Coming very soon, latest issue of Canadian fanzine Whotopia. Includes location filming report from 1996's TV Movie and contemporary interview with the legend that is Sylvester McCoy. whotopiamagazine2.wordpress.com
Paul MC Smith
@wonderfulbooks.co.uk
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Design, data and Doctor Who. www.wonderfulbook.co.uk
![From http://cuttingsarchive.org
Reveille, 26 September 1975
Click—I Light Up Blackpool!
by TV’s Tom Baker
At last the day came to go to Blackpool for the great annual switch-on of the illuminations. They told me I was only the 43rd person to be invited to do the switch on, so I felt part of a very select group. Knees shaking, and with nervous jokes Ian Marter, Les [sic] Sladen and I arrived in Talbot Square for the event!
There was a crowd—20,000 strong! I’ve sometimes played to full houses, but 20,000!
The Mayor came out to address the people—and suddenly he was surrounded by Daleks. They told him to sit down or be exterminated. They went on about only Daleks being allowed to switch on illuminations and threatened to destroy the Blackpool Tower and blow up Woolworths.
Just then two Cybermen arrived. By a stroke of good fortune, I had my sonic screwdriver with me and we managed to put the Cybermen out of action. This caused great uproar among the children, screams of happy terror. Then the Daleks attacked. Luckily there were some very large “Kiss Me Quick” hats on the dais and Les [sic] and Ian popped them over the Daleks.
As you know, if there’s one thing Daleks can’t stand, it’s being covered up. They spun around, and screamed and finally retired in sulky silence to the wings.
Then the switch-on. The crowd was hushed, I pressed the handle — and six miles of lights went on. We then toured the lights in Bessie. It was a wonderful evening.
The Mayor on behalf of the town council presented me with the Dictionary of National Biography in 22 volumes plus the supplements.
There was a supper party afterwards and then to bed.
It wits one of the most exciting days of my life. I’m grateful to the people and corporation of Blackpool.
Now, whenever I want to know anything about Colonel Blood who stole the Crown Jewels, or Guy Fawkes or Charlemagne, I just take down my Dictionary, and there it is.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:x6z3a7lalgfyojrsefnry75f/bafkreiamabqhpedf77vhaatln7umpggm35rmuo54f7fcsjh5xjgcm4rgvi)
![From http://cuttingsarchive.org
(And that’s quite the crosshead!)
The People, 3 September 1967
Kenneth Baily’s TV insight
So eerie–my search for the silent ‘Dr Who’
Landing on a deserted planet last night, “Dr. Who” opened a new series of TV’s very odd trips into the great unknown of outer space.
But there are odder things. One is the great unknown Patrick Troughton, the actor who plays “Dr. Who.” Justifiably, one of TV’s most in-demand serious actors, I wanted to ask him why he stays inside this mumbo-jumbo character every Saturday teatime.
Straight-away, things took a very odd turn. Mr. Troughton went invisible, ungettable, unspeakable-to.
It seems that in 20 years of TV limelight, he’s never given an interview. Then an eerie thing happened.
Though Mr. Troughton was not there, in a sense he was. He materialised. Vividly he was there—in the enthusiastic talk which erupted immediately I mentioned his name to his TV producers.
As one said, “You never forget working with Pat. He etches himself on your brain.”
And, uncannily, as they talked, he etched himself on to mine. So I find myself writing this…
Crumpled Jeans
At 47, short, heavy-shouldered, strong-jowled with deep-set eyes, Patrick Troughton, ex-Mill Hill public schoolboy stalks lithely up and down the TV studio.
He wean his habitual garb. The crumpled jeans, the roomy sweater, the old suede shoes.
From this humble appearance you’d never suspect the roll of honour of his acting parts—as Hitler; as Dickens’s Quilp and Uriah Heep; as the Disciple Paul; and modern roles In “Maigret,” “Dr. Finlay’s Casebook,” “This Man Craig,” with a host of others.
In the studio he electrifies his fellow actors. In the early days of TV, playing the first-ever “Robin Hood,” be really became to his fellow actors the leader of a gang.
In the small pioneer studio, with one cork tree to do for Sherwood Forest, he had them rampaging with blood-racing fervour under his outlaw leadership.
He completely loses his personality in a part. […]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:x6z3a7lalgfyojrsefnry75f/bafkreicxqjebo3xjksg23rchkutitvtuonw6qey5egukszgqw3wcx4zf3a)
