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Doctor Who special reignites memories of film based in NI

William Hartnell played the first Doctor Who in the 1960s
William Hartnell played the first Doctor Who in the 1960s William Hartnell played the first Doctor Who in the 1960s

A STAR of a famous movie set in Belfast was back on our screens in a Christmas Day sci-fi spectacular.

More than 40 years after his death, actor William Hartnell was watched by millions of people around the world in a special seasonal episode of Doctor Who.

Hartnell, who starred in the 1947 film noir Odd Man Out set in Belfast, appeared in the episode marking the arrival of actress Jodie Whittaker as the thirteenth doctor and the first female version of the character.

The Christmas special, entitled Twice Upon a Time, saw the return of previous actors who have played the Time Lord when it began in the 1960s.

Archive footage of English actor Hartnell, who starred as the first incarnation of the doctor in Doctor Who from 1963 to 1966, was shown in the episode - a nod to past adventures of the main Doctor Who character.

Actor David Bradley, who portrayed Hartnell in special episodes including the 40th anniversary biopic of the popular sci-fi show following his death, also appeared in the Christmas extravaganza.

But Hartnell's return to television screens has reignited memories of one of the famous movies he starred in, Odd Man Out.

Set in Northern Ireland, the British film noir was based on the novel by F. L. Green and starred James Mason as an IRA man with some of the most famous scenes of the film based on the historic Crown Crown Bar in Belfast city centre.

Hartnell played the bar's proprietor Fencie and the film was "told against a background of political unrest in a city of Northern Ireland".

The movie and Hartnell's appearance in it are still celebrated in the historic Belfast bar with images related to the movie adorning the walls of the pub.

One image shows the main characters of the movie, while another three framed pictures show shots from the film.

Hartnell's appearance in the movie, which was the first recipient of the BAFTA Award for Best British Film, came just a decade before he shot to fame as the first Doctor Who.

It was after he left the show that a producer came up with a unique idea that since the doctor is an alien, he can transform himself physically, thereby renewing himself - and from the on, a new Doctor Who has been born time and time again.