Doctor Who Vs. Coronation Street @ 65, Part 10: 1990-1995

The biggest change to the soap's schedule
since 1961 came in October 1989 with the
addition of a third weekly instalment.

Granada then decided to give the show a

dedicated production base, and the sets

were moved from the main TV studios

building to a refurbished warehouse near

the outdoor set. The new complex, com-

plete with individual dressing rooms, now

allowed the cast to rehearse on the actual

sets. Throughout 1990, new houses and

businesses (including the Kabin) began to

be integrated into storylines. A new title

sequence and videotape recording were also introduced.

By 1992 however (just a year after Carolyn

Reynolds replaced Mervyn Watson as

producer), Lord Rees Mogg of the Broadcasting Standards Council saw the Street's all-white cast as out of touch (the Desai family, the first

regular ethic characters, only appeared in 1999). Then another prime-

time rival launched on BBC1 that July, but Eldorado was a flop and was

 cancelled after just a year on air. The Street was victorious again in the

next ratings battle, then EastEnders debuted its own third weekly

episode in 1994. Corrie celebrated its thirty-fifth anniversary with its

first one-hour special and spin-off video release, both marking the

wedding of Curly Watts and Racquel (Kevin Kennedy and Sarah

Lancashire).

These six years on the Street featured William Russell (pictured as

Ted Sullivan, from April to September 1992), and a total of twenty-eight Doctor Who cast and crew connections:

• Patricia Maynard (Veronica) was Hilda Winters in Robot - a role reprised for Big Finish's Sarah Jane Smith in 2002
• Tania Rodrigues (Joanne Khan) voiced Anarkali/Melissa/Isra Tech #2 for Scavenger (2014), Chief Panath for Jonah (2018), Visteron for Deeptime Frontier (2019), Laker for Chase the Night (2020), VAD Prime for Body and Soulless (2021), Andolar for The Golden Child, and Princess Tura for Puccini and the Doctor (both 2024)
• Shirin Taylor (Jackie Ingram) was a Camper [Pat] in (part 3 of) The Stones of Blood, and Customer in Dragonfire
• Andrew McCulloch (Travers) co-wrote Meglos
• Judy Holt (Mrs. Grice here; Lesley Kershaw, 2011/12) was Sandra Mitchell  in The Long Game
• Milton Johns [born John Robert Milton] (Brendan Scott, 1991, 1993) was Benik in The Enemy of the World, Guy Crayford in The Android Invasion, and Kelner in The Invasion of Time
• Carl Forgione (Barrett) was Land in Planet of the Spiders, and Nimrod in Ghost Light
• Sally [Roberta] Faulkner (Mrs. Maxwell-Glover) was Isobel Watkins in The Invasion, and voiced Miss Tremayne for Winter for the Adept (2000)
• Tyrone Huggins (Dr. Bannerman) voiced Dr. Kenton Eastwood for Power Cell (2016)
• [Terence] Dicken Ashworth (Horton) was Sezon in Timelash
• Catherine Cusack (Carmel) made her acting debut as the Blue Kang Leader [Drinking Fountain] in Paradise Towers - reprised for 24 Carat
• Leslie Schofield (Brookes) was Leroy in The War Games (4), and Calib in The Face of Evil
• Colin Prockter (Halpern, 1992; Bostock, 1995; Maddocks, 2005; Clarky, 2008) was the Chef in The Long Game, and Air Raid Warden in Victory of the Daleks
• Nigel Carrington (Brooks here; Waiter, 1989) voiced Emissary Godrin/ Dr. Summersby/Announcer for The Valley of Death (2011), Sir Robert Harney for The Devil's Armada (2014), Pik Solus for Mistfall, Graham Finlay for New Horizons (both 2015), and Sir Peter Latcham for UNIT: Shutdown (2016)
• Esther Coles (Gemma) voiced Scott for Lethal Progress (2026)
• Brian Hibbard (Murray) was Kellor in Delta and the Bannermen
• Freddie Earlle (Owens) was Aldo in Warriors' Gate
• Alibe Parsons (Kathy) was Matroni Kani in Mindwarp
• Malcolm Terris (Firman) was Etnin in The Dominators (1), and the Co-Pilot in The Horns of Nimon
• Bernard [Frederic Bemrose] Kay (Phillips) was Carl Tyler in The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Saladin in The Crusade, Inspector Crossland in The Faceless Ones, Caldwell in Colony in Space, and voiced Major Dickens for Night Thoughts (2006)
• Nicholas Blane (Stapleton here; Green, 1998; Judge, 2010) was Millington in Survivors of the Flux
• John [Frederick Joseph] Savident (Fred Elliott, 1994-2006) was the Squire in The Visitation (1)
• Owen Aaronovitch (Estate Agent here; Jon Lindsay, 1997/8) voiced Antonio Ferrando and Control Unit for Fiesta of the Damned (2016)
• Michael Owen Morris was director of The Awakening too, following a stint on The Pirate Planet as production assistant
• Michael Kerrigan was also director of Battlefield and The Sarah Jane Adventures
• Ellie Haddington (Josie) was Professor Docherty in Last of the Time Lords
• [Albert] Frank Mills (Billy Williams, 1995-97) was the Telescope Director in Terror of the Autons (1)
• Andy Devine (Photographer here; Jason, 2000) made his TV debut as an uncredited Draconian in Frontier in Space

Doctor Who Vs. The Avengers @ 65: Series 1

January 1961 saw the debut of ITV's cult

fantasy drama. Patrick Macnee (1922-

2015) and Ian Hendry (1931-1984) port-

rayed spy John Steed and Dr. David Keel.

Beginning with the murder of Keel's

fiance Peggy, and his sworn intent to

avenge her death, the initial run com-

prised twenty-six instalments.

Only two complete stories exist in the

archives, whilst just the final act of the

 opening episode remain intact.

After 161 episodes, spanning six series,

The Avengers finished in 1969 and was

shown in ninety countries.

The programme spawned the television

sequel, The New Avengers (1976-77), a

British stage production (1971), the South

African radio series (1971-73), a cinema version (1998), and Big Finish's full

cast audio version (2014 to present).

The TV executive credited with conceiving Doctor Who in 1963, Sydney

Newman (1917-1997) also created The Avengers for ABC (later Thames),

and he assembled a team of writers that included Dennis Spooner, John

Lucarotti, Bill Strutton, and Peter Ling. The first season of The Avengers

featured Roger Delgado, Geoffrey  Bayldon, and a total of sixty-four

Doctor Who cast and crew connections:

Hot Snow (UK TX: January 7 1961)

• Robert James [born McAllister] (Vance, here & Brought To Book) was Lesterson in The Power of the Daleks, and the High Priest in The Masque of Mandragora
• Geoffrey [John] Quigley (Spicer here & next episode) was [Malcolm] Dortmun in Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 AD
• Charles [Roland Edward] Wade (Johnson) was Malik in (episode 3 of) Marco Polo

Brought To Book (UK TX: January 14)

• Clifford Elkin (Boy) was the Earth Cruiser Captain in Frontier in Space (5)
• [Eugene] Neil McCarthy (Bart) was George Barnham in The Mind of Evil, and Thawn in The Power of Kroll
• Charles [Walter] Morgan (Mason) was Songsten in The Abominable Snowmen, and Gold Usher in The Invasion of Time

Square Root of Evil (UK TX: January 21)

• Heron Carvic [born George Rupert William Harris] (Five) was the Voice of Morpho in The Keys of Marinus (2)
• John Woodvine (Bloom here, Harry in Dead of Winter) was the Marshall of Atrios in The Armageddon Factor

Nightmare (UK TX: January 28)
Crescent Moon (UK TX: February 4)

• Eric [Norman] Thompson (Paul) was Viscount Gaston de Levis in The Massacre

Girl On The Trapeze (UK TX: February 11)

• Edwin [Ronld] Richfield (Stefan) was Captain [John] Hart in The Sea Devils, and Mestor in The Twin Dilemma
• Ivor [Charley] Salter (Sergeant) was the Morok Commander in The Space Museum, Odysseus in The Myth Makers, and Sergeant Markham in Black Orchid
• [John] David Grey [born Gregory] (Sterret here; Williams in All Done With Mirrors) was Rinchen in The Abominable Snowmen
• Julian [Robert Stanley] Holloway (Extra here & Tunnel of Love; Thornton in The New Avengers: Gnaws) was Sergeant Paterson in Survival
• Jack Le White [born Albert Arthur Whiteley] (Policeman) was Citizen in The Reign of Terror (3), and Criminal/Cameraman in The Daleks' Master Plan
• production designer Paul Bernard (here & Kill The King) was director of Day of the Daleks, The Time Monster and Frontier in Space

Diamond Cut Diamond (UK TX: February 18)
The Radioactive Man (UK TX: February 25)

• Paul [Willis] Grist (PC) was Bill Filer in The Claws of Axos
• George [born Jiri] Pravda (Ogrin) was Denes in The Enemy of the World, Professor Jaeger in The Mutants, and Castellan Spandrell in The Deadly Assassin
• Christine Pollon (Mary) provided the voice of the Oracle in Underworld

Ashes of Roses (UK TX: March 4)

• Mark Eden [born Douglas John Malin] (Beronne here; Nicholson in Mission to Montreal) was the titular explorer in Marco Polo, then depicted Donald Baverstock in An Adventure in Space and Time
• [Ernest] Edward Dentith (Roffey) was Major General Rutlidge in The Invasion

Hunt The Man Down (UK TX: March 18)

• Maurice Good (Stacey her; Goodman in Don't Look Behind You; Mercer in Split!; Milroy in The New Avengers: Forward Base) was Phineas Clanton in The Gunfighters

Please Don't Feed The Animals (UK TX: April 1)

• [Walter] Tenniel Evans (Felgate here; Hurst in The Big Thinker; Ruse in The Golden Fleece; Carswell in All Done With Mirrors) was Major Daly in Carnival of Monsters

Dance With Death (UK TX: April 15)

• Angela [Josephine] Douglas [born MacDonagh] (Beth here; Miranda in Requiem) was Doris Lethbridge-Stewart in Battlefield
• Geoffrey [Dyson] Palmer (Anthony here; Manning in Propellant 23; Terence in Man With Two Shadows; Smythe in A Surfeit of H2O) was Edward Masters in The Silurians, the Administrator in The Mutants, and Captain Hardaker in Voyage of the Damned
• Neil [Kingsley] Wilson (Sergeant here; Beppi in The Frighteners) was Seeley in Spearhead from Space

One For The Mortuary (UK TX: April 29)

• Frank Gatliff (Dubois here; Harvey in The Sell-Out; Pitt-Norton in A Chorus of Frogs; Fryer in Love All; Karl in The New Avengers: The Eagle's Nest) was Ortron in The Monster of Peladon
• Dennis Edwards (Pallaine) was a Centurion in The Romans (2), and Lord Gomer in The Invasion of Time
• Steven Scott (Concierge here; Agent in Death on the Slipway; Boris in Dragonsfield; Vilner in Second Sight; Kartovski in Split!) was Kebble in The Power of the Daleks
• Eddie Powell (Henchman here; Guard in The Outside-In Man) was stuntman on Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 AD

The Springers (UK TX: May 13)

• Donald Morley (Neame) was Jules Renan in The Reign of Terror
• David Webb (Pheeney here; Bilston in The New Avengers: Faces) was Alec Leeson in Colony in Space (1)

The Frighteners (UK TX: May 27)

• [Alan Edgar] Stratford Johns (Weller here; Sidney in Legacy of Death) and Philip [born Roy James] Locke (Moxon here; Primble in From Venus With Love) both appeared in Four to Doomsday, as Monarch and Bigon respectively
• Godfrey James (Boy) was Tarn in Underworld
• Eric [Bennett] Elliott (Butler) was the Commander of The Ark

The Yellow Needle (UK TX: June 10)

• Eric [Norman] Dodson (Inspector here; One-Fifteen in Dragonsfield) was the Headman in The Visitation
• Michael [John] Barrington (Waiter here; Todhunter in Dial a Deadly Number; General Stevens in The New Avengers: Dirtier by the Dozen) was Sir Colin Thackeray in The Seeds of Doom
• Wolfe Morris [born Steinberg] (Ali) was Padmasambhava in The Abominable Snowmen

Death On The Slipway (UK TX: June 24)

• Tom [born Anthony Frederick Charles] Adams (Butterworth here; Rayner in The Far Distant Dead) was Vorshak in Warriors of the Deep
• [Richard Hugh] Hamilton Dyce (Brodie here; Daniels in Death on the Rocks; Camrose in You'll Catch Your Death) was Major General Scobie in Spearhead from Space
• Gary [born Garrowby Cawthorne] Watson (Pardoe here; Marling in Immortal Clay; Bush in Lobster Quadrille; Kendrick in Wish You Were Here) was Arthur Terrall in The Evil of the Daleks

Double Danger (UK TX: July 8)

• Ron [Henry] Pember (Mills here; Charley for Bizarre) voiced Seedle for Slipback
• Peter [Gordon] Reynolds [born Horrocks] (Brady here; Tulip in Who's Who???) was Man in the second Dalek film

Toy Trap (UK TX: July 22)

• Tex Fuller [born Albert Charles Baseley] (Taylor here; Motorist in Sleeper) was an uncredited Exxilon in Death to the Daleks (3)
• Anne [Mabel] Tirard (Mrs McCabe) was Locusta in The Romans (3), and the Seeker in The Ribos Operation

Tunnel of Fear (UK TX: August 5)

• [Frank] Morris Perry (Sergeant here; Technician in Dragonsfield) was Captain Dent in Colony in Space
• Nicky [Victor Leslie] Henson (Crowd) voiced Pieter Stubbe for Loups-Garoux (2001), Dick Turpin for The Doomwood Curse (2008), and Gregson Grenville for Deimos and The Resurrection of Mars (2010)
• [Cathal] Max [Parnell Macaulay Lloyd] Faulkner (Henchman here; Goon in Game) was UNIT Soldier in The Ambassadors of Death, Exxilon in Death to the Daleks (1), Miner in The Monster of Peladon (6), Guard Captain in Planet of the Spiders (4), Thal Guard in Genesis of the Daleks (3), Crewman in Planet of Evil (1), Corporal Adams in The Android Invasion, stuntman/fight arranger on The Hand of Fear, and Nesbin in The Invasion of Time

The Far Distant Dead (UK TX: August 19)

• Reed [Randolph] De Rouen (Garcia) was Pa Clanton in The Gunfighters
• Francis [Marie] De Wolff (Zeebrugge) was Vasor in The Keys of Marinus (4), and Agamemnon in The Myth Makers

Kill The King (UK TX: September 2)

• Peter [Wynn] Barkworth (Crichton-Bull here; Willis in The Medicine Men; Percival in The Correct Way to Kill; Merlin in The Morning After) was Leader Clent in The Ice Warriors
• [Herbert] Burt [Tsangtse] Kwouk (Tenuphon here; Mason in Lobster Quadrille; Tusamo in The Cybernauts) was Lin Futu in Four to Doomsday, then voiced Dr Hayashi for Loups-Garoux (2001)

Dead of Winter (UK TX: December 9)

• Neil Hallett [born John Neil] (Weber here; Packer in The Winged Avenger; Ryder in Get-a-Way!; Clifford in The New Avengers: Faces; Roberts in Medium Rare) was Maylin Renis in Timelash

The Deadly Air (UK TX: December 16)

• Ann [Forrest] Bell (Barbara) voiced Sylvia O'Donnell for A Thousand Tiny Wings (2010)
• Keith Anderson (Heneger) was Robespierre in The Reign of Terror
• Michael Hawkins (Karswood) was General Williams in Frontier in Space
• John [Wilson] Stratton (Craxton) was Shockeye in The Two Doctors

A Change of Bait (UK TX: December 23)

• Henry Lincoln [born Soskin] (Sampson) later co-wrote both Yeti stories and The Dominators with Mervyn Haisman
• John [Albert] Bailey (Potts here; Fernand in Killer Whale; Warner in Dial a Deadly Number; Bleech in Killer) was the Commander in The Sensorites (6), Edward Waterfield in The Evil of the Daleks, and Sezom in The Horns of Nimon (4) 
• [Alfred] Graham Rigby (Fletcher) was Larry Madison in The Dalek Invasion of Earth

Dragonsfield (UK TX: December 30)

• Keith Barron (Technician here; Draker in The New Avengers: Target!) was Captain Straker in Enlightenment, and voiced Isaac Barclay for Plague of the Daleks (2009), and Lord Tulip for The Bad Penny (2018)
• Ronald [Frederick] Leigh-Hunt (Reddington here; Lambert in The Cybernauts; General in The New Avengers: Three Handed Game) was Commanders, Julian Radnor in The Seeds of Death, and Stevenson in Revenge of the Cybermen
• Michael [Anthony] Robbins (Landlord) was Richard Mace in The Visitation
• Barbara [Teresa] Shelley [born Kowin] (Susan here; Venus in From Venus With Love) was Sorasta in Planet of Fire

Doctor Who Vs. Inspector Morse: Series 2

John Thaw and Kevin Whateley returned as Oxford

based detectives, Morse and Lewis, for the second

run of Central's iconic crime drama - first shown at Christmas 1987 then in the winter of 1988. 

The first thriller was later novelised as The Jewel

That Was Ours in 1991. Parts two and four were

based on original Morse mysteries - Last Bus to Woodstock (published in 1975) and Last Seen Wearing (1976) were Colin Dexter's first novels

(the screenplay for the third story was provided

by Charles Wood).

A repeat run of the season began on ITV3 today

- it featured a total of twenty-seven Doctor Who

cast and crew connections:

The Wolvercote Tongue 

(UK TX: Christmas Day 1987)

• Simon [Phillip Hugh] Callow (Kemp here; Oxe in Lewis) reprised his role of Charles Dickens (pictured in The Unquiet Dead) for The Wedding of River Song, and provided the voice of Tree Lorn Acre Slitheen Blathereen in The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Gift - he then voiced Don Quixote for The Ingenious Gentlemen (2025)
• Kenneth Cranham (Downes) voiced Tom Cardwell for Big Finish's Blood of the Daleks (2007)
• Roberta [Alexandra Mary] Taylor (Sheila) voiced Berengaria for The Holy Terror (2000), Angela Wisher for Cuddlesome (2008), and Maid for I Was Churchill's Double (2018)
• Christine [Mary] Kavanagh (Lucy) was Aram in Timelash, then voiced Patience for Cold Fusion (2016), Dora Muse for Muse of Fire (2018), and Magog/Juno for The Iron Legion (2019)
• Tim Faulkner (Manager) voiced Charles Hookham/Flindor/Wilbur Grits for The God of Phantoms, and Highgate for The End of the Beginning (both 2021)
• John Bloomfield (Aldrich) was the costume designer for The Face of Evil and The Talons of Weng-Chiang
• Maureen Morris (Nurse) provided the voice of the Great One for Planet of the Spiders
• [William] Pat Gorman (Guard) made appearances in eighty-three episodes (from The Dalek Invasion of Earth to Attack of the Cybermen)
• for Peter Woodthorpe, Michael Feinberg, Valentino Musetti and Terry Forrestal and see The Dead of Jericho

Last Seen Wearing (UK TX: March 8 1988)

• Glyn [born Glyndwr Desmond] Houston (Craven) was Professor [Owen] Watson in The Hand of Fear, and Colonel Ben Wolsey in The Awakening
• Philip Bretherton (Acum) voiced Plenipotentiary Suskind for Arrangements for War (2004), Elliot Payne for Jago & Litefoot 3, Scrivener for Recorded Time, Darcy/D'Urberville/Heathcliffe for A Most Excellent Match (all 2011), Vituperon for The Devil's Armada (2014), and Sir Keith Kordel for Rise and Shine (2015)
• Suzanne Bertish (Cheryl) voiced Aldis for Nevernor (2020)
• Julia Sawalha (Rachel) was Emma in The Curse of Fatal Death
• for James Grout see The Dead of Jericho

Last See Wearing (BBC Radio 4 TX: May 28 1994/Radio 7 TX:

Jan 12 2008/BBC Radio 4 Extra TX: May 13 2012)

• John [Morley] Shrapnel (Morse here; Dr. Storrs in Death is Now My Neighbour, ITV) voiced Thomas Cromwell for The Eighth Piece and The Doomsday Chronometer (both 2016), and Nigel Colloon for The False Guardian and Time's Assassin (both 2019)
• Robert Glenister (Lewis) was Salateen in The Caves of Androzani, then Thomas Edison in Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror - he also voiced Aboresh for Absolution (2007), and Eliot for Future Phantoms (2024)
• Donald Sumpter
• Tamsin [Margaret] Greig (Valerie) was the Nurse in The Long Game 

The Settling of the Sun (UK TX: March 15)

• Anna Calder Marshall (Jane) voiced Mathilda Pierce for Scream of the Shalka
• Eiji Kusuhara (Li) was a Chinaman in Four to Doomsday, and voiced Professor Toshio Shimura for Enemy of the Daleks (2010)
• Tim Barker (Thomas) was Harold V in The Happiness Patrol
• [Walter] Llewellyn Rees (Robson) was the President in The Deadly Assassin
• Michael [John] Goldie (Tramp) was Craddock in The Dalek Invasion of Earth, and Elton Laleham in The Wheel in Space
• Derek [James] Fowlds (Friedman) voiced Claude for The Elixir oF Doom (2014)
• Tina Simmons (Guest here; Slimmer in Fat Chance) began her career as an Inferno Customer in (episode 1 of) The War Machines

Last Bus to Woodstock (UK TX: March 22)

• Terrence Hardiman (Palmer) was Hawthorne in The Beast Below, and voiced Sitirc Silkbeard for The Book of Kells (2010), Reverend Dobbs for AudioGo's The Broken Crown (2011), Hepworth Stackhouse for The English Way of Death, Richard Pollard for The Fall of the House of Pollard (both 2014), and Rassilon for Gallifrey: Time War 2 (2019)
• Shirley Dixon (Margaret) provided the voice of Skagra's Ship for Shada
• Ian Sears (Sanders) was Brendan Richards in K9 and Company

Doctor Who Vs. The Curse of the Were Rabbit

That great British inventor and

cheese enthusiast known only

as Wallace (of West Wallaby

Street in Wigan) and his anthro-pomorphic pet dog Gromit first

appeared in the BBC animated

short A Grand Day Out in 1989.

The plasticine duo were created

by Nick Park (born 1958) way

back in 1973, and brought to

life by Aardman Animations

(based in Bristol since 1972).

Three more 'claymation' TV

adventures followed, and in

2005, Wallace and Gromit made their full-length film debut in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, released by Dreamworks.

The Wrong Trousers (1993), A Close Shave (1995), and this film all won

Academy Awards, whilst A Matter of Loaf and Death (2008) received

Park's fifth BAFTA prize.

Upto Vengeance Most Fowl, Wallace had always been voiced by Peter

Sallis (1921-2017), and it was intended that Gromit should talk too -

Peter Hawkins (one of the original Dalek and Cybermen voice artists

 on classic Doctor Who from 1963) was to provide his voice, but this

proved  too difficult to realise.

The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was co-written by Bob Baker, writing

partner of Dave Martin (1935-2007), and they were nicknamed the

Bristol Boys by the Doctor Who production teams. Together they

scripted nine TV serials (from The Claws of Axos to Nightmare of

Eden), and created K9.

Shown on BBC3 last night, the film eatured the voices of Ralph Fiennes,

Helena Bonham Carter, John Thomson, Geraldine McEwan, Liz Smith,

Mark Gatiss, and these ten Doctor Who cast and crew connections:

• Sallis played Elric Penley in The Ice Warriors, and was due to appear in Enlightenment as Striker
• Peter Kay (PC Mackintosh) was Victor Kennedy [the Abzorbaloff] in Love & Monsters
• Nicholas [John] Smith (Hedges) was Wells in The Dalek Invasion of Earth
• Edward [Harry] Kelsey (Growbag) was Slave Buyer in (episode 2 of) The Romans, Resno in The Power of the Daleks, and Edu in The Creature from the Pit
• [Terence] Dicken Ashworth (Mr. Mulch) was Sezon in Timelash
• Vincent Ebrahim (Caliche) voiced Shardul Khan for Big Finish's The Emerald Tiger (2012)
• Christopher Fairbank (additional voice) voiced Pierre Arronax for The Wreck of the Titan (2010), Doc Baroque for The Scapegoat (2009), and Marc Brunel for Iron Bright (2018), then appeared as Fenton in Flatline
• ADR recordist Robert Edwards was a mixer on Hide, Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS, The Crimson Horror, Nightmare in Silver, The Name of the Doctor and Space and Time
• Peter Gleaves was also ADR mixer on The Magician's Apprentice and The Witch's Familiar
• assistant cameraman Adam Lincoln was clapper loader on Blink

Doctor Who Vs. James Bond, Part 4: Thunderball

Eon Productions intended to follow 1963's

From Russia With Love with an adaptation of Casino Royale (the first Bond story from

1953), but were again thwarted by legal issues. The alternative project, Thunderball

became the most successful feature in the

run to date. 

Based on Ian Fleming's eighth full length

novel (published in 1961), the film was

planned as the first entry in the franchise,

and was then reworked by Warner Bros as

Never Say Never Again in 1983 - Bond was

 played by Sean Connery in both versions.

Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewellyn, and Lois

Maxwell reprised their respective series

roles as M, Q, and Moneypenny. Released

in late 1965, the film was shown on ITV1

today - it featured eighteen Doctor Who cast and crew connections:

• Earl Cameron (Pinder) was Glyn Williams in The Tenth Planet
• Philip [born Roy James] Locke (Vargas) was Bigon/Control Voice in Four to Doomsday
• George [born Jiri] Pravda (Kutze) was Alexander Denes in The Enemy of the World, Professor Jaeger in The Mutants, and Castellan Spandrell in The Deadly Assassin
• Leonard [Meyer] Sachs (Captain) and Clive [Benabu] Cazes (Spectre 9) both appeared in The Massacre - as Admiral Gaspard de Coligny and the Guard Captain - Sachs was also Lord President Borusa in Arc of Infinity
• [Charles] Edward Underdown (Air Vice Marshal) was Zastor in Meglos
• Gabor Baraker (Spectre 13) was Wang-Lo in Marco Polo, and Luigi Ferrigo in (episode 2 of) The Crusade
• Neil Hallett [born John W H Neil] (Pilot) was Maylin Renis in Timelash
• André [Gaston] Maranne [born Maillol] (Spectre 10) was Roger Benoit in The Moonbase
• Peter [John Buckley] Forbes Robertson (Spectre 12) was Guard in The Power of the Daleks, Time Lord in Colony in Space (1), and titular reptile in The Sea Devils
• Jack Silk was a stuntman on The Daemons (4) too
• stuntman Bernard Barnsley was Monoid in The Ark, and UNIT Soldier in The Silurians (2)
• Peter Roy (006) was Greek Soldier in The Myth Makers, Sergeant in The Faceless Ones (1), UNIT Bunker Soldier in The Invasion (1), Guard in The Seeds of Death (1), The Space Pirates (1), The Face of Evil (1), The Invasion of Time (1), The Androids of Tara (1) and The Armageddon Factor (1), Technic Obarl in The Hand of Fear (1), Policeman in Logopolis (1), Ambulance Man in Castrovalva (1), Market Man in Snakedance (1), and Extra in The Highlanders (1), The Silurians (6), The Sun Makers (1) and Resurrection of the Daleks (1)
• for Tim Condren see Goldfinger
• for Robert Rietty, Rick Lester, Arthur Howell, Pat Judge and Cliff Culley see Dr. No

Doctor Who Vs. Oliver Twist (1985)

Victorian literary classic Oliver Twist (also known as

The Parish Boy's Progress, and originally published

monthly in Bentley's Miscellany from 1837 to 1839) was only Charles Dickens' second novel.

The first television adaptation of the story was shown

 on BBCtv in 1962, followed by this more faithful

version in 1985. Produced by Terrance Dicks for the

the corporation's Classic Serial strand (which ran reg-

ularly on Sunday afternoons for twenty years from

1975), the drama originally aired in late 1985. A

repeat run of the twelve-part saga began on U&Eden

(formerly UKTV's documentary channel) today - it

featured Ben Rodska as Oliver, Eric Porter (Fagin),

Terry Molloy, and a total of twenty-five Doctor Who

cast and crew connections:

• Brian [Parry] Badcoe (Magistrate) was Adam [Nigel Castle] in Invasion of the Dinosaurs
• June [Muriel] Brown (Mrs. Mann) was Lady Eleanor in The Time Warrior
• Donald [Yarrow] Eccles (Limbkins) was Krasis in The Time Monster
• Davyd Harries (White) was Shapp in The Armageddon Factor
• Nicholas McArdle (Master) was De Vries in The Stones of Blood
• Edward [Noel] Burnham (Grimwig) was professors Watkins and Kettlewell in The Invasion and Robot respectively
• Lysette [Anne Chodzko] Anthony (Rose/Agnes) voiced Clara Harris for Assassin in the Limelight (2008), Hazel Bright for Hothouse (2009), and Sophia for The Secret History (2015)
• Michael [John] Attwell (Bill Sikes) was Isbur in The Ice Warriors, and Bates in Attack of the Cybermen
• Godfrey James (Bumble) was Tarn in Underworld
• Gillian [Mary] Martell (Mrs Maylie) was Lily Gregson in K9 and Company
• Chrsitian Rodska (Barney) voiced Laan Carder for Faith Stealer (2004), and Reverand Small for AudioGo's The Dead Shoes (2011)
• Miriam Margolyes (Mrs Corney) provided the voice of Leaf Apple Glyn Slitheen Blathereen for The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Gift, and voiced Frau Tod for The Beast of Orlok (2009), and the Soothsayer for The Dying Breed (2025), then was cast in The Star Beast as the Meep
• Christopher [Denis] Driscoll (Crackit) was the Security Guard in The Idiot's Lantern
• Janet Henfrey (Martha) was Miss Hardaker in The Curse of Fenric, Mrs Pitt in Mummy on the Orient Express, and the Adjudicator in Sil and the Devil Seeds of Arodor - she then voiced Mrs Vanguard for The Spirit Trap (2010), Dr. Petherbridge for An Eye for Murder, Mrs Jefferies for The Concrete Cage, Woman for The Forgotten Village (all 2014), Dorothy for The Screaming Ceiling (2019), Sister Magdalene for Abbey of Heretics (2020), Verkuvia for The Day of the Comet (2021), and Narrata for Morbius 1 (2024)
• Mark Bassenger (Cabbie) made his TV debut as a Cyberman in The Five Doctors
• David McKail (Dr. Losberne) was Sergeant Kyle in The Talons of Weng Chiang
• [Terence] Dicken Ashworth (Sergeant) was Sezon in Timelash
• Harry Fielder (Big Man) was a Guard (in serials PP, ZZZ, 4L, 4P, 5A, 5F, 5Z), Crewman (SS, 4T), Vogan (4D), Assassin (4Q), Tigellan (5Q), and Krarg in Shada
• Leslie Schofield (Patterer) was Leroy in The War Games, and Calib in The Face of Evil
• Henry [Thomas] Stamper (Fang) was Anton in The Enemy of the World
• Alan Bennion (Magistrate) was Slaar in The Seeds of Death, Izlyr in The Curse of Peladon, and Azaxyr in The Monster of Peladon
• Charles Pemberton (Warden) was a titular alien in The Tomb of the Cybermen, and Alien Technician in The War Games
• production manager Nigel Taylor began his career as assistant director on The Stones of Blood
• script editor Brian Wright was Dassuk in The Ark
• incidential music was provided by Dudley [George] Simpson, composer on almost 300 episodes (from Planet of the Giants to The Horns of Nimon)

Doctor Who Vs. James Bond, Part 18: Tomorrow Never Dies

The eighteenth entry in the
James Bond franchise, and the
second to star Pierce Brosnan as

Ian Fleming's British spy, was

released by United Artists and

Eon Productions in 1997.

Since no Fleming stories were
left to adapt, this film was the
first to bear no relation to the
writer's estate, an original
screenplay was provided by
Goldeneye writer, Bruce Feirstein. The title was inspired

by the Beatles' Revolver track, Tomorrow Never Knows.

Judi Dench and Desmond Llewelyn both returned to their long-running
roles as M and Q. The feature was shot on location in France, Thailand,
Germany, Mexico and England with interiors filmed at the custom-built
007 Stage (opened in 1976) at Pinewood studios. The theme song by
Sheryl Crow was nominated for a Golden Globe and a Grammy award.

ITV4's latest Bond season continued last night -  this assignment

featured Michelle Yeoh, Teri Hatcher, Joe Don Baker, and these

twenty-five Doctor Who cast and crew connections:

• Jonathan Pryce [born John Price] (Carver) was the Master (pictured) in The Curse of Fatal Death
• Colin Salmon (Robinson here, The World in Not Enough & Die Another Day) was Dr. Moon in Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead, then voiced Trooper Salway for Big Finish's Wirrn Dawn (2009)
• Geoffrey [Dyson] Palmer (Roebuck) was Edward Masters in The Silurians, the Administrator in (episode 1 of) The Mutants, then Captain Hardaker in Voyage of the Damned
• Colin Stinton (Greenwalt) and Nichola [Teresa Mary] McAuliffe (BMW Voice) both appeared in The Sound of Drums, as President Arthur Winters and Vivien Rock - McAuliffe also voiced Otia/Guide for Time Killers (2022)
• Christopher Bowen (Commander) was Mordred in Battlefield
• Pip [Dean] Torrens (Captain) was Headmaster [George] Rocastle in Human Nature and The Family of Blood, then voiced Charlie Gibbs for Eldrad Must Die! (2013), Kenton for Break the Ice (2022), and Thomas Browne for 1901: The Unknown Mirror (2025)
• Julian [Alistair] Rhind-Tutt (Yeoman) voiced Lexhan for The Paradise of Death, and Berkhoff for The Skies of New Earth (2018)
• Hugh [Richard] Bonneville [Williams] (Officer) was Captain Henry Avery in The Curse of the Black Spot, and voiced Tsar Nicholas/Sir Sidney Herbert for The Angel of Scutari (2009)
• Jason Watkins (Officer) was Webley in Nightmare in Silver, voiced the Legate of the Caliph for The Destroyer of Delights, and was the White Guardian in The Chaos Pool (both 2009)
• Bruce [John] Alexander (Captain) voiced Hingus for Emissary of the Daleks (2019), Jadzis for The Golden Child (2024), and Scratch for Missy (2025)
• David Ashton [born Scott] (First Sea Lord) was Kendron in Timelash
• Neil Finnighan (Thug) was a stuntman on Dalek
• Dennis Matsuki (Guest) began his acting career as a Coolie in The Talons of Weng-Chiang
• Curtis Rivers (German/Guard) doubled for John Barrowman in Utopia, The Sound of Drums and Torchwood
• for both Dinny Powell and Rocky Taylor see Dr. No
• composer David Arnold had also provided a new arrangement of the Doctor Who theme tune for Big Finish's Eighth Doctor releases
• sound effects editor Peter Baldock was Acolyte in The Face of Evil (4)
• Dani Biernat was also a stunt performer on The Christmas Invasion, New Earth, The Sound of Drums and Amy's Choice
• stuntmen Ray De-Haan, Tom Lucy, Crispin Layfield and Derek Lea all worked on the revived run whilst Jim Dowdall was an Extra on the classic series