The Late Great Johnny Ace
mood: 
sad
I can remember exactly where I was when I heard the news: in a bicycle shop in Oxford, with the radio playing. The newsreader described him as 'the quintessential Doctor Who', and while he may not have been everyone's, he is certainly mine.
I first discovered him on the covers and in the pages of the Target novels, and he was my favourite Doctor years before I got to see him on the small screen. This was probably the start of a lifelong weakness for prematurely grey hair, aquiline noses, and that particular combination of gentleness, humour and ass-kicking ability found also in e.g. Timothy Dalton's James Bond and Scott Bakula's Sam Beckett.
He's given me so much pleasure over the years - and that's without adding in his turns as Petty Officer Pertwee in The Navy Lark, and as Spotty in Superted. Here’s a nice article celebrating his career.
I present to you one of my most treasured possessions, signed on a Doctor Who Day at Longleat in the mid-90s. I was so overwhelmed at being in the presence of my hero that I could barely say my own name. Jon was as charming, and as handsome, as I had always imagined him.
I'm getting 'page not found' from your link.
Isn't there a photo of you with JP at Longleat?
And let's not forget ole Worzel. *grin* He was so perfect for the role. (Though the show did, IIRC, also introduce me to Bonnie Langford, who went on to reprise much the same role in Doctor Who =:)
This doesn't stop me referring to my various heads, mind. Usually my writing head.
I never got to meet him. He and I were at the same convention once, maybe around '83, but on different days, arrggh.
When I think about it, I realize that his death was one reason I left DW fandom in '96 and was gone until 2008 -- that and the TV Movie and various Internet flamewars all coming together at the wrong time. (Modern DW wasn't what brought me back. It was a regenerated appreciation of the Classic series. But I really love the Twelfth Doctor now, thanks to Peter Capaldi. Always out of step, that's me...)
Edited at 2016-05-21 07:02 pm (UTC)
Pertwee seems to go in and out of fashion more than the other Doctors, except maybe Colin Baker. Luckily the current opinion seems to be that he was pretty great.
I have have also met the late Nick Courtney and Anthony Ainley, both of whom were very charming.
Nothing about your anecdote surprises me, from the kindness to small boys to the promotion of dog food :) What a gent.
Pertwee was certainly a man of many voices - or one or two really funny ones, at least.
Worzel. OwerKwerdip.