Prentis Hancock, the Scottish actor who became a fan favorite for turns in genre shows like Doctor Who and Space:1999, has passed away.
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His family shared on his official Facebook page that he died on May 30th. The cause of death was not disclosed. He was 83.
“The Hancock family wish to announce the passing of Prentis, who died peacefully in hospital surrounded by his sister, niece, and daughter on Friday, 30th May,” his family wrote. “The family requests privacy at this time.”
Hancock is most renowned among sci-fi enthusiasts worldwide for his numerous appearances in the iconic British series Doctor Who, where he starred from 1970 to 1978, per IMDb.
Tonight’s Doctor Who is watched in loving memory of Prentis Hancock. Although Planet of Evil is far from a favourite of mine, Prentis’s performance as Salamar is superb! I love the intense paranoia with which he imbued the character (as with Vaber on another Planet 🪐) RIP 💐 pic.twitter.com/kHlS7rBlus
— Mestor The Magnificent (@TheMestor) June 6, 2025
Some of the series’ most memorable episodes feature Hancock, such as “Planet of the Daleks” and “Spearhead from Space” with Jon Pertwee’s Doctor, as well as “The Ribos Operation” and “Planet of Evil” with Tom Baker’s Doctor.
Prentis Hancock Makes an Impression on TV Fans with Another Genre Cult Classic
Genre fans also love Hancock for his role as Deputy Commander Paul Morrow in the cult classic series Space: 1999. In the show, Hancock played the second-in-command at Moonbase Alpha, alongside Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. Although he appeared only in the first season, his character remained a fan favorite and one of the most recognizable in the series.
Hancock appeared in many other British TV series, including Z-Cars, The Professionals, The New Avengers, Secret Army, Return of the Saint, and The Bill. He also played a role in the 1976 film adaptation of John Buchan’s The Thirty-Nine Steps.
Hancock’s last major role was in the Starz fantasy romance series Outlander.