Sylvester McCoy
Birth name	Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith
Born	20 August 1943 (1943-08-20) (age 63) Dunoon, Scotland
Other name(s)	Sylvester McCoy
Official site	Sylvester McCoy - The Unofficial Site
Notable roles	The Seventh Doctor in Doctor Who

Sylvester McCoy (born Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith August 20, 1943) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who from 1987 to 1989 and in the 1996 Doctor Who television movie. He is sometimes credited as Sylveste McCoy. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Scotland. ... Dunoon, looking North from the Castle hill with the old Victorian pier to the right and The Queens Hall on the left The Holy Loch seen across the Firth of Clyde with Dunoon on the left The PS Waverley leaves Dunoon Pier, to sail up the Firth of Clyde. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic) Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe and the United Kingdom Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic and Scots1 Government Constitutional monarchy... -1... Doctor Who is a long-running award-winning British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The series depicts the adventures of a mysterious time-traveller known as the Doctor who explores time and space in his TARDIS time ship with his companions, solving problems and righting wrongs. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic) Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe and the United Kingdom Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic and Scots1 Government Constitutional monarchy... Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play. ... -1... A broadcast of the long-running and popular British science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... Doctor Who is a long-running award-winning British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The series depicts the adventures of a mysterious time-traveller known as the Doctor who explores time and space in his TARDIS time ship with his companions, solving problems and righting wrongs. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Biography

Early life

McCoy was born in Dunoon, on the Cowal peninsula, to an Irish mother and English father. He was raised primarily in Dublin.^[1] In his youth, he trained for the priesthood, but gave this up and spent time working in the insurance industry. He worked in The Roundhouse box office for a time, where he was discovered by Ken Campbell.^[2] Dunoon, looking North from the Castle hill with the old Victorian pier to the right and The Queens Hall on the left The Holy Loch seen across the Firth of Clyde with Dunoon on the left The PS Waverley leaves Dunoon Pier, to sail up the Firth of Clyde. ... Cowal is a peninsula of Argyll in the Scottish Highlands. ... The Spire at night WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Leinster County: Dáil Éireann: Dublin Central, Dublin North Central, Dublin North East, Dublin North West, Dublin South Central, Dublin South East European Parliament: Dublin Dialling Code: 01, +353 1 Postal District(s): D1-24, D6W Area: 114. ... The Roundhouse was built in 1847 as a turntable engine shed for the London and Birmingham Railway at Chalk Farm (near Camden Town), in London, England. ... Kenneth Victor Campbell (born December 10, 1941 in Ilford, Essex) is a British writer, actor, director and comedian, known for his unconventional work in theatre. ...

Career

He came to prominence as a member of the comedy act "The Ken Campbell Roadshow". His best known act was as a stuntman character called "Sylveste McCoy" in a play entitled An Evening with Sylveste McCoy, where his stunts included putting a fork and nails up his nose and stuffing ferrets down his trousers, and setting his head on fire. As a joke, the programme notes listed Sylveste McCoy as played by "Sylveste McCoy" and, after a reviewer missed the joke and assumed that Sylveste McCoy was a real person, Kent-Smith adopted this as his stage name. Some years later, on discovering that there were thirteen letters in 'Sylveste McCoy' and feeling that this might be unlucky, McCoy added an 'r' to the end of 'Sylveste'. Notable television appearances before he gained the role of the Doctor included roles in Vision On (where he played Pepe, a character who lived in the mirror), an O-Man in Jigsaw and Tiswas. McCoy also portrayed, in one-man shows on the stage, two famous movie comedians, Stan Laurel and Buster Keaton. He also appeared as Henry "Birdie" Bowers in the 1985 television mini series about Robert Falcon Scott's last Antarctic expedition, The Last Place On Earth. Kenneth Victor Campbell (born December 10, 1941 in Ilford, Essex) is a British writer, actor, director and comedian, known for his unconventional work in theatre. ... Stunt man and stunt woman redirect here. ... Trinomial name Mustela putorius furo (Linnaeus, 1758) In general use, a ferret is a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo). ... Bold textA stage name, or a screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers (such as actors, comedians, musicians, clowns, and professional wrestlers. ... Vision On titles. ... Animated jigsaw piece from the Jigsaw title sequence Jigsaw was a 1970s British childrens television series, written and direct by Clive Doig. ... Tiswas was an anarchic Saturday morning childrens British TV show which ran from 5 January 1974 to 3 April 1982. ... Stan Laurel (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, writer and director, famous as part of the comedy double act Laurel and Hardy, whose career stretched from the silent films of the early 20th Century until post-World War II. // Stan Laurel... Buster Keaton (born Joseph Frank Keaton, October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American silent film comic actor and filmmaker. ... For other persons named Robert Scott, see Robert Scott (disambiguation). ...

Doctor Who (1987–1989 and 1996)

He took over the lead role of Doctor Who in 1987 from Colin Baker, and remained until the series was shelved in 1989 (see List of Doctor Who serials). He played the Doctor in the 1993 charity special Dimensions in Time, and again in 1996, appearing in the Doctor Who television movie where he handed the role over to Paul McGann. In his first series, McCoy, a comedy actor, portrayed the character with a degree of clown-like humour, but script editor Andrew Cartmel soon changed that when fans argued that the character (and plots) were becoming increasingly lightweight. The Seventh Doctor developed into a much darker figure than any of his earlier incarnations, manipulating people like chess pieces and always seeming to be playing a deeper game. McCoy generally approved of this, as it allowed him to play more of a dramatic role. For the Wales international football player see Colin Baker (Welsh footballer) Colin Baker (born London, June 8, 1943) is an English actor who is best known for playing the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who, from 1984 to 1986. ... // This is a list of Doctor Who television serials. ... Dimensions in Time was a charity special crossover between the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and the soap opera EastEnders that ran in two parts on November 26 and 27, 1993. ... Paul McGann (born November 14, 1959 in Liverpool) is an English actor who made his name on the BBC serial The Monocled Mutineer, in which he played the lead role. ... Script Editor is a program included with Mac OS that allows AppleScripts to be written, debugged, and ran. ... Andrew Cartmel Andrew Cartmel is a British science-fiction writer and journalist. ...

A distinguishing feature of McCoy's performances was his manner of speech. He used a slight Scottish accent, rolled his 'r's, and often placed emphasis on unusual syllables or words. This has the added (possibly intentional) effect of sounding a little alien, and wrong-footing the audience. Some viewers, however, took it as evidence of McCoy's limited acting ability. At the start of his tenure he used proverbs and sayings adapted to his own ends (eg. "There's many a slap twixt cup and lap" — Delta and the Bannermen), although this characteristic was phased out during the later, darker series of his tenure. Delta and the Bannermen is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in three weekly parts from November 2 to November 16, 1987. ...

At 5'6", he is the shortest man to play the Doctor.

Career since Doctor Who

McCoy's television roles since Doctor Who have included Michael Sams in the 1997 telemovie Beyond Fear, shown on the first night of broadcast of Channel Five. He has also returned to play the Seventh Doctor in a series of audio plays by Big Finish Productions. Five (often referred as five, as per the logo), formerly, and more commonly known as Channel 5, is the British fifth and final national analogue terrestrial TV channel. ... Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces audio plays released straight to compact disc, based on British cult science fiction properties. ...

In 1988, while still appearing in Doctor Who, McCoy presented a BBC children's programme called What's Your Story?, in which viewers were invited to phone in suggestions for the continuation of an ongoing drama. He returned to host a second run of the series in 1990.

He has also acted extensively in theatre in productions as diverse as pantomime and Molière. He played the role of Snuff in the macabre BBC Radio 4 comedy series The Cabaret of Dr Caligari. Serge Sudeikins poster for the Bat Theatre (1922). ... The Christmas Pantomime colour lithograph bookcover, 1890 Pantomime (informally, panto) refers to a theatrical genre, traditionally found in Great Britain, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Ireland, which is usually performed around the Christmas and New Year holiday season. ... Molière, engraved on the frontispiece to his Works. ... BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station which broadcasts a wide variety of chiefly spoken-word programmes including news, drama, comedy, science and history. ... The Cabaret of Dr Caligari was a BBC Radio 4 comedy series. ...

Sylvester McCoy was the second choice to play the role of Bilbo Baggins in the Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.^[2] Bilbo Baggins (2890 Third Age - ? Fourth Age) is an important character in J. R. R. Tolkiens legendarium. ... Peter Jackson CNZM (born October 31, 1961) is a New Zealand filmmaker best known as the director of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which he, along with Fran Walsh, his long time partner, and Philippa Boyens, adapted from the novels by J. R. R. Tolkien. ... The Lord of the Rings film trilogy comprises three live action fantasy epic films; The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). ...

McCoy has appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in 2001 and in King Lear in 2007, playing the Fool to Ian McKellen's Lear,^[3] a performance which made use of McCoy's ability to play the spoons. The RSC production with McKellen and McCoy will be staged in Melbourne, Australia during late July/early August 2007 and Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand during mid to late August 2007. McCoy will appear at a one day Doctor Who event in Melbourne on July 29, Sydney on August 5th and Auckland, New Zealand on 19th August. Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a British theatre company. ... The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... King Lear and the Fool in the Storm by William Dyce (1806-1864) King Lear is based on the legend of King Lear, a legendary king of Britain, and is considered to be one of William Shakespeares greatest tragedies. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Sir Ian Murray McKellen, CBE (born May 25, 1939) is a veteran English stage and screen actor, the recipient of a Tony Award and two Oscar nominations. ...

He has also made guest appearances in the television series The Bill, and the Still Game episode "Oot" (AKA "Out"), where he played a hermit type character adjusting to life in modern Glasgow, having remained in his house for over 30 years). Still Game is a Scottish sitcom, a spin-off from the sketch show series Chewin the Fat. ...

In the early 90s, McCoy was attached in the role of Governor Swann in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl when Steven Spielberg was planning on directing, but Disney did not give permission for the film to be made. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a movie of adventure and romance set in the Caribbean during the seventeenth century. ... Steven Allan Spielberg KBE (born December 18, 1946)[1] is an American film director and producer. ... Disney may refer to: The Walt Disney Company and its divisions, including Walt Disney Pictures. ...

Video Games

Sylvester McCoy returned to the role of the Seventh Doctor in 1997 in Doctor Who Destiny of the Doctors.-1... Cover of Destiny of the Doctors Destiny of the Doctors is a PC computer game based on the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who; released on 5 December 1997 by BBC Multimedia. ...

List of Video Games starred in:

Doctor Who Destiny of the Doctors (1997) Cover of Destiny of the Doctors Destiny of the Doctors is a PC computer game based on the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who; released on 5 December 1997 by BBC Multimedia. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Trinity Mirror is a large United Kingdom newspaper and magazine publisher. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• The Extraordinary Sylvester McCoy
• Sylvester McCoy at the Internet Movie Database
• Travelling Light - Sylvester McCoy article at Kasterborous.com
• Sylvester McCoy - The Unofficial Site