Dr. Who is a devil of a job
- Publication: Daily Mail
- Date: 1973-02-24
- Author:
- Page: 6
- Language: English
The timeless space adventurer, who defeats a bug-eyed monsters the way other people flick at flies, was practising being inside a Dalek we walked in.
In his casual fisherman-knit sweater and slacks, Jon Pertwee looked anything but the knob-twiddling, death-defying "Dr. Who," of the series which has become a cult British show and now with Americans.
Just a few days before, the man who commutes through centuries have played host to a VIP - a little auistic child who worshipped him, and prayed for his survival through all his outer space ordeals.
Her mother had promised her a photograph of Jon Pertwee, the Dr. Who on her television, if she consented to go to the hospital for a vital eye operation.
"It seems the one person she followed a religiously was me as a person, not just as Dr. Who," said the grey-thatched actor. "Her mother wrote to me a frantic letter and we had the little girl at the studio for lunch and to watch rehearsals. I understand she made a tremendous improvement and even takes the photograph to school.
After four years as a folk hero, Jon Pertwee has firmly impressed on the character his own stamp.
"Of course, there have been gaffes, but there have only been two - and we made sure we put them right."
"One boner, when they had a plastic-faced monster dressed up as a policeman. We realized afterwards that, after years of trying to get the children to trust the police, they would be afraid to go near them.
"We admit our errors. But I am irritated by parents who complain that their children have nightmares after watching the serial. All they have to do bend forward at an angle of 45 degrees and turn a knob."
But Jon Pertwee, for years a top radio hoot with his tear-em-up rural postman and Navy Lark, Dr. Who is pure science-fiction fantasy, which never deserved the label of violence tagged to it.
"You've never see me hit anyone to bloodlet, have you?" His face looked like a pained question mark.
"There is no pain inflicted. People just disappear or wilt when I place two fingers on their chests. But that goes down as violence. For a time I was stopped from doing karate, or anything which could physically defeat Dr. Who's enemies.
"It got to the point where we were only allowed to trip up monsters. In the end, we said we could not carry on like that. It was just too ridiculous for words."
John, a real life adventurer who takes to skindiving and treasure hunting like a duck to water was keyed up about a revolutionary Dr. Who car which was custom built to his design.
The car - a 7ft. wide, low-slung model in silver steel with bat-wingflaps, doors that lift like eagle wings and eight-track stereo - looks like a flying saucer on wheels. It goes on show at Crystal Palace at the weekend.
Caption: Jon Pertwee, star of the children's favourite, "Dr. Who," is more at home with the Daleks than anything - except his new car.
Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org
- APA 6th ed.: (1973-02-24). Dr. Who is a devil of a job. Daily Mail p. 6.
- MLA 7th ed.: "Dr. Who is a devil of a job." Daily Mail [add city] 1973-02-24, 6. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: "Dr. Who is a devil of a job." Daily Mail, edition, sec., 1973-02-24
- Turabian: "Dr. Who is a devil of a job." Daily Mail, 1973-02-24, section, 6 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Dr. Who is a devil of a job | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr._Who_is_a_devil_of_a_job | work=Daily Mail | pages=6 | date=1973-02-24 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=22 April 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Dr. Who is a devil of a job | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr._Who_is_a_devil_of_a_job | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=22 April 2025}}</ref>
