classic series

The Myth Makers

2008-12-12T06:20:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Donald Cotton
Director: Michael Leeston-Smith
Script Editor: Donald Tosh
Producer: John Wiles
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 16th October - 6th November 1965
Episodes: 4
Duration: 25 mins
Production Code: U
Series: 3
Story Number: 20
Enemy: None
Setting: 1200 BC

Synopsis

When the TARDIS arrives on the plains of Asia Minor, not far from the besieged city of Troy, the Doctor is hailed by Achilles as the mighty god Zeus and taken to the Greek camp, where he meets Agamemnon and Odysseus. Forced to admit that he is a mere mortal - albeit a traveller in space and time - he is given just two days to devise a scheme to capture Troy.

Steven and Vicki, meanwhile, have been taken prisoner by the Trojans, and Vicki - believed to possess supernatural powers - is given two days to banish the Greeks and thus prove that she is not a spy.

Having initially dismissed the famous wooden horse as a fiction of Homer's, the Doctor is eventually driven to 'invent' it himself, thereby giving the Greeks the means to defeat the Trojans.

In the climactic battle Steven is wounded by a sword-thrust to his shoulder and Katarina, handmaiden to the Trojan prophetess Cassandra, helps the Doctor to get him back to the TARDIS.

Vicki meanwhile, having adopted the guise of Cressida, elects to remain behind on Earth with the Trojan prince Troilus, with whom she has fallen in love.

Cast

The Doctor — William Hartnell

Vicki/Cressida — Maureen O'Brien

Steven Taylor — Peter Purves

Katarina — Adrienne Hill

Achilles — Cavan Kendall

Hector — Alan Haywood

Odysseus — Ivor Salter

Agamemnon — Francis de Wolff

Menelaus — Jack Melford

Cyclops — Tutte Lemkow

Priam — Max Adrian

Paris — Barrie Ingham

Cassandra — Frances White

Messenger — John Luxton

Troilus — James Lynn

Story Notes

This is the final story featuring Vicki
This is the first story featuring Katarina
The working titles for this story included The Mythmakers, The Trojans, and The Trojan War. Individual episode titles included Zeus ex Machina (episode 1) and Is There a Doctor in the Horse? (episode 3).
All 4 episodes of this story have been lost, with only very limited photographic material being held in the BBC archive
Some limited material from episodes 1, 2 and 4 exist in the form of 8mm home movie reel shot on a television set
This is also one of the least documented stories, with only very limited material (film/photographic) existing.
William Hartnell was struck and injured by a camera during the filming of the first episode and sustained a bruise to the shoulder.
William Hartnell suffered a bereavement while working on the story: the death of his Aunt Bessie, who had looked after him during his troubled childhood. Unfortunately, the tight recording schedules prevented Hartnell from taking time off to attend her funeral.
In the 1980s, Reeltime Pictures launched a series of home video releases featuring interviews with the cast and crew of Doctor Who. This long-running series of tapes (which later included the first independently-produced Doctor Who spin-offs) was entitled Myth Makers after this story.

Preceded by: Mission to the Unknown - Followed by: The Daleks' Master Plan

Mission to the Unknown

2008-12-12T06:12:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Terry Nation
Director: Derek Martinus
Script Editor: Donald Tosh
Producer: Verity Lambert
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 9th October 1965
Episodes: 1
Duration: 25 mins
Production Code: T/A
Series: 3
Story Number: 19
Enemy: The Daleks, Outer Galaxies delegates
Setting: Kembel; 3999 or 4000

Synopsis

On the planet Kembel, Space Security Service agent Marc Cory is investigating a recent sighting of a Dalek spaceship. His suspicion that the creatures may have established a base here proves well-founded.

His two companions, Jeff Garvey and Gordon Lowery, both fall victim to the poisonous thorns of Varga plants - ambulatory flora indigenous to the Daleks' home world, Skaro - and he has no choice but to shoot them before they are themselves transformed into Vargas.

Having overheard the Daleks plotting with representatives of the six outer galaxies to overthrow the solar system, Cory records a warning message and prepares to send it into orbit with a rocket launcher. Before he can do so, however, he is discovered and exterminated.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell (does not appear, though listed in closing credits)

Marc Cory - Edward de Souza

Jeff Garvey - Barry Jackson

Gordon Lowery - Jeremy Young

Malpha - Robert Cartland

Dalek Operator - Robert Jewell

Dalek Operator - Kevin Manser

Dalek Operator - John Scott Martin

Dalek Operator - Gerald Taylor

Dalek voice - David Graham

Dalek voice - Peter Hawkins

Trantis - Ronald Rich (uncredited)

Sentreal - Sam Mansary (uncredited)

Varga plants (all uncredited) - Roy Reeves, Tony Starn, Leslie Weeks

Planetarians (all uncredited) - Johnny Clayton, Pat Gorman, Sam Mansary, Len Russell

Story Notes

The Doctor, Steven Taylor and Vicki never appear and never get a mention in this adventure. We experience the story through Marc Cory.
Mission to the Unknown is the only Doctor Who story that does not feature the character of the Doctor or the TARDIS at all. Despite this, William Hartnell is still credited as "Dr. Who" — this was because his contract specified he would be credited for all episodes
The Doctor's companions Vicki (Maureen O'Brien) and Steven Taylor (Peter Purves) do not appear either. Unlike Hartnell, their contracts did not guarantee they would be credited, though they were in the BBC listings magazine Radio Times (and episode guides taking their information from here).
Terry Nation wrote this partially as an attempt to create a story about the Daleks that did not involve the Doctor or his companions so that he could eventually develop and sell the idea of a Dalek series, divorced from the Doctor Who universe. In the proposed series, the Space Security Service was tasked with hunting Daleks, and it would follow their adventures — an approach that can be seen in short stories and comic strips written for the 1965 Dalek Outer Space Book (cover dated 1966). An unmade pilot titled "The Destroyers" was written, but the series concept was never sold.
This episode was produced due to the editing of Planet of Giants from 4 episodes to 3.
The episode was made by the same team as Galaxy 4, with both stories sharing pre-filming and, possibly, the same production code
It is also one of the relatively few stories from the Hartnell era that does not lead directly into the next serial. It was followed by The Myth Makers, an unrelated serial. A direct link to this story is made in the first episode of Daleks' Master Plan when the Doctor recovers the tape recorder used by Corey to record his final message.

Preceded by: Galaxy 4 - Followed by: The Myth Makers

Galaxy 4

2008-12-12T06:06:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: William Emms
Director: Derek Martinus, Mervyn Pinfield (uncredited)
Script Editor: Donald Tosh
Producer: Verity Lambert
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 11th September - 2nd October 1965
Episodes: 4
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: T
Series: 3
Story Number: 18
Enemy: Maaga, Drahvins
Setting: Unknown

Synopsis

The Doctor, Vicki and Steven arrive on an arid planet where they meet the occupants of two crashed spaceships: the beautiful Drahvins and the hideous Rills. The latter prove to be friendly, compassionate explorers while the former are a group of mindless cloned soldiers terrorised by a warlike matriarch, Maaga.

Both ships were damaged when the Drahvins precipitated a confrontation in space, but whereas the Rills' is almost ready to take off again (having been repaired by their robot drones, which Vicki nicknames 'Chumblies'), the Drahvins' is irreparable. When the planet is discovered to be on the point of disintegration, Maaga tries to force the time travellers to help her steal the Rills' ship. Instead, the Doctor allows the Rills to draw power from the TARDIS in order to refuel and escape, leaving the Drahvins to their fate.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Steven Taylor - Peter Purves

Vicki - Maureen O'Brien

Maaga - Stephanie Bidmead

Drahvin One - Marina Martin

Drahvin Two - Susanna Carol

Drahvin Three - Lyn Ashley

Chumblies - Jimmy Kaye

Chumblies - William Shearer

Chumblies - Angelo Muscat

Chumblies - Pepe Poupee

Rill Voice - Robert Cartland

Chumblies - Tommy Reynolds

Garvey - Barry Jackson

Rills - David Brewster, Peter Holmes, Brian Madge, Bill McAllister (all uncredited)

Story Notes

The working title for this story was The Chumblies.
All 4 episodes of this story have been lost, with only very limited material being held in the BBC archive.
6 minutes worth of footage exists from "Four Hundred Dawns".
This story was nearly saved by negotiations for the story to be screened at a convention
The surviving clips come from a number of sources including a "Lively Arts" documentary "Whose Doctor Who"
The soundtrack for the serial is intact and has been released commercially, with linking narration provided by Peter Purves
The BBC partly own the rights to the Drahvins as they were jointly credited to William Emms and Verity Lambert.

Preceded by: The Time Meddler - Followed by: Mission to the Unknown

The Time Meddler

2008-11-23T09:49:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Dennis Spooner
Director: Douglas Camfield
Script Editor: Donald Tosh
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 3rd July - 24th July 1965
Episodes: 4
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: S
Series: 2
Story Number: 17
Enemy: The Monk
Setting: 1066

Synopsis

The Doctor, Vicki, and new companion Steven Taylor arrive in Saxon Northumbria on the eve of the Viking and Norman invasions. It is 1066, a pivotal moment in British history, and the hand of a mysterious Monk is at work in the nearby monastery.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Vicki - Maureen O'Brien

Steven Taylor - Peter Purves

The Monk - Peter Butterworth

Edith - Alethea Charlton

Eldred - Peter Russell

Wulnoth - Michael Miller

Saxon Hunter - Michael Guest

Ulf - Norman Hartley

Viking Leader - Geoffrey Cheshire

Sven - David Anderson

Gunnar the Giant - Ronald Rich

Story Notes

The Time Meddler is the first example of what is known in Doctor Who as the "pseudohistorical" story, as opposed to the pure historical stories, which are set in the past but have no science fictional elements attached to them.
This is the first story in which the acronym TARDIS is said to stand for "Time and Relative Dimensions in Space", rather than the singular "Dimension" as had been used in An Unearthly Child. This was an error made by Maureen O'Brien during recording, and was retained throughout much of the series' history.
The working title for this story was The Monk.
The working title of episode one was The Paradox.
All episodes exist as 16mm telerecordings.
A print of episode 2 is held in the Film & TV Library.
Incomplete prints of all episodes were found in Nigeria in 1985.
Complete prints of episodes 1 and 3 were returned to the archive in 1992.
Sequences showing a Saxon being stabbed in episode 4 are still missing from the print.
Telesnaps for this episode are held by a private collector.
During production of this story, new producer John Wiles began taking over production duties.
William Hartnell, displeased at the number of changes undergoing the production, play-acted throwing a temper tantrum during the rehearsal of this story.
William Hartnell does not appear in the Meddling Monk as the actor was on holiday.
No next episode caption is present on episode 4. Instead, an extended version of the theme music is heard as images of the three lead actors appear on screen.
Some versions of this story especially those distributed in the US cut the first few minutes of the story in which the Doctor and Vicki find Steven hiding in the TARDIS.

Preceded by: The Chase - Followed by: Galaxy 4

The Chase

2008-11-23T09:45:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Terry Nation
Director: Richard Martin
Douglas Camfield (uncredited)
Script Editor: Dennis Spooner
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 22nd May - 26th June 1965
Episodes: 6
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: R
Series: 2
Story Number: 16
Enemy: The Daleks, The Mechanoids
Setting: Aridius, Empire State Building, New York City; 1966, Marie Celeste, Atlantic Ocean; 19th century, House of Horrors, Festival of Ghana; 1996, Mechanus; 23rd century, London; 1965

Synopsis

The travellers are forced to flee in the TARDIS when they learn from the Time/Space Visualiser taken from the Moroks' museum that a group of Daleks equipped with their own time machine are on their trail with orders to exterminate them.
The chase begins on the desert planet Aridius and takes in a number of stopping-off points including the observation gallery of New York's Empire State Building, the 19th Century sailing ship Mary Celeste (the Daleks' appearance causing all the crew and passengers to jump overboard) and a spooky haunted house which, although the Doctor and his friends do not realise it, is actually a futuristic fun-fair attraction.
Eventually both time machines arrive on the jungle planet Mechanus, where the Daleks try to infiltrate and kill the Doctor's party using a robot double of him. The travellers are taken prisoner by the Mechanoids - a group of robots sent some fifty years earlier to prepare landing sites for human colonists who, in the event, never arrived - and meet Steven Taylor, a stranded astronaut who has been the Mechanoids' captive for the past two years.
The Daleks and the Mechanoids engage in a fierce battle which ultimately results in their mutual destruction, and the Doctor's party seize this opportunity to escape. The Doctor reluctantly helps Ian and Barbara to use the Daleks' time machine to return home.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton - William Russell

Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill

Vicki - Maureen O'Brien

Steven Taylor - Peter Purves

Abraham Lincoln - Robert Marsden

Francis Bacon - Roger Hammond

Queen Elizabeth I - Vivienne Bennett

William Shakespeare - Hugh Walters

Television Announcer - Richard Coe

Dalek - David Graham

Dalek - Peter Hawkins

Dalek - Robert Jewell

Dalek - Kevin Manser

Dalek - John Scott Martin

Mire Beast - Jack Pitt

Malsan - Ian Thompson

Rynian - Hywel Bennett

Prondyn - Al Raymond

Guide - Arne Gordon

Morton Dill - Peter Purves

Albert C. Richardson - Dennis Chinnery

Captain Benjamin Briggs - David Blake Kelly

Bosun - Patrick Carter

Willoughby - Douglas Ditta

Cabin Steward - Jack Pitt

Frankenstein's Monster - John Maxim

Count Dracula - Malcolm Rogers

Grey Lady - Roslyn De Winter

Robot Dr Who - Edmund Warwick

Mechanoid voice - David Graham

Mechanoids - Murphy Grumbar, John Scott Martin, Jack Pitt

Fungoid - Jack Pitt, Ken Tyllson

Story Notes

All episodes exist as 16mm telerecordings.
Negative film prints were recovered for all episodes in 1978.
This story went under the working title The Pursuers.
The story was commissioned at late notice when another of Terry Nation's stories fell through. It is believed that the slot was originally to be filled by his planned historical The Red Fort.
The scenes in episode 6 with Ian and Barbara celebrating their return to London was made as part of the production bloc for The Time Meddler and the Director for these is consequently Douglas Camfield.
This is one of the few Dalek stories to incorporate humour and is the only story to attempt comical performances from the Daleks. Examples includes a stammering Dalek who cannot do simple mental arithmetic (in the first two episodes); Daleks nodding their eyestalks to confirm a plan (in the fifth episode); and showing a trait for deviating from the subject at hand (during their deliberations in the first episode).
Morton Dill, the young man from Alabama whom the travellers meet at the top of the Empire State Building, was played by Peter Purves, who would appear in the last episode as Steven Taylor.
The story also features The Beatles in a film clip. Ironically, considering the number of lost Doctor Who episodes, the Beatles performance from which this clip was taken now only survives in this story.
The Beatles were originally planned to appear as old men performing in the 21st Century but this proposal was vetoed by their manager Brian Epstein. Had this gone through, of course, it would have become an anachronism given the fates that would befall both John Lennon and George Harrison before they got to be "old men".
This story includes the joke that, in the future, contemporary pop musicians such as The Beatles would be considered classical music. This joke was repeated in the series 40 years later in The End of the World.
Although Ian displayed knowledge of modern musical groups in An Unearthly Child, this does not seem to extend to his ability to dance, as demonstrated during the "Ticket to Ride" sequence.
The Daleks are particularly poetic in this story: Dalek - "Advance and attack! Attack and destroy! Destroy and rejoice!"
This is the final television story featuring Ian and Barbara.
This is the first appearance of Steven Taylor. Actor Peter Purves became the only actor to play two completely different roles (without the use of heavy makeup or prosthetics) in the same story. He also became the first actor to appear in a guest-starring capacity before being offered a regular role.
The Chase was earmarked to form the basis for a third "Dr. Who" film starring Peter Cushing, to follow Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD, but the film was never made.
Episode 5 carries the title "The Death of Doctor Who"; this is one of only two occasions in which the technically incorrect name "Doctor Who" is used in an on-screen title (the other occasion being the seven episode of Doctor Who and the Silurians in 1970).

Preceded by: The Space Museum - Followed by: The Time Meddler

The Space Museum

2008-11-23T09:07:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Glyn Jones
Director: Mervyn Pinfield
Script Editor: Dennis Spooner
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 24th April - 15th May 1964
Episodes: 4
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: Q
Series: 2
Story Number: 15
Enemy: Moroks
Setting: Xeros

Synopsis

The TARDIS jumps a time track and the travellers arrive on the planet Xeros. There they discover their own future selves displayed as exhibits in a museum established as a monument to the galactic conquests of the warlike Morok invaders who now rule the planet. When time shifts back to normal, they realise that they must do everything they can to try to avert this potential future.
Vicki helps the native Xerons to obtain arms and thereby to revolt against the Moroks. The revolution succeeds and the travellers go on their way, confident that the future has been changed.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton - William Russell

Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill

Vicki - Maureen O'Brien

Sita - Peter Sanders

Dako - Peter Craze

Third Xeron - Bill Starkey

Lobos - Richard Shaw

Tor - Jeremy Bulloch

Morok Messenger - Salvin Stewart

Morok Technician - Peter Diamond

Morok Guard - Lawrence Dean

Morok Guard - Peter Diamond

Morok Guard - Ken Norris

Morok Guard - Salvin Stewart

Morok Commander - Ivor Salter

Xeron - Michael Gordon

Xeron - Edward Granville

Xeron - Bill Starkey

Xeron - David Walliscroft

Morok Guard - Billy Cornelius

Dalek Voice - Peter Hawkins

Dalek Machine Operator - Murphy Grumbar

Extra - Brian Proudfoot

Story Notes

All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings
Episode 3 was held in the BBC Film & TV Library when it was audited in 1978
Negative Film Prints of all 4 episodes have been found
A clearer print of episode 1 was returned to the BBC in 1981
The episodes of this story went by different titles during the production stage. Episode 1 was originally known as The Four Dimensions of Time and Episode 4 was originally known as Zone Seven.
William Hartnell does not appear in Episode 3.
Of all the William Hartnell stories with individual episode titles, this is the only one for which only one overall story title has ever been used. See also Disputed story titles.
Episode 1 begins with a brief reprise of The Crusade episode 4, which is currently the only surviving film footage of that episode
Features a guest appearance by Jeremy Bulloch who is better known for his appearance as Boba Fett in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi
Richard Shaw, who spoke with a Cockney accent, was cast as Governor Lobos, but was asked to deliver his lines with a BBC accent. His accent slips only once, when he bellows at an underling use "maximum securi'ee!" He later appeared as Cross in Frontier in Space with his own accent
The incidental music was all from stock recordings rather than being specially composed for the story
In a nice piece of internal continuity, William Russell starts gently banging his fists together as he leaves the TARDIS interior set and carries this through to the next scene, following a recording break, as he emerges from the police box onto the Xeros surface set; this gives the effect of a continuous piece of action, and helps maintain the illusion that the TARDIS interior really is inside the police box shell.

Preceded by: The Crusade - Followed by: The Chase

The Crusade

2008-11-23T09:02:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: David Whitaker
Director: Douglas Camfield
Script Editor: Dennis Spooner
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 27th March - 17th April 1965
Episodes: 4
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: P
Series: 2
Story Number: 14
Enemy: El Akir
Setting: 12th century

Synopsis

The TARDIS arrives in 12th Century Palestine where a holy war is in progress between the forces of King Richard the Lionheart and the Saracen ruler Saladin. Barbara is abducted in a Saracen ambush and the Doctor, Ian and Vicki make their way to King Richard's palace in the city of Jaffa. Ian is granted permission to ride in search of Barbara - the King knighting him Sir Ian of Jaffa to fit him for the role - while the Doctor and Vicki stay behind and try to avoid getting involved in court politics.
King Richard secretly plans to marry his sister Joanna to Saladin's brother Saphadin in order to bring the war to an end, but Joanna finds out about this and refuses. The Doctor and his young ward are forced to flee after making an enemy of the King's adviser, the Earl of Leicester.
Ian has meanwhile rescued Barbara from the clutches of the vicious Saracen emir El Akir. All four meet up in the wood where the TARDIS materialised and narrowly manage to escape the Earl of Leicester's men.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton - William Russell

Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill

Vicki - Maureen O'Brien

William des Preaux - John Flint

El Akir - Walter Randall

Richard the Lionheart - Julian Glover

Reynier de Marun - David Anderson

William de Tornebu - Bruce Wightman

Ben Daheer - Reg Pritchard

Thatcher - Tony Caunter

Saphadin - Roger Avon

Saladin - Bernard Kay

Saracen warrior - Derek Ware

Saracen warrior - Valentino Musetti

Saracen warrior - Chris Konyils

Saracen warrior - Raymond Novak

Joanna - Jean Marsh

Chamberlain - Robert Lankesheer

Sheyrah - Zohra Sehgal

Luigi Ferrigo - Gabor Baraker

Saracen warrior - Anthony Colby

Haroun ed-Din - George Little

Safiya - Petra Markham

Earl of Leicester - John Bay

Turkish bandit - David Brewster

Maimuna - Sandra Hampton

Fatima - Viviane Sorrél

Hafsa - Diane Mckenzie

Ibrahim - Tutte Lemkow

Man-At-Arms - Billy Cornelius

Story Notes

This story does not exist as a complete story, except in audio.
Episode 3 exists in 16mm telerecordings
Episode 1 was found in New Zealand by a collector in 1998.
In 1999 the BBC made a Digi-Beta print of Episode 1
Telesnaps for this story exist in the hands of private collectors
Several enlarged telesnaps also exist for this story.
This story was originally entitled The Saracen Hordes and various episodes were made under working titles.
Episode 2 (The Knight of Jaffa) was made under the working title Damsel in Distress
Episode 3 (The Wheel of Fortune) was made under the working title Changing Fortunes
Episode 4 (The Warlords) was made under the working title The Knight of Jaffa
William Russell only appears briefly in the third episode in a pre-recorded segment as the actor was on holiday during filming
The appearance of Julian Glover is the first real guest appearance by a distinguished actor.
This story has been noted for its non-stereotypical treatment of the two opposing leaders. Saladin (played by Bernard Kay) is portrayed as calculating but compassionate, while King Richard I is portrayed as volatile and at times childish.

Preceded by: The Web Planet - Followed by: The Space Museum

The Web Planet

2008-11-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Bill Strutton
Director: Richard Martin
Script Editor: Dennis Spooner
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 13th February - 20th March 1965
Episodes: 6
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: N
Series: 2
Story Number: 13
Enemy: Animus
Setting: Vortis

Synopsis

On the planet Vortis, the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Vicki are swept up in the struggles of the butterfly-like Menoptra, the original denizens of Vortis who were forced to flee the planet for the moon Pictos to escape the encroaching web of the Animus and its mind-controlled minions, the ant-like Zarbi and their living weapons, the Venom Grubs.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton - William Russell

Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill

Vicki - Maureen O'Brien

Zarbi - Robert Jewell, Jack Pitt, Gerald Taylor, Hugh Lund, Kevin Manser, John Scott Martin

Animus Voice - Catherine Fleming

Vrestin - Roslyn De Winter

Hrostar - Arne Gordon

Hrhoonda - Arthur Blake

Prapillus - Jolyon Booth

Hlynia - Jocelyn Birdsall

Hilio - Martin Jarvis

Hetra - Ian Thompson

Nemini - Barbara Joss

Other Cast - Jane Bowman, Ken McGarvie, Len Russell (all uncredited)

Story Notes

This story was originally entitled The Zarbi and was made under the working title The Centre of Terror.
The Centre was initially titled Centre of Terror. The novelisation restores this title for the sixth chapter.
The first and so far only television story in which all the characters, other than the regulars, are entirely non-humanoid.
Jacqueline Hill does not appear in Escape to Danger as she was on holiday while it was filmed. She is not credited in this episode's closing credits and later complained to the production team about this.
Noted choreographer Rosalyn de Winter was hired to create the distinctive movements and stilted speech of the Menoptra. She was so successful that the production team asked her to take on the role of the Menoptra Vrestin (which she accepted).
The costumes for all of the aliens who appeared in this story were created by Daphne Dare.
Believed lost in the BBC's early 1970s purge, negative film prints of all six episodes were recovered from BBC Enterprises in the late 1970s. These prints appear to have stemmed from a 1973 sale to Algeria and as a result the final episode was amended so that the "Next Episode" caption referred to The Space Museum instead of The Lion, as the next story The Crusade was not sold to Arab countries. There were also some edits to the first episode. Unedited prints of all six episodes were also discovered in Nigeria in 1985.

Preceded by: The Romans - Followed by: The Crusade

The Romans

2008-11-23T08:55:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Dennis Spooner
Director: Christopher Barry
Script Editor: Dennis Spooner
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 16th January - 6th February 1965
Episodes: 4
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: M
Series: 2
Story Number: 12
Enemy: Didius
Setting: Rome, A.D. 64

Synopsis

The four time travellers are enjoying a rare holiday, staying at a villa not far from Rome in the year A.D. 64. The Doctor soon becomes restless and sets off to visit the city, taking Vicki with him. In their absence, Ian and Barbara are kidnapped by slave traders.
Having been mistaken for the famous lyre player Maximus Pettulian and asked to perform at the Emperor Nero's Court, the Doctor has to devise ever more elaborate schemes to avoid revealing that he cannot actually play the instrument.
Ian meanwhile becomes a galley slave, while Barbara is sold to Nero's slave buyer Tavius at an auction in Rome. Ian and a fellow slave named Delos escape from the galley when it is wrecked in a storm and make their way to Rome to try to find and rescue Barbara.
There they are recaptured and forced to fight as gladiators in the arena. Events reach their climax when, by accidentally setting light to the Emperor's plans for the rebuilding of Rome, the Doctor gives him the idea of having the city razed to the ground. Nero plays the lyre while Rome burns, and the Doctor and Vicki and a reunited Ian and Barbara make their separate ways back to the villa.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton - William Russell

Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill

Vicki - Maureen O'Brien

Sevcheria - Derek Sydney

Didius - Nicholas Evans

Centurion - Dennis Edwards

Stall Holder - Margot Thomas

Slave Buyer - Edward Kelsey

Maximus Pettulian - Bart Allison

Ascaris - Barry Jackson

Delos - Peter Diamond

Tavius - Michael Peake

Woman Slave - Dorothy-Rose Gribble

Galley Master - Gertan Klauber

1st Man in Market - Ernest Jennings

2nd Man in Market - John Caesar

Court Messenger - Tony Lambden

Nero - Derek Francis

Tigellinus - Brian Proudfoot

Poppaea - Kay Patrick

Locusta - Anne Tirard

Story Notes

This was the first story played as a comedy.
All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
Negative film prints of both episodes exist and were recovered by the BBC in 1978.
Telesnaps of this story are held by private collectors.
The characters of Tigellinus and Sevcheria were both expanded during re-writes of the script.

Preceded by: The Rescue - Followed by: The Web Planet

The Rescue

2008-11-22T13:04:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: David Whitaker
Director: Christopher Barry
Script Editor: Dennis Spooner
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 2nd January - 9th January 1965
Episodes: 2
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: L
Series: 2
Story Number: 11
Enemy: Koquillion
Setting: Dido, 2493

Synopsis

Two crash survivors on planet Dido live in fear of the dreaded Koquillion, but the Doctor soon discovers things are not as they seem...

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton - William Russell

Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill

Vicki - Maureen O'Brien

Bennett / Koquillion - Ray Barrett

Space Captain - Tom Sheridan

Sand Monster - Tom Sheridan (uncredited)

Inhabitant of Dido - John Stuart (uncredited)

Inhabitant of Dido - Colin Hughes (uncredited)

Story Notes

This is the first episode featuring Vicki.
All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
Negative film prints of both episodes exist and were recovered by the BBC in 1978.
Telesnaps of this story are held by private collectors.
The story was originally known as Doctor Who and Tanni. It was originally intended that the new companion would be named Tanni.
Koquillion was originally credited as Sydney Wilson (a combination of Sydney Newman and Donald Wilson) to hide his true identity.
Desperate Measures was the first episode of Doctor Who to make the UK's top 10 most watched programs list.
The 1973 Radio Times 10th anniversary special called the story The Powerful Enemy as it titled all the early stories by the title of the first episode. Some subsequent listings repeated this error, as did the story's broadcast on some American PBS stations.
During the scene in which Jacqueline Hill fired a gun at Vicki's pet she was injured suffering shock and a sore face. This was caused when the explosion connected to the wooden gun went off with more force than expected.
"The Rescue" is also the original broadcast title of episode 7 of The Daleks.
Tom Sheridan, who played the Space Captain heard but not seen in this story, was also inside the Sand Monster costume.
"The Powerful Enemy" boasts the first occasion on which a sound effect is laid over footage of the TARDIS re-materializing. Prior to this, exterior shots of the TARDIS landing had implied that the ship appeared soundlessly in a new environment. Although the precise sound of "re-materialization" — with its distinctive, final "thud" — would not be finalized until The Three Doctors, this was the start of a sometimes important convention about the TARDIS. People on the outside can hear it coming and going. Without this innovation, the teaser from The Christmas Invasion, for example — in which Jackie and Mickey respond solely to the sound of the TARDIS — wouldn't have been possible.

Preceded by: The Dalek Invasion of Earth - Followed by: The Romans

The Dalek Invasion of Earth

2008-11-22T12:59:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Terry Nation
Director: Richard Martin
Script Editor: David Whitaker
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 21st November - 26th December 1964
Episodes: 6
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: K
Series: 2
Story Number: 10
Enemy: The Daleks
Setting: Earth. England

Synopsis

The TARDIS materialises in London sometime after the year 2164. Dalek invaders are now ruling the Earth with the aid of humans converted into zombie-like Robomen, but they are opposed by a group of resistance fighters led by the wheelchair-using Dortmun.
The travellers discover that the Daleks have established a huge mine in Bedfordshire, their aim being to remove the Earth's core using a huge bomb and replace it with a powerful drive system so that they can pilot the planet around the galaxy. Ian manages to create a barrier in the shaft in order to intercept the bomb. The resulting explosion destroys the Daleks and their mine and creates a huge volcanic eruption.
Susan has fallen in love with resistance fighter David Campbell, and the Doctor decides to leave her on Earth to find a new life with him, while he continues on his travels with Ian and Barbara.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton - William Russell

Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill

Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford

Carl Tyler - Bernard Kay

David Campbell - Peter Fraser

Dortmun - Alan Judd

Robomen - Martyn Huntley, Peter Badger

Dalek Operators - Robert Jewell, Gerald Taylor, Nick Evans, Kevin Manser, Peter Murphy

Dalek Voices - Peter Hawkins, David Graham

Insurgent - Robert Aldous

Jenny - Ann Davies

Jack Craddock - Michael Goldie

Thomson - Michael Davis

Baker - Richard McNeff

Larry Madison - Graham Rigby

Wells - Nicholas Smith

Slyther Operator - Nick Evans

Ashton - Patrick O'Connell

The Women in the Wood - Jean Conroy, Meriel Hobson

Story Notes

The first departure of an original cast member.
All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
The Waking Ally was also held by the BBC in 35mm in 1978.
Negative film prints of all episodes were recovered by the BBC in 1978.
Arabic prints of World's End, The Daleks, The End of Tomorrow and Flashpoint are all held by the BBC.
The story went by the working titles The Daleks, The Return of the Daleks, and The Invaders.
The story was the basis for the movie Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD staring Peter Cushing.
This story was filmed along with Planet of Giants as part of the first series bloc of stories.
William Hartnell does not appear in The End of Tomorrow due to an injury although his stand-in Edmund Warwick does.
This was David Whitaker's final story.
The character of Jenny was originally intended to be Susan's replacement although this was halted over uncertainty about the future of the series. The original concept had a girl called Saida played by Pamela Franklin stowing away on board the TARDIS in the last episode.
The name of episode 1 is a pun based on the fact the TARDIS lands at World's End, in Chelsea.
Footage from the end of episode 6 ("one day, I shall come back- yes, I shall come back. Until then there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forwards in all your beliefs and prove to me I'm not mistaken in mine.") was used as an introduction to The Five Doctors.

Preceded by: Planet of Giants - Followed by: The Rescue

Planet of Giants

2008-11-22T12:54:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Louis Marks
Director: Mervyn Pinfield, Douglas Camfield
Script Editor: David Whitaker
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 31st October - 14th November 1964
Episodes: 3
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: J
Series: 2
Story Number: 9
Enemy: Forester
Setting: 1960s England

Synopsis

The main doors of the TARDIS open of their own accord just before it materialises, causing it to run out of control. On emerging, the travellers discover that the ship has been reduced in size and they are now only about an inch tall.
In this miniaturised state, they stumble across a plot by a ruthless businessman, Forester, and his misguided scientist colleague, Smithers, to launch a new insecticide named DN6 - a product so destructive that it would kill not only those insects harmful to agriculture but also those vital to it.
Forester is even willing to commit murder to ensure the success of his business, as civil servant Arnold Farrow discovers to his cost.
The criminals are eventually brought to justice when the Doctor and his friends - hampered by the fact that Barbara has herself been made ill by the insecticide - tamper with the telephone in Smithers' laboratory, thus fuelling the suspicions of the local exchange operator, Hilda Rowse, who sends her police constable husband Bert to investigate.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton - William Russell

Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill

Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford

Forester - Alan Tilvern

Arnold Farrow - Frank Crawshaw

Smithers - Reginald Barratt

Hilda Rowse - Rosemary Johnson

PC Bert Rowse - Fred Ferris

Story Notes

The first television story since An Unearthly Child to be set in modern day England.
All 3 episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
Negative film prints of all 3 episodes were recovered in 1978.
Arabic prints of all 3 episodes are also held by the BBC.
The story went by the working title Death in the Afternoon.
Originally filmed as a 4 part story it was later compressed to 3 episodes at the request of Donald Wilson, BBC Head of Serials. Episode 3 was originally entitled Crisis and episode 4 was entitled The Urge to Live. The material filmed for these 2 episodes has not been retained by the BBC and it appears unlikely that it will ever be recovered.
The story was originally developed under the title The Miniscules which was originally intended to form episodes 2,3 and 4 of the show, following on from An Unearthly Child.
The story was filmed as part of the first bloc of stories but a decision was made to hold it over as the opener for the second series.
This story sees the debut of Dudley Simpson the shows most prolific creator of incidental music.

Preceded by: The Reign of Terror - Followed by: The Dalek Invasion of Earth

The Reign of Terror

2008-11-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Dennis Spooner
Director: Henric Hirsch (episodes 1,2,4-6), John Gorrie (episode 3) (uncredited)
Script Editor: David Whitaker
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 8th August - 12th September 1964
Episodes: 6
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: H
Series: 1
Story Number: 8
Enemy: Maximilien Robespierre
Setting: 1794

Synopsis

The TARDIS materialises not far from Paris in 1794 - one of the bloodiest years following the French Revolution of 1789. The travellers become involved with an escape chain rescuing prisoners from the guillotine and get caught up in the machinations of an English undercover spy, James Stirling - alias Lemaitre, governor of the Conciergerie Prison.
The Doctor - posing as a Regional Officer of the Provinces - is twice brought before the great tyrant, Robespierre himself, and has to talk himself out of trouble. Ian and Barbara, meanwhile, have a close encounter with a future ruler of France, Napoleon Bonaparte.
As events reach their climax, Robespierre is overthrown - shot in the jaw and dragged off to the prison - and the Doctor and his friends slip quietly away.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton - William Russell

Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill

Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford

Small Boy - Peter Walker

Rouvray - Laidlaw Dalling

D'Argenson - Neville Smith

Sergeant - Robert Hunter

Lieutenant - Ken Lawrence

Soldier - James Hall

Judge - Howard Charlton

Jailer - Jack Cunningham

Webster - Jeffry Wickham

Overseer - Dallas Cavell

Peasant - Dennis Cleary

Lemaitre / James Stirling - James Cairncross

Jean - Roy Herrick

Jules Renan - Donald Morley

Shopkeeper - John Barrard

Danielle - Caroline Hunt

Léon Colbert - Edward Brayshaw

Maximilien Robespierre - Keith Anderson

Physician - Ronald Pickup

Soldier - Terry Bale

Paul Barras - John Law

Napoléon Bonaparte - Tony Wall

Soldier - Patrick Marley

Story Notes

The first Doctor Who story to feature on-location filming.
Episodes 1, 2, 3 and 6 exist in 16mm telerecordings.
Episode 6 was returned by a private collector in May 1982.
Prints of all 4 existing episodes were recovered from a Cypriot television station in 1985. These included a superior print of episode 2.
12 clips from episodes 4 and 5 exist in the form of 8mm home movie reel.
Episode 2 used the working title Guests of the Guillotine.
This story was a replacement for a 6 part story by David Whitaker which would have been set at the time of the Spanish Armada.
William Russell originally suggested the idea of a story set during The French Revolution.
Director Henric Hirsch suffered from exhaustion during the making of this serial and was unable to direct episode three. John Gorrie (who had previously directed The Keys of Marinus) stepped in temporarily. Some sources have credited Verity Lambert as director for this episode, as no director is credited onscreen (which at the time normally implied that the producer also directed the programme), but she has firmly denied this.
William Russell was on holiday during the filming of episodes 2 and 3 and appeared only in pre-taped film sequences.
Edward Brayshaw, later to feature as the War Chief in 1969's The War Games has a role as Léon Colbert, a counter-espionage agent allied with the Revolutionary government.
In a number of 1970s listing guides the story was called The French Revolution. This appears to derive from a promotional article in the BBC listings magazine Radio Times entitled "Dr Who and the French Revolution".
Many photographs of this story remain. Along with the soundtrack these were used by Loose Cannon Productions to make a reconstruction of this story. (see external links). An earlier reconstruction of this story was made by Michael Palmer, although this is no longer in circulation.
It was originally intended that Verity Lambert and David Whitaker would be responsible for finding a replacement show to run during the season break however this did not prove necessary and the slot was filled with repeats of The Valiant Varneys.
This was the first historical in which the Doctor was seen to wear period attire. The First Doctor would continue to do so in most of his stories set in Earth's past. The tradition was initially continued by the Second Doctor in The Highlanders, but as pure historicals faded from Doctor Who, the Doctor generally abandoned this notion.

Preceded by: The Sensorites - Followed by: Planet of the Giants

The Sensorites

2008-11-15T17:18:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Peter R. Newman
Director: Mervyn Pinfield (episodes 1-4), Frank Cox (episode 5-6)
Script Editor: David Whitaker
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 20th June - 1st August 1964

Episodes: 6
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: G
Series: 1
Story Number: 7
Enemy: Second Elder, Un-named Humans
Setting: Spacecraft in orbit around Sense Sphere; 28th century, Sense Sphere; 28th century

Synopsis

The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan arrive in the TARDIS on board a spaceship. Their initial concern is for the ship's human crew who are suffering from telepathic interference from the Sensorites, but Susan communicates with the Sensorites and finds that the aliens are fearful of an attack from the humans and are just defending themselves. Travelling to the Sense Sphere (the Sensorites' planet) the Doctor then seeks to cure an illness the Sensorites and Ian have succumbed to, but finds that this has been caused by deliberate poisoning. The political maneuvering of the Sensorite City Administrator adds an additional threat to the TARDIS crew as he seeks to discredit and implicate them.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton - William Russell

Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill

Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford

John - Stephen Dartnell

Carol Richmond - Ilona Rodgers

Captain Maitland - Lorne Cossette

First Sensorite - Ken Tyllsen

Second Sensorite - Joe Greig

Third Sensorite - Peter Glaze

Fourth Sensorite - Arthur Newall

First Elder - Eric Francis

Second Elder - Bartlett Mullins

First Scientist - Ken Tyllsen

Second Scientist - Joe Greig

Warrior - Joe Greig

Commander - John Bailey

First Human - Martyn Huntley

Second Human - Giles Phibbs

Sensorite - Anthony Rogers (uncredited)

Sensorite - Gerry Martin (uncredited)

Story Notes

All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
Negative film prints of all episodes where recovered from BBC Enterprises in 1978.
Jacqueline Hill does not appear in episodes 5 and 6 as she was on holiday while they were filmed.
This story was nearly cancelled as a result of a studio dispute.
Hidden Danger was postponed for one week due to a sporting event.
Stephen Dartnell appears as John. He had previously appeared as Yartek in The Keys of Marinus.
John Bailey, later to feature as Edward Waterfield in 1967's The Evil of the Daleks has a role here as the Commander.
Designer Raymond Cusick used almost all curves in his sets for the Sense Sphere, feeling that this would give a more alien look.
Russell T. Davies has acknowledged the Sensorites as an influence on the basic concept of the Ood in The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit.

Preceded by: The Aztecs - Followed by: The Reign of Terror

The Aztecs

2008-11-15T17:14:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: John Lucarotti
Director: John Crockett
Script Editor: David Whitaker
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 23rd May - 13th June 1964

Episodes: 6
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: F
Series: 1
Story Number: 6
Enemy: Tlotoxl
Setting: Mexico c1454

Synopsis

The arrival of the TARDIS in 15th century Mexico leads the crew to encounter the doomed Aztec people, a mixture of high culture and brutal savagery side by side; and matters are further complicated when Barbara is mistaken for a god and the Doctor becomes engaged to be married...

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton - William Russell

Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill

Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford

Autloc - Keith Pyott

Tlotoxl - John Ringham

Ixta - Ian Cullen

Cameca - Margot Van der Burgh

First Victim - Tom Booth

Aztec Captain - David Anderson

Tonila - Walter Randall

Perfect Victim - André Boulay

Aztec Warriors (all uncredited) - Brian Baker, John Beavis, James Duval, James Fitzgerald, Andrew Jacks, Alan Viccars

Aztec Citizens (all uncredited) - Eileen Brady, Lionel Gadsen, Alice Greenwood, John Moore, Bill Raynor, Stella Wilkinson

Double for Ian (uncredited) - David Anderson

Double for Ixta (uncredited) - Billy Cornelius

Story Notes

All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
Negative film prints of all episodes where recovered from BBC Enterprises in 1978.
John Lucarotti spent a lot of time researching the real Aztecs before writing this story.
Carole Ann Ford was on holiday during the filming of episodes 2 and 3 and appeared only in pre-taped film sequences.
The credits at the end of episode 3 had to be re-filmed as they were not acceptable for broadcast.

Preceded by: The Keys of Marinus - Followed by: The Sensorites

The Keys of Marinus

2008-11-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Terry Nation
Director: John Gorrie
Script Editor: David Whitaker
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 1th April - 16th May 1964

Episodes: 6
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: E
Series: 1
Story Number: 5
Enemy: Voords
Setting: Marinus (year unknown)

Synopsis

The planet Marinus is under threat from the evil Voords. The only hope of stopping them is to recover the keys to a machine known as the Conscience of Marinus, which have been hidden around the planet.
The First Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara are forced to search for the keys, transported round the planet by the elderly Arbitan, Keeper of the Conscience. On their travels they face numerous dangers, eventually recovering all the keys. However, Arbitan has been killed by the evil Yartek, leader of the Voords. Ian fools him by giving him a fake key, and the machine explodes, killing Yartek and putting an end to the Voord threat.

Cast

William Hartnell - The Doctor

Companions Carole Ann Ford - Susan Foreman

Jacqueline Hill - Barbara Wright

William Russell - Ian Chesterton

George Coulouris - Arbitan

Martin Cort - Voord / Warrior / Ice Soldier / Aydan

Peter Stenson - Voord / Ice Soldier / Second Judge

Gordon Wales - Voord

Robin Phillips - Altos

Katherine Schofield - Sabetha

Heron Carvic - Voice of Morpho

Edmund Warwick - Darrius

Francis de Wolff - Vasor

Michael Allaby - Ice Soldier / Larn

Alan James - Ice Soldier / First Judge / Guard

Anthony Verner - Ice Soldier

Henley Thomas - Tarron

Raf de la Torre - Senior Judge

Fiona Walker - Kala

Donald Pickering - Eyesen

Stephen Dartnell - Yartek

Dougie Dean - Eprin

Story Notes

All episodes exist as 16mm telerecordings.
Negative film prints of all episodes were recovered from BBC Enterprises in 1978.
An Arabic print of "The Sea of Death" is held by the BBC.
Terry Nation wrote this story as a replacement to The Red Fort, a story that was to be set during the Indian Mutiny.
William Hartnell does not appear in The Screaming Jungle or The Snows of Terror as the actor was on holiday during the filming of these episodes.
This story contains a controversial scene in which it appears that Vasor attempts to rape Barbara.
Darrius is never referred to by name but his name appears in the show's credits.
Stephen Dartnell was cast as Yartek, the Voord leader. A few weeks later, he appeared in The Sensorites as the troubled astronaut John.
Initially it was hoped that the Voords would catch on with young viewers in the same way the Daleks had inspired Dalekmania, with toys, books, and other merchandise. This, however, did not come to pass.
This is the first story to feature a model TARDIS materialisation.

Preceded by: Marco Polo - Followed by: The Aztecs

Marco Polo

2008-11-15T16:47:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: John Lucarotti
Director: Waris Hussein (episodes 1-3,5-7), John Crockett (episode 4)
Script Editor: David Whitaker
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 22nd February – 4th April 1964

Episodes: 7
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: D
Series: 1
Story Number: 4
Enemy: Tegana
Setting: 1289

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands in Central Asia in 1289, where The Doctor and his companions fall in with Marco Polo as his caravan makes its way along the fabled Silk Road from the Pamir Plateau, across the treacherous Gobi Desert and over the Himalayas to end up in Peking at the height of its imperial power.
Along the way they face many dangers, from natural hazards to assassination attempts from a Mongol warlord. The Doctor strikes up a friendship with Kublai Khan in his summer palace, before eventually departing again in the TARDIS, which has been carried with them across thousands of miles.

Cast

William Hartnell - The Doctor

Companions Carole Ann Ford - Susan Foreman

Jacqueline Hill - Barbara Wright

William Russell - Ian Chesterton

Mark Eden - Marco Polo

Derren Nesbitt - Tegana

Zienia Merton - Ping Cho

Martin Miller - Kublai Khan

Jimmy Gardner - Chenchu

Charles Wade - Malik

Philip Voss - Acomat

Paul Carson - Ling-Tau

Gábor Baraker - Wang-Lo

Tutte Lemkow - Kuiju

Claire Davenport - Empress

O. Ikeda - Yeng

Leslie Bates - Man at Lop

Michael Guest - Mongol Bandit

Peter Lawrence - Vizier

Basil Tang - Office Foreman

Story Notes

This was the first true Doctor Who historical story.
This was the first story to feature live animals (the Mongol horses).
This was the first and only television story to feature a narrative and a map tracking the journey of the main characters (although The Deadly Assassin begins with a narrative and BFA: Seasons of Fear includes some narration).
Many colour and black and white photographs of this story remain. Along with the soundtrack these were used by Loose Cannon Productions to make a reconstruction of this story. (see external links).
The working title for this story was A Journey to Cathay.
Episode 3 was made under the working title The Cave of Five Hundred Eyes and this name even appeared at the end of Episode 2.
No footage of this story now exists having been lost in the purges of the 1970s.
The original audio soundtrack of this episode remains and was released on CD as Marco Polo as part of the BBC Radio Collection in November 2003. This was narrated by William Russell.
Although originally planned to be the third story in the series it was delayed by The Edge of Destruction.
Although Telesnaps of this story were made all of these were lost. However in 2004 telesnaps of episodes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 were found by Derek Handley in the private collection of Waris Hussein who directed these episodes. These telesnaps were reproduced in Doctor Who Magazine.
Kuiju the mercenary bandit is never named in the story and is only included in closing credits.
As Lance Parkin notes in A History of the Universe, some historians now question the veracity of Marco Polo's accounts, particularly his friendship with Kublai Khan.
John Lucarotti also wrote a Canadian TV series about Marco Polo.

Preceded by: The Edge of Destruction - Followed by: The Keys of Marinus

The Edge of Destruction

2008-11-15T16:42:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: David Whitaker
Director: Richard Martin (episode 1), Frank Cox (episode 2)
Script Editor: David Whitaker
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 8th – 15th February 1964

Episodes: 2
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: C
Series: 1
Story Number: 3
Enemy: None
Setting: Time Vortex (episode 1), Creation of the Milky Way (episode 2)

Synopsis

A mysterious blast renders the TARDIS crew unconscious. They awake disorientated and soon find that the TARDIS is strangely malfunctioning. As all the systems breakdown, the behaviour of the crew becomes more erratic. Soon the Doctor comes to believe that the school teachers are behind the malfunctions in an attempt to blackmail him into taking them home.
Gradually it becomes clear that the problems are a warning from the TARDIS. It seems that a spring has broken on the Fast Return Switch causing the TARDIS to travel back through time towards the creation of the Milky Way Galaxy. The Doctor corrects the problem and the travellers are able to escape.

Cast

William Hartnell - The Doctor

Carole Ann Ford - Susan Foreman

Jacqueline Hill - Barbara Wright

William Russell - Ian Chesterton

Story Notes

The first story featuring only the Doctor and his companions.
The only other stories to take place entirely inside the TARDIS are the Children in Need Special and Time Crash.
This story is also known as Inside the Spaceship, The Brink of Disaster and Beyond the Sun.
All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
Both episodes were recovered from the negative film prints discovered at BBC Enterprises in 1978.
An Arabic print is also held.
This story was written to make up the number of episodes and meet the shows commitment to the BBC. The show was initially commissioned for 13 episodes. An Unearthly Child (4), The Daleks (7) and therefore an additional 2 episodes were required in case the show should be cancelled at this point.
Some of the music from this story was released as Doctor Who at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Volume One - The Early Years, 1963 - 1969.

Preceded by: The Daleks - Followed by: Marco Polo

The Daleks

2008-11-06T14:49:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Terry Nation
Director: Christopher Barry, Richard Martin
Script Editor: David Whitaker
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 21st December 1963 - 1st February 1964

Episodes: 7
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: B
Series: 1
Story Number: 2
Enemy: The Daleks
Setting: Skaro (year unknown)

Synopsis

The TARDIS arrives on the planet Skaro, a seemingly dead world. When the Doctor sees a technologically advanced city in the distance he is determined to investigate, and is even willing to sabotage the TARDIS to get what he wants. While in the city the crew are captured by the Daleks, a race of scientists who have been mutated into creatures who must encase themselves in a metal body to survive. Before long the travellers are suffering from radiation poisoning.
After managing to escape the city they encounter another race living on the planet, the Thals. In contrast to the Daleks, the Thals are a race of physically perfect pacifists. After a dangerous journey Ian is able to lead the Thals to victory and destroy the Daleks.

Cast

William Hartnell - The Doctor

Carole Ann Ford - Susan Foreman

Jacqueline Hill - Barbara Wright

William Russell - Ian Chesterton

Alan Wheatley - Temmosus

John Lee - Alydon

Virginia Wetherell - Dyoni

Philip Bond - Ganatus

Marcus Hammond - Antodus

Gerald Curtis - Elyon

Jonathon Crane - Kristas

Peter Hawkins, David Graham - Dalek Voices

Robert Jewell, Kevin Manser, Michael Summerton, Gerald Taylor, Peter Murphy - Daleks

Chris Browning, Katie Cashfield, Vez Delahunt, Kevin Glenny, Ruth Harrison, Lesley Hill, Steve Pokol, Jeanette Rossini, Eric Smith - Thals

Story Notes

This is the first story to feature the Daleks.
The story was originally known as The Mutants but is now referred to as The Daleks to avoid confusion with story 3N The Mutants (see also disputed story titles).
The story is also known as The Dead Planet and The Survivors.
It is never mentioned in the story whether the travellers are in the past, the present or the future. In The Dalek Invasion of Earth, the Doctor states this first encounter with the Daleks occurred "...a million years in the future.", (and implies it was) towards the end of Dalek history, though he gives no indication how he knows this. Planet of the Daleks suggests this first encounter occurred in the past, generations before the 26th century. This is now generally the accepted placement of the story, though the exact year is still a matter of debate and theorising among fans. In his A History of the Universe, Lance Parkin arbitrarily places the story in 1963, suggesting that the Doctor was attempting to return Ian and Barbara back to their own time and succeeded, only getting the planet wrong.
Death to the Daleks has a few similarities to this story. The Doctor and Sarah Jane find themselves on a planet, Exxilon, which, like Skaro, was once a lush world and home to an advanced civilisation, now rendered desolate. They discover some of the life has been petrified, sight a city on the horizon, and Sarah is captured by the natives while exploring the city, just as Barbara is captured by the Daleks. Like the inhabitants of Skaro, the inhabitants of Exxilon have developed into two distinct groups. One, like the Thals, are gentle and peace-loving, while the others are warlike and hostile to all outsiders.
Episode 6 was made under the working title The Caves of Terror and episode 7 under the working title The Execution.
It was Mervyn Pinfield who suggested that the Daleks use static electricity.
It was Richard Martin who suggested that the Thal anti-radiation drug be lethal to the Daleks.
Bands of sticky tape were affixed around the shoulder section of the Daleks after William Hartnell cut himself on one of the metal bands.
This story replaced previous proposals including Beyond the Sun and The Masters of Luxor.
Music from The Daleks was released in 2003 as part of Devil's Planet - The Music of Tristram Cary. This CD also includes tracks from The Daleks' Master Plan.
Some of the music from this story was released as Doctor Who at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Volume One - The Early Years, 1963-1969". The music would again be used for The Power of the Daleks.
All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
The episodes were all recovered from negative film prints which were discovered at BBC Enterprises in 1978.
The negative of episode 7 is a dub from the positive print.
Telesnaps exist for episodes 1, 2, 4 and 5 in private collections.
This story was originally scheduled to be designed by Ridley Scott who later went on to direct films such as Alien and Blade Runner.
It was during the filming of this serial that American president John F. Kennedy was assassinated; the very next day, Doctor Who made its public bow when the first episode of An Unearthly Child was broadcast.

Preceded by: An Unearthly Child - Followed by: The Edge of Destruction

An Unearthly Child

2008-11-06T14:03:00.000-08:00

Information

Writer: Anthony Coburn, C. E. Webber
Director: Waris Hussein, Douglas Camfield
Script Editor: David Whitaker
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 23rd November - 14th December 1963
Episodes: 4

Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: A
Series: 1
Story Number: 1
Enemy: Kal
Setting: London, 1963/100,000 BC

Synopsis

Curious about an unusual pupil, Susan Foreman, two school teachers follow her home to a junkyard. This leads to an encounter with the mysterious Doctor and his police box which turns out to be a craft capable of travel in time and space.
Afraid that the teachers will reveal his secrets, the Doctor whisks them back in time. They arrive in 100,000 BC and encounter a group of cave people desperately trying to create fire. Kidnapped and imprisoned in a cave filled with skulls the unwilling travellers have to work together to create fire and escape their captors.

Cast

William Hartnell - The Doctor

Carole Ann Ford - Susan Foreman

Jacqueline Hill - Barbara Wright

William Russell - Ian Chesterton

Derek Newark - Za

Alethea Charlton - Hur

Eileen Way - Old Mother

Jeremy Young - Kal

Howard Lang - Horg

Story Notes

This is the first story broadcast on television.
This is the first broadcast story featuring the First Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.
This story is also known as 100,000 BC', The Tribe of Gum, The Firemakers and Cavemen. See disputed story titles for more information.
The episodes of this story went by different titles during the production stage. Episode 2 was originally known as The Fire-Maker, Episode 3 was originally known as The Cave of Skulls and Episode 4 was originally known as The Dawn of Knowledge.
All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
All episodes are held in the BBC's Film and Videotape Library.
The first episode was repeated just before the second episode because of a power outage. This repeat was not however shown in Northern Ireland.
The original story line for this story was entitled Nothing at the End of the Lane. A short story by the same name written by Daniel O'Mahony can be found in Short Trips and Side Steps. It suggests the entire first season of the show may just be a psychotic fantasy in the mind of Barbara Wright.
Originally the names for the Doctor's companions were to be Bridget ("Biddy") instead of Susan, Lola McGovern (instead of Barbara Wright), and Clif instead of Ian.
The makers of the show originally considered the idea of having a functioning chameleon circuit but ruled it out on cost grounds.
The bones used in the cave of skulls were real bones taken from an abattoir and were very unpleasant to smell under hot studio lights.
Although assumed there is no evidence to suggest that episodes 2,3 and 4 are even set on Earth.
Other proposals considered for the first story included The Giants by C. E. Webber which was partially rewritten for the season 2 episode Planet of Giants and The Living World written by Alan Wakeman.
A pilot version of the first episode was made and exists in various versions. For more info on the pilot see the Pilot Episode.
The First Episode, An Unearthly Child has come to be seen as a classic of Science Fiction, which is in contrast to the less positive reaction of critics when it was first broadcast.
Bernard Lodge was the uncredited designer of the original title sequence.
We see the Doctor smoking a pipe in the Second episode but he is never seen smoking again.

Preceded by: --- - Followed by: The Daleks