Doctor Who Vs. Lifeforce

This cult British sci-fi horror film, directed by Tobe Hooper, premiered

on Talking Pictures TV last night. Based on Colin Wilson's 1976 novel,

The Space Vampires, the drama marked the arrival of  Halley's Comet

 - the means by which aliens have travelled to our solar system. The

humanoid invaders kill the crew of British space shuttle Churchill, and

head for Earth.

Released by Cannon Film in 1985, Lifeforce (a critical and box office

flop) featured Steve Railsback (as astronaut Carlsen), Peter Firth,

Patrick Stewart, Michael Gothard, Nicholas Ball, Mathilda May, and

twenty-one Doctor Who cast connections:

• Frank Finlay (Dr. Fallada) voiced Old Jacob for Big Finish's Bedtime Story (2007)
• Jerome [Barry] Willis (Pathologist) was [Jocelyn] Stevens in The Green Death and Global Conspiracy?
• Derek Benfield (Physician) voiced Dr. John Hallam for Catch 1782 (2005)
• John [Edward Arthur] Woodnutt (Metallurgist) was George Hibbert in Spearhead from Space, Draconian Emperor in (episode 5 of) Frontier in Space, Duke of Forgill/Broton in Terror of the Zygons, and Seron in The Keeper of Traken
• Katherine Schofield (Secretary) was Sabetha in The Keys of Marinus
• Bill Malin (Alien) was Chimeron in Delta and the Bannermen (1), Extra in Dragonfire, Soldier in Remembrance of the Daleks, and Cyberman in Silver Nemesis 
• John [William Francis] Hallam (Lamson) was Light in Ghost Light (3)
• [Albert] Edward [Walker] Evans (Doctor) was Ted Moss in Image of the Fendahl
• Carl [born Barry] Rigg (Brendan) was Varlin in The Power of Kroll
• Geoffrey Frederick [born Barling] (Astronaut) was Exorse in The Savages
• Elizabeth [born Heery] Morton (Astronaut) was a Nurse in The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
• Richard D Sharp (Crewman) was Earl Sigma in The Happiness Patrol
• [Donald] Burnell Tucker (Officer) was Garner Two in The Angels Take Manhattan
• Stuart Milligan (Technician) depicted President Richard Nixon in The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon, and voiced Colonel Stark for Dreamland, Anthony Chambers for The Reaping (2006), Emerson Whytecrag for Lurkers at Sunlight's Edge (2010), Narrator of Blackout (2011), Garundel for Black and White (2012), Starlight Robbery (2013), Stolen Goods (2018) and The Last Day (2023/24)
• William Lindsay (Aide) was Zargo in State of Decay
• Haydn Wood (Pilot) was O'Hara in Planet of Evil
• Kerry Shale (voice of Rawlins) was Dr. Renfrew in Day of the Moon, then Narrator of The Lost Angel (2017)
• [Timothy] 'Tip' Tipping (Man) was stunt arranger on Remembrance of the Daleks, The Curse of Fenric and Survival
• [Joseph John] Brychan Powell (VIP) was Guard/Aide in Day of the Daleks, Solonian in The Mutants (1), Prime Minister in The Green Death (3), Mentiad in The Pirate Planet, Noble in The Androids of Tara (1), Logopolitan in Logopolis (1), Extra in Black Orchid (1), Passenger in Time Flight (1), and Citizen in Planet of Fire (1) 
• Chris [John] Webb (Zombie) was a Monoid in The Ark
• Mike Mungarvan, Derek Suthern and Peter Roy (Policemen) all had uncredited roles in the classic series