Policeman (An Unearthly Child)

A policeman was patrolling the Shoreditch area through Totter's Lane on a foggy night on 22 November 1963. (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy) As he passed a junkyard, he shone his torch on its wooden gate, which read "I.M. Foreman — Scrap Merchant — Totters Lane". He paused for a moment, then moved on to continue his patrol.

The policeman did not notice nor bother about the humming sound coming from the Doctor's TARDIS that was hidden inside the junkyard. (TV: An Unearthly Child)

The policeman had stopped by before and had noticed the police box, and found it curious that such a thing should be in a junkyard — reasoning to himself that the box was there because it had worn out and had been sold for scrap. He had heard a rumour that police boxes were eventually going to be phased out altogether in favour of every constable having a personal walkie-talkie radio but personally didn't believe such a thing would ever happen. The policeman returned to the junkyard the next night to find the police box gone and ended up thinking he must have imagined it. (PROSE: Doctor Who and an Unearthly Child)

Behind the scenes

 * The policeman has the honour of being the first character to appear on-screen in Doctor Who.
 * He was portrayed by Joseph Paxton for the 50 Years trailer.
 * Reg Cranfield played the policeman seen during the opening credits of "The Pilot Episode" and "An Unearthly Child" according to the BBC Production Paperwork, but the role in the Pilot Episode was actually played by Fred Rawlings which was the only casting change between it and the broadcasted episode.  (DWMS Summer 1994) Either these sources are mistaken or Rawlings played the part in one of the unused versions and the BBC Production Paperwork is mistaken.
 * Big Finish later suggested with the character Bernard Whittam that the policeman was a construction of the TARDIS' chameleon circuit. (AUDIO: The Last Day at Work)