I Am the Doctor

by Jon Pertwee, David J. Howe

In 1970, the BBC's popular science-fiction series Doctor Who began its second decade with a radical new direction and a fresh, dynamic incarnation of the Doctor. For five years, Jon Pertwee was the Doctor in the ongoing fight against evil and injustice.

Doctor Who gave Jon Pertwee, already a successful radio, stage and film actor, the opportunity to expand his extensive repertoire to include television and he delighted audiences world-wide with his portrayal of the Doctor as a dashing, debonnaire man of action.

In the year before his death in 1996, Jon Pertwee had been working with Doctor Who historian David J. Howe to present for the first time anywhere in print an appreciation of Doctor Who from the viewpoint of its leading actor. The stories, the monsters, the companions, the locations and the guest stars are all recalled in this entertaining and informative trip back through time, told in Jon Pertwee's inimitable style.

I Am The Doctor is fully illustrated with over one hundred colour and black-and-white photographs, many of them never before published, and features reminiscences about The Navy Lark and Worzel Gummidge as well as an overview of Jon's entire career. Including anecdotes and memories from others who appeared in and worked on Doctor Who in the early seventies, I Am The Doctor is guaranteed to entertain and delight fans of Jon Pertwee whatever their age.

Genres: Doctor Who, Biography, Nonfiction

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Born in Chelsea, London, in 1919, Jon Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge. He is also well-known for his 18-year stint on BBC Radio as Chief Petty Officer Pertwee in The Navy Lark. he died at a Connecticut Doctor Who convention in 1996.

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best showbiz autobiographies I have ever read. It is clear from other sources that people working with Pertwee were in awe of his stature as an actor, and he seems to be modestly aware of this, and not arrogant about it. Where he made mistakes in his career, he was honest about it, and the insights he shares with us are so compelling that you could almost picture him telling them to you over a cup of tea in a quiet corner of the studio.
He lived a remarkable life, and it is a pleasure to share those experiences. It makes you wish you had met him when he was still alive, but at least he lived long enough to complete the book. If you can find a copy (they are very rare, and very expensive), it's worth the effort, and you'll be glad you read it.

[Hannah Vestal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read Moon Boots and Dinner Suits over the summer, and was very sad when the book was finished. I needed more stories by Jon! When I found out I Am the Doctor existed, I had to get my hands on it!

It took a lot of scouring Ebay and I finally found one that was (relatively) cheap.

It was so worth it!

I Am the Doctor was just being finalized when Jon passed away in ‘96. A good portion of the book is dedicated to his time on Doctor Who, and recounting his favorite moments. A small portion is dedicated to his other works, such as The House that Dripped Blood, Worzel Gummidge, and his interactions with the other actors on Doctor Who. There are several sweet things in the book about Jon by people such as Terrance Dicks and Lis Sladen. It was a nice way to pay homage to Jon.

If you love the Third Doctor, or behind the scenes looks at classic Doctor Who, I think you will enjoy this book. There’s a lot of great anecdotes and pictures. Jon Pertwee is my favorite of the Doctors, so this was a very special book for me. I’m so glad to have read it!

[Paul Doody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jon Pertwee wrote a memoir, 'Moonboots and Dinner Suits', but ended the book before the point at which he was cast as everyone's favourite Time Lord. That is rectified here, as doyen of Doctor Who non-fiction writers David Howe collaborates with Pertwee on his memoirs of five years in the show, from 1970 to 1974. Lots of details, plenty of stories about his much-loved costars, and many photographs, some never-before-published. A wonderful book and a superb tribute to a much-loved actor and wit.

[Nola Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is the second of Jon Pertwee's autobiographies, with most of it covering his time as Dr Who in the 1970s, and going right up until a couple of weeks before his sudden death in 1996. The book ends with the 76-year-old Pertwee still very active and looking forward to many years of work ahead of him, but it was not to be.

He reminisces about the different stories he filmed as Dr Who, and gives lots of behind-the-scenes info. It's more than 18 years since I saw those episodes in re-runs, so my memory was a bit vague about some of the things he was talking about, but it was still good to read those insights.

I read Elisabeth Sladen's autobiography a while ago, and it was interesting to compare their accounts of their season together. For example, when Katy Manning (his companion Jo) left the show, he said he was 'rueful'. Elisabeth Sladen said he cried like a baby because he missed her so much. But they seemed to have a good working relationship. I enjoyed Elisabeth Sladen's book more, but this one still had lots of interesting info, tons of photos, and also some snippets from others associated with the show during that era. It was also interesting to hear his reminiscences of the early days of Dr Who conventions, including the very first one that was held in a church hall.

I think you would have to be a Dr Who fan to enjoy this book, but then that's the target audience. Well worth a read if you remember shows from that era or if you want to learn more about the history of the show.

[Ant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the Doctors from the original series of Doctor Who, I would have to say that Jon Pertwee is my favourite.

His second and final book picks up from Moon Boots and Dinner Suits and primarily recounts his time performing as the Doctor during the early 1970s. There are numerous recollections of various episodes, along with his convention attendances.

Pertwee was a lover of motor vehicles; his final Who story involves a relatively long chase scene using various vehicles, inserted into the story as a parting gift to the actor, who liked to do all the driving scenes (including stunts) himself. Some of the anecdotes around this, and his other vehicles are both interesting and amusing, particularly his story regarding the hovercraft sequence.

He also covers his post-Who work, mainly Worzel Gummidge, and some theatre work.

If you can get your hands on a copy (as this book is notoriously rare), this is a great read for fans of either Pertwee or the Doctor.

[Camilasc · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very well put-together, with many photographs and extras that show it was made with a lot of care and love. It also compliments Pertwee's previous biography, "Moon Boots and Dinner Suits" rather nicely. The anectodes shared are very funny, and some are even touching (like when he describes what it was like to leave the show and watch the rest of the production team slowly depart, too).

Pertwee was a really accomplished entertainer and his writting shows that he was also a very human, human being. It's a great shame he isn't around anymore...but with the massive work he did everywhere, he'll live on.

[Kristina Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book. Jon Pertwee recalls his time working on Doctor Who and fills this book with anecdotes about the show and cast. As well as the reminiscent style of writing which draws you in, there are also plenty of images from the show and filming.
Poignant in that he very sadly died before the book was published. Sad also when you consider the other members of Dr Who who've sadly died - Roger Delgado, Patrick Troughton, Anthony Ainley, to name a few. But this book is a beautiful reminder of the magic they brought to us fans.

[Jenny T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I may love Jon Pertwee even more now -- from his kind words about actors like Roger Delgado (the first Master) to his quirky commentary on the Doctor Who episodes he made (he liked the Sea Devils because they looked like his spaniel Digby), he comes across across as charming and very classy.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moonboots and Dinner Suits was MUCH better than this memoir. I liked the pictures, the "memories" of Jon written by his Dr. Who co-stars, but the sheer delight in anecdotes and memories as told only how Jon can, was much better in his first volume.

[Thasc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating insight into Jon's life and career

[Kalwinder Dhindsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine follow up to Moon Boots and Dinner Suits. RIP Jon Pertwee