Doctor Who Vs. William Hartnell at the Cinema, Part 4: This Sporting Life

This British feature was based on the

debut novel of the same name by

Yorkshire-born writer David Storey,

a former professional rugby league

player who later won the Booker Prize.

The drama (filmed and set in Wakefield)
focused on the story of Frank Machin,

the first lead role for Irish actor Richard

Harris (1930-2002), which earned him

Oscar and BAFTA nominations and the

Best Actor award at Cannes in 1963.
It was his role here as Dad Johnson

that brought William Hartnell to the

attention of Verity Lambert when

casting him in Doctor Who.

Although critically acclaimed, the film

(directed by Lindsay Anderson) was
a commercial flop following its release by Rank in early 1963, and

signalled the end of British 'new wave' cinema. Audiences wanted 

escapism again.

Shown again on the Talking Pictures TV channel last night, This
Sporting Life also featured Rachel Roberts, Colin Blakely, Arthur
Lowe, and seven other Doctor Who cast connections:

• George Sewell (Jeff) was [George] Ratcliffe in Remembrance of the Daleks
• Murray Evans (Hooker) was the Lorry Driver in (episode 1 of) The Invasion
• John Gill (Cameron) was Mr. Oak in Fury from the Deep
• Aileen Lewis (Woman) was an Extra on The Silurians (6)
• Bryan Mosley (Man) and Norman Mitchell (Tenant) both appeared in The Daleks' Master Plan as Malpha/Prop Man and Policeman respectively
• Frank Windsor (Dentist) was Sir Ranulf Fitzwilliam in The King's Demons, and Inspector Mackenzie in Ghost Light