The Doctor Who Old News Thread

[MacNimon]

I've been browsing through some old issues of DWB and other stuff I had up in the loft recently, and thoroughly enjoyed reading some of the old news 'stories' reported in them. Such as this gem...

From DWB 126, May 1994

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF DOCTOR WHO' TO LAUNCH AS A MID-SEASON REPLACEMENT

AMBLIN and Universal Television - the major US network backing the project - are believed to be establishing a fresh identity for the new brand of DOCTOR WHO to distinguish it from its humble BBC origins, in much the same way as STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION did from its Sixties counterpart.

'THE NEW ADVENTURES OF DOCTOR WHO' is rumoured to be the name under which the series will go out in Britain, and there is much speculation that the similarly relaunched NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN was bought by Controller Alan Yentob to test the waters for the full-time return of fantasy series to BBC1's Saturday evening schedule. The series has proven to be a palpable hit in its 6.15pm slot achieving audiences of 9-10 million, making the return of DOCTOR WHO to its most successful ever timeslot where, in its Seventies heyday, it averaged 11 million viewers weekly - an increasing likelihood.

The series is likely to launch in America in early 1995, possibly January depending on which of the thirty or so cancelled shows it replaces. The three major networks - ABC, CBS and NBC - traditionally launch most of their major new series, on average about forty in all, each comprising around 22-26 episodes, in the 'fall' (around the third week of September). By January, thirty or so of these series face cancellation due to poor ratings and some are cancelled outright with episodes still to air (which is why episodes from some US series have only been seen in Britain, such as WISEGUY on SKY). These are then succeeded my 'mid-season replacements', new series of around 13 episodes slotted in to complete the allocated run. Series such as QUANTUM LEAP and THE SIMPSONS started life this way.

Whereas a new BBC series takes two years from conception to screen, the workings of American television are such that a 22-part series devised in April can be on the air just five months later, but by commencing DOCTOR WHO as a mid-season replacement will allow the BBC and Amblin more time to iron out the rough spots in the contract, and to potentially have a show-reel ready to premiere at a major television fair in September where they are expected to formally announce full details. It is the impact the series will make at the fair that the BBC and Amblin hope will maximise sales to television stations around the world, hence the current virtual blanket ban on information from both White City and LA since - if too much information and hype about the series were leaked out before then - it is likely that potential buyers might consider the relaunch old hat by then.

The success of the two-hour opener and subsequent 13 episodes is vital if three further seasons of 22 episodes apiece - the first of which would commence September 1995 - are to be commissioned. As a networked series the pressure will be far greater than for syndicated series like STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, and even more so as a mid-season replacement which generally have to fight to find their feet and be noticed since they're not hyped to the extent of series premiering in the fall. Should the new DOCTOR WHO air next January then it will be known come February 1995, whether its relaunch under Spielberg has paid off. If ratings are poor, then at worse it could be cancelled after just four episodes.

Many a death-knell has been sounded in the past for series of quality and substance which were then scheduled alongside ratings monsters, and a major fear is that stations will seek to counter-attack, for example Paramount by pitching the syndicated DEEP SPACE NINE - or even ABC with THE ADVENTURES OF LOIS AND CLARK - directly opposite...

O'BRIEN OFF SHORTLIST?

Whilst some British newspapers have reported that Richard O'Brien has turned down the role of the Doctor in the new series, an official statement has yet to be released. It was reported that he was at odds with Amblin over the quality of the scripts, and as readers of The DWB Interview File will know, O'Brien has strong ideas and opinions and likes to have an-input into anything he is involved with.

Several other British actors are under consideration; and one such actor known to be connected with the project is Monty Python's own Eric Idle. Idle has made cameo appearances in American films including National Lampoon's European Vacation, but his television exposure Stateside is more or less restricted to the ghostly sitcom NEARLY DEPARTED, which departed very quickly. Peter O'Toole is another name linked to the series, with rumour suggesting that he is down to play the Doctor's ... father! Stories linking David (Star Trek V&VI) Warner appear wide of the mark, however, as Warner is apparently unwilling to tie himself down to one series, although he is happy to make guest appearances...

The series' appointed producer is Peter Wagg, not Wragg as misprinted last issue, late of MAX HEADROOM fame which he produced (the movie and series one) and executive produced (series two) for Chrysalis Visual Programming Ltd. Ironically it was on MAX HEADROOM that Coast to Coast got started providing special effects!

Many of the technical crew who worked on the aborted SEAQUEST DSV are moving over to WHO, and several effects designers from Paramount who are fans of the series are understood to have expressed an interest in 'helping out'. Several STAR TREK writers, old and new have also signalled their willingness to write for the series, among them Harlan Ellison (a selfconfessed DOCTOR WHO fan, who enthused over the series in US editions of the Target novelisations in the late Seventies), while William Gibson is reportedly interested in contributing ideas. (PR)

Terry Gilliam is thought to be down to direct a couple of episodes alongside Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg, who is currently planning a sequel to Jurassic Park. However that won't enter production for some time as Spielberg vowed to take a year off from film-making after completing the Oscar-winning Schincler's List.

-Tabloid speculation that BAYWATCH bimbo Pamela Anderson might appear in the series seems wide of the mark, as an ex-Playmate would hardly provide the brand of 'wholesome sex appeal' which Teri Hatcher has brought to LOIS AND CLARK, and which Amblin are reportedly out to reproduce...

It gets better...

More nonsense from the same issue...

SPOCK SHOCK! NIMOY TO BEAM ABOARD THE TARDIS

LUMIERE have appointed STAR TREK veteran Leonard Nimoy to direct the forthcoming DOCTOR WHO movie.

The actor created a stir recently when he announced that he would not be returning as Spock in the seventh STAR TREK movie - which unites the original and present series crews - since his role would have amounted to no more than a few seconds onscreen. STAR TREK fans have been quick to interpret his involvement with the DOCTOR WHO picture as an act of revenge, but Lumiere are understood to have targeted the actor and equally successful director some time ago because of his impressive work on STAR TREKs III and IV

Another influencing factor is the involvement of the script's coauthors: Denny Martin Flynn (see last issue) scripted STAR TREK VI, while Nicholas Meyer penned STAR TREK VI with input from Nimoy, who hinted at a recent convention that he hadn't ruled out the possibility of being involved on STAR TREK VIII, though whether Paramount take his 'defection' personally remains to be seen...

Lumiere are understood to have been working to a tight schedule to ensure that production on the film commenced before their option expired on April 7. Any filming that may so far have taken place has been kept tightly under wraps, so much so that staff at Lumiere's London press office feign surprise and amazement to all callers enquiring about the production...

I hope you enjoyed those as much as I did...which brings us to the point of the thread. Are there any old news stories, regardless of whether they were in newspapers or magazines, which you remember catching your attention all those years ago? Which ones made an impression on you at the time? Stories regarding the forthcoming departure of a Doctor? April Fools? (The Tenth Planet story from DWM in 1986 springs to mind personally...) The return of missing episodes?

In fact, anything about the series as reported in the press which you ever found interesting, feel free to reminisce here. For illustration purposes, any available links/quotes/pics/clippings etc would be nice as well (but not essential!) if possible, although that's often easier said than done!

[SiHart]

Thanks for typing those out Kenny. I remember them both really well and the optimism there was back at the start of 94 that the show was coming back.

Any filming that may so far have taken place has been kept tightly under wraps, so much so that staff at Lumiere's London press office feign surprise and amazement to all callers enquiring about the production...

I wonder if that was because they weren't actually shooting a Doctor Who film at all at the time?

Si xx

[MacNimon]

I wonder if that was because they weren't actually shooting a Doctor Who film at all at the time?

Si xx

That's what I love about these sort of reports, it's easy to laugh about things in hindsight. But unless you were there at the time, it's also easy to forget just how serious they were intended to be...or for those who are too young to remember who may think it's all some sort of joke....but those were desperate times indeed for Doctor Who fans!

Regarding Doctor Who newspaper stories, there was once a website which collected any Doctor Who clippings from every source imaginable, and it's database covered decades. It was an excellent site, although I haven't looked at it in years. I forget what it was called, but it was one of the best Who sites on the web at one time. I wonder if it's still around...

[Dino]

I threw those articles out in a clean up years ago... but this thread deserves at least a whole page on the "DAVID BURTON IS THE NEW DOCTOR WHO!" story?
To their credit, DWM were cynical in their reporting of it. But it turns out he was able to go to fetes in an Alan Partridge type car with "David Burton- The New Doctor Who" stuck to the sides of the doors? I think it was around 1992 or maybe 1993. I wasn't taken in and hopefully you were even more scathing.

DWM actually ran a small interview with him a couple of months later! Noticed he's shaved his moustache/beard combo off. It was around that time I thought..."You know what? DWM really isn't worth buying anymore..."
Wither the Burton now?...Actually I couldn't care less! His biggest punishment is he has to live with himself!

[MacNimon]

I had forgotten all about that! Unfortunately I've got large gaps in my collection having thrown much of it out in a clearout as well. I'm not sure if that story is in any of the issues I've still got, but I'll certainly have a look!

[Stuart Wallis]

I threw those articles out in a clean up years ago... but this thread deserves at least a whole page on the "DAVID BURTON IS THE NEW DOCTOR WHO!" story?
To their credit, DWM were cynical in their reporting of it. But it turns out he was able to go to fetes in an Alan Partridge type car with "David Burton- The New Doctor Who" stuck to the sides of the doors? I think it was around 1992 or maybe 1993. I wasn't taken in and hopefully you were even more scathing [...] Wither the Burton now?...Actually I couldn't care less! His biggest punishment is he has to live with himself!

By 1992/93, DWM's scathing attitude was probably due to his having done the same piece of self-publicity in 1987, and their having fallen for it then as well. I think they may have done the same in 1990 as well? More a case of once bitten...

[Logo Polish]

David Burton was actually interviewed by DWM in one issue. I think it was about 1993 or 1994.

[MacNimon]

I did a quick search on David Burton and found this comment regarding his connection with Doctor Who on another forum:

I believe the story behind that one was that David Burton had been 'cast' as the Doctor - in the sense that John Nathan-Turner's production company Teynsham wanted to pitch for the contract to produce Who, and they'd chosen Burton to play the Doctor, though possibly only in some scenes for a pitch reel.
Going around in a car marked 'The New Doctor Who' on the strength of that was perhaps hyping the facts a bit...

Also, you can find his CV here

His DWM interview appeared in issue 209, btw...unfortunately Jonno's thread ended 2 issues early to cover this topic! Perhaps someone has a copy who could share the contents of the interview with us?

[Logo Polish]

I'm not 100% certain about the accuracy of that quotation, as I've definitely read that John Nathan-Turner had no connection at all with anything to do with David Burton.