According to Pertwee's biography, "Moon Boot and Dinner Suits", as a young boy he played with the son of the gamekeeper on the family estate. The gamekeeper was A.A. Milne, and his son was Christopher, the inspiration for Milne's later tales of Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh.
Appeared once on BBC television's team quiz show "Quiz Ball" (1966) as a last-minute substitute for comedian James Logan, and found himself playing for Scotland. They won.
Died in his sleep of a heart attack while he and his wife were on holiday in the USA, staying with actor Richard Neilson and his wife at their house in Timber Lake, Connecticut.
During WW2 he served in the RNVR as an officer. He was appointed to HMS Hood from which he was extremely fortunate to be returned to shore shortly before that vessel was sunk by the Bismarck.
Following the instructions in his will, he was cremated with an effigy of the bumbling scarecrow Worzel Gummidge ("Worzel Gummidge" (1979), his favorite role), attached to his casket. As the casket slid between the curtains, the effigy fell off and landed on the floor, leading one mourner to call out, "That's Jon for you. Always playing it for laughs". The mourners all broke into laughter.
Had a reputation as a great raconteur, comedian and impressionist, making him a popular guest on talk shows, game shows and at "Doctor Who" (1963) conventions.
He changed his name from "John" to "Jon" as a young actor.
He considered Aladdin (1992) to be the greatest animated film of all time, as well as one of the greatest films of all time.
He contacted the BBC about the vacant role of the main character in "Doctor Who" (1963) in 1969 on the recommendation of his "Navy Lark" colleague Tenniel Evans.
He is the second longest-lived actor to have played the Doctor in "Doctor Who" (1963). He was surpassed in this regard by his immediate successor Tom Baker on December 5, 2010, who became the first Doctor to reach the age of 77 on January 20, 2011.
He was a close friend of Patrick Troughton and Tom Baker, his predecessor and successor as the Doctor respectively. He also counted his "Doctor Who" (1963) co-stars Nicholas Courtney, Roger Delgado and Katy Manning among his closest friends.
He was a talented water-skier and had a passion for fast cars and motorbikes. He carried on riding his last bike, a Honda VT500E, until he was 74, two years before his death.
He was a very good friend of Spike Milligan, but later on in his life the two would have arguments over who was the bigger Aladdin (1992) fan. He also considered Milligan's Goon colleague, Peter Sellers, a friend.
He was the father of actress Dariel Pertwee and actor Sean Pertwee.
He was the first cousin of Bill Pertwee.
He was the oldest living Doctor from the death of William Hartnell on April 23, 1975 and the earliest living Doctor from the death of Patrick Troughton on March 28, 1987 until his own death on May 20, 1996. With his death, Tom Baker came both the oldest and earliest living Doctor.
He was the son of Roland Pertwee.
He was the younger brother of Michael Pertwee.
He was told several times when he was young that he would never become a successful actor, due to such problems as a partial lisp and a close resemblance to the American actor Danny Kaye - whom he would actually double in the London location work for Knock on Wood (1954).
He worked hard to bring the character of Worzel Gummidge ("Worzel Gummidge" (1979)) to the television screen and counted it as his favourite role. He had been offered the part in the mid-70s for a film version which was never made, and persuaded the writers Willis Hall and Keith Waterhouse to pen a TV pilot instead.