Peter Davison

Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett[1] (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor with many credits in television dramas and sitcoms. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan Farnon in the BBC’s television adaptation of James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small stories.

Davison’s subsequent starring roles included the sitcoms Holding the Fort (1980–1982) and Sink or Swim (1980–1982), the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who (1981–1984), Dr. Stephen Daker in A Very Peculiar Practice (1986–1988) and Albert Campion in Campion (1989–1990). He also played David Braithwaite in At Home with the Braithwaites (2000–2003), “Dangerous” Davies in The Last Detective (2003–2007) and Henry Sharpe in Law & Order: UK (2011–2014).

Davison was born to Claude and Sheila Moffett[2] in Streatham,[3] London. Claude was originally from British Guiana (now Guyana), and worked as a radio engineer before opening a grocer’s shop, whilst Sheila worked in intelligence during World War II before becoming a housewife.[4] Davison had three sisters: Shirley, Pamela and Barbara.[5] Whilst in Streatham, he attended Granton Primary School. The family then moved to Knaphill in Surrey.[6] During this time, Davison was a member of an amateur theatre company called the Byfleet Players.[7]

Before becoming an actor, he gained one O-level in English Language[8] at Winston Churchill School, St John’s, Woking, Surrey, and then had several odd jobs, including a stint as a mortuary attendant and a Hoffman Press operator.[6] Early aspirations at a teacher-training college or his father’s plan for a job at a building society vanished.[8]

Davison studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama.[3] His first job was as an actor and assistant stage manager at the Nottingham Playhouse.[6] He chose the stage name Peter Davison to avoid confusion with the actor and director Peter Moffatt, with whom Davison later worked. He only uses Davison professionally.

In 1973, aged 21, Davison married Diane Russell. They divorced two years later.[9]