Olaf Pooley Dies At 101: Played Villainous Scientist Professor Stahlman In ‘Doctor Who’


Veteran British actor Olaf Pooley died from congestive heart failure. He was 101.

Best known for playing Professor Stahlman in the 1970s cult classic, Doctor Who, Olaf Pooley died in Los Angeles. Pooley also starred in another cult series, Star Trek: Voyager, in which he played the Cleric in the 2000 episode “Blink of an Eye.”

Incidentally, Pooley, who turned 100 in March, 2014, became the oldest surviving Doctor Who actor, a title that once rested with Zohra Sehgal before she died on July 10, 2014. Interestingly, Olaf Pooley was also the oldest surviving Star Trek actor. Ellen Albertini Dow, who also starred in Star Trek, was the oldest surviving actress, but after her death on May 4, 2015, Pooley inherited the title till July 14, when Pooley died from heart failure.

Pooley moved to the United States in 1980s and started his career by appearing on TV shows such as Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Hill Street Blues, and L.A. Law. Incidentally, he even appeared on the hit show MacGyver for a short time. However, the actor met more than his quota of work by contributing to other departments. Olaf Pooley regularly worked as a visual artist, and even became an artist-in-residence at Santa Monica Art Studios. He also worked as a guest director at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He has even directed Sir Anthony Hopkins in “The Waltz of the Toreadors,” reported the Examiner.

Ironically, when he was interviewed by CBS News when he turned 100, his advice to aspiring people was as follows.

“Make up your mind what you really feel you want to do with your life … and do it!”

Olaf Pooley has undoubtedly had one of the longest careers in the motion picture industry. He started his work in 1948’s “Penny and the Pownall Case.” Apart from gaining critical acclaim for his memorable roles in Doctor Who and Star Trek, Pooley also worked in popular movies like Highly Dangerous, The Iron Petticoat, and The Password Is Courage, reported the Daily Mail.

Apart from his acting career that lasted seven decades, Olaf Pooley also nurtured an artist within him. Despite his advanced age, Pooley studied art in Paris and England, before returning to America and unleashing his creativity.

Having worked in diverse fields like radio, television, theater, films, and art, Olaf Pooley was undoubtedly a multi-talented personality. He is not just survived by his son and daughter and four grandchildren, but the works of art he created before his death.

[Image Credit: YouTube Screen Grab]

Share this article: Olaf Pooley Dies At 101: Played Villainous Scientist Professor Stahlman In ‘Doctor Who’
More from Inquisitr