Anthony Ainley

Anthony Ainley (born Anthony Holmes; 20 August 1932 – 3 May 2004) was a British actor. He is best known for portraying the Master in the BBC television series Doctor Who from 1981 to 1989.

Early life and education Anthony Ainley was born Anthony Holmes in London on 20 August 1932, the illegitimate son of actor Henry Ainley and Clarice Holmes. His older brother Timothy was born in 1931 during his parents' affair. His older half-brother was actor Richard Ainley. Clarice struggled as a single mother and placed her two sons in the Actors’ Orphanage around 1938. During World War II, Anthony and Timothy were evacuated to the United States, where they resided with the Edwin Gould Foundation in New York. In 1945, they returned to new orphanage premises in London. Dietz in the 1974 film version of The Land That Time Forgot, Ainley first portrayed Nyssa's father Tremas in the 1981 serial The Keeper of Traken, which led to him becoming a new embodiment of The Master. From then on, he appeared in most seasons up until the cancellation of the original series in 1989, including its final serial, Survival.

Ainley's incarnation of The Master spanned four different incarnations of the Doctor. His appearances included the following serials: The Keeper of Traken (1981), Logopolis (1981), Castrovalva (1982), Time-Flight (1982), The King's Demons (1983), The Five Doctors (1983), Planet of Fire (1984), The Mark of the Rani (1985), The Ultimate Foe (1986) and Survival (1989).

He later reprised the role for the 1997 BBC computer game Destiny of the Doctors. Later he turned his attentions to cricket, citing Sophie Aldred (who played Ace) as his friend once he learned that she played the game. He appeared on many occasions for the Stage and London Theatres C.C. mainly as an opening batsman.

Ainley lived in Kingsbury.

Filmography

Film

Television