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{{Short description|Fictional character from Doctor Who}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox Doctor Who doctor
| nth          = First
| doc_image    = First Doctor (Doctor Who).jpg
| caption      = William Hartnell as the First Doctor
| start        = {{nowrap|''[[An Unearthly Child]]'' (1963)}}
| finish       = ''[[The Tenth Planet]]'' (1966)<!--Regular appearances only; guest appearances are in the article as prose-->
| introduced   = [[Verity Lambert]]
| portrayed    = {{Plainlist|
* [[William Hartnell]] {{small|(1963–1966, 1972–1973)}}
* [[Richard Hurndall]] {{small|(1983)}}
* [[David Bradley (English actor)|David Bradley]] {{small|(2017, 2022)}} <!-- Do not add 2013. Bradley played Hartnell, not the Doctor -->
}}
| succeeding   = [[Patrick Troughton]] ([[Second Doctor]])
| period_start = 23 November 1963
| period_end   = 29 October 1966
| no_series    = 4
| no_stories   = 29
| no_episodes  = 134
| companions   = {{Plainlist|
* [[Susan Foreman]]
* [[Ian Chesterton]]
* [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara Wright]]
* [[Vicki (Doctor Who)|Vicki]]
* [[Steven Taylor (Doctor Who)|Steven Taylor]]
* Katarina
* [[Sara Kingdom]]
* [[Dodo Chaplet]]
* [[Ben and Polly (Doctor Who)|Polly<br>Ben Jackson]]
}}
| series_list  = {{Plainlist|
* [[Doctor Who season 1|Season 1 (1963–1964)]]
* [[Doctor Who season 2|Season 2 (1964–1965)]]
* [[Doctor Who season 3|Season 3 (1965–1966)]]
* [[Doctor Who season 4|Season 4 (1966)]]
* [[Doctor Who season 10|Season 10 (1972–1973)]]
* [[Doctor Who season 20|Season 20 (1983)]]
* [[Doctor Who series 10|Series 10 (2017)]]
* [[Doctor Who specials (2022)|Specials (2022)]]
}}
}}
The '''First Doctor''' is the original incarnation of [[The Doctor (Doctor Who)|the Doctor]], the [[protagonist]] of the British [[Science fiction on television|science fiction television]] series ''[[Doctor Who]]''. He was portrayed by actor [[William Hartnell]] in the first three series from 1963 to 1966 and the tenth anniversary story ''[[The Three Doctors (Doctor Who)|The Three Doctors]]'' from 1972 to 1973. The character occasionally appeared in the series after Hartnell's death, played by [[Richard Hurndall]] in the 1983 special "[[The Five Doctors]]" and by [[David Bradley (English actor)|David Bradley]] in 2017 and 2022.<ref>Bradley previously portrayed Hartnell in the 2013 ''Doctor Who'' biopic ''[[An Adventure in Space and Time]]''.</ref> To date, the First Doctor is the sole incarnation of the Doctor to have been [[Casting (performing arts)|recast]] for later televised appearances.

Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old [[Extraterrestrials in popular culture|alien]] [[Time Lord]] from the planet [[Gallifrey]] who [[Time travel in fiction|travels in time]] and space in the [[TARDIS]], frequently with [[Companion (Doctor Who)|companions]]. At the end of life, the Doctor [[regeneration (Doctor Who)|regenerates]]; as a result, the physical appearance and personality of the Doctor changes. The concept of regeneration, initially referred to as a "renewal", was introduced when Hartnell left the series due to his increasingly bad health, consequently extending the series' life into the following century, with Hartnell being succeeded by the [[Second Doctor]] ([[Patrick Troughton]]).

Hartnell's portrayal of the character was initially a stubborn and abrasive old man who was distrustful of humans, but ultimately mellowed out into a more compassionate, grandfatherly figure who adored his travels with his companions. The First Doctor's original companions were his granddaughter [[Susan Foreman]] ([[Carole Ann Ford]]) and her schoolteachers [[Ian Chesterton]] ([[William Russell (English actor)|William Russell]]) and [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara Wright]] ([[Jacqueline Hill]]). In later episodes, he travelled alongside 25th-century orphan [[Vicki (Doctor Who)|Vicki]] ([[Maureen O'Brien]]), space pilot [[Steven Taylor (Doctor Who)|Steven Taylor]] ([[Peter Purves]]), [[Troy|Trojan]] handmaiden Katarina ([[Adrienne Hill]]), and sixties [[flower child]] [[Dodo Chaplet]] ([[Jackie Lane (actress)|Jackie Lane]]). His final on-screen companions were the working class sailor [[Ben and Polly (Doctor Who)|Ben Jackson]] ([[Michael Craze]]) and the sophisticated socialite Polly ([[Anneke Wills]]). Of the 134 episodes Hartnell appeared in as a regular, 44 [[Doctor Who missing episodes|are missing]].

==Character biography==
The First Doctor is a character shrouded in mystery; little is known about him at the outset except that he has a granddaughter, [[Susan Foreman]], and that they come from their own planet. He has a ship that travels through time and space, the [[TARDIS]], which is currently disguised as a [[police box]] (Susan notes that it used to be able to change to blend in with its surroundings), and is bigger on the inside. The Doctor describes himself and Susan as "exiles" without specifying why or even whether their exile is self-imposed. It would not be until the last adventure of the Doctor's [[Second Doctor|second incarnation]] that the name of the Doctor's people (the [[Time Lord]]s) would be revealed, and the [[Third Doctor|third incarnation]] before the name of his home planet ([[Gallifrey]]) was first spoken.

The series' first episode opens with a pair of schoolteachers in contemporary (1963) London, [[Ian Chesterton]] and [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara Wright]], investigating the mystery of Susan, a student who seems confused and even frustrated at how what she is learning in history and especially mathematics seems to be wrong. Following Susan to her supposed home, they discover the TARDIS in a junkyard, surprising both Susan and her grandfather the Doctor, who launches the ship in response to the discovery. Ian and Barbara are involuntarily taken on a journey back to the year [[An Unearthly Child|100,000 BC]] and spend two years adventuring through time and space with the Doctor, who at this point in the series has no control over the navigation systems of the TARDIS.

It was as this incarnation that the Doctor first met the [[Dalek]]s and the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]], races that would become his most implacable foes. The TARDIS crew also observed many historical events such as the ''[[The Reign of Terror (Doctor Who)|Reign of Terror]]'' in [[French Revolution|revolutionary France]], meeting ''[[Marco Polo (Doctor Who)|Marco Polo]]'' in China and ''[[The Aztecs (Doctor Who)|The Aztecs]]'' in [[Mexico]]. When Susan fell in love with the human resistance fighter David Campbell, the Doctor left her behind to allow her to build a life for herself on 22nd century Earth (''[[The Dalek Invasion of Earth]]''), although he promised to return some day. The Doctor, Ian and Barbara were then joined by [[Vicki (Doctor Who)|Vicki]], whom they saved in ''[[The Rescue (Doctor Who)|The Rescue]]'' from the planet Dido.

At the conclusion of a chase through time by Daleks, Ian and Barbara used the Dalek time machine to go home (''[[The Chase (Doctor Who)|The Chase]]''), and their place in the TARDIS was taken by a future space pilot named [[Steven Taylor (Doctor Who)|Steven Taylor]], who had been captured by the robot Mechanoids but escaped due to the Dalek attack. The Doctor met another member of his own race for the first time in the form of the Meddling Monk and had an adventure in [[Galaxy 4]]. During the [[The Myth Makers|siege of Troy]], Vicki decided to leave the TARDIS to stay with [[Troilus]], adopting the name Cressida. The Doctor and Steven were next briefly joined by Trojan slave Katarina and a security agent from 4000 AD [[Sara Kingdom]], but both were killed during the events of ''[[The Daleks' Master Plan]]'', where the Daleks plotted to invade Earth's Solar System in 4000 AD, before being destroyed when the Doctor activated their weapon the Time Destructor. Due to this he was aged significantly; the effects on Sara were enough to reduce her to dust.

After narrowly missing [[the Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve]], the Doctor and Steven took on board a young girl named [[Dodo Chaplet]]. Dodo brought a cold virus to the far future, which nearly annihilated the humans and [[List of Doctor Who aliens#Monoid|Monoids]] travelling on ''[[The Ark (Doctor Who)|The Ark]]''. It was cured and when the TARDIS arrived on the Ark 700 years later the TARDIS crew helped the humans reach their destination, the Monoids having taken over the Ark. One of the First Doctor's most deadly foes was the Celestial Toymaker, who forced him and his [[Companion (Doctor Who)|companions]] to play deadly games and briefly made the Doctor invisible and mute. Eventually, the Doctor managed to win the Trilogic Game allowing them all to escape the Toymaker's domain.

Eventually, Steven and Dodo left the Doctor as well, Steven remaining on an alien planet as a mediator (''[[The Savages (Doctor Who)|The Savages]]'') between two races, and Dodo deciding to remain on Earth in 1966 to recover from being hypnotised by the supercomputer WOTAN. The Doctor was then joined by upper-class secretary Polly and sailor [[Ben and Polly (Doctor Who)|Ben Jackson]].

The toll of years put strain on the Doctor's elderly frame. After defeating the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]] at the [[Antarctica|Antarctic]] Snowcap Station (''[[The Tenth Planet]]''), the Doctor was fearfully reluctant to [[regeneration (Doctor Who)|regenerate]] when he [[retroactive continuity|crossed paths]] with one of his future incarnations ("[[Twice Upon a Time (Doctor Who)|Twice Upon a Time]]"), who is similarly reluctant to regenerate. The events they experience convince both Doctors to go through with their regenerations. After returning to his TARDIS and helping Polly and Ben back inside, the Doctor falls unconscious and regenerates.

==Personality==
[[File:Doctor Who 50th Celebration (11278487264).jpg|left|thumb|The First Doctor's costume at the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary celebration]]
From the beginning, the Doctor was a mysterious figure. He appeared to be a frail old man and yet was possessed of unexpected reserves of strength and will. An early [[bible (writing)|writers' guide]] by [[script editor]] [[David Whitaker (screenwriter)|David Whitaker]] describes "Doctor Who" as "frail-looking but wiry and tough as an old turkey".{{sfnp|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1992|p=8}} He had tremendous knowledge of scientific matters, and was unable to pilot his [[TARDIS]] time ship reliably; his granddaughter [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] said that her grandfather was "a bit forgetful".

William Hartnell described the Doctor as "a [[Wizard (fantasy)|wizard]]", and "a cross between the [[Wizard (Oz)|Wizard of Oz]] and [[Father Christmas]]".{{sfnp|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1992|p=16–17}} [[Paul McGann]], who played the [[Eighth Doctor|eighth incarnation]] of the Doctor, said Hartnell's "seemed like a [[Victorian era|Victorian]], someone kind of stern and paterfamilias about him. Something kind but scary".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/06/30/interview-with-‘doctor-who’-star-paul-mcgann/ |title=Interview with 'Doctor Who' star Paul McGann |last=Debnath |first=Neela |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=30 June 2012 |access-date=4 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921081230/http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/06/30/interview-with-%E2%80%98doctor-who%E2%80%99-star-paul-mcgann/ |archive-date=21 September 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> One quirk of the First Doctor was his tendency to become occasionally tongue-tied and stumble over words.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/aug/22/doctor-who-rediscovered-william-hartnell-interview |first=Charles |last=Norton |title=Doctor Who: the rediscovered William Hartnell interview |newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 August 2013 |access-date=8 October 2013}}</ref> Sometimes this was a deliberate acting choice: [[William Russell (English actor)|William Russell]] recalls that it was Hartnell's idea for the Doctor to get Ian Chesterton's surname wrong, calling him "Chesserman", "Chatterton" and even "Charterhouse".{{sfnp|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1992|p=19}} This character choice also gave the series' producers the ability to use [[take]]s in which Hartnell flubbed his lines. Due to the series' tight production schedule, it was rarely possible to reshoot such scenes<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who/20868/doctor-who-a-celebration-of-william-hartnell|title=Doctor Who: a celebration of William Hartnell|date=23 June 2011}}</ref> and dubbing the dialogue was usually not an option. Hartnell suffered from undiagnosed [[arteriosclerosis]], which affected his ability to remember lines, increasingly so as his time on the series progressed.{{sfnp|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1992|p=17}}

In "Twice Upon a Time", writer [[Steven Moffat]] has the Doctor express to a variation of his future companion [[Bill Potts (Doctor Who)|Bill Potts]] that he had left Gallifrey, among other reasons, to investigate why good prevails in a universe where evil would seem to have so many advantages. As Bill reflected that none of the First Doctor's future incarnations recognized this fact, the Twelfth Doctor surmised that he and his incarnations were the reason for the universe's balance between good and evil.

===Appearance===
Hartnell's costume was hired from Nathans, a theatrical costuming company.<ref name="DWM1987">{{cite magazine |last=Mulkern |first=Patrick |year=1987 |title=Dressing the Doctor |magazine=[[Doctor Who Magazine]] Autumn Special |publisher=Marvel Comics/BBC |page=20}}</ref> The overall look is [[Victorian era|Victorian]]-[[Edwardian]]: a black [[frock coat]] and a light yellow [[Tweed (cloth)|tweed]] [[waistcoat]] over a wing-collared shirt; usually a dark blue [[ascot tie]] or ribbon tie and [[tartan]] trousers. Hartnell also wore a ring with a large blue stone and a white wig.<ref name="DWM1987"/> Additional accessories seen from time to time are a [[monocle]], a carved wooden [[Walking stick|cane]], an [[opera cape]], a [[scarf]], a [[Karakul (hat)|hat in Astrakhan fur]] or, in warmer climes, a [[Panama hat]]. In "[[An Unearthly Child]]", he was seen smoking a large bent [[tobacco pipe]], making him the only incarnation of the Doctor to be seen [[tobacco smoking|smoking]]; it is assumed that he gave up after that serial.

In the original version of the first episode, Hartnell wore a contemporary (1960s) suit. Among the many changes made to the episode in reshooting was the Doctor's (and Susan's) clothes.

==Story style==

The debut of the Daleks in [[The Daleks|the second serial]] turned the programme from a children's series to a national phenomenon. It soon became a show that the whole family gathered to watch, with monsters that children viewed from between their fingers or from [[behind the sofa]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The metamorphoses of Who |first=Stanley |last=Reynolds |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=9 April 1973 |page=15 |quote=Still, the Daleks are the boss space horrors, something to get the children hiding behind the sofa.}}</ref> Scripts filled with far-out concepts compensated for the relatively low budget and unsophisticated special effects, laying the foundation for decades of stories to come.

==Later appearances==
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2025}} 
After the regeneration the First Doctor was on screen several more times (not counting flashbacks or charity specials like ''[[Dimensions in Time]]'').  For the 10th anniversary of the programme in 1973 Hartnell appeared in ''[[The Three Doctors (Doctor Who)|The Three Doctors]]'', in which [[Patrick Troughton]] reprised his role as the [[Second Doctor]].

Hartnell died in 1975, so for the 20th anniversary special "[[The Five Doctors]]" in 1983, the role of the First Doctor was played by [[Richard Hurndall]]. At the beginning of the programme a film insert of Hartnell's Doctor taken from ''[[The Dalek Invasion of Earth]]'' was used.

In "[[The Name of the Doctor]]", which combined stock footage of Hartnell with Carole Ann Ford in CGI and newly shot footage, the First Doctor is depicted stealing the TARDIS in its original form, picked out by future companion [[Clara Oswald]].

In "[[The Day of the Doctor]]", the First Doctor is shown along with the other twelve doctors as they move Gallifrey to a single moment in time. He was voiced by [[Day of the Doctor#Cast|John Guilor]], over archival footage of Hartnell.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2013/11/doctor-who-50th-anniversary/ |last=Kistler |first=Alan |date=26 November 2013 |title=What Just Happened in Doctor Who? The Anniversary Special Explained |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |access-date=28 November 2013}}</ref>

A child version of the character appears in "[[Listen (Doctor Who)|Listen]]" (2014), portrayed by an uncredited Michael Jones.<ref name="Listen">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-09-13/doctor-who-listen-review-a-classy-creepy-study-of-fear-and-loneliness |title=Doctor Who Listen review: "A classy, creepy study of fear and loneliness" |last=Mulkern |first=Patrick |magazine=[[Radio Times]] |date=13 September 2014 |access-date=14 September 2014 |archive-date=24 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924224834/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-09-13/doctor-who-listen-review-a-classy-creepy-study-of-fear-and-loneliness/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Cook |first=Benjamin |author-link=Benjamin Cook (journalist) |date=16 November 2017 |title=Double Bill |journal=[[Doctor Who Magazine]] |issue=519 |page=16}}</ref>

In the [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]] audio drama ''[[The Light at the End (Doctor Who audio)|The Light at the End]]'' the First Doctor is portrayed by [[William Russell (English actor)|William Russell]], who also played [[Ian Chesterton]] in both the show and the audio dramas. Russell and fellow co-star [[Peter Purves]] (who played Steven Taylor) have performed numerous other audio plays set during this era, usually narrating the stories and doing an impression (rather than an impersonation) of the Doctor's voice while reciting his lines.

In the [[Doctor Who (series 10)|series 10]] finale "[[The Doctor Falls]]", [[David Bradley (English actor)|David Bradley]] appeared as the First Doctor, confronting his [[Twelfth Doctor|twelfth incarnation]] as the latter resists his oncoming regeneration. This scene was followed up in the 2017 Christmas special, "[[Twice Upon a Time (Doctor Who)|Twice Upon a Time]]".<ref name="Papel Psiquicorumor">{{cite news|title=El rodaje del especial de Navidad confirma un rumor|url=http://www.papelpsiquico.com/2017/06/el-rodaje-del-especial-de-navidad.html|access-date=2 July 2017|agency=Papel Psiquico|date=29 June 2017|archive-date=2 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702185025/http://www.papelpsiquico.com/2017/06/el-rodaje-del-especial-de-navidad.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> Bradley had previously portrayed William Hartnell in ''[[An Adventure in Space and Time]]'', a 2013 [[docudrama]] depicting the creation of ''Doctor Who''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/articles/David-Bradley-to-play-William-Hartnell-in-Celebration-of-Doctor-Who |title=David Bradley to play William Hartnell in Celebration of Doctor Who |website=Doctor Who Blog |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=30 January 2013 |access-date=30 January 2013}}</ref> He reprised the role of the First Doctor for a series of audio stories released by Big Finish, titled "[[Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures|The First Doctor Adventures]]", starting in January 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures|url=https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/david-bradley-returns-to-the-tardis-in-doctor-who-the-first-doctor-adventures|publisher=[[Big Finish Productions]]|date=15 September 2017}}</ref>

April 2022 saw Big Finish release a box set of audio dramas starring Stephen Noonan as the First Doctor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/stephen-noonan-is-the-first-doctor|title = Stephen Noonan is the First Doctor! - News - Big Finish}}</ref> Nicholas Briggs has expressed interest in producing further stories with [[David Bradley (English actor)|David Bradley]]. Stephen Noonan also expressed interest in returning for future boxsets.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/revamped-doctor-who-audio-ranges-from-big-finish |title=Revamped Doctor Who audio ranges from Big Finish |publisher=[[Big Finish Productions]] |access-date=27 May 2020 |archive-date=26 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526185631/https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/revamped-doctor-who-audio-ranges-from-big-finish |url-status=live }}</ref> Another First Doctor boxset is scheduled for February 2023, with Noonan starring once again.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/audio-doctor-who-in-2022 |title=Audio Doctor Who in 2022! |publisher=[[Big Finish Productions]] |access-date=27 June 2021}}</ref>

The First Doctor appeared as one of the “Guardians of the Edge” (played again by David Bradley), in an afterlife, inside the Doctor’s mind in the final [[Thirteenth Doctor]] episode, "[[The Power of the Doctor]]".

==Other mentions==
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2018}}
Images of the First Doctor appear in ''[[The Power of the Daleks]]'', ''[[Day of the Daleks]]'', ''[[The Brain of Morbius]]'',<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jeffery |first1=Morgan |title=Doctor Who: Who are the Morbius Doctors? |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-morbius-doctors-explained/ |website=Radio Times |access-date=5 November 2023}}</ref> ''[[Earthshock]]'',<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mulkern |first1=Patrick |title=Earthshock |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-guide/earthshock/ |website=Radio Times |access-date=8 November 2023}}</ref> ''[[Mawdryn Undead]]'', ''[[Resurrection of the Daleks]]'', "[[The Next Doctor]]", "[[The Eleventh Hour (Doctor Who)|The Eleventh Hour]]", "[[The Vampires of Venice]]", "[[Vincent and the Doctor]]", "[[The Lodger (Doctor Who)|The Lodger]]", "[[Nightmare in Silver]]", "[[The Timeless Children]]", "[[The Giggle]]", "[[Rogue (Doctor Who)|Rogue]]", "[[The Story & The Engine]]", "[[Wish World]]", "[[The Reality War]]" and ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'' story ''[[Death of the Doctor]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC - Doctor Who - Classic Series - Episode Guide - First Doctor Index |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/index_first.shtml |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> In the episode "[[The Name of the Doctor]]", he is seen stealing a [[TARDIS]] along with [[Susan Foreman]], before [[Clara Oswald]] tells him to steal a different one (colourised footage taken from ''[[The Aztecs (Doctor Who)|The Aztecs]]''). He is also seen for a brief second wandering around the Doctor's mind in the end of "The Name of the Doctor", although this time a double was used.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=The Name of the Doctor |url=https://www.doctorwho.tv/stories/the-name-of-the-doctor |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=doctorwho.tv}}</ref> He also makes a brief appearance (again using a double) during [[The Master (Doctor Who)#Missy|Missy]]'s exposition of the [[Twelfth Doctor]]'s battle with android assassins ("[[The Witch's Familiar]]").<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=The Witches Familiar |url=https://www.doctorwho.tv/stories/the-witchs-familiar |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=doctorwho.tv}}</ref>

In ''[[Dimensions in Time]]'' the [[Fourth Doctor]] ([[Tom Baker]]) refers to the First as "the grumpy one". A sculpture of his head, along with that of the [[Second Doctor]], appears as well.

The First Doctor is seen as a sketch in [[Tenth Doctor|John Smith]]'s book alongside other past Doctors in the episode "[[Human Nature (Doctor Who episode)|Human Nature]]". In "[[Time Crash]]", the [[Tenth Doctor]] says to the [[Fifth Doctor|Fifth]], "Back when I first started, at the very beginning, I was always trying to be old and grumpy and important, like you do when you're young." A brief clip of the First Doctor from ''[[The Time Meddler]]'' appears in both "[[The Next Doctor]]" and in "[[The Eleventh Hour (Doctor Who)|The Eleventh Hour]]".

In a clip from "[[The Vampires of Venice]]" the [[Eleventh Doctor]] shows his [[library card]], which contains a photograph of the First Doctor and the address of 76 Totters Lane.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=The Vampires of Venice |url=https://www.doctorwho.tv/stories/the-vampires-of-venice |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=doctorwho.tv}}</ref>  In "[[Vincent and the Doctor]]", both the First and [[Second Doctor|Second]] Doctors appear on a printout when the Eleventh Doctor has the TARDIS identify him.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Vincent and the Doctor |url=https://www.doctorwho.tv/stories/vincent-and-the-doctor |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=doctorwho.tv}}</ref> In "[[The Big Bang (Doctor Who)|The Big Bang]]", the Eleventh Doctor briefly mentions the First while bidding his farewell to a sleeping [[Amy Pond]], referring to him as "the daft old man who stole a magic box and ran away".<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=The Big Bang |url=https://www.doctorwho.tv/stories/the-big-bang |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=doctorwho.tv}}</ref>

The [[Twelfth Doctor]] refers to his first incarnation's initial lack of altruism prior to meeting the Daleks in "[[Into the Dalek]]".<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Into the Dalek |url=https://www.doctorwho.tv/stories/into-the-dalek |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=doctorwho.tv}}</ref>

A portrait of the First Doctor is hanging in a UNIT safe house in "[[The Zygon Invasion]]".<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=The Zygon Invasion |url=https://www.doctorwho.tv/stories/the-zygon-invasion |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=doctorwho.tv}}</ref>

In "[[The Devil's Chord]]" the [[Fifteenth Doctor]] visits 1963 and points out the Totters Lane junkyard off in the distance from atop [[Abbey Road Studios|EMI Recording Studios]], saying he lived there with his granddaughter Susan.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=The Devil's Chord |url=https://www.doctorwho.tv/stories/the-devils-chord |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=doctorwho.tv}}</ref> In "[[Rogue (Doctor Who)|Rogue]]", the First Doctor's face is among the holograms the Doctor shows to the bounty hunter Rogue to prove he is not a shapeshifting Chuldur.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Rogue |url=https://www.doctorwho.tv/stories/rogue |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=doctorwho.tv}}</ref>

==Other appearances==
{{further |List of non-televised First Doctor stories}}

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*{{Cite book |last1=Howe |first1=David J. |author-link1=David J. Howe |first2=Mark |last2=Stammers |first3=Stephen James |last3=Walker |author-link3=Stephen James Walker |title=Doctor Who: The Sixties |year=1992 |publisher=[[Virgin Publishing]] |edition=paperback |location=London |isbn=0-86369-707-0 |name-list-style=amp}}

==External links==
{{TardisIndexFile}}
{{Wikiquote |First Doctor}}
*[https://www.doctorwho.tv/characters/first-doctor The First Doctor on the BBC's ''Doctor Who'' website]

{{Doctor Who characters|selected=Incarnations of the Doctor}}
{{First Doctor stories}}
{{Subject bar |portal2=Doctor Who |portal3=1960s |commons=y }}

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