The Doctor (Doctor Who) credits Tennant as "Doctor Who". The credit reverted to "The Doctor" for 2005's Christmas special "The Christmas Invasion" and all subsequent stories at Tennant's request. Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi and Jodie Whittaker have continued to be credited as "The Doctor". John Hurt plays a mysterious past incarnation of the Doctor in the 50th anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor", with minor roles in "The Name of the Doctor" and mini-episode "The Night of the Doctor", created as a "mayfly Doctor" by Steven Moffat. In the television episodes, he is credited as "The Doctor", but he is introduced as "The
First Doctor First Doctor The First Doctor is the initial incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series "Doctor Who". He was portrayed by the actor William Hartnell from 1963 to 1966. Hartnell reprised the role once, in the tenth anniversary story "The Three Doctors" (1973), although due to his failing health the story was written so he would not have to appear very extensively. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels in time and space in his TARDIS, frequently with companions. At the end of