Dr Whittaker

In the novel At Bertram's Hotel, Dr Whittaker of the S.O.A.S. (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London) is a friend of Canon Pennyfather. Whittaker greeted Pennyfather cheerfully when they met at the Athenaeum Club and asked how his Congress at Lucerne went. This somewhat confused the forgetful canon. Whittaker thought the congress had already begun whereas Pennyfather thought it would begin the next day, the 19th. But Whittaker replied that it was already the 19th, which confused the canon even more. Later the canon realised he had got the date wrong and that he had missed his plane. What he thought was the 18th was actually the 19th already.

Portrayals
In the BBC 1987 adaptation of the novel, Whittaker is portrayed by Edward Burnham. The portrayal is fairly faithful to the original novel.