Sylvester McCoy (born Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith; 20 August 1943) is a Scottish actor. As a comic act and busker he appeared regularly on stage and on BBC Children's television in the 1970s and 80s, but is best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who from 1987 to 1989 – the final Doctor of the original programme – and a brief return in a television film in 1996. Born as Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith in Dunoon, Scotland on the Cowal peninsula, to an Irish mother and English father. His father had been killed in action in World War II a month before he was born. He was raised primarily in Dublin. In his youth, he trained for the priesthood, but gave this up and spent time working in the insurance industry. He worked in The Roundhouse box office for a time, where he was discovered by Ken Campbell. He currently resides in London. He came to prominence as a member of the comedy act "The Ken Campbell Roadshow".