored and converted into
3952-431: The West End to star in a modern retelling of the Henrik Ibsen play An Enemy of the People . He portrayed Dr. Thomas Stockmann acting opposite Jessica Brown Findlay portraying his daughter, Petra Stockmann. Time Out wrote, "In a fine cast, it often feels like Smith is happy to keep it low-key, a largely charming stage presence who doesn't attempt to upstage [the cast]". Nick Curtis of The Evening Standard gave
4056-404: 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 . Davison presented Heavenly Bodies , a six-part series about astronomy (1995). Davison guest starred in the sixth episode of the crime drama Jonathan Creek in 1998 as the son-in-law of a horror writer who
4160-416: The actors then speculated about possibly taking on the role, who included Paterson Joseph , David Morrissey , Sean Pertwee , James Nesbitt , Russell Tovey , Catherine Zeta-Jones , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Robert Carlyle , and Billie Piper . Smith was first named as a possible successor less than a day before he was announced as the Eleventh Doctor, on the edition of 3 January 2009 of BBC Breakfast , among
4264-441: The cast and crew. "After filming we used to go for wonderful evenings in the Wensleydale Heifer with Tim Hardy and Chris Timothy ," said Sandy Byrne, wife of the writer of the television series, Johnny Byrne . "Alf and Joan would come along. It was always immensely exciting. We made very good friends with Alf and Joan. We saw them several times over the years. Alf was still practising then, so his car would be packed with dogs. Joan
Peter Davison - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-411: The casting of Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor , but said he was sad about "the loss of a role model for boys". 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". In 2022, Davison returned to portray the Doctor on television again in " The Power of the Doctor ". He reprised
4472-443: The childish-looking cover art[,] combined the works under the title All Creatures Great and Small ," and reaped the benefits when the work achieved best-seller status in the US. Its US editor, Tom McCormack, quoted in a book based on interviews of American publishers, said the title choice was made after he sought suggestions from colleagues, related to nature, and "a British guy in our marketing department, Michael Brooks", spoke about
4576-456: 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 (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. In 2017, Davison appeared in an episode of
4680-432: The dancers featured in the music video for Eric Prydz 's 2004 song " Call on Me ". Smith attended Northampton School for Boys . His grandfather had played football for Notts County and Smith had also planned to play football, having played for the youth teams of Northampton Town , Nottingham Forest , and Leicester City , becoming captain of the latter's youth team. A serious back injury resulted in spondylolysis ; he
4784-437: The decades, the series of books has sold some 60 million copies. The franchise based on his writings was very successful. In addition to the books, there have been several television and film adaptations of Wight's books, including the 1975 film All Creatures Great and Small ; a BBC television series of the same name , which ran 90 episodes; and a 2020 UK Channel 5 series , also of the same name. James Alfred Wight, who
4888-457: The diaries and case notes which Wight kept during his student days in Glasgow, as well as the biography written by his son. The first episode was shown on BBC One on 18 December 2011, and drew six million viewers. The BBC announced in April 2012 that the series would not return. A book titled Young James Herriot was written by historian and author John Lewis-Stempel to accompany the series. A new production of All Creatures Great and Small
4992-410: The door, and blew us away with a bold and brand new take on the Time Lord, we knew we had our man. Executive producer Steven Moffat on Smith's casting. Smith was revealed as the Eleventh Doctor in the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who in January 2009 to follow David Tennant , who announced his departure in October 2008. Smith was a relatively unknown actor compared to
5096-489: The episode (2007) the Fifth Doctor met the Tenth Doctor , played by Davison's future son-in-law David Tennant . 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
5200-441: The five-year programme at Glasgow Veterinary College. He failed several of his classes on the first try (surgery, pathology, physiology, histology, animal husbandry). His setback was partly because of a recurring gastrointestinal problem, which required multiple operations. He graduated on 14 December 1939. In January 1940, Wight joined a veterinary practice in Sunderland, working for J. J. McDowall. He decided that he would prefer
5304-421: The following year he played Richard Stubbs in a six-part comedy Minor Adjustment . Davison 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 (2006). In 2008, Davison voiced Simon Draycott in the radio adaptation of The Long Dark Tea-Time of
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#17327943167815408-406: The hymn, reciting its first verse. However, in a 1976 BBC interview Wight said "this was my daughter's title" and "she thought that one out". Contrary to widespread belief, Wight's books are only partially autobiographical, with many of the stories only loosely based on real events or people. Where stories do have a basis in genuine veterinary cases, they are frequently ones that Wight attended in
5512-406: The latter earned him an agent and his first professional jobs, Fresh Kills and On the Shore of the Wide World , which led him to seek an agreement with his university so that he could graduate without attending lectures in his final year. Smith's first television role was as Jim Taylor in the BBC adaptations of the Sally Lockhart quartet books The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in
5616-491: The mid-1970s, during a lull in his acting career, Davison spent 18 months working in a tax office in Twickenham .In 1976, Davison 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. 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. In 1978, Davison's performance as
5720-415: The mixed review writing, "The casually charismatic Smith and a fine supporting cast can't stop it falling apart in the second half." Smith was in a relationship with Brazilian actress and singer Mayana Moura from 2008 to 2009. He also had an on-off relationship with model Daisy Lowe from 2010 to 2014. From 2014 to 2019, he was in a relationship with actress Lily James . Smith is an atheist . He
5824-451: The name Helen Alderson for his wife Joan. When Wight's first book was published, Brian Sinclair "was delighted to be captured as Tristan and remained enthusiastic about all Wight's books." Donald Sinclair was offended by his portrayal and said, "Alfred, this book is a real test of our friendship." (He never called Wight 'Alf', mirrored in the books by Siegfried's always referring to Herriot as 'James' rather than 'Jim'.) Things calmed down and
5928-404: The name after attending a football match in which the Scotland internationalist Jim Herriot played in goal for Birmingham City." Wight's early efforts at having his writing published were unsuccessful, which he later explained by telling Paul Vallely in a 1981 interview for the Sunday Telegraph Magazine , "...my style was improving but [...] my subjects were wrong." Choosing a subject where he
6032-433: The names speculated about. His obscurity prompted the news headline "Doctor Who?", a riff on the show's title. Smith was one of the earliest actors to audition for the role, performing on the first day. The production team, consisting of incoming producer Steven Moffat and BBC Wales Head of Drama and executive producer Piers Wenger , immediately singled him out based on his performance. Smith additionally auditioned for
6136-421: The original contents of the surgery can be found at the Yorkshire Museum of Farming in Murton , York. Grand Central rail company operates train services from Sunderland to London King's Cross , stopping at Thirsk. Class 180 DMU No. 180112 was named 'James Herriot' in Wight's honour, and was dedicated on 29 July 2009 by his daughter Rosemary and son James. Actor Christopher Timothy , who played Herriot in
6240-443: The pair continued to work together until they retired. Wight's son wrote in The Real James Herriot that Donald Sinclair's character in the novels was considerably toned down, and in an interview described him as 'hilarious', 'a genius', and 'chaotic'. The New York Times also stated that Donald Sinclair had far more rough edges than the Siegfried character. "Sinclair’s real-life behaviour was much more eccentric. (He once discharged
6344-454: The play was nominated for the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre , and Smith garnered an Evening Standard Theatre Award nomination for Best Newcomer for his role. Upon its transfer to the West End, Smith's performance as Henry was highlighted as one of the positive aspects of the play by critics for the Evening Standard , Daily Express , The Guardian and The Times . Smith auditioned for
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#17327943167816448-495: The practice passed to his son, Jim Wight, also a vet. Alf Wight had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1991 and was treated in the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton . On 23 February 1995, he died at his home in Thirlby as a result of the cancer, leaving an estate valued for probate at £5,425,873 (equivalent to £13,174,807 in 2023). His remains were cremated and scattered on Sutton Bank . His wife's health declined after his death, and she died on 14 July 1999. In 2001,
6552-614: The preface of James Herriot's Yorkshire that he had begun to write only after his wife encouraged him when he was 50, he in fact kept copious diaries as a child, as a teenager wrote for his school's magazine, and wrote at least one short story during his college years. In the early 1960s he began analysing the books of successful authors that he enjoyed reading, such as P. G. Wodehouse and Conan Doyle , to understand different writing styles. During this time he also began writing more seriously, composing numerous short stories and, in his own words, 'bombarding' publishers with them. Based on
6656-515: The public eye. "It doesn't give me any kick at all," he once said. "It's not my world. I wouldn't be happy there. I wouldn't give up being a vet if I had a million pounds. I'm too fond of animals." By 1995, some 50 million of the James Herriot books had been sold. Wight was well aware that clients were unimpressed with the fame that accompanied a best-selling author. "If a farmer calls me with a sick animal, he couldn't care less if I were George Bernard Shaw ," Wight once said. Although Wight claimed in
6760-407: The revived series and Big Finish audio productions. 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
6864-456: The role again in Tales of the TARDIS . After Davison left Doctor Who in 1984, he took 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
6968-411: The role of John Watson in the Moffat-created Sherlock , undergoing auditions at the same time; he was unsuccessful, as Moffat believed his eccentric acting style was closer to Holmes , a role that had already been given to Benedict Cumberbatch . At 26 years old, Smith was three years younger than Peter Davison was at the time of his casting as the Doctor in 1981, making him the youngest Doctor and
7072-401: The role of Will McKenzie in the comedy series The Inbetweeners , with the part eventually being given to comedian and actor Simon Bird . The show's writer Iain Morris said, "We auditioned literally 1000 people [...] He was brilliant - down to the last two for Will, I think. I think he was a bit too dashing!" Smith was cast in Martin McDonagh 's black comedy crime In Bruges (2008), as
7176-446: The role of the Doctor. Smith's directorial debut, the short film Cargese , was aired on Sky Arts in May 2013. Smith portrayed Patrick Bateman in the musical adaptation of American Psycho at London's Almeida Theatre from 2013 to 2014. Smith was cast in Ryan Gosling 's directorial debut Lost River , which was released in 2014. Smith had a supporting role as the embodiment of Skynet in Terminator Genisys (2015). He
7280-520: The role, the cast interviewed alcoholics and their families. Smith discussed his character's relationship with his mother in a May 2008 interview with the Evening Standard , saying, "The thing I find tricky to get my head round is why doesn't he just leave? An awful lot of it is co-dependency. ... With Henry there's a real belief—or denial maybe—that he can change his mother. When she is finally pulled away from him to go to rehab, his identity collapses. His sacrifice has been for nothing." The entire cast of
7384-581: 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 . Davison 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
7488-576: The same sentiment but thought Smith had proven his acting quality in Party Animals , which Wenger thought highlighted Smith's "mercurial qualities". Some fans of the show believed that Smith was inexperienced and too young for the role, while others supported him by citing his demonstrated acting ability. For his performance in his first series, he was nominated in the Outstanding Drama Performance Category of
7592-510: The series had failed to write a good companion's part until Rose , when the series came back. 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. In 2013, Davison said he had a "slight problem" with a female Doctor, which he compared to having "a female James Bond ". In July 2017, Davison reacted positively to
7696-853: The sitcoms Holding the Fort (1980–1982) and Sink or Swim (1980–1982), 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). Davison was born to Claude and Sheila Moffett in Streatham , London. Claude
7800-464: The smaller village of Thirlby , about 4 miles (6.4 km) from Thirsk. Wight lived there until his death in 1995. Wight became a full partner in the Thirsk practice in 1949 and retired from full-time practice in 1980 but continued to work part time. He fully retired in 1989 (or 1990 according to some sources); by then, he had worked in his field for roughly 50 years. In Wight's will, his share of
7904-470: The sport. After joining the National Youth Theatre and studying drama and creative writing at the University of East Anglia , he became an actor in 2003, performing in plays including Murder in the Cathedral , Fresh Kills , The History Boys and On the Shore of the Wide World in London theatres. Extending his repertoire into West End theatre, he has since performed in the stage adaptation of Swimming with Sharks with Christian Slater , followed
8008-448: The stories were collected into three omnibus volumes; the final two books were published separately. The last book of the series, Every Living Thing , sold 650,000 copies in six weeks in the United States and stayed on The New York Times Best Seller list for eight months. Recent research indicates that the first two books sold only a few thousand copies in the UK at first. "It was a New York publisher [ St. Martin's Press ] who changed
8112-449: The success of his books. Wight's books have been adapted for film and television, including the 1975 film All Creatures Great and Small , followed by It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet in 1976. The BBC produced a television series based on Wight's books titled All Creatures Great and Small , which ran from 1978 to 1980 and 1988–1990; ninety episodes were broadcast altogether. Wight was often present on set and hosted gatherings for
8216-427: The third series of Grantchester , playing a cricket-loving solicitor. Davison appeared with Christopher Timothy in the three-part series Great British Car Journeys (2018) (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. The series
8320-709: The universe." In June 2010, Smith appeared on stage with Orbital , and performed with them a version of the Doctor Who theme , at the Glastonbury Festival . Smith hosted the Doctor Who Prom at the Royal Albert Hall on 24–25 July 2010. On the morning of 26 May 2012, Smith carried the Olympic torch in Cardiff , an activity which was noted by Doctor Who fans for its resemblance to
8424-537: The year when he started work in Thirsk, the stories in the first two books would have taken place early during the Second World War . Wight preferred to have them take place in a quieter era so he set them in pre-war years. The author required a pseudonym because the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons ' regulations prevented vets from any type of advertising. A reliable source states that he "chose
8528-437: The younger version of Ralph Fiennes ' character, but his scenes did not appear in the final cut of the film. He starred in the 2009 short film Together and the film Womb (2010). The Doctor is a very special part, and it takes a very special actor to play him. You need to be old and young at the same time, a boffin and an action hero, a cheeky schoolboy and the wise old man of the universe. As soon as Matt walked through
8632-456: The youngest actor to be suggested for the role. After three weeks of auditions, Moffat and Wenger agreed that it had "always been Matt" and approached him to accept the role. Smith made his debut as the Doctor in the episode " The Eleventh Hour " in April 2010. The BBC were cautious about casting Smith because they felt that a 26-year-old could not play the Doctor adequately; Wenger shared
8736-571: The youthfully mischievous Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small made him a household name. Davison was absent for 24 episodes in the second run of the series, including the majority of series five and six, due to other acting commitments. 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,
8840-575: Was a British veterinary surgeon and author. Born in Sunderland , Wight graduated from Glasgow Veterinary College in 1939, returning to England to become a veterinary surgeon in Yorkshire , where he practised for almost 50 years. He is best known for writing a series of eight books set in the 1930s–1950s Yorkshire Dales about veterinary practice, animals, and their owners, which began with If Only They Could Talk , first published in 1970. Over
8944-578: Was a boy in Glasgow, one of Wight's favourite pastimes was walking with his dog, an Irish Setter , in the Scottish countryside and watching it play with his friends' dogs. He later wrote: "I was intrigued by the character and behaviour of these animals... [I wanted to] spend my life working with them if possible." At age 12, he read an article in Meccano Magazine about veterinary surgeons and
9048-604: Was a very easy, down-to-earth person, I liked her very much. We also got to know their children, Jim and Rosie, very well." In September 2010, the Gala Theatre in Durham presented the world premier professional stage adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small . In 2010, the BBC commissioned the three-part drama Young James Herriot , inspired by Wight's early life and studies in Scotland. The series drew on archives and
9152-473: 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, Davison provided the voice of Mole in The Wind in
9256-549: Was also one of 48 celebrities who signed a letter warning voters against Conservative Party policy towards the BBC . 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". James Herriot James Alfred Wight OBE FRCVS (3 October 1916 – 23 February 1995), better known by his pen name James Herriot ,
9360-762: Was as an actor and assistant stage manager at the Nottingham Playhouse . 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. Davison's 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
9464-411: Was at the time the youngest actor to have played the lead role, 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. Patrick Troughton (who had played
9568-599: Was called "Alf" for short, was born on 3 October 1916 in Sunderland, County Durham, England. The family moved to Glasgow when James was a child, and he lived there happily until leaving for Sunderland, and then Thirsk in North Yorkshire , England, in 1940. He had a "soft, lilting Scottish accent," according to actor Christopher Timothy , who portrayed James Herriot in the 1978 series . Wight attended Yoker Primary School and Hillhead High School . When he
9672-585: Was captivated with the idea of a career treating sick animals. Two years later, in 1930, he decided to become a vet after the principal of Glasgow Veterinary College gave a lecture at his high school. Wight married Joan Catherine Anderson Danbury on 5 November 1941 at St Mary's Church, Thirsk . After they returned to Thirsk, Wight "carried on TB testing [of] cows in Wensleydale and the top floor of 23 Kirkgate became Joan and Alf’s first home". The couple had two children. Wight took six years to complete
9776-437: Was deeply gratified by this recognition, replying in his acceptance letter, "I regard this as the greatest honour that has ever been bestowed upon me." He was a lifelong supporter of Sunderland A.F.C. , and was made an honorary president of the club in 1991. A blue plaque was placed at Wight's childhood home in Glasgow in October 2018. There is also a blue plaque at 23 Kirkgate, Wight's former surgery. Another blue plaque
9880-483: Was discharged as a leading aircraftman the following November. He joined his wife at her parents' house, where she had lived since he left Thirsk. They lived there until the summer of 1945, when they moved back to 23 Kirkgate after Sinclair and his wife moved to a house of their own. In 1953, the family moved to a house on Topcliffe Road, Thirsk. Wishing for more privacy as the popularity of All Creatures Great and Small increased, in 1977 Wight and his wife moved again, to
9984-536: Was from British Guiana (now Guyana ), and worked as a radio engineer before opening a grocer's shop, while Sheila worked in intelligence during World War II before becoming a housewife. Davison had three sisters: Shirley, Pamela and Barbara. While in Streatham, he attended Granton Primary School. The family then moved to Knaphill in Surrey. During this time, Davison was a member of an amateur theatre company called
10088-527: Was more experienced, in 1969 he wrote If Only They Could Talk , a collection of stories about his experiences as a young veterinary surgeon in the Yorkshire Dales. The book was published in the United Kingdom in 1970 by Michael Joseph Ltd . Wight followed it up with It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet in 1972. Sales were slow until Thomas McCormack of St. Martin's Press in New York City received
10192-534: Was produced by Playground Entertainment for Channel 5 in the United Kingdom, and PBS in the United States. The production received some funding from Screen Yorkshire. Most of the filming was completed in the Yorkshire Dales , including many exteriors in Grassington as the setting for the fictional town of Darrowby . The first series, of six episodes and a special Christmas episode, premiered in
10296-538: Was recommissioned by Channel 4 for a second series on More4 (2019). He narrated the tenth season of Channel 5's documentary series, The Yorkshire Vet , which follows a number of veterinarians working in Weatherby , Kirkbymoorside and Huddersfield. Davison has appeared in several radio series, including the BBC Radio 4 comedy drama series King Street Junior (1985). He appeared in Change at Oglethorpe (1995), and
10400-676: Was released in 2021. In 2021, Smith appeared in the music videos for the songs "We're On Our Way Now" and "Flying on the Ground" by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds . Smith joined the Sony's Spider-Man Universe spin-off film Morbius (2022) as Lucien / Milo , a living vampire, although he was initially announced to be portraying the supervillain Loxias Crown / Hunger . It received negative reviews, although Smith's performance garnered some praise from critics. In 2024 Smith returned to
10504-406: Was set to have more screen time in the sixth and seventh films in the series , but these proposed films were cancelled in the wake of Terminator Genisys ' commercial and critical failure. On 20 November 2014, it was announced that Smith would star in the action-thriller film Patient Zero . It was released in 2018, and received negative reviews. In June 2015, Smith was cast as Prince Philip in
10608-463: 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 . In 2000, Davison returned to another major role as David Braithwaite in At Home with the Braithwaites . During convention appearances in 2013, Davison cited this as his favourite among
10712-447: Was unable to continue with a footballing career. Smith's drama teacher introduced him to acting by signing him up for theatrical productions without his consent. After failing to participate on the first two occasions, his teacher arranged for him to play the tenth juror in an adaptation of Twelve Angry Men . Although he took part, he refused to attend a drama festival for which his teacher had also signed him up, as he saw himself as
10816-466: Was unveiled by his children at his Brandling Street birthplace in Sunderland in September 2021. Minor planet 4124 Herriot is named in his honour. In the United States, Wight's first six books were considered too short to publish independently, so they were combined in pairs to form three omnibus volumes. Matt Smith Matthew Robert Smith (born 28 October 1982) is an English actor. He
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