35 years ago, William Hartnell died. I never grew up with his Doctor, but over the years, he has become one of my favourites. Enjoy the video. Gone but not forgotten.
35 years ago, William Hartnell died. I never grew up with his Doctor, but over the years, he has become one of my favourites.
I, too, was not alive during the Hartnell serials, but encountered what remains of his Doctor posthumously, about 10 years after his death in 1985 with the PBS broadcast of his shows in the USA. Despite the limitations of the videotape technology of the time in which they were made, the Hartnell serials actually had some musical backing from a number of great composers who also worked in film:
Tristram Cary
Richard Rodney Bennett
Stanley Myers
Francis Chagrin
Humphrey Searle
While more Hartnell programs survive in the archives than those of Patrick Troughton's, there are still missing Hartnell serials. Fortunately, audio CDs exist on them. One can hear the superb non-electronic contributions Tristram Cary made to "Marco Polo" and "The Daleks' Masterplan", as well as Humphrey Searle's great music for "The Myth Makers"...
Funny you should mention Hartnell. I'm reading the first volume of ABOUT TIME--yes, I love these books--and it's fascinating learning about the formation of the BBC, the creation of Dr Who, the Daleks, and those early stories that built the legend. I've never watched a Hartnell story, but reading about it gives me a greater appreciation for his years at the TARDIS helm.
When I was a child my only experience of the first Doctor was the version portrayed by Richard Hurndall in The Five Doctors. I finally started to catch up with Hartnell's performances on DVD when I started to buy classic stories about five years ago, at the same time that Doctor Who finally returned to television screens, and now he's my second favourite Doctor (after Tom Baker). He was playfully impish, fussy, pompous, charming, encouraging, friendly, irritable, eccentric, reassuring, muddled, confidant, dangerous, contrary, contradictory and brilliant. Some fans make fun of the fact Hartnell would occasionally get his lines wrong, but that only makes him more endearing to me.
Some rare film footage has been unearthed by Doctor Who Magazine contributor, Andrew Pixley, showing test footage featuring the first two Doctors (William Hartnell & Patrick Troughton).
The footage, which was filmed during Hartnell's penultimate story, The Smugglers, was filmed as test shots for the upcoming regeneration and exists on a 35mm black-and-white film reel.
I've been following the new incarnation avidly, but I really have no relationship to the series before that. In fact, I don't think I've seen a single episode before 2005. However, as I've been following the new series, I've found myself curious about the early stuff and the beginnings as well. I tracked down the very first episode about the cavemen, but then realized lots of episodes had been lost (not only the Hartnell stuff, but some of the following doctors too?), so I quickly gave up my effort to start from the beginning and work my way forward.
Some rare film footage has been unearthed by Doctor Who Magazine contributor, Andrew Pixley, showing test footage featuring the first two Doctors (William Hartnell & Patrick Troughton).
The footage, which was filmed during Hartnell's penultimate story, The Smugglers, was filmed as test shots for the upcoming regeneration and exists on a 35mm black-and-white film reel.
Wasn't this an april fools hoax? I read about this on the Mausoleum club forum awhile back. I've seen the photos in DWM, and as far as I can tell, they don't look like test footage for a regeneration. If I recall they are from two different movies. Tried to look for it on the other forum but it seems to be down at the moment.
Some rare film footage has been unearthed by Doctor Who Magazine contributor, Andrew Pixley, showing test footage featuring the first two Doctors (William Hartnell & Patrick Troughton).
The footage, which was filmed during Hartnell's penultimate story, The Smugglers, was filmed as test shots for the upcoming regeneration and exists on a 35mm black-and-white film reel.
Wasn't this an april fools hoax? I read about this on the Mausoleum club forum awhile back. I've seen the photos in DWM, and as far as I can tell, they don't look like test footage for a regeneration. If I recall they are from two different movies. Tried to look for it on the other forum but it seems to be down at the moment.
Yep, just checked the missing episodes forum, and it is indeed a hoax. The photos are from the british tv series Dial 999 in which both Hartnell and Troughton appeared in the same episode.
Some rare film footage has been unearthed by Doctor Who Magazine contributor, Andrew Pixley, showing test footage featuring the first two Doctors (William Hartnell & Patrick Troughton).
The footage, which was filmed during Hartnell's penultimate story, The Smugglers, was filmed as test shots for the upcoming regeneration and exists on a 35mm black-and-white film reel.
Wasn't this an april fools hoax? I read about this on the Mausoleum club forum awhile back. I've seen the photos in DWM, and as far as I can tell, they don't look like test footage for a regeneration. If I recall they are from two different movies. Tried to look for it on the other forum but it seems to be down at the moment.
If it was, it was a very good one. LOL
Speaking of DWM, I read the review for The Space/Chase DVD release and I liked the little story about William Russell.
Another Hartnell story on the way. A nice little four parter.
The BBFC has classified an trailer for the first Doctor story The Ark, indicating it is due for DVD release in the next few months.
The Ark was the sixth story of Season 3, and was first broadcast between 5th March and 26th March 1966. Alongside William Hartnell as the Doctor it stars Jackie Lane as Dodo and Peter Purves as the Steven Taylor.
The story is set in the 57th segment of time, some 10 million years in the future, when the Earth has been destroyed by the sun going nova. A giant spaceship carrying all the Earth's surviving plant, animal and human life is on a 700 year journey to a new home on the planet Refusis II.
The story was written by Paul Erickson and Lesley Scott and directed by Michael Imison.
The Ark was first released on VHS in 1998 and is also available on CD with linking narration by Peter Purves.
This is good news as it's one of my favourite Willim Hartnell stories. It's also the last complete story from Season One to be released.
2|Entertain have reported via their Classic Series twitter feed that two commentaries are due to be recorded in London this coming Sunday. The two remaining original TARDIS travellers William Russell (Ian Chesterton) and Carole Ann Ford (Susan) will be reunited to record the commentary for First Doctor adventure The Sensorites, whilst Third Doctor tale Colony in Space will feature Katy Manning (Jo Grant) alongside (then) assistant floor manager Graeme Harper. Both recording sessions will see additional reflections from other, as yet unnamed, guests.
As usual, this announcement should not be taken as an indication of the stories coming out on DVD imminently, as commentaries are often recorded way in advance of release to take advantage of the commentators' availability!
A Hartnell story is always welcome from me. None more so than The Sensorites. One of my favourite stories from Season 1 and the last complete complete story to get released from that season.
Doctor Who - Story #007: The Sensorites extras: Audio Commentary Looking for Peter Vision On Secret Voices of the Sense Sphere Photo Gallery PDF materials: Radio Times Listings, original design drawings Production Note Subtitles Digitally remastered picture and sound quality
The British Board of Film Classification have listed features to be included on the DVD release of William Hartnell adventure The Reign of Terror, due out on 28th January.
FEATURE LIST ONE:
00:25:02:12 DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD - THE MAKING OF THE REIGN OF TERROR 00:04:09:05 THE REIGN OF TERROR - PHOTO GALLERY 00:03:36:19 THE REIGN OF TERROR - ANIMATION GALLERY FEATURE LIST TWO:
00:01:02:00 DOCTOR WHO - THE FIRST DOCTOR RETURNS - THE REIGN OF TERROR (TRAILER) Commentaries have been passed on all six episodes, including the two animated episodes four and five.
BBC Home Entertainment has announced today that Doctor Who - Story #008: The Reign of Terror is being released for DVD on February 12th. William Hartnell stars as the First Doctor, with Carole Ann Ford as his granddaughter, Susan Foreman, and companions Ian and Barbara played by William Russell and Jacqueline Hill. The single-disc title is priced at $24.98 SRP, and will contain exclusive extras which includes the Making-Of Featurette "Don't Lose Your Head," a Photo Gallery, an Animation Gallery, and the Trailer "The First Doctor Returns," plus more. And the included episodes are digitally remastered by the Restoration Team, of course. Well, the four that were found. As for the other two?
This story aired in six parts during August and September of 1964, and ended the show's first production season. The episodes were "A Land of Fear," "Guests of Madame Guillotine," "A Change of Identity," "The Tyrant of France," "A Bargain of Necessity," and "Prisoners of Conciergerie." This is among the productions which were junked/wiped by the BBC in the early '70s, but 4 of the 6 episodes were recovered from overseas in the years to follow. The 4th and 5th episodes weren't found, however, so when the story was released on VHS in the past, it was done with a 3-minute recap narration bridging the gap from the end of the third episode to the beginning of the sixth. Now the BBC is bringing those episodes back on this DVD via animated recreation, similar to what was done in 2007 with Story #046: The Invasion on DVD.
From light musical comedy to a succession of mean crooks and bullying sergeant-majors, William Hartnell’s long and varied career included a number of iconic British films including Carry On Sergeant, This Sporting Life and Brighton Rock. However, it is for his role as a time-travelling eccentric that he is most fondly remembered.
Hartnell played the very first Doctor from 1963 – 1966, pitting his wits again many foes and monsters including the Daleks and the Cybermen, laying the foundations for what was to become a global institution.
Jessica Carney’s closely researched biography of her grandfather includes stories from many of the hundreds of stars of stage and screen with whom he worked, among them Richard Attenborough, Verity Lambert, Bob Monkhouse, Carole Ann Ford, David Langton and Lindsay Anderson.
"A fascinating and very moving account of a complicated and talented actor. William Hartnell rose from the humblest beginnings to become a heavyweight screen star and, ultimately, an unlikely hero to millions of children as the first Doctor Who. In this 50th anniversary year, it's wonderful to see how Jessica Carney pulls together all the threads of a tangled life in such a sympathetic but honest fashion. Bill was no saint but he emerges as a fully-rounded, difficult and fascinating personality in this splendid biography”.
– Mark Gatiss
"Like the character of the Doctor himself, Hartnell went through several different incarnations during his career: light comedian, ruthless gangster, tough professional soldier. These, together with his private life, are the subject of this carefully researched and utterly absorbing biography by Hartnell’s granddaughter"
– Jeffrey Richards, Sunday Telegraph
Updated and available for the first time in over fifteen years, Jessica Carney’s biography is published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the character that made him immortal – Doctor Who!
From light musical comedy to a succession of mean crooks and bullying sergeant-majors, William Hartnell’s long and varied career included a number of iconic British films including Carry On Sergeant, This Sporting Life and Brighton Rock. However, it is for his role as a time-travelling eccentric that he is most fondly remembered.
Hartnell played the very first Doctor from 1963 – 1966, pitting his wits again many foes and monsters including the Daleks and the Cybermen, laying the foundations for what was to become a global institution.
Jessica Carney’s closely researched biography of her grandfather includes stories from many of the hundreds of stars of stage and screen with whom he worked, among them Richard Attenborough, Verity Lambert, Bob Monkhouse, Carole Ann Ford, David Langton and Lindsay Anderson.
"A fascinating and very moving account of a complicated and talented actor. William Hartnell rose from the humblest beginnings to become a heavyweight screen star and, ultimately, an unlikely hero to millions of children as the first Doctor Who. In this 50th anniversary year, it's wonderful to see how Jessica Carney pulls together all the threads of a tangled life in such a sympathetic but honest fashion. Bill was no saint but he emerges as a fully-rounded, difficult and fascinating personality in this splendid biography”.
– Mark Gatiss
"Like the character of the Doctor himself, Hartnell went through several different incarnations during his career: light comedian, ruthless gangster, tough professional soldier. These, together with his private life, are the subject of this carefully researched and utterly absorbing biography by Hartnell’s granddaughter"
– Jeffrey Richards, Sunday Telegraph
Updated and available for the first time in over fifteen years, Jessica Carney’s biography is published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the character that made him immortal – Doctor Who!
Brian Blessed has revealed that he was approached to play the Doctor in the 60s.
The Radio Times claims that the veteran actor would have taken over from William Hartnell if he had accepted the role.
Blessed told the site: “After I was in Z Cars, the head of BBC serials took me aside and said, ‘We’re thinking of having a young Doctor Who and we’d like to cast you’. But it clashed with other things.
Asked what his reaction would be now, he said: ” I’d jump at it.”
Brian went on to take a guest role in the show anyway in 1986's Mindwarp, playing the character of King Yrcanos (pictured).
Blessed also had a suggestion for the next Doctor: “I think they need to re-examine his surname –“Who” is very oriental. It’s about time they had an Asian actor as the Doctor. And a female one.”
