Saturday 8 October 2016

Doctor Who Vs. The Whistle Blower

This British spy thriller (shown yesterday
on the movies4men channel), was based on
the novel by John Hale, and centred on the
mysterious death of a British Intelligence
agent, Bob Jones (played by Nigel Havers).
Michael Caine led the cast here as Frank
Jarvis, a father determined to uncover a
Cold War conspiracy that silenced his son -
a GCHQ translator who was about to 'blow
the whistle' on illegal and unethical practices.
The Whistle Blower followed other timely
political dramas Defence of the Realm, and
A Very British Coup (dramatised in 1988
and 2012).
Released in late 1986, the film also featured
John Gielgud, Gordon Jackson, and eleven
Doctor Who cast and crew connections:

  • Havers was Peter Dalton (pictured left) in The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith, and voiced Dr. Nick Zimmerman for Big Finish's No More Lies (2007)
  • James Fox (Lord) voiced Professor Chronotis for Shada (BF, 2003)
  • Kenneth Colley (Pickett) voiced Cristophe Zarodnix for Sisters of the Flame and Vengeance of Morbius (both 2008)
  • Big Finish actor Trevor Cooper (DI Bourne) was [Lancelot] Takis in Revelation of the Daleks and Friar Tuck in Robot of Sherwood, and voiced Sir Ralph for The Doomwood Curse, Shanks for The Haunting of Thomas Brewster (both 2008), Judah for The Beast of Orlok, Smithy for Castle of Fear (both 2009), both Captain Maddox and Stennan for Army of Death (2011), both the Colonel and Kimball for The Emerald Tiger (2012), and both Jonathan Jaggers and Mr. Preddle for Judoon in Chains (2016)
  • Peter Miles (Kedge) was Dr. Charles Lawrence in The Silurians, Professor Whitaker for Invasion of the Dinosaurs, then was Nyder in Genesis of the Daleks, a role he reprised for both The Trial of Davros (2005), and I, Davros: Guilt (BF, 2006) - he also voiced Tragan for The Paradise of Deathand Curator Gantman for Whispers of Terror (BF, 1999)
  • John Gill (Clergyman) was Oak in Fury from the Deep
  • David Telfer (Ticket Collector) was the Huntsman in The Creature from the Pit
  • Walter Henry (Veteran) was an Extra in (episode 2 of) The Myth Makers and The Silurians (6), a Primord in Inferno (6), and a Brother in The Masque of Mandragora (1 and 3)
  • Raymond Hughes was costume designer on The Invisible Enemy too
  • production buyer Peter Walpole was the set decorator on Rose, The End of the World, The Unquiet Dead, Aliens of London and World War Three
  • Magdalen Gaffney was make-up artist on Death to the Daleks too