April 17th, 2024 6 comments

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The Doctor Who Production Diary The Hartnell Years

Available to order from www.amazon.co.uk and www.telos.co.uk

Written by David Brunt.

In the first of a new series of books, noted Doctor Who historian David Brunt presents the most detailed and comprehensive day-by-day record ever published of the show’s production during the years 1963-1966 when William Hartnell played the Doctor.

Drawing on many years of research and an exhaustive study of BBC archive documentation – including files not previously accessed by any other Doctor Who author – the book includes a wealth of newly-discovered information and explodes some long-standing myths.

Some things you will discover in this book:

• Which future Doctor Who scriptwriter was the first person approached to write for the series?
• How major was the overhaul to the BBC Drama Department under Sydney Newman in 1963, and who first suggested the idea before he even joined the BBC?
• How did the series manage to get made, when several people inside the BBC tried to get it cancelled before it even went into production?
• How many people turned down the offer of becoming the series’ producer before Verity Lambert was hired?
• How long before he appeared as Steven Taylor was Peter Purves contracted for the role?
• Was Vicki going to appear in ‘The Daleks’ Master Plan’?
• Was Katarina originally going to survive that same story?
• When was Vicki planned to be burned as a witch?
• Was Anne Chaplet going to appear in ‘The Celestial Toymaker’?
• On what date was it first decided to write out William Hartnell as the Doctor?
• Exactly when was Patrick Troughton contracted to replace him?

And much more …

You think you know the background and history of the development of the show and the era of the First Doctor? Think again …

Categorised under: Books, Reference books