Anneke Wills

Anneke Wills

Birth : 1941-10-20, Berkshire, England, UK

History

Anneke Wills is a British actress famous for playing Polly, the swinging sixties companion to the first and second Doctor in Doctor Who from 1966 to 1967. Other roles include Evelyn in the ITC drama The Strange Report (1969-1970) and guest appearances in The Avengers and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). Film roles include Anne in Some People (1962) and Angela in The Pleasure Girls (1965). From 1962 to 1979 she was married to Michael Gough but has subsequently twice remarried. The father of her first child was Anthony Newley, who left her for Joan Collins. In 1970 Wills effectively gave up acting to be a full time mum. Following her divorce from Gough, she left the UK in 1980 and lived in various places in the 16 years afterwards, including in Laos, Vietnam and India in the early 1980s, in the USA from 1983–1986, and in Canada from 1986–1996. She returned to live in the UK in 1996 and is a popular figure on the Doctor Who convention circuit. She has returned sporadically to acting for Doctor Who themed productions and has published three volumes of her memoirs: Self Portrait (2007), Naked (2009), and In Focus (2012).

Profile

Anneke Wills

Movies

Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time
Polly (archive footage)
As the Twelfth Doctor nears regeneration, he stumbles on his first incarnation, also refusing to change. It takes a captain, a glass avatar and a familiar face to convince the Doctors the universe still needs them.
The Doctors: The Pat Troughton Years
This is the definitive set of interviews with the team of actors who brought the Patrick Troughton era of Doctor Who to life! Together with a special tribute to Patrick Troughton (the Second Doctor), containing messages from a host of stars and production staff from Doctor Who, this set also features the best in-depth interviews ever undertaken with, Anneke Wills (Polly), MichaelL Craze (Ben), Frazer Hines (Jamie), Deborah Watling (Victoria) and Wendy Padbury (Zoe)!
Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks
Polly (Voice)
Following the Doctor's regeneration into a new, younger body, the TARDIS lands at an Earth colony on the planet Vulcan in the far future. Mistaken for an official Earth Examiner, the Doctor discovers that a scientist called Lesterson is attempting to reactivate two inanimate, subservient Daleks found in a crashed space rocket. The colonists refuse to heed the Doctor's dire warnings that the Daleks are dangerous.
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
Herself
With the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who about to film, the "classic" Doctors Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy are keen to be involved. But do they manage it?
The Story of Doctor Who
Documentary to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of this popular cult sci-fi television series.
Myth Makers 53: Patrick Troughton
Herself
Patrick Troughton was born and raised in North London. During a long and successful career he appeared in countless television dramas, including Doctor Finlay's Casebook, and The Old Curiosity Shop, plus feature films including Laurence Olivier’s acclaimed Hamlet. But it is probably his role as the second Doctor Who that he will be most remembered for. Eccentric, childish, comic, whimsical... the list of facets within his portrayal is long and complex and this reflected much of Patrick’s own personality. In this tribute Myth Makers we concentrate on what exactly made PATRICK’s second Doctor so successful. And for the first time we include an exclusive interview with Patrick shot at his only UK convention appearance at PanoptiCon VI! The only such interview shot in the UK.
Carnival of Monsters
A look at the various monsters that have appeared in Doctor Who.
Myth Makers 43: William Hartnell
As the very first Doctor, William Hartnell created the character that made Doctor Who a success. No other actor made such a lasting contribution to the programme or influenced it so greatly. In this special Myth Makers, Nicholas Briggs meets William’s friends, colleagues and family and explores the personality of this shy, complex and private man. With contributions from William Russell, Carole Ann Ford, Maureen O’Brien, Peter Purves, Verity Lambert, Michael Craze, Anneke Wills, Donald Tosh, Christopher Barry and a revealing interview with Jack Pitt, who was an extra in Doctor Who and shared William’s flat in London. Also featured is Jessica Carney, who has written a biography of the grandfather’s life titled Who’s There? This is not just a Myth Makers tribute… it’s almost a chance to meet the man himself.
Lust in Space
Doctor Who travelled with the most gorgeous girls in the Cosmos. But was there any Lust in Space? Doctor Who is on trial - and the charge is sexism! The scene is set, the witnesses called. We expose Doctor Who’s final taboo! It’s everything you wanted to know about sex (in Doctor Who) but were afraid to ask!
Bidding Adieu: A Video Diary
Herself
In January 1996 filming began on a new episode of Doctor Who set in San Francisco, but shot in Vancouver, Canada. Sylvester McCoy flew out to join the production team to re-create his role as the Seventh Doctor and to hand over to Paul McGann. In this behind-the-scenes video diary, Sylvester gives us a personal account of his final days as the famous Timelord. Reminiscing about the "old days" and drawing comparisons with the experience of working on this latest adventure, he talks to Paul McGann, Daphne Ashbrook (Dr Grace Holloway) from the new production and Anneke Wills (Polly) from the show's past. All shot on Hi-8 camcorder.
The Go-Between
(uncredited role)
British teenager Leo Colston spends a summer in the countryside, where he develops a crush on the beautiful young aristocrat Marian. Eager to impress her, Leo becomes the "go-between" for Marian, delivering secret romantic letters to Ted Burgess, a handsome neighboring farmer.
Doctor Who: The Faceless Ones
Polly
The TARDIS arrives on Earth in July, 1966, on a runway at Gatwick Airport. Polly witnesses a murder in a nearby hangar and is then kidnapped by the perpetrator, Spencer of Chameleon Tours. Ben also vanishes. The Second Doctor and Jamie are left to convince the sceptical airport Commandant there has been foul play.
Doctor Who: The Macra Terror
Polly
When the Second Doctor, Polly, Ben and Jamie visit a human colony that appears to be one big holiday camp, they think they have come across a truly happy place. Yet a shadowy presence soon makes them realise that the surface contentment is carefully controlled.
Doctor Who: The Moonbase
Polly
The TARDIS arrives in 2070 on the Moon, where a weather control station under the command of a man named Hobson is in the grip of a plague epidemic — in reality the result of an alien poison planted by the Cybermen. Jamie is knocked unconscious and lapses into a delirium, leaving the Second Doctor, Ben, and Polly to fight off a massive Cyberman attack.
Doctor Who: The Underwater Menace
Polly
The TARDIS arrives on an extinct volcanic island. Before long, the travellers are captured and taken into the depths of the Earth, where they find a hidden civilisation — the lost city of Atlantis.
Doctor Who: The Highlanders
Polly
The time travellers arrive in Scotland just after the Battle of Culloden. The Second Doctor gains the trust of a small band of fleeing Jacobites by offering to tend to their wounded Laird, Colin McLaren. While Polly and the Laird's daughter, Kirsty, are away fetching water, he and the others are all captured by Redcoat troops commanded by Lieutenant Algernon Ffinch.
Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks
Polly
Following the Doctor's regeneration into a new, younger body, the TARDIS lands at an Earth colony on the planet Vulcan in the far future. Mistaken for an official Earth Examiner, the Doctor discovers that a scientist called Lesterson is attempting to reactivate two inanimate, subservient Daleks found in a crashed space rocket. The colonists refuse to heed the Doctor's dire warnings that the Daleks are dangerous.
Doctor Who: The Tenth Planet
Polly
The Doctor's TARDIS lands at the Snowcap space tracking station in Antarctica in December 1986. A routine space mission starts going wrong. When the base personnel's suspicions are roused, the Doctor informs them that the space capsule is being affected by the gravitational pull of another planet — a tenth planet in the Solar system.
Doctor Who: The Smugglers
Polly
The TARDIS arrives on the coast of seventeenth century Cornwall — much to the astonishment of Polly and Ben. Pirates led by Captain Samuel Pike and his henchman Cherub are searching for a hidden treasure, while a smuggling ring masterminded by the local squire is trying to off-load contraband.
Doctor Who: The War Machines
Polly
The TARDIS arrives in London in 1966 and the First Doctor and Dodo visit the Post Office Tower. There they meet Professor Brett, whose revolutionary new computer WOTAN (Will Operating Thought ANalogue) can actually think for itself and is shortly to be linked up to other major computers around the world — a project overseen by civil servant Sir Charles Summer.
The Pleasure Girls
Angela
When Sally moves to London to pursue a modelling career, she moves in with Angela and Dee and discovers the world of the carefree bachelor girl in Swinging London. Over one weekend - filled with parties, blossoming friendships, and romantic encounters with Keith and Nikko (Klaus Kinski) - the vivacious girls learn about life's pleasures and pains.
Nothing But the Best
Young Wife
Success has James Brewster's name written all over it, and he also has his heart set on his boss's daughter. A con artist hires him to help out on a bank scheme, but then again, James will do anything to get rich and be the most successful businessman in Britain-even if it means murder!!!
Some People
Anne
Four teen-aged Teds are persuaded to form a rock group and undertake the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme to keep them out of trouble.
Child's Play
Alice Nightingale
A science-fiction film about children who manage to split the atom and thereby create a new form of popcorn.