Hal Linden

Linden is currently the national spokesperson for the Jewish National Fund.
. Linden chose his stage name after spotting a gas storage tank with the word "Linden" (as in Linden, New Jersey) written on it in huge letters - "large enough for a big star". He was 67 years old. He began his career as a saxophone player and leader of dance bands. According to the paramedics who were called, Troughton died before he even fell back on his bed. More recently he has appeared in movies. Troughton suffered his final, fatal, heart attack at 7:25 AM, the next day, March 28, 1987, just after he had ordered his breakfast from the hotel staff.

Hal Linden (born "Harold Lipshitz" March 20, 1931) is an American actor and television director, best known for his portrayal of the title character in the television series "Barney Miller" (1975-1982). Some attendees said later that Troughton looked clearly unwell to them, although he appeared to be in good spirits throughout the day's panels and was apparently looking forward to a belated birthday celebration that was planned for the Saturday night and a screening of the Doctor Who story The Dominators, which Troughton had requested personally, on the Saturday afternoon. On March 27, 1987, Troughton was a guest at the Magnum Opus Con II science fiction convention in Columbus, Georgia. Troughton also continued to smoke heavilly and declined to commit himself to any real physical exercise despite his worsening health and his early death was predicted as an inevitable consequence by his doctors. Following each of these attacks, his doctor's warnings were again ignored as Troughton committed himself to a heavy TV and film schedule.

He suffered two major heart attacks in 1978 and 1984 which knocked him out of acting for several months both times. Troughton's health was never that robust and late in his life he flatly refused to accept his doctor's advice that he had developed a serious heart condition through overwork and stress. Troughton's sons, David and Michael are both well-known actors on stage and screen. Apprehensive at first, Troughton was later so delighted at the prospect of appearing in support of the show that he readily agreed to appear one more time as the Doctor with Colin Baker's Sixth Doctor in The Two Doctors (1985).

Troughton agreed, and also went along with Nathan-Turner to appear on behalf of the series at conventions the world over. In 1983, Troughton was asked by then-series producer John Nathan-Turner to appear in the 20th anniversary story The Five Doctors. He was also seen in the movie Jason & the Argonauts, in The Box of Delights, and as Father Brennen in the movie The Omen (1976). He is probably best known as the second actor to play the lead role of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who, which he did from 1966 until 1969.

Patrick George Troughton (March 25, 1920–March 28, 1987) was a versatile and prolific British actor.