Nicholas Courtney (R.I.P.)

Seeming most like an age coming to an end, another passes from classic Doctor Who. Nicholas Courtney, who famously played Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart in the long running television show Doctor Who, has died at the age of 81.

Courtney made the role his own with a gruff regular army appeal, which dovetailed into UNIT’s wide-eyed curiosity for extraterrestrial life and alien goings on. The British actor actually appeared in the show two years prior to the debut of Brigadier Stewart, initially assuming the role of Bret Vyon in the 1966-67 story, The Daleks’ Master Plan, alongside the first Doctor, played by William Hartnell.
It was only in 1968 when the Patrick Troughton adventure, The Web of Fear, aired that Courtney found the role that he would make his own for decades to come. From there, Courtney starred on screen with ever Doctor bar Colin Baker; however he would star with Baker and David Tennant in Doctor Who audio stories.

Although Nicholas Courtney may no longer be with us, Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart is immortal. Nearly all the recording in which the character appeared exist and through these, Courtney’s work can be enjoyed forever.
Personally I will always remember Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart for the famous quote from the third Doctor story, The Daemons: “Chap with the wings there. Five rounds rapid.”