The longest-serving Doctor was Tom Baker, in my opinion the best of the original Doctors by a fair margin. Since his stint ended, although he continued working right up to the present (and he is nearly 80 now), he never seemed quite able to step out from under the time lord's shadow. Similar problem with Billie Piper. She has since appeared in quite a variety of drama. 'Secret Diary of a Call Girl' was a brave attempt to break away, but one that I suspect backfired a bit, all things considered. I think it's her face. No matter how she does her hair, or what she wears, she always looks like Rose - and the character keeps coming back.

Christopher Eccleston limited himself to just one series because he was worried about becoming typecast.

Then there is David Tennant. He left the series and went to America, where nothing much happened. Now he is back and his career seems to have been rebooted. "Broadchurch' and 'The Politician's Husband' have put him centre stage again.

My conclusions from the above? You can avoid being typecast as the Doctor or companion, but it ain't easy. I think Matt Smith will go this year for the sake of his career. The Christmas Special, I expect.

David Tennant seems to be doing ok with lots of different jobs inc. TV drama and theatre productions

Patrick Troughton did lots of work after Dr Who, notably playing the priest in The Omen (1976) and other shows like Thriller and Z Cars.

Jon Pertwee also did TV game shows and of course Worzel Gummidge.

And I agree, Tom Baker was probably the best ever Dr Who.

I think the Op is just saying it took him a while to shake off the label is all, I would say overall he is doing more than okay at the moment.

Being closely associated with the show can make it tricky to avoid typecasting, Troughton of course famously advised Davison not to do more than three years to avoid being typecast.

I think the "worried about being typecast" line from Eccleston was just what he said at the time of leaving to avoid having to talk about the real reasons he was leaving. We now know his reasons for leaving the show had nothing at all to do with worrying about being typecast. In a way, he was already a bit typecast before he did the show as the 'grim Northerner', and doing Dr Who very much broke that cast for him.

As Matt Smith has been working successfully on other things even while still playing the Doctor, and has shown himself to be a very versatile actor, he won't be too worried about typecasting after leaving the show, I shouldn't have thought. He may or may not be leaving at the end of this year (I hope not), but I don't think worry about being typecast will be his reason if he does.

I think it can be tricky. Watching Broadchurch and it wasn't until around episode four I stopped seeing Rory every time Arthur Darvill appeared on screen.

I think that Matt Smith has the advantage that when he finishes playing the Doctor (whether it is this year or not) he'll still be younger than all the other Doctors with the exception of Peter Davison were when they started on Who, so he has plenty of time to escape typecasting.

It was the same for me, but I think that abig part of that was down to Arthur playing the vicar very similarly to the way he played Rory early on in Broadchurch. In the later half of the series most traces of Rory seemed to dissappear from his performance and he truly became Paul, the vicar. I'd say that four-five episodes of the first major thing an actor does after Who is not a long time to escape typecating.

Tennant seems to be escaping it pretty well, Hamlet, Broadchurch, etc. Ecclestone has just vanished, which is sad - or is he in things I don't watch (ie pretty much everything else on telly)?

I think of that other guy - Peter Davidson? - more as a vet than the Doctor so he manged too, from my perspective - although I regard him as being typecast as a vet.

Don't think you can say Billie has been either, she was much better in Call Girl than Doctor Who, I think in the broader world she struggles to escape more from being a sh!t singer and former child bride of weirdo Chris Evans, than from being regarded as Rose Tyler. Will be interesting to see what Karen goes on to do.

He had been the vet before he was the Doctor

Post Doctor Who he has had quite a few leading roles

A Very Peculiar Practice

Campion

At Home With The Braithwaites

The Last Detective

Eccleston has been doing pretty well at the moment actually. He's done quite a few less prominent BBC dramas over the years (I think he won an Emmy of some sort for his appearance in Accused) and some stage work I think.

On the US side, he was on Heroes a couple of times (when it was good) and was the villain in that GI Joe film. Later this year, hes playing the main villain in Thor 2 which should be good

I still have a soft spot for Pertwee!! Ok, so he was my first Doctor. Also Troughton was excellent. I wouldn't say a big margin. Each had their strengths.

Peter Davison (sorry can't help it)

I saw him in the US roles, but they were years ago right? Thor? Urgh. Nice big role for a British actor right enough, although as a traditional baddie. When will the Yanks get over the War of Independence? "We need a bad guy, and all the Arabian actors are taken." "Ah, just get a Brit."

Ever since he left, Tennant seems to have been suffering from a case of nicolas-cage-itis. I don't think there could have been a job he's turned down since he hung up his long coat three years ago. In 2012 alone he did nine audio dramas, ten presenting or voice over jobs, two films and filmed five TV shows!

And 2013 looks like it will biggest year yet, with The Spies of Warsaw, Broadchurch, The Politician's Husband, The Escape Artist and the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary all having already aired or will air this year. Plus a return to the RSC.

Rather than hindering David's career, Who has done wonders for it.

Eccleston did seem to vanish in the immediate years after Who, but has since come back hard. In the last couple of years alone he's started in Lennon Naked, Accused, The Shadow Line, The Borrowers, Blackout, and as has been mentioned bagged himself Thor 2.

Billie's career has of course gone brilliantly since leaving, even getting herself a nomination at tonight's prestigious Olivier Awards. Noel Clarke is doing excellently in British film, and Freema was a lead in Law and Order UK and has now gone on to become a regular in the US Sex In The City prequel. Oh and Catherine Tate is also now a regular in the massive US Office as well.

Speaking of Law and Order UK Peter Davison is now the top dog on the courtroom side of the show

It's a good job he dyed his hair for The Politician's Husband otherwise his character would look like the Doctor (just in different footwear). That's one problem with his Doctor - his costume was too normal.

No worries about "type-casting" - they have all done well ever since,
Whatever happened to Colin Baker though?? And Tom Baker?? I last saw Tom in a repeat of Monarch of the Glen!

Ooh yes - and Colin was last seen in the jungle!

He has been in work pretty much constantly, but bear in mind he isn't really one for making nice with the media.

Heros, Lennon Naked, Accused, The Shadow Line, The Borrowers and Blackout on TV

GI Joe (), Amelia, Song For Marion and the forthcoming Thor movie on the big screen

A Doll's House and Antigone in the theatre.

dont forget sylvester mccoy has just popped up in the hobbit films

A few years ago Colin appeared as Inspector Morse in a theatre tour

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspector_Morse#Theatre