Just watched the first Dalek Movie tonight of the 60's and was wondering myself throughout if Peter Cushing had played The Doctor on TV, would he have been any good in an ongoing weekly TV Series?

My thoughts are that whilst he had the eccentricity and humour every Doctor needs, I'm not sure how he'd cope with the more serious stuff, say for example that scene in The Daleks Masterplan where Sara changes sides and gets angry when she admits Bret Vyon was her brother. Hartnell played The Doctor well in that scene, not sure how Cushing would have played such a scene. He would definitely have had to adapt his performance.

Off course, it would never have happened that Cushing would have become a TV Doctor, but this is a speculative question, just interested in what other think.

I'm not sure how familiar you are with Cushings other performances, but he was a proper actor and everything.

Van Helsing took his responsibilities quite seriously. Frankenstein was not whimsical. Grand Moff Tarkin wasn't very cuddly (they cut the bit where Tarkin admitted responsibility for a whoopee cushion in the meeting room scene and decided to play it straight instead). He would have adapted his performance and acted the scenes according to the scripts/direction much the same way Hartnell adapted his. Cushing enjoyed playing Doctor Who the way he did because it was a release from the horror personas.

Peter Cushion was a phenomenal actor who has acted in a wide range of roles through the course of a highly successful career. Wouldn't have coped with the more serious stuff??? Are you for real???

It's great that you enjoyed peter cushings performance; he's a real favourite of mine. I have to disagree with your comment though - away from doctor who he really showed chops as an actor. Have you seen any of his other stuff? If you want to see more of him - and it really is worth visiting some of his other performances - the hammer films he appeared in (Dracula and the Brides of Dracula for example) are brilliant. For something that you might already have in your dvd collection, check out his performance as the Grand Moff Tarkin in star wars episode iv.

I shouldn't respond before reading other responses! Apologies.

I didn't explain my thoughts very well here, did I?! I have scene Peter Cushing in many things, his acting was not in question. What I meant was, he made the character so cheerful and bumbling it's hard to imagine him being or doing serious stuff. Hope that makes better sense!

Bit like Matt Smith then?

I think film-wise yes he was great, however I don't think he would of been that great on the small-screen as the Doctor.

Some actors can make the transition from big to small screen but the role on the small screen needs to be right and I don't think Peter Cushing would of transitioned very well.

Now I'm not knocking Cushing's acting ability, I think he is a film legend and I don't think he would have a problem going from the serious to the light hearted stuff, after all he isn't just an actor but one of the greatest, I just can't see how his film version of the Doctor carrying over onto the small screen very well.

Now I'm off to jump in my bunker an await the flaming to commense.

He was fine in the BBC sherlock Holmes stories !

Ooh, controversial, hope Tingy isn't listening Gran or you may get slapped legs and sent to the naughty step! Oh right, you mean "endearing"...soz, mistook your meaning Oddly, if you look at Peter Cushing's walk in the DW movies, Matt Smith does a cracking equivalent at times in Series 5, I still wonder if it was a deliberate in-joke or if he really does just walk that way...

I think that is what I was trying to say originally but obviously didn't come over too well!!!

Translating that film persona over to a weekly TV series and then having to change it, it wouldn't have been beyond Cushing off course, just it would have meant him having to adapt the character and that's sort of what I meant about if it would work or not....

Yes, I meant it as a compliment. Both Matt and P. Cushing do cheerful bumbling very well, I think

Both very good actors.

PS Is it me or has ting stopped posting? A shame if he has.

Sorry, I think I see what you mean now - the character as portrayed in the film rather than Peter Cusing the performer. It's a good question - I imagine they would have had to adapt the performance.