Michael Wisher

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Michael Wisher
Wisher as Rex Farrel in the Doctor Who serial Terror of the Autons (1971)
Born
Anthony Michael Wisher

(1935-05-19)19 May 1935
London, England
Died21 July 1995(1995-07-21) (aged 60)
OccupationActor
Years active1963–1995
Known forFirst actor to play Davros in Doctor Who
Children1

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

  1. ^ "The Davros Tapes (DWM 117)". Retrieved 23 May 2023.

External links