--- ---  # Meet Every Single Doctor From _Doctor Who_ by [Joseph C. Lin](https://time.com/author/joseph-c-lin/) ## Joseph C. Lin Aug 22, 2014 2:09 PM UTC  An undated handout photo made available by the BBC showing the Eleven Doctors, from left, William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith. "Doctor Who" is turning 50 and the BBC is throwing a broadcasting blowout for the sci-fi show, which began with little fanfare and few expectations on Nov. 23, 1963 but is now one of its biggest hits and major exports. (AP Photo/BBC) An undated handout photo made available by the BBC showing the Eleven Doctors, from left, William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith. "Doctor Who" is turning 50 and the BBC is throwing a broadcasting blowout for the sci-fi show, which began with little fanfare and few expectations on Nov. 23, 1963 but is now one of its biggest hits and major exports. (AP Photo/BBC)BBC/AP by [Joseph C. Lin](https://time.com/author/joseph-c-lin/) ## Joseph C. Lin Aug 22, 2014 2:09 PM UTC The British sci-fi television show _Doctor Who_ premiered in 1963 and stars a time-traveling alien called The Doctor. As a plot device, the Doctor is able to regenerate himself into an entirely “new,” person which allows for the show’s producers to conveniently change the lead actor as they see fit, with the thirteenth and latest incarnation of The Doctor played by Peter Capaldi. Take a look back at all the actors who’ve played the Doctor over the years.  First Doctor - William Hartnell BBC/AP  Second Doctor - Patrick Troughton PA Wire/AP  Third Doctor - Jon Pertwee Evening Standard/Getty Images  Fourth Doctor - Tom Baker PA Wire/AP  Fifth Doctor - Peter Davison Photoshot/Getty Images  Sixth Doctor - Colin Baker PA Wire/AP  Seventh Doctor - Sylvester McCoy PA Wire/AP  Eighth Doctor - Paul McGann PA Wire/AP  Ninth Doctor - Christopher Eccleston BBC/AP  Tenth Doctor - David Tennant BBC/AP  Eleventh Doctor - Matt Smith BBC/AP  Twelfth Doctor - Peter Capaldi BBC Doctor Who: Meet Every Single Doctor ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3159695/doctor-who-doctors/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3159695/doctor-who-doctors/"},"headline":"Meet Every Single Doctor From Doctor Who","datePublished":"2014-08-22T14:09:43.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:07:51.353Z","description":"The doctors are in","url":"https://time.com/3159695/doctor-who-doctors/","keywords":["Television"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdd236c08c65a8fae/6986a078cd684863fc096298/ap971545597339.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Joseph C. Lin","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/joseph-c-lin/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdd236c08c65a8fae/6986a078cd684863fc096298/ap971545597339.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Britain TV Doctor Who","caption":"Britain TV Doctor Who","creditText":"BBC/AP","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3159695/doctor-who-doctors/","name":"Meet Every Single Doctor From Doctor Who"}}]}] ```