Remembering Frederick Jaeger, born OTD 1928 - a fine character who graced the show on multiple occasions. Sadly his 'impersonation' of Hartnell's Doctor in The Savages is now lost to us - fingers crossed a stray 16mm print is still kicking around somewhere... 🤞

Remembering Frederick Jaeger, born OTD 1928 - a fine character who graced the show on multiple occasions. Sadly his 'impersonation' of Hartnell's Doctor in The Savages is now lost to us - fingers crossed a stray 16mm print is still kicking around somewhere... 🤞

In remembrance of Frank Cox, born OTD 1940, who at the outset of his career as a director gifted us with this wonderful sequence in ‘The Edge of Destruction’ - with the camera slowly closing in on Hartnell as he delivered his soliloquy. A highlight of the 1990 BSB Dr Who Weekend for this viewer.

My dad, Paul and I convened again! Episode 4 out now in which I recall a trip to Cardiff when the new series was young, and we argue over which is the best Cyberman. Audible: bit.ly/4uDeiJ8 iTunes: bit.ly/4ut271k Spotify: bit.ly/4wZYthh

OTD 1967. The first broadcast of an episode which, in later years, thankfully survived as a superb example of how the memory didn't always 'cheat’. For this viewer, the most cherished of the standalone episode recoveries. 25 minutes of perfection.

“Twenty times round the deck is a mile, Claire. So, if we put our best feet forward…” On to one of my all time favourite stories. I never tire of ‘The Carnival of Monsters’ - the multi-layered storyline, the Holmesian wit, the pitch perfect performances… oh, and a guest appearance from Ian Marter! 🙂

Remembering the superlative artist Frank Bellamy, born OTD 1917. So much to choose from to celebrate his astonishing legacy, but this little masterpiece will do for starters… 🙂

The many faces of Michael Wisher, born OTD 1935. An actor whose distinctive presence and voice graced several of our most beloved stories, as well as setting the benchmark for one the most enduringly influential and iconic characters of the classic series.

Celebrating a wonderful actor who made a perilous descent down a gloomy impeller shaft, then followed his ‘moral duty’, before steadfastly searching for Parrinium and proclaiming the power of a certain gargantuan cephalopod... Remembering the ever reliable John Abineri, born OTD 1928.

Well, that’s ‘The Three Doctors’ completed and, despite multiple viewings over the years, I still think of it as something quite wonderful. I love its humour, the fecundity of ideas, the pantomime-esque quality of Omega’s palace, & of course ‘Chekhov’s Flute’ in the final act 🙂 Oh, & what a cover!👇

Celebrating the wonderful David Simeon, 83 today. His role as 'Passing Parade' correspondent Alastair Fergus in The Daemons never fails to make me smile - whether grappling with a cantankerous Professor Horner or accommodating the proclamations of a resolute Miss Hawthorne. Brilliant comic timing. 🙂

On to Episode 4 of ‘The Three Doctors‘ & I just adore this little moment of horror (wonderfully framed by Lennie Mayne) as Omega lifts his mask & is confronted by the (un)reality of his non-corporeal status. It’s almost as if Dave Baker & Bob Martin were suddenly channelling Philip K. Dick… 🙂

On to Ep 2 of ‘The Three Doctors’ & what has stood out for this viewer is just how good John Levene is here. Good ol’ Sergeant Benton has been such a fixture throughout this era that I think I‘ve simply taken his presence, & by extension Levene’s performance, for granted. He‘s just excellent.

Celebrating Milton Johns, who is 88 today. From the darkly devious Benik to the delightfully obsequious Castellan Kelner, he is always a pleasure to watch. A splendid performer whose characters are now deservedly the stuff of legend 🙂

Currently revisiting ‘The Three Doctors’, and I’d quite forgotten we have this tantalising shot of Hartnell‘s Doctor shown walking within his very own ‘garden of time’. It’s a lovely image, a pre-echo of ‘The Five Doctors’ of course, but also Lucarotti's prelude to his novelisation of The Massacre.

Another excellent edition of what has rapidly become a Top Tier podcast for this listener. Very well produced & cleverly weaving together nostalgic reflections, fascinating nuggets of information, and anecdotes that range from the heartwarming to the hilarious (the Paul Darrow one here was a gem!)

There are several one-off guest appearances that are always a joy to watch. So here's remembering Maurice Browning, born OTD 1919. Pitch perfect as Karlton in The Daleks' Masterplan - and of course extremely well served by Douglas Camfield's wonderful penchant for tightly framed close-ups.

Celebrating Virginia Wetherell, who is 83 today. Multiple roles on television and film from the 60s onwards, but for many she will always be remembered for her early role as Dyoni, one of the Thal survivors in the very first Dalek story.

Celebrating Douglas Camfield, born OTD 1931. Such an impressive legacy. When that director credit appears on the screen, it's akin to a guaranteed hallmark of quality.

The very first Doctor & two companions, from 1966’s Doctor Who Annual, by Walter Howarth. I can’t help but find this rather wonderful…

The grand rewatch has brought me to the celebratory story ‘The Three Doctors’. So as I embark on the first episode tonight, I’ll be raising a glass to Laurie Webb, who was born on this day in 1924 & passed away at the grand old age of 101 on the 29th March this year. Here’s to you dear Mr Ollis…🥂

Timeless, unparalleled and singularly magical. Remembering Delia Derbyshire, born on this day 1937.

Well that’s The Time Monster completed this weekend & I’ve vastly enjoyed revisiting this story. Daisiest Daisies, Baby Benton, Prowse in Minotaur mode, Atlantean Theatrics of the highest order, Delgado charming Ingrid Pitt, Marmalade Sandwiches, ”The oldest trick in the book” & more. Great fun.

On this day in 1973, Target Books reprinted the three 1960's Dr Who novelisations - The Daleks, The Crusaders and The Zarbi - with striking new covers by Chris Achilléos.

Celebrating Ilona Rodgers, who is 84 today. Multiple TV credits, including cult favourites ‘The Avengers’ & ‘Adam Adamant Lives!’. But for this viewer she continues to be best known for her role as the beleaguered Carol Richmond, who we first saw in the thrall of ’The Sensorites’ back in 1964.

Midday through ‘The Time Monster’ & I’m unreservedly engaged by its comic-strip playfulness. Blending the prosaic with the downright outlandish was always a great strength of the show - including demonstrating a handcrafted ’time flow analogue’ whilst our beloved motley crew pause for tea… 🙂

Remembering Donald Cotton, born OTD 1928. Celebrated writer of The Myth Makers & The Gunfighters, later reimagined (alongside ‘The Romans’) as some of the most original Target book adaptations of the 80s. Sadly, his pitch for a Target novel of the first Adam Adamant Lives! story never materialised.

HELLO! We’ve only gone and done an episode two. I don’t know if this nostalgic rambling is of any interest to anyone other than me and me pa but here it is! 🎬

On to ’The Time Monster’, and the spectacular way it opens with a brilliantly realised dream sequence, all on film, is still a joy to watch. Nicely framed low & high angled shots, with a towering Master & a perplexed Doctor, who has seemingly ‘awakened’ into his own nightmare. Such a great opening.

Marking the passing of William Henry Hartnell, OTD 1975. How heartening to know that those wonderful adventures in ‘abundance’ are still being enjoyed (and recovered!) 60 years on…

Remembering actor Mark Jones, born OTD 1939. His sole credit for the show remains one of the most memorable, with an absolutely riveting performance as Arnold Keeler in ‘The Seeds of Doom’. The tragedy of his character is never once overplayed - strong stuff indeed for teatime telly back in 1976…

The grand rewatch has brought me to ‘The Time Monster’, a story I first encountered via this intriguing synopsis in the 1973 Radio Times Special (a plot description the equal of anything that ran in the ‘Countdown’ Dr. Who comic strips of the same era). I just can’t help but admire its ambition...

OTD 1971. Director Christopher Barry & his crew commence the first of several days filming for ‘The Daemons’ at the Wiltshire village of Aldbourne - an event which would go on to firmly cement this location as a cherished space in the hearts & minds of fans for decades to come…

Celebrating the wonderful Louise Jameson, born OTD 1951. Her realisation of Leela was so flawless, she imbued even the smallest line of seemingly offhand dialogue with a memorable flourish. The delivery of ‘Thank-you’ & the immortal “That's Silly” in The Robots of Death always raise a smile… 🙂

OTD 1968. Jamie & the Doctor bid a sad farewell to Victoria Waterfield, as ‘Fury From the Deep’ draws to a close. Still works wonderfully as an audio only experience - but fingers crossed that one day we’ll be lucky enough to have this returned & delight in Hugh David’s carefully framed visuals..

Championing the underdog here, but having reached the final part of ‘The Mutants‘, I’ve been reflecting on how much I’ve enjoyed this story. Lots of striking imagery, a generous amount of film work, & enough familiar faces on hand (Palmer, Pravda & Hollis, etc.) to keep a seasoned devotee happy.

Remembering David Whitaker, born OTD 1928. Amongst his multiple credits, also the author of the very first Target book this avid reader picked up as a youngster. Just beautifully written from start to finish - and this particular passage, as we built up to the ‘reveal’, had me completely hooked…

🚨NEW EPISODE! 🚨 A conversation with friend of Gerry Davis, Anthony Clark, including a never before published interview with Gerry Davis himself! The archive interview has him sharing his memories of The Highlanders and The Moonbase. What a treat! Shares are much appreciated x Link ⬇️

Remembering David Whitaker, born OTD 1928. Amongst his multiple credits, also the author of the very first Target book this avid reader picked up as a youngster. Just beautifully written from start to finish - and this particular passage, as we built up to the ‘reveal’, had me completely hooked…

Remembering Peter Jeffrey, born OTD 1929. A superb character actor - including playing the perplexed Pilot in the thrall of Macra; the delightfully villainous Count Grendel; and the beleaguered SF writer Marsham Craswell denying the existence of the Daleks in a lost episode of ‘Out of the Unknown’.

As I happily work my way through the ‘The Mutants’, I note that this was the last Dr Who production graced by the music of Tristram Cary. For those interested, here’s an article from The Audio Annual, a 1971 publication that featured Cary’s studio set-up at the time he was working on this story.

On-screen credits that were always a hallmark of quality. Remembering Terrance Dicks, born OTD 1935.

The rewatch has brought me to ‘The Mutants’, which I know has attracted some… well, shall we say it has accrued its detractors over the years 🙂 Ironically there have been some stories (Underwater Menace, etc.) which I‘ve found far more entertaining than anticipated, so I continue to travel in hope…

My dad wanted an outlet to talk about his memories & projects, so we did a podcast! Relaxed chat & nostalgic meandering. If you wouldn’t mind giving it a nice rating and review, it would make him so pleased. 🙏 🍎 Apple: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r... ✳️ Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5Ql79bO...

Completed my rewatch of The Sea Devils today. We’ve certainly come a long way in restoration quality since the fondly remembered 1992 BBC2 repeats (ah, that Friday feeling I used to get 🙂), then via VHS, DVD & now a superbly crafted Blu-ray release. Still iconic, ambitious & thoroughly engaging.

🚨 NEW EPISODE! 🚨 The Daleks’ Master Plan episodes 1-3 commentary. Just for fun, join Tim, Gav and Rhys watching the episodes. IPlayer, YT or files at the ready! Links ⬇️ The podcast will stop at anything for shares!

Remembering television and theatre actress Sheila Dunn, born OTD 1940. Superb in her dual role in ‘Inferno’ - finely pitched performances throughout, perfectly displaying the growing conflicts experienced by both characters as their respective worlds slide into chaos.

OTD 1965. The 24 minutes & 51 seconds of small screen perfection that is ‘The Wheel of Fortune’, for many years the only extant episode of The Crusade. Admired this ever since picking The Hartnell Years VHS in 1991. Those performances, Camfield’s framing, Whitaker’s script - so much to appreciate.

OTD 1974. The opening of the now legendary Blackpool Doctor Who Exhibition, ushering in a fondly remembered 11 year run that would capture the hearts & minds of both long term fans & those discovering the show for the first time. This photo has an iconography that’s surely in a league of its own…🙂

Remembering Aubrey Woods, born OTD 1928. Amongst his multiple film/TV credits we have a very compelling performance as the Controller in Day of the Daleks. His character’s moment of redemption is a wonderful touch - subtly performed & also nicely staged by director Paul Bernard.