Dr Who's Horror
- Publication: TV Scene
- Date: 1981-04-11
- Author:
- Page: 29
- Language: English
DR WHO has faced, with complete equanimity, such fearsome enemies as the Daleks, the Voords and the Cybermen.
But in almost seven years as TV's time-hopping hero, nothing has chilled actor Tom Baker as much as the day in Los Angeles, 18 months ago when he was guest of honor at a Dr Who convention.
"The audience completely unnerved me," he said, his eyes bulging from his worried face.
"There were thousands of them — all adults. When I appeared, they rose up and began shouting.
"Take us with you: Take us with you."
"They seemed to think I was some sort of messiah. It was quite horrible.
"In America. they take it all so seriously. Dr Who 'experts' present learned papers about the meaning behind the program.
"Naturally, I'm delighted that we have taken off in the States. But I find the British attitude somewhat more reassuring.
Last month, after more than 150 appearances as the benevolent BBC doctor, Baker finally spun off into galactic oblivion.
For the first time in the 17-year-history of the program, he did not hand over to his replacement, but simply vanished.
But we may not have seen the last of the gangling 6 ft 3 in. figure in the floppy hat and the long scarf.
Peter Davison, who will be the fifth doctor, does not start work on the next series until the summer, and BBC chiefs are thinking of filling the gap with selected repeats from the Baker years.
Even Baker is finding it hard to shake off the role. Despite his unease about the last Dr Who convention, he has agreed to attend another in Oklahoma in August.
"It promises to be bigger than ever. I keep telling the organisers that I know nothing about science fiction, but they don't listen," he said.
He is making the trip because he believes it's part of his obligation to the program's millions of fans, who stretch from South America to Singapore.
For the same reason, he suffers taunts and sometimes insults from strangers who recognise him on trains, and in pubs and restaurants.
"People are quite kind to me, children are always wonderful. But I've had my share of rudeness.
"The trouble with becoming a "name" on TV is that you are licenced in the public's mind to play just one role."
He is amused that people expect him to dress in the doctor's walking-jumble-sale style.
"A taxi-driver said to me recently, 'I saw you the other day in your long scarf. Absolute nonsense, I've never worn a long scarf, except on the program. And that was just a happy accident.
"When I took over from Jon Pertwee, I didn't have a clue about how to play the role.
"The designer, Jim Aitchison, and I played around with some costumes and somehow, it just came together.
"The scarf was a complete mistake. Jim gave a bundle of wool to a seamstress and told her to knit a scarf. But he forgot to say how long it should be.
"So she just used up all the available wool and it turned out to be 10 ft. long."
His years as the doctor have been, he says, the happiest of his life, both professionally and privately (last year he married his co-star Lalla Ward).
Caption: TOM ... the end of time hopping.
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- APA 6th ed.: (1981-04-11). Dr Who's Horror. TV Scene p. 29.
- MLA 7th ed.: "Dr Who's Horror." TV Scene [add city] 1981-04-11, 29. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: "Dr Who's Horror." TV Scene, edition, sec., 1981-04-11
- Turabian: "Dr Who's Horror." TV Scene, 1981-04-11, section, 29 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Dr Who's Horror | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr_Who%27s_Horror | work=TV Scene | pages=29 | date=1981-04-11 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=5 December 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Dr Who's Horror | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr_Who%27s_Horror | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=5 December 2025}}</ref>
