Anthony Ainley

Anthony Ainley (20 August 1932-3 May 2004) was an actor best known for his semi-regular role as the Tremas Master in Doctor Who, portraying the character's second major form from 1981 to the programme's end in 1989. He reappeared in this role in the 1998 video game Destiny of the Doctors.

Biography

He was born in London, England on 20 August 1932, son of Henry Ainley, a West-End actor, and brother of Richard Ainley.

In 1942 he made his first appearance (uncredited) in the war propaganda film The Foreman Went to France. His first major break was in the 1965 TV show It's Dark Outside, in which he played Detective Sergeant Hunter. He also appeared in Naked Evil (1966), had an uncredited role in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice (1967) and played Clive Hawksworth in the series Spyder's Web (1972).

Ainley played Rev Emilius in The Pallisers (1974). Its production manager, John Nathan-Turner, would eventually be in charge of Doctor Who. Ainley's Pallisers performance was so memorable that JNT offered him the role of the Master without an audition.

A keen cricketer and a member of the London Theatres Cricket Club, Ainley played the sport frequently from his retirement in the nineties up to his death on 3 May 2004. The cause of his death wasn't released to the general public.

Trivia

In Castrovalva he was credited by the pseudonym Neil Toynay to avoid giving away plot details. This tactic was used on several later occasions - in Time-Flight he is credited as Leon Ny Taiy, and in The King's Demons as James Stoker (an anagram for "Master's Joke").