It's Dr. Who, Who, Who, Who, Who
- Publication: Evening Herald
- Date: 1983-11-24
- Author: Sid Howard
- Page: 46
- Language: English
IT MUST have seemed quite like old times to Patrick Troughton, for as soon as the news was out that he was to re-create his "Doctor Who" character for "The Five Doctors", BBC-1's celebration tomorrow night of the 20th anniversary of one of televisions' all-time block-busters, the fan letters began to arrive.
"Suddenly I was back in the swim of it all", says Patrick, who was the good doctor for three years and was last seen in the role all of 13 years ago.
"People wrote to say how glad they were I'd be back, and asked if I could tell them what the story was going to be but, of course, I couldn't."
The first. Doctor Who of all Patrick was the second was the late William Hartnell and his part in this 90-minute-long "special" is played brilliantly by Richard Hurndall. Back, too, is John Pertwee, the third doctor, and Peter Davison, the present doctor.
But sadly Tom Baker who was Doctor Who for some seven years is not in the reunion proper he was on tour and unavailable to take part in The Five Doctors, we are told, Naturally, he's written into the story and we have to be content with glimpsing him in a couple of clips from previously-unscreened Doctor Who footage.
So what is the secret of the success of this magical old stager which the Beeb has sold to 54 countries and commands a worldwide audience of 100 million? A magical old stager which has prouted 'Doctor Who conventions Doctor Who products - 60 of them - ranging from wallapper and creamic tiles to Easter eggs and T-shirts.
Patrick Toughton, who we'll be seeing on BBC 2 in the New Year in Swallows And Amazons an and exhibitions, and eight-part serial based on the Arthur Aansome book, has по doubts about one factor which has spelled success: family viewing. But there's another he reason gives for 'Doctor Who not merely surviving over the last 20 years, but thriving with it.
"Man's greatest conceit." he says, "is imagining not just that we are alone in the universe, butt that we are the most important form of life there is.
"We are but one example of an unbelievable amount of life, some more primitive and some more advanced. We can already travel in space, so there's no it why shouldn't be possible to travel in time as well.
"In a sense we already do we can see what's happening 12 hours ahead of us on the other side of the world at the time it's happening through television and satellites. so it's not inconceivable that more advanced beings. could have found ways of travelling backwards and forwards in time.
"To my mind, it's all true, and one reason for the programme's continuing popularity is that it's fascinating to imagine what shape, size, colour, and form other civilisations would take..
"Our whole philosophy of life is built around this incredible conceit, this incredible delusion that we are the only ones in the universe, whereas we are like a grain of sand on a vast beach.
"I've always believed it and so has the Astronomer Royal, so not alone!"
A Londoner who grew up with boats and knows the Norfolk Broads as mell as anyone, Patrick will be more than a little at home in his role of the old eel fisherman in Swallows and Amazons.
His road to an acting career started with drama school in 1938. After a short time in rep., he joined the Royal Navy, served for six years, and then resumed his acting career with the Bristol Old Vic.
"I got into television in 1948, 'live' television from Ally Pally," he says "and I've been in television almost solidly ever since, apart from the odd film. and play. I just love TV, For me, it's the real national theatre it's in everyone's sitting room and the standard is so very high.
"An American, you know, came over here and said that the very worst of British television is light years ahead of anywhere else in the world. And I think that's true!"
After The Five Doctors have gone their separate ways the new Doctor who will be preparing to step in the first 22 programmes in the New Year will still star Peter Davison and then Colin Baker, Paul Merroney in The Brothers, of course, takes over.
And Colin's reaction? "I'm absolutely delighted!" he says.
Caption: Tom Baker, one of five actors to play Dr. Who. In 20 years of the series, seen here with Laila Ward as his assistant Romana and the ever-present Daleks. but that we are the most important form of life there is.
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.: Howard, Sid (1983-11-24). It's Dr. Who, Who, Who, Who, Who. Evening Herald p. 46.
- MLA 7th ed.: Howard, Sid. "It's Dr. Who, Who, Who, Who, Who." Evening Herald [add city] 1983-11-24, 46. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Howard, Sid. "It's Dr. Who, Who, Who, Who, Who." Evening Herald, edition, sec., 1983-11-24
- Turabian: Howard, Sid. "It's Dr. Who, Who, Who, Who, Who." Evening Herald, 1983-11-24, section, 46 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=It's Dr. Who, Who, Who, Who, Who | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/It%27s_Dr._Who,_Who,_Who,_Who,_Who | work=Evening Herald | pages=46 | date=1983-11-24 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=20 March 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=It's Dr. Who, Who, Who, Who, Who | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/It%27s_Dr._Who,_Who,_Who,_Who,_Who | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=20 March 2025}}</ref>
