‘Doctor Who’ Director Derek Martinus Dead at 82

Martinus directed the episodes that introduced Jon Pertwee as the Doctor

Derek Martinus, director of numerous “Doctor Who” episodes, died Thursday following a battle with Alzheimer’s, the BBC reports. He was 82.

Martinus directed 26 episodes of the long-running series, many of them pivotal — including the “Spearhead From Space” serial, the first color episodes of “Doctor Who” which saw Jon Pertwee (pictured above), the third Doctor on the series, come into the picture.

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His daughter, Charlotta Martinus, called the director “an absolute legend … He taught me how to love, live and laugh, he was just such an amazing man.”

Martinus began his career in the theater, and worked on productions such as “Volpone,” “The Homecoming” and “Mad Forest.” Beyond “Doctor Who,” his television credits included “United,” “Z-Cars” and “The Doctors.”

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Martinus is survived by his wife Eivor, two daughters and three grandchildren.

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