Michael Wisher | |
---|---|
Born | Anthony Michael Wisher 19 May 1935 London, England |
Died | 21 July 1995 60) Dacorum, Hertfordshire, England | (aged
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1963–1995 |
Known for | First actor to play Davros in Doctor Who |
Children | 1 |
Andrew Michael Wisher (19 May 1935 – 21 July 1995) was an English actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his various roles on Doctor Who, most notably originating the part of Davros.
Life and career
After struggling to find a job, Wisher settled on becoming an actor, and made his Doctor Who debut in The Seeds of Death providing a radio voiceover. His first onscreen appearance was as John Wakefield in The Ambassadors of Death in 1970. The following year he played Rex Farrel in Terror of the Autons, who he felt deserved to be manipulated by the Master. In 1973 he began voicing the Daleks with Frontier in Space, after being asked to imitate a Dalek by Barry Letts. His favourite non-Dalek role was as Kalik in Carnival of Monsters that same year.
In 1975, Wisher became the first actor to play Davros in Genesis of the Daleks, for which he provided uncredited Dalek voices, being the only time he had to act with himself. For the role of Morelli in Planet of Evil he unsuccessfully attempted an Italian-American accent. He was booked to reprise his role as Davros in 1984's Resurrection of the Daleks but after multiple curtailments he became unavailable, and considered Terry Molloy’s mask to look like Ena Sharples. Outside of Doctor Who, Wisher voiced many commercials as well as narration of Horizon.[1] He died of a heart attack on 21 July 1995.
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1963 | Suspense | Radio officer, S.S. Opal Bay | Episode “The Uncertain Witness” |
Your World | Tony Miller | 4 episodes | |
1963-1974 | Z-Cars | Various | 4 episodes |
1965 | R3 | Petty Officer | Episode 10 “The Critical Moment” |
Mr. Holmes and the Lovebank | Narrator | 10 radio episodes of Woman's Hour | |
1968 | The Newcomers | Mr. Drake | 2 episodes |
1968-1975 | Doctor Who | Radio announcer, John Wakefield, Rex Farrel, Kalik, Daleks, Davros, Magrik, Morelli | Season 6 (1 episode) Season 7 (3 episodes) Season 8 (4 episodes) Season 10 (10 episodes) Season 11 (4 episodes) Season 12 (10 episodes) Season 13 (3 episodes) |
1968-1969 | Adventure Weekly | PC Cullis | 10 episodes |
1972 | Colditz | Consulate Official | Episode 7 “Lord, Didn’t It Rain” |
1973 | Moonbase 3 | Harry Sanders | Episode 1 “Departure and Arrival” |
1975 | Dixon of Dock Green | PC Joe Birkett | Episode “On a Moody Complaint” |
1976 | The Prince and the Pauper | Farmer | Episode 3 |
Wilkinson's WIngle | Narrator | Writer for radio Morning Story | |
1982 | Airline | Kellett | 6 episodes |
1985 | Cover Her Face | Mr. Welch | Episode 2 |
1986 | Alice in Wonderland | Cheshire Cat | 2 episodes |
1987 | Vanity Fair | Major-domo | Episode 13 “A Vulgar Incident” |
1988 | Wartime | Benton's father | Direct-to-video film |
Tales of the Unexpected | Dexter | Episode “The Dead Don’t Steal” | |
Blind Justice | Magistrates Chairman | Episode 2 “White Man Listen” | |
1989 | Rules of Engagement | Surveillance Agent | Episode 3 |
The Bill | Car Repair Man | Episode “Chinese Whispers” | |
1991 | The Stranger: Summoned by Shadows | Controller | Direct-to-video film |
EastEnders | Mr. Downing | Episode 709 | |
1993 | Doctor Who: Thirty Years in the TARDIS | Dalek Voices | TV special |
The Airzone Solution | Richard Allenby | Direct-to-video film | |
1994 | Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans | Robar | |
1995 | Dalekmania | Commissionaire |
References
- ↑ "The Davros Tapes (DWM 117)". Retrieved 23 May 2023.