I am watching all the Davros stories, and I wonder how other forum members feel about the actor's who played Davros.

My favourite is Michael Wisher. Although he only played the role once I really do feel he was the Davros.

I genuinley don't mean any disrespect to the actor's who played Davros in later stories, but he really does give Tom Baker a run for his money in the acting department during Genesis of the Daleks.

I just don't get the same power from David Gooderson in Destiny, or Terry Molloy in Resurrection, Revelation or Remembrance.

Nah, i definitely prefer Molloy, although this is probably because he was in more storys, and being born after doctor who was originally cancelled, they were the ones i saw first with the DVD releases,and he was my Davros, and if Davros is returning, it will be him i want to play him!
Last edited by LukeTear : 07-01-2008 at 13:56

I couldnt agree more.

My own personal opinion is that 'Genesis of the Daleks' is the only decent Davros story.

Michael Wisher

And should have stayed the only Davros story. The problem with Davros is that he took away all the menace of the Daleks and made them secondary characters to himself. Michael Wisher played the part really well.

Michael Wisher but if Davros is to return to Doctor Who then only Terry Molloy could play him really, what with Wisher sadly no longer being with us.

agreed and the outcome was always the same with the Daleks turning on Davros...

I think Davros is at his very best in 'Genesis' - cold, calculating, not too OTT, plus he gets some first-rate dialogue.

As far as a story goes, 'Genesis' for me always felt an episode or two too long, plus I still think Tom could have said more to convince Davros that his vision of the Daleks was the wrong path to take.

How about: 'Well Davros, I've encountered the Daleks more times than I care to remember, and, yet, I've never heard of you - so, far from becoming a God, revered across the cosmos, it seems like you're consigned to the dustbin of history."

Or something to that effect...just to make him think twice...

Still, top story.

I'd rate the Davros/Dalek stories thus (after a recent re-watch of all 5):

Genesis - 4/5
Destiny - 3/5
Resurrection - 1/5
Revelation - 3/5
Remembrance 5/5

Regards,

Cypher

Michael Wisher definitely. He is the Davros. Though Terry Molloy is very good too, particularly in the Big Finish stories. I'd love to see him return to play him in the New Series.

Nobody seems to be very fond of David Gooderson's version but I think he was hampered by a rubbish script and terrible production values. Especially having to wear Michael Wisher's tatty old mask and costume. Plus he was obvously either taller or shorter than Wisher which gave him great difficulty in moving the chair about. Look at how his whole body wobbles with the effort! Given a decent story he might have been okay.

I watched 'Destiny' at the weekend, and laughed my *rse off at how rubbish the chair movement was. It reminded me of a man riding a child's trike....Plus the mask was rubbish and the voice didn't sound right.
Genesis was my fave (probably die to the story), but have no problem with the Molloy version

It is pretty funny isn't it. The upper half of his body wobbling about as his little legs scuttle away.

The first Davros is utter genius, on of the few utterly brilliant performances by a supporting actor in old Who, there were many very good roles but few came close to this IMHO

Not only was Michael Wisher the greatest Davros (IMO), but he was also the best looking incarnation.
The Terry Molloy version looked, well, like a man in a rubber mask, whereas the original actually looked like the remnants of a living person.
If New Who brings the character back I hope they do a good job.

There's a great audio adventure with the 6th Doctor and Mel called The Juggernauts.

In it, they come across a disguised Davros trying to create a new race using the shells of the old Mechanoids.

Although the Daleks come into the story, it isn't really a Dalek story, it's a Davros story.

This is how I'd like to see Davros coming back on TV - in a story just about him, perhaps trying to create a new race to conquer the universe.

Wisher definitely. His performance in Genesis is amazing, cold, calculating and downright evil and the most scary portrayal of Davros. One of my favourite scenes is when the Doctor and Davros are sparring with the audio recordings and the Doctor holds down the life support buttons on Davros's console (I think dashboard is funnier on reflection)...and you see the two arms shake as Davros fights.

During the sequence with the dashboard you see the frail and weak side to the character and that's in my opinion what makes a villain just so bad....weakness. Regardless of how good or bad the script for Genesis was (and it was brilliant IMO), Wisher made Davros his own.
Last edited by Capnm : 08-01-2008 at 20:33

I'm not really up on my Davos actor history but why didnt the original actor play him again?

According to Wikipedia (and with the appropriate caveats):

Commitments to long-running theatre work prevented him from repeating his role of Davros when asked to appear in later stories.

Full article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Wisher

Cheers Slug.

I'm just glad it wasnt a simple reply like 'he died'

Interesting reading, and a shame he couldn't reprise the role as it was a phenomenal performance. The contrast between his and David Gooderson's in 'Destiny' are poles apart.

To be honest, I thought that was the reason, but I wanted to check the date in Wiki to see how it fitted in to the Davros story sequence.

I was probably getting my Davroses and Masters mixed up - dangerous I know.

edit: should that be Davrii? any other suggestions?

I believe the plural of Davros is "Davroi," according to Terry Molloy.

As far as I'm aware, Wisher simply wasn't asked to play the part in Destiny. Had Resurrection been part of S20 as originally planned, he would have returned to the role. However, he was unavailable when it was moved back to S21 and the fabulous Mr Molloy took over.

Lovely man, Michael Wisher, by the way. Only met him once but he was an absolute gent.

Terry Molloy is a lovely bloke, too. Again, I've only met him once but I'll be meeting him again when he comes to Glasgow to do a convention in May.

Oh, and on topic, my favourite Davros is Terry Molloy.

His performance in Revelation is perfectly judged and, strangely, even Davros' wit is allowed to come through for a change. (One of my favourite lines in the show's history is when the Doctor asks if Davros bothered telling people they may be eating their own families and Davros replies, "that would create what I believe is termed 'consumer resistance...'")

Totally agree. Ideally I'd still like to see Davros as the mad professor character *prior* to the Daleks, with perhaps another name, and none of the mutation or enhancement, and us only realising at the climax that he will go on to be Davros. Kind of like the whole "if you met Hitler as a child, would you kill that child" scenario. Actually, they should just call it "Genesis of the Davros"!

Hmmm... not sure that'll work?

Bobby.

I think they all gave good performances, but Wisher was the first and best. He was the creepiest and his make-up was great.

I just watched Destiny and Gooderson just didn't have the menace or power in his voice, he didn't sound like Davros, also it looks liek they just re-used Wisher's make-up which doesn't seem to fit Gooderson's face properly, especially around the mouth qhere you don't see those nasty black teeth.

Molloy was the first Davros I remember, and I think he had menace to his voice. But he didn;t look like Davros to me, I never liked the enlarged third eye, it made him looka bit like a parody or 'spitting image' version of Davros. Also, his stories were not very good, though Rvelation is scary in places

He actually played Davros once on a sketch on Harry Hill's show!