Doctor Who Vs. Carry On Columbus

Despite being helmed by veterans Gerald Thomas and Peter Rogers, this production (released in late 1992 to mark the 500th anniversary

of Christopher Columbus' epic sea journey) proved to be the final,

failed attempt at reviving the iconic Carry On film franchise. Island

World's comedy reunited surviving series stalwarts with a cast of

alternative comic actors.

The Italian explorer was portrayed by Jim Dale - he was joined by Peter

Gilmore (both in their eleventh Carry On roles), Jack Douglas (his eighth appearance), Jon Pertwee (fourth), and Bernard Cribbins (third),

whilst Leslie Phillips and June Whitfield replaced Frankie Howerd and

Joan Sims. Barbara Windsor, Bernard Bresslaw and Kenneth Connor

declined to appear.

An ultimate box-office flop, Carry On Columbus effectively consigned

the run to cinema history - it was shown on Talking Pictures TV last

night, and featured these eighteen Doctor Who cast connections:

• for Cribbins (Mendoza) see Carry On Jack
• for Phillips (Ferdinand) and Whitfield (Isabella) see Carry On Nurse
• for Gilmore (Governor) see Carry On Cabby
• Maureen [Diane] Lipman (Countess) was the Wire in The Idiot's Lantern
• Alexei [David] Sayle (Achmed) was the DJ [Derek Johnson] in Revelation of the Daleks
• Nigel [George] Planer (Wazir) was Vorgenson for The Monsters are Coming, and voiced Alex Marlowe for Big Finish's Hothouse (2009), and Herrax/Old Racnoss Emperor for Empire of the Racnoss (2017)
• [Alexander] Martin Clunes (Martin) was Lon in Snakedance
• Don [Francis] Henderson (Bosun) was Gavrok in Delta and the Bannermen
• Burt [born Herbert Tsangtse] Kwouk (Wang) was Lin Futu in Four to Doomsday, and voiced Dr. Hayashi for Loups-Garoux (2001)
• Daniel Peacock (Tonto) was Nord in The Greatest Show in the Galaxy
• Richard [born Ian Carmichael] Wilson (Felipe) was Dr. Constantine in The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances
• Lynda [born Lilian] Baron (Meg) recorded The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon (sung off screen) for The Gunfighters, then appeared in Enlightenment as Captain Wrack, and was Val in Closing Time
• Su Douglas (Joanna) voiced Countess Venhella for Benny's Story, Gem Weston for Fitz's Story (both 2009), Cook for The Broken Crown, Toad for Aladdin Time (both 2011), and Lady Raleigh for The Survivor (2019)
• Selva Rasalingam (Abdullah) was Ranjit in The Power of Three
• Jonathan [Louis] Tafler (Inquisitor) voiced Captain Waldo for The Paradise of Death, and Pietro Clemenza for The Ghosts of N-Space
• Michael Hobbs (Inquisitor) voiced Francis Currie for UNIT (2004/ 05), Fazackerly for Other Lives (2005), and Arcantis for Time in Office (2017)
• Duncan Duff (Inquisitor) was Newsreader in Rise of the Cybermen and The Age of Steel, and voiced Joe Hartley for Night Thoughts (2006)