The Box of Delights (TV series)
Patrick Troughton was a familiar face on BBC TV from playing the Second Doctor in "Doctor Who"; a contemporary "Blue Peter" feature on the drama makes the connection that in the role of Cole Hawlings, the kindly Punch and Judy Man, Troughton was playing another mysterious, scruffy time traveller. Renny Rye noted that Troughton "who was my favourite Doctor Who...had a quality that is unsurpassed, I think, as someone to pull you into a tale."
History of Doctor Who
After actors Hugh David (later a director on the series) and Geoffrey Bayldon had both turned down approaches to star in the series, Verity Lambert and the first serial's director Waris Hussein managed to persuade 55-year-old character actor William Hartnell to take the part of the Doctor. Hartnell was known mostly for playing army sergeants and other tough characters in a variety of films, but Lambert had been impressed with his sensitive performance as a rugby league talent scout in the film version of "This Sporting Life", which inspired her to offer him the role.