The loyal cult of Doctor Who
- Publication: Evening Press
- Date: 1978-12-11
- Author:
- Page: 4
- Language: English
In the history books, November, 1963, was the month President Kennedy was assassinated. But, to something like 12 million fans in Britain alone, it has another significance: the month that DR. WHO first made his bow.
Now, for 15 years, the famous Time Lord has grappled with Sontarans, Cybermen, Krinoids, Zygons, the Kraals... and, of course, his greatest enemies, the Daleks!
Today, scriptwriter Terry Nation, original creator of DR. WHO, confesses he is still astonished by the success of it all, and explains: "The idea of the Daleks was the greatest stroke of luck in my entire career
"It came to me at breakfast one day when I was fiddling with a pepperpot. The shape looked promising on the drawing-board. But I never thought the whole thing would have such a long life."
Back in 1963, the first DR. WHO, played by actor William Hartnell, was an elderly professorial type with a 15-year-old granddaughter as his assistant.
The next Doctor, played by Patrick Troughton, was fey and eccentric. Then came the foppish and elegant Doctor of John Pertwee. The latest, Tom Baker. dresses in a faintly sinister broad-brimmed black hat and a flowing scarf.
As Terry Nation explains: "The Doctor can assume a new body when the old one shows signs of wearing out." He might have added that this is also a handy device for actors who have had enough of the role!
LOYAL
But if actors change, the fans never do and perhaps the world's most loyal DR. WHO admirer is 28-year-old Richard Landon who says proudly: "In 15 years, I've watched every single episode. And that's getting on for 500 of them."
Richard is also a leading light in the 700-strong international Panoptikon '78 more prosaically, the Dr. Who Appreciation Society. Says Richard solemnly: "We are a very learned body. Ask us when the Doctor first said "There's a flucose path forming on the periscarp' and we'll tell you."
In a world ruled by Time Lords, 20th century fads and fashions should mean little to Dr. Who. But, in fact, the show has been affected inevitably by them over the last 15 years. Particularly in the status of the Doctor's assistants.
Recalls Carole Ann Ford, who played the Doctor's grandchild Susan right at the very beginning: "It was made very clear to Susan that she was a child and must do as she was told.
Mary Tamm, who plays the present heroine Romana, is very pleased that the character enjoys almost equal status with the Doctor, Says Mary proudly: "Romana is a Time Lady and her intellectual capacity is high. Of course, being fairly new Time Lady who has recently graduated from the Academy, she has plenty to learn."
Tom Baker was, at the age of 15, spotted in amateur dramatics and asked if he would like to be an actor. He recalls: "1 said 'yes', but no one seemed particularly interested after that.
"Then a priest came to our school and explained the monastic life. When I was asked if I would like to join I said 'yes'. And I did." For nearly six years, he was a Brother of the Order of Ploermel and passed his novitiate in the Channel Islands.
"But," he confesses, "my heart wasn't really in the priesthood. So I decided on the theatre at last and got a small grant."
Mildly eccentric himself, he says he is utterly indifferent to possessions and turned up for the audition for DR. WHO in his one and only suit and a leather overcoat. His success in the role never ceases to surprise him, particularly as his interpretation of DR. WHO has raised the show to the level of an intellectual cult.
Spelling corrections: Jon Pertwee, PanoptiCon
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- APA 6th ed.: (1978-12-11). The loyal cult of Doctor Who. Evening Press p. 4.
- MLA 7th ed.: "The loyal cult of Doctor Who." Evening Press [add city] 1978-12-11, 4. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: "The loyal cult of Doctor Who." Evening Press, edition, sec., 1978-12-11
- Turabian: "The loyal cult of Doctor Who." Evening Press, 1978-12-11, section, 4 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=The loyal cult of Doctor Who | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/The_loyal_cult_of_Doctor_Who | work=Evening Press | pages=4 | date=1978-12-11 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=5 December 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=The loyal cult of Doctor Who | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/The_loyal_cult_of_Doctor_Who | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=5 December 2025}}</ref>
