Doctor Who Vs. A Christmas Carol (1977)

This version of Charles Dickens'

festive literary classic was a faithful

retelling of the original novella

(published in 1843) with a cast led

by Michael Hordern (1911-1995)

as Ebenezer Scrooge.

Shown on ITV3 today, this BBC

adaptation was originally shown

on Christmas Eve in 1977 - it also

featured John Le Mesurier, Bernard

Lee, and seventeen Doctor Who

cast and crew connections:

• [Sarah] Patricia Quinn (Ghost of Christmas Past) was Belazs in Dragonfire, then voiced Angvia for Big Finish's Bang-Bang-a-Boom! (2002)
• Clive [Robert] Merrison (Cratchit) was Jim Callum in The Tomb of the Cybermen, and the Deputy Chief Caretaker in Paradise Towers, then voiced Sir Frederick Maltravers for BBV Productions' The Barnacled Baby (2001), and George Augustus for The Contingency Club (2017)
• Paul [Mackriell] Copley (Fred) was Clem McDonald in Torchwood: Children of Earth, and voiced Dad for Spare Parts (2002), Jimmy Deel for Missing Persons (2013), Mick Huff for The Miniaturist (2022), and Wendell for The Conservitors (2023)
• Zoe Wanamaker (Belle) was Lady Cassandra in The End of the World and New Earth
• Stephen [George] Churchett (John) was Bill in Attack of the Cybermen
• Will Stampe [born Bernard Cohen] (Fezziwig) was the First Man in (episode 3 of) The Massacre
• Christopher [Kenneth] Biggins (Topper) voiced Banto Zame for The One Doctor (2001)
• June [Muriel] Brown (Mrs Dilber) was Lady Eleanor in The Time Warrior, and her EastEnders character (Dot Cotton) appeared in Dimensions in Time
• John [Henry] Ringham (Gent) was Tlotoxl in The Aztecs, Josiah Blake in The Smugglers, and Robert Ashe in Colony in Space
• [George] Michael Mulcaster (Ghost) was Prisoner in Frontier in Space (3), and Old Duke in The Masque of Mandragora (1)
• Tracey Childs (Fan) was Metella in The Fires of Pompeii, and voiced Dr. Elizabeth Klein for Colditz (2001), A Thousand Tiny Wings, Survival of the Fittest, Klein's Story, The Architects of History (all 2010), UNIT: Dominion (2012), Persuasion, Starlight Robbery, Daleks Among Us (all 2013) and Warlock's Cross (2018) - she also voiced the Figurehead for Time Works (2006)
• Brian Blessed (Narrator) was King Yrcanos in Mindwarp
• Barry [Reginald] Newbery was also production designer on sixty-two episodes (from 100,000 BC to The Awakening)
• Barbara Kidd was also costume designer on thirteen stories (from A Christmas Carol to The Wedding of River Song)
• Ann Ailes Stevenson was also make-up artist on The Face of Evil and The Awakening
• Colin Dixon also worked on sound for The Gunfighters, Terror of the Autons, The Sea Devils (6), The Masque of Mandragora and The Face of Evil
• Sam Barclay was lighting technician on Terminus too