BBC Radio 4 Doctor Who The Reunion 11.15am today ( Sunday 7th April)

Lady of TrakenLady of Traken Posts: 1,314
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Hi Everyone,

Just a reminder to set your radios this morning at 11.15am to Radio 4

Doctor Who The Reunion

Sue MacGregor reunites five people who created and starred in the first series of a television landmark, Doctor Who. Fifty years later, those who crammed nervously into the BBC's Lime Grove Studios in 1963 recount the triumphs and disasters that ushered in the longest running science-fiction series in the world.

When Canadian TV executive Sydney Newman was drafted in to revitalise the BBC Drama department in the early 1960's, his idea for an ageing time-traveller who would illuminate both human history and Alien civilisations struggled to be successfully realised.

After a number of other directors refused to work on the project, a 24 year-old Waris Hussein took the job. The only Indian-born director within the BBC at that time, he felt the stern gaze of the 'old order' upon his work.

The first episode was recorded on the day President Kennedy was assassinated and transmitted the next day, despite concerns that the show might be postponed.

Doctor Who was played by the British actor William Hartnell. His sharp, sometimes grumpy demeanour came out of his increasing difficulty in learning the scripts, but the audience immediately took him to their hearts and the series had nearly six million viewers by Christmas.

Joining Sue MacGregor is Waris Hussein, the director of the episode, Carole Ann Ford who played the Doctor's granddaughter and companion Susan, William Russell who played the Doctor's right hand man Ian Chesterton, actor Jeremy Young who was the first Doctor Who enemy Caveman Kal, and television presenter Peter Purves who travelled with William Hartnell in the mid 60's as companion Steven Taylor

Comments

  • Muttley76Muttley76 Posts: 97,888
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    I'm going to have to catch up on this later today, but very much looking forward to it :)
  • Lady of TrakenLady of Traken Posts: 1,314
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    Muttley76 wrote: »
    I'm going to have to catch up on this later today, but very much looking forward to it :)

    I'm looking forward to it too :)

    It is repeated also on Fri 12 Apr 2013 at 09:00
  • LowriLowri Posts: 3,094
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    Thanks for the heads up, I had no idea this was on today :)
  • Lady of TrakenLady of Traken Posts: 1,314
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    Bumping to the top ^:)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,546
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    Juice poured, toast made, curled up on the couch and ready.

    Excited for this.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 527
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    not much we didnt know but was still pretty good.the bit i found most interesting was the audience in boston being told about jfk being assasinated.never heard that before or anything like it.wonder if the jfk 50th will overshadow the doctors 50th? it was just the day before after all.
  • clarendelclarendel Posts: 247
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    I thought this was very interesting. I agree with those like Peter Purves and others who said that they did not like the way the companions have become love interests and preferred it when they were linear stories. Perhaps it's my age but I much preferred it when stories were done at a slower pace. These days it has to be done at a manic rate and spoken at 100 miles per hour.
  • CorwinCorwin Posts: 16,588
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    Not heard the radio show yet but there's an interview with CAF here where she talks about her time on the show.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 426
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    I thought it interesting have only become a fan in 2005 and having only seen the first few early DW episodes. I'm glad Carole Ann Ford was as unhappy with the Susan character as I was-honestly for a Time Lady all she did was scream and yell "Grandfather"-such a waste, but it made me love the actress a tad more and enthusiasm for Matt Smith. Plus I love the story about Hartnell lecturing her about drinking and buying clothes.

    I'd also never heard the old Cybermen voices-they did sound very fey. Much prefer the more gravelly Cybermen. And I knew fandom would explode when the didn't mention the TV movie.

    Quite interesting and illuminating of the mindset of 1960s Britain.
  • Lady of TrakenLady of Traken Posts: 1,314
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    I thought it interesting have only become a fan in 2005 and having only seen the first few early DW episodes. I'm glad Carole Ann Ford was as unhappy with the Susan character as I was-honestly for a Time Lady all she did was scream and yell "Grandfather"-such a waste, but it made me love the actress a tad more and enthusiasm for Matt Smith. Plus I love the story about Hartnell lecturing her about drinking and buying clothes.

    I'd also never heard the old Cybermen voices-they did sound very fey. Much prefer the more gravelly Cybermen. And I knew fandom would explode when the didn't mention the TV movie.

    Quite interesting and illuminating of the mindset of 1960s Britain.

    I loved the story about Carole Ann's champagne drinking too and William Hartnell telling her off.. She sounds like she enjoyed a good time (even a bit wild child ?) even with a three year old child to look after.
    It was really interesting to hear Sidney Newman too ( Human Nature anyone ) with his no bug eyed monsters. I think live recording must've been daunting in those days. You can hear William Hartnell's fluff ups in a few stories.
    clarendel wrote: »
    I thought this was very interesting. I agree with those like Peter Purves and others who said that they did not like the way the companions have become love interests and preferred it when they were linear stories. Perhaps it's my age but I much preferred it when stories were done at a slower pace. These days it has to be done at a manic rate and spoken at 100 miles per hour.

    Yes wasn't that really interesting about the perceived 'sexuality' in the show now. Great that they all liked Matt so much too. I really wish there was a way these 'pioneers' could be incorporated into Nu Who somehow. It would be such a coup to see them and a mark of respect for their popularity.

    I wish ..... I wish for ...
  • TelevisionUserTelevisionUser Posts: 41,404
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    ...and here is the BBC iPlayer link here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01rqgz3
    Sue MacGregor reunites five people who created and starred in the first series of a television landmark, Doctor Who. Fifty years later, those who crammed nervously into the BBC's Lime Grove Studios in 1963 recount the triumphs and disasters that ushered in the longest running science-fiction series in the world. When Canadian TV executive Sydney Newman was drafted in to revitalise the BBC Drama department in the early 1960's, his idea for an ageing time-traveller who would illuminate both human history and Alien civilisations struggled to be successfully realised.

    It was actually a very interesting programme and I recommend it especially if you're interested in the history of the series.
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