Sylvester McCoy | |
|---|---|
 McCoy in 2018 | |
| Born | Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith (1943-08-20)20 August 1943 (age 82) |
| Other names |
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| Education | Blairs College |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1964–present |
| Known for | Seventh incarnation of the Doctor inDoctor Who |
| Spouse | Agnes Verkaik |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | sylvestermccoy |
Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith (born 20 August 1943), known professionally asSylvester McCoy, is a Scottish actor. Gaining prominence as aphysical comedian,[1][2] he portrayed theseventh incarnation ofthe Doctor in theBBCscience fiction seriesDoctor Who from 1987 to 1989—the final Doctor of theclassic series—and reprised the role in the televised storiesDimensions in Time (1993),Doctor Who (1996) and "The Power of the Doctor" (2022). He is also known for portraying the wizardRadagast inThe Hobbit film series (2012–2014).
McCoy was born Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith[3] on 20 August 1943 inDunoon, Scotland, to an Irish mother, Molly Sheridan, and an English father, Percy James Kent-Smith.[4] His father, who enlisted into the Navy inWorld War II, was killed in a battle offSierra Leone in April 1943.[4][5] McCoy met his father's family in London at the age of 17.[3] His mother suffered amental breakdown when McCoy was eight years old, and was institutionalised thereafter.[6][5] McCoy was unaware of his full legal name until he was eleven;[6] prior to adopting his stage name, he was known as "Kent" or "James".[6][3][4]
McCoy attended Saint Mun's School.[4][7] He studied to be a priest atBlairs College, aseminary inAberdeen, between the ages of 12 and 16,[3] but gave this up and continued his education atDunoon Grammar School.[5][4] At 18, he moved to London where he worked in the insurance industry.[3][4] He worked in the box office ofThe Roundhouse for a time, where he was discovered byKen Campbell.[8]
McCoy came to prominence as a member of the experimental theatre troupe "The Ken Campbell Roadshow". His best known act was as astuntman character called "Sylveste McCoy" in a play entitledAn Evening with Sylveste McCoy (the name was coined by actorBrian Murphy, who worked beside Kent-Smith at theRoundhouse Theatre and originated in the Wolfe Tones version of "Big Strong Man"[9]), where his stunts included putting a fork and nails up his nose and stuffingferretsdown his trousers, and setting his head on fire.[8] As a joke, the programme notes listed Sylveste McCoy as played by "Sylveste McCoy" and, conscious that he may have needed to distinguish himself from the American actorKent Smith as his career progressed, Kent-Smith maintained the stage name. Canadian criticMilton Shulman believed McCoy's name and fictionalised biography were genuine in his review of the Roadshow.[6]
McCoy played Pepe/Epep, a character who lived in the mirror inVision On.[8] McCoy also portrayed, in one-man shows on the stage, two famous movie comedians:Stan Laurel andBuster Keaton.[6] While playing Laurel, who had adopted his stage name due to the perceived bad luck of his real name containing thirteen letters, McCoy realised his stage name also had thirteen letters and added an "r" to the end of "Sylveste".[6] He also appeared asHenry "Birdie" Bowers in the 1985 television serial aboutScott's lastAntarctic expedition,The Last Place on Earth (1985).[10]
McCoy starred oppositeLaurence Olivier andDonald Pleasence in the horror filmDracula (1979).[10]
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McCoy became theSeventh Doctor after taking over the lead role inDoctor Who in 1987 fromColin Baker.[10] He remained on the series until it ended in 1989, ending withSurvival (his twelfth and final serial as the Doctor).[10] As Baker declined the invitation to film the regeneration scene, McCoy briefly wore a wig and appeared, face-down until the last moment before the regeneration commenced as the Sixth Doctor, with his face concealed by regeneration special effects. He played the Doctor in the 1993 charity specialDimensions in Time,[10] and again in 1996, appearing in the beginning of theDoctor Who television movie starringPaul McGann as theEighth Doctor.[10]
In his first season, McCoy used his background inphysical comedy to portray the character with a degree of clown-like humour, butscript editorAndrew Cartmel soon changed that when fans argued that the character (and plots) were becoming increasingly lightweight.[11] 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.[11] A distinguishing feature of McCoy's performances was his manner of speech, using his natural Scottish accent and rolled hisrs.[11] In 1990, readers ofDoctor Who Magazine voted McCoy's Doctor "Best Doctor", over perennial favouriteTom Baker.[12] Since 1999 he has continued acting in the role of the Seventh Doctor in a series of audio plays forBig Finish Productions.[11][13]
In November 2013 McCoy co-starred in the one-off 50th anniversary comedy homageThe Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.[14]
In January 2021, McCoy returned to the role of the Doctor, alongsideBonnie Langford asMel Bush, in "A Business Proposal for Mel!" This short acted as an announcement trailer for the Blu rayThe Collection release ofseason 24.[15] McCoy returned to the show in the2022 special "The Power of the Doctor" as a Guardian of the Edge—a manifestation of theThirteenth Doctor’s subconscious who takes on the Seventh Doctor's form.[16] To markDoctor Who's 60th anniversary, he reprised his role as the Seventh Doctor inTales of the TARDIS (2023), reuniting with Sophie Aldred as Ace.[17][18] In a 2024 interview, McCoy stated thatRussell T Davies had reintroduced past Doctors inTales of the TARDIS as they "may be coming back" in future stories.[19][20]
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McCoy appeared on the first night of broadcast ofChannel 5, playingMichael Sams in the drama filmBeyond Fear (1997).[10]
McCoy missed out on a role inPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl[21] and was the second choice to play the role ofBilbo Baggins inPeter Jackson'sThe Lord of the Rings film trilogy.[8][10]
McCoy appeared as the lawyer Dowling in a BBC Production ofHenry Fielding's novel,The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling.[10]
In 2001 he appeared in Paul Sellar's asylum comedy "The Dead Move Fast" at the Gilded Balloon as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, playing the role of Doctor Mallinson. In 2012 he played the part of the suicidal Mr. Peters in JC Marshall's play,Plume, at theTron Theatre in Glasgow.[22]
McCoy has appeared with theRoyal Shakespeare Company inThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and inKing Lear in 2007, playing theFool toIan McKellen's Lear,[23] a performance which made use of McCoy's ability to play thespoons. The RSC production with McKellen and McCoy was staged inMelbourne, during late July/early August 2007 andWellington andAuckland, New Zealand, during mid to late August 2007. It came into residence at theNew London Theatre in late 2007, ending its run in January 2008. He reprised the role for the2008 television movie of the production.[24]
In May 2008 he performed with theCarl Rosa Opera Company in a production ofGilbert and Sullivan'sThe Mikado, playing the title role. He only performed with the company briefly, for the week of the show's run performing at theSheffield Lyceum. Despite being set in Japan, he was able to demonstrate his ability to play the spoons by using his fan. In 2009 McCoy played the character of Mr. Mushnik in the Chocolate Factory's production ofLittle Shop of Horrors.[25]
He has also made guest appearances in the television seriesThe Bill, theRab C. Nesbitt episode "Father" as Rab's mentally ill brother Gash Sr.[26] and theStill Game episode "Oot" (AKA "Out"), where he played ahermit-type character adjusting to life in modernGlasgow, having remained in his house for over 30 years. In October 2008, he had a minor guest role as an injured ventriloquist onCasualty. In the same month McCoy guest starred in an episode of the BBC soap operaDoctors, playing an actor who once played the time-travelling hero of a children's television series called "The Amazing Lollipop Man". The role was written as a tribute to McCoy.[27][28]
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In January and February 2016, McCoy appeared in the three-part BBC seriesThe Real Marigold Hotel, which followed a group of celebrity senior citizens includingMiriam Margolyes andWayne Sleep on a journey to India.[29]
In 2017 he returned to the stage at theEdinburgh Fringe, in the productionA Joke alongsideStar Trek: Voyager actorRobert Picardo.[30]
McCoy began filming forThe Hobbit, a three-part adaptation ofthe book, in 2011. He portrays the wizardRadagast,[31] alongside fellowKing Lear actorIan McKellen,[23] who reprises his role asGandalf.[31]
Although the character of Radagast is only alluded to inThe Hobbit, and only a minor character inThe Lord of the Rings, the part was expanded for the Hobbit films.[31]
McCoy and his wife, Agnes Verkaik,[32] have two sons. They were filmed for theDoctor Who serialThe Curse of Fenric playing Haemovores, but their scenes were deleted from the finished release.[33] According to McCoy, his sons live inHolland andThailand.[34]
He was brought up a Catholic by his maternal grandmother and aunts[5] but is now anatheist.[35]
During theCOVID-19 pandemic, McCoy spent some oflockdown living in France.[34]
McCoy's mastery of physical comedy led to his working relationship with producer Clive Doig, who employed him on shows ranging fromVision On toJigsaw
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