View source for Will 7 Million Fans Sing 'Happy Birthday, 'Dr. Who'?

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| publication = The Wichita Eagle
| file = 1983-11-23 Wichita Eagle Beacon.jpg
| px = 650
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| date = 1983-11-23
| author = Bob Curtright
| pages = 5B
| language = English 
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| text = 
"Doctor Who," that quirky, ageless British time traveler, has officially turned 20 years old, making his tongue-in-cheek science fiction romp the longest running series in BBC history.

And tonight, to celebrate, [[broadwcast:KPTS|KPTS, Ch. 8]], is joining about 80 other stations across the country that carry the daily, half-hour syndicated series (6 to 6:30 p.m. here) for a 90-	minute birthday extravaganza that backers hope will get into the Guinness Book of World Records.

The special is scheduled for 8 to 9:30 tonight, and Wynn Nathan, president of Lionheart Television (which distributes the series), is hoping for an estimated 7 million U.S. fans to raise their voices for a musical round of "Happy Birthday." Just how Nathan is going to document such a feat for the record book isn't quite clear, but he seems to be perfectly serious about it.

He's even asking faithful fans to send a birthday card to the good doctor (perhaps that tally will be the key). If you are so moved, the address is: Doctor Who Birthday Party, P.O. Box 215, Pearl River, N.Y. 10965. All are to be forwarded to the BBC. so the "Doctor Who" crew can see their American popularity.

The video party will stretch from New York to California, and Channel 8, the Wichita/Hutchinson public TV station, was among the first 30 to sign up. That's probably because local officials keep insisting it is their most popular program — at least as far as pledge money indicates.

The event, called "[[broadwcast:The Five Doctors|The Five Doctors]]," will honor all five actors who have played Doctor Who during his 20-year run. American audiences will probably recognize only Tom Baker and Peter Davison, though, because theirs are the only episodes that have been distributed in this country.

The series, weekly rather than daily as a first-run feature, is still in production and, apparently, still going strong on the other side of the Atlantic. 
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