Hooked on Who

http://cuttingsarchive.org/images/8/83/1985-03-01_Daily_Star_p17.jpg

Publication: Daily Star
Date: 1985-03-01
Author: Geoff Baker and Pat Codd
Page: 17
Language: English

Doctor kept us all kids at heart for the last 22 years

FOR 22 years Doctor Who has kept us glued to our tellys.

A host of amazing monsters have sent kids scurrying behind the sofa—and made mums and dads jump.

But no-one's ever been really scared. knowing that at the end of the day our friend and hero the Doctor would triumph. That has been the secret of the show's fantastic success—it appeals to children of all ages.

And as grown-ups, we still love it. Because the Doctor stirs childhood memories of those days when we first saw the Daleks.

Everyone has a favourite monster from the hit series which has seen six different Doctor Whos.

Do you remember the Yeti? Or what about the Terrileptils? Or the Tractators? Or how about the Sil or the Zygons — not forgetting our old foes the Sontarans.

Then there were the Ice Warriors. Did they scare you? No? Did the Sea Devils send you reaching for a cushion? Or, perhaps, the Cybermen?

Squawk

And can you still remember when you first heard the most dangerous fiends in the galaxy squawk "Ex-termin-ate"?

And there has been an added bonus for dads with all those lovelies who have helped the Doctor fight evil over the years.

First of all there was Carole Ann Ford, then Jacqueline Hill and Maureen O'Brien.

And before Jean Marsh became famous in Upstairs Downstairs, she was one of the Doctor's girls.

Other assistants were Debbie Watling, Wendy Padbury, Katy Manning, Elizabeth Sladen, Louise Jameson, Mary Tamm and Lalla Ward, who married Tom Baker, the fourth doctor.

Now the fellas are tuned in to gorgeous Nicola Bryant who plays Peri.

It all began with the late William Hartnell. As a grumpy professor he did battle with the Doctor's most famous adversaries — the Daleks.

Playing the first Dr. Who brought him new wealth and fame. He celebrated by buying his wife a solid gold inch-high model of the Tardis. He died in 1975.

Next came Patrick Troughton with a Beatle-style haircut.

Patrick who stayed in the role from 1967 to 1970, said yesterday : "It was great fun. In those days we did it all the year round, Dr. Who is a tremendous character. and it would be a great pity if he were to disappear."

Then Jon Pertwee took over turning the Doctor into an even more flamboyant character — a dandy dresser in a check cloak. velvet jacket and lacy frilled shirt-cuffs.

He stayed in the role for four years before becoming another

favourite children's TV character. the scarecrow Worzel Gummidge.

Tom stayed in the rose the longest — for six years and 178 episodes. He was voted the favourite Doctor by the show's thousands of American fans.

But the Doctor's outrageous wardrobe was here to stay. Torn Baker's multi-coloured scarf that seemed to go on forever became famous all over the world.

He said : "I certainly don't regret playing it. It was a wonderful period of my life."

Getting recognised and mobbed by autograph hunters became such a problem that the fifth Doctor, dishy Peter Davison. took to wearing a disguise whenever he went out.

He stuck it out for four years. After leaving, he said: "The longer I had stayed the more frightened I would have become of leaving."

He was replaced by the current Doctor, Colin Baker, who said: "It's the best job on television.

"There is the great appeal of having a good time in this job — it's like being a grown-up who is getting paid to play cowboys and Indians."

With Doctor Who out in the cold, the BBC is now looking for a new space hero.

Scripts

The corporation's drama chief, Jonathan Powell has already commissioned two scripts for a series code-named Space Cop.

A BBC spokesman stressed last night: "Space Cop is only a possibility and has not got beyond a couple of preparatory scripts. It is no threat to Doctor Who."

Millions of fans all over the world will breathe a huge sigh of relief at that — if that's the case.

This is the exterminator

HE BEAT the Daleks — he beat the Cybermen — and every other evil space monster.

But Doctor Who has now been defeated by an earthling — Michael Grade. Not even The Master — the most fiendish mind in the universe — could have struck such a blow.

But then Michael Grade is used to wielding the axe. In the five months since he replaced Michael Hart as controller of BBC1, Grade, 41, has dealt Dalek-style blows to top shows, with orders to:

EXTERMINATE

Crackerjack, the children's favourite.

EXTERMINATE

Pop Quiz, the show teenagers enjoyed.

EXTERMINATE

The Hot Shoe Show.

EXTERMINATE

Ask The Family.

EXTERMINATE

International Superstars.

EXTERMINATE

Beauty contest coverage.

So who is this man with the tough-guy touch ?

Hle was born into the most powerful family in showbiz, son of Leslie Grade and nephew of Lord Delfont and Lord "Lew" Grade.

After a meteoric rise in TV, he was wooed to the Beeb to sharpen up BBC1 and take on ITV on their own terms.

But ITV struck first. Thames TV poached Dallas — and that was when he made his first mistake.

Grade reacted by taking Dallas off screen in mid-series.

Viewers protested so loudly that the BBC had to back down and agree to bring Dallas back quickly.

Doctor Who fans are hoping they can also make him change his mind.

Caption: Who's Who ... the first five Doctors, from the left : William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker and Peter Davison

Caption: Tardis girl Nicola "Peri" Bryant

Caption: Taking a rest ... the latest Doctor, Colin Baker

Hooked on Who

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