colin baker interview
Created | Updated Mar 26, 2004
COLIN BAKER WAS APPEARING IN THE STAGE PLAY DOCTOR WHO THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE AT THE LEEDS GRAND 22 JUNE 1989 THE INTERVIEWER WAS TREVOR RAMSAY
T.R.can you start by telling us how you became involved in acting
C.B.WELL I SURPOSE IT ALL STARTED AT SCHOOL I WAS BROUGHT UP IN ROCHDALE,JUST ACROSS THE PENINES FROM HERE;I WENT TO SCHOOL IN MANCHESTER.THEN WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD AT ST.BEADS COLLAGE IN MANCHESTER,WAS INVITED TO TAKE PART IN A PRODUCTION OF YEOMAN OF THE GUARD.THEY DID GILBERT AND SULLIVAN EACH YEAR AT MY SCHOOL;AND I WAS IN THE CHORUS FOR YEOMAN OF THE GUARD.THEN WHEN I WASW 13 FOR SOME BIZIARRE REASON KNOWN TO THEMSELVES THEY DECIDED I OUGHT TO PLAY THE FEMALE LEAD SO I PLAYED PHYLLIS IN IOLANTHE AND I GOT A REVIEW IN THE SCHOOL MAGAZINE WHICH SAID "COLIN BAKER THREW HIMSELF WITH VERVE INTO THE PART OF PHYLLIS AND RARLY STRAYED MORE THAN HALF AN OCTAVE FROM THE NOTE"WHICH AT THE TIME I THOUGHT WAS A REALLY GOOD REVIEW,BUT IT ONLY OCCURED TO ME LATER,WHEN I WENT AND REREAD IT AS AN ADULT,THATTHERE WAS AN IMPLIED CRITISM OF MY SINGING THERE WHICH HASN'T IMPROVED OVER THE YEARS,I'M AFRAID.BUT THE BUG WAS PLANTED THEN;I TOOK PART IN ALL THE SCHOOL PRODUCTIONS OF GILBERT AND SULLIVAN PLAYS IN VARYING DEGREES OF SUCCESS.
WHEN I LEFT SCHOOL;WHEN I TOLD MY FATHER I WAS COMTEMPLATING ACTING AS A CAREER,HE SAT ON THAT VERY FIRMLY AND SENT ME OFF TO BE A LAWYER;AND WHEN I WAS DOING THAT I JOINED VARIOUS AMATOUR GROUPS,INCLUDING THE NORTH MANCHESTER AMATOUR OPERATIC AND DRAMATIC SOCIETY IN THE CURTAIN THEATRE AT ROCHDALE WHERE I LEARNT AN AWFUL LOT.THERE WERE A LOT OF EXTREMLY GOOD AND TALENTED PEOPLE THERE WHO COULD HAVE WORKED WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY AT ALL,IN THE PROFESSIONAL THEATRE HAD THEY WANTED TO BUT CHOSE TO ENJOY THEIR ACTING RATHER THAN MAKE MONEY FROM IT.GRADUALY I CAME TO REALISE ESPECIALLY WHEN MY FATHER BECAME ILL THIS IS VERY SERIOUS REALLY THAT WE HAVE A VERY SHORT LIFEON THIS EARTH AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL DO SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO RATHER AT THE END OF A LIFE SAY WHY DID YOU BOTHER WITH ALL THAT SO AT LEAST I'M DOING SOMETHING I ENJOY AND I'M COMMITED TO I'VE BEEN EXTREMLY FORTUNATE AT MAKING A LIVING OUT OF IT AS WELL WHICH IS MORE THAN I HAD A RIGHT TO EXPECT AND AS 80% OF ACTORS ARE OUT OF WORK AT A GIVEN TIME SO ITS NOT THE MOST SECURE OF PROFFESSIONS THATS HOW IT ALL STARTED AND WHY I'M SITTING HERE TALKING TO YOU TODAY.
T.R.you're returning to the role of the doctor who after 4 years now?
C.B.YES IT'LL BE 4 YEARS IN A MONTHS TIME SINCE I RECORDED MY LAST EPISODE.
YES I AM AND PEOPLE SAY WAS IT HARD DECISION TO COME BACK?IT WASN'T ACTUALLY I LEFT UNDER NOT THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES:MICHALE GRADE WHO WAS CONTROLLER OF BBC AT THE TIME DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO CHANGE THE DOCTOR AND THAT WAS A KIND OF EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PRODUCERS AND DIRECTORS AND THEY HAD TO LIVE WITH IT WE WERE ALL A BIT SAD AND WE FELT A BIT CHEATED,BECAUSE WE WERE ALL ENJOYING THE RELATIONSHIP BUT THOSE KIND OF DECISIONS ARE MADE UP TOP HE DECIDED THREE YEARS WAS ENOUGH FOR A DOCTOR AND IT WAS TIME TO REGENERATE SO THATS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME OVER THE LAST 4 YEARS I'VE BEEN DOING OTHER THINGS DOCTOR WHO IS STILL PART OF MY LIFE CAUSE YOU CAN NEVER FORGET THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOCTOR WHO AND PEOPLE NEVER LET YOU FORGET
T.R.do you still attend conventions?
C.B.I DO WHEN I CAN OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE PROGRAMME THERES GREATER INCENTIVE TO ATTEND CONVENTIONS BECAUSE YOU'RE HELPING AN ON GOING THING AND BY GOING TO A CONVENTION YOU ARE IN A SENCE PUBLICISING THE WORK YOU ARE DOING ONCE YOU'RE DOING OTHER WORK IT BECOMES MORE A LABOUR OF LOVE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IF IM FREE AND HAPPEN TO BE IN A TOWN AND I'VE GOT NOTHING TO DO THAT PARTICULAR MORNING THEN I'M VERY HAPPY TO TURN UP TO THAT PARTICULAR DOCTOR WHO CONVENTION BUT OBVIOUSLY I CAN NO LONGER REGARD IT AS A THING I HAVE TO DO PUT INTO MY SCHEDULE BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF HARKING BACK RATHER THAN FORWARDS FOR ME.
T.R.what alterations had to be made to the script of doctor who the ultimate advenure when you took over from jon pertwee?
C.B.JON PERTWEE HAD BEEN PLAYING THE PART FOR 10 WEEKS BEFORE I TOOK OVER AND TERRANCE DICKS WHO WROTE THE SCRIPT WROTE IT SPECIFICALLY WITH JON IN MIND.SO HE SENT ME A COPY OF THE SCRIPT AND ASKED ME WHAT KIND OF CHANGES I THOUGHT I'D WANT AND WHEN I READ IT I RANG HIM UP AND TO HIS GREAT RELIEF I THINK SAID THERE ARE VERY FEW CHANGES I WOULD MAKE BECAUSE BASICLY THE DOCTOR IS THE DOCTOR,AND IT'S THE MERE FACT THAT I'M SAYING THE LINES INSTEAD OF HIM THAT MAKES IT DIFFERANT.THE FORCES ARE VERY DIFFERANT THE LINES THAT HAVE BEEN CHANGED ARE ABOUT ONE OR TWO PERCENT OF THE SCRIPT SO THINGS LIKE REVERSE THE POLARITY OF THE NEUTRON FLOW WHICH IS A JON PERTWEE LINE HAS BEEN CHANGED AND THERES ARE THINGS THAT'VE BEEN ADDED IN SOME BY ME AND SOME BY TERRANCE DICKS IN CONSULTATION WITH EACH OTHER ITS A SHIFT OF EMPHISIS RATHER THAN A CHANGE OF DIALOGUE I MEAN I'M MY USUAL KIND OF BUMPTSOUS ARROGANT SELF AND HE WAS HIS KIND OF DIGNFIED CURTIOUS SELF BUT WE'RE SAYING MORE OR LESS THE SAME LINES.
T.R.i was surprised that the line about daleks being equipedwith sinkplungers and egg wisks was kept in because that sounds the sort of thing pertwee's doctor might have said.
C.B.YES NOW I'VE ONLY RECENTLY LEART THIS WE CHANGED"POLARITY"BECAUSE IT WAS PARTICUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH JON PERTWEE I HAD NOT RELISED UNTIL RECENTLY THAT THE SINK PLUNGERS AND EGG WISKS WAS A PERTWEEISM,BUT IT'S SUCH A GOOD LINE THAT I'M LOATH TO LOSE IT SO IT STAYED IN HE DID SAY LAVORTORY PLUNGER,AND AS THERES NO SUCH THING AS A LAVORTORY PLUNGER I REFUSED TO SAY IT.SO MR PERTWEE STANDS CORRECTED.
T.R.i found it strange at the begining of the play when the doctor's sent on a mission by maggie thatcher,because the doctor usually fights the forces of evil,but here he is being sent on a mission by them.
C.B.(laughter)YOU'RE SAYING THAT MARGARET THATCHER'S A FORCE FOR EVIL? WELL,I'M NOT GOING TO GET DRAWN INTO THAT TYPE OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THE DEMORCRATICLY ELECTED LEADER OF OUR OWN COUNTRY I THINK THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN RATHER TOUGN-IN-CHEEK.IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANYBODY DOUBTLESS IF THERE WAS A GENRERAL ELECTION DURING THIS SHOW AND NEIL KINNOCK WAS THE PRIME MINISTER,WE'D HAVE A POOR ACTOR SITTING WITH HIS BACK TO THE AUDIANCE PRETENDING TO BE NEIL KINNOCK.
T.R.so you don't think the doctor's a tory and thats why the chamelion circuit turned the tardis into a blue box?
C.B.(more laghter)THATS A VERY INTERRESTING VIEWPIONT,BUT I DON'T THINK THE DOCTOR IS A TORY THE DOCTOR IS A DOCTORITE PERHAPS HE'S A FOLLOWER OF DOCTOR OWEN VERY INTERESTING POINT.
T.R.have you been pleased with the public responce to the play?
C.B.YES OBVIOUSLY THIS AFTERNOON BEING A MATINEE IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER THE TEST MATCH STARTED TODAY AND THAT RULES OUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ITS A LOVELY DAY OUTSIDE IT'S A THURSDAY AFTERNOON THERE WERN'T A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE THEATER THIS AFTERNOON,BUT MOST THEATERS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE HAVING THAT AT THE MOMENT.WE'RE DOING VERY WELL OTHERWISE AND I THE PEOPLE WHO DO COME TO SEE IT FAIRLY UNIFORMLY TELL ME THAT THEY'RE DELIGHTED AND I GET TO MEET QUITE A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE I GO ROUND AFTERWARDS AND MEET THEM AND SIGN THIER AUTOGRAPHS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND THE RESPONSE I GET IS OBVIOUSLY FROM THE FANS OF DOCTOR WHO I MEAN THEY'ER GOING TO LIKE IT MORE OR LESS ONE HOPES,BUT THE PEOPLE WHO COME WITH THEM THE ONES WHO SAY WELL I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO COME BUT MY KIDS WANTED TOGO AND I WON'T LET THEM GO OUT ON THIER OWN AT NIGHT SO I HAD TO COME WITH THEM AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU I ENJOYED MYSELF ENOURMOUSLY AND THEY WANT TO COME AGAIN ON SATURDAY AND I'M COMING WITH THEM AND I HAVE HAD THAT SAID TO ME QUITE A LOT.
IT IS A SMASHING SHOW AND I CAN SAY THAT NOT WITH ANY DEGREE OF SELF CONGRATULATION BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT WITH JON PERTWEE IN IT I WENT TO SEE IT IN THE FIRST WEEK WHEN THERE WERE THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE PUT RIGHT BECAUSE IT'S A VERY COMPLCATED TECHNICAL SHOW AND IT WAS QUITE HARD TO GET ON THE ROAD EVEN WHEN THERE WERE THINGS GOING WRONG I SAW IT IN BRISTOL AND A COUPLE OF TIME IN MANCHESTER AND A COUPLE OF TIMES IN OXFORD AND EVERY TIME I'VE SEEN MORE AND ENJOYED IT MORE AND IT'S THE SORT OF SHOW THAT IF I WERE TO TURN THE CLOCK BACK THIRTY YEARS AND I'M WORKING AS A STAGE HAND OR SOMETHING I'D BE HAPPY TO STAND IN THE WINGS AND WATCH IT EVERY NIGHT THERE'S A LOVELY ATMOSTHERE TO IT AND IT'S FUN TO BE INVOLVED WITH IT A GREAT CAST AND A GREAT TEAM.
T.R.one of your companions in the show is played by rebecca thornhill she seems quite a talented young actress.
C.B.I THINK REBECCA THORNHILL IS SMASHING ASIDE FROM BEING A RATHER PRETTY YOUNG LADY OF TWENTY YEARS OF AGE WHICH MAKES ME FEEL LIKE A GRANDFATHER SHE IS A JOLLY GOOD ACTRESS YES SHE MAKES UP WITH TALENT WHAT SHE LACKS IN EXPERIENCE AND THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET EXPERIENCE IS BY WORKING SHE'S DOING THAT AND DOING IT VERY WELL SHES A GOOD COMPANION IN A LONG LINE OF GOOD COMPANIONS.
T.R.you had two traveling companions in the t.v series peri and melanie did you have a personel favourite of the two?
C.B.BECAUSE I WAS WITH NICOLA WHO PLAYED PERI FOR SUCH ALONG TIME TWO AND A HALF YEARS OUT OF MY FREE YEARS A CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP GREW UP BETWEEN US AND WE STILL KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ONE ANOTHER AND SHE'S LIKE MY YOUNG SISTER OR SOMETHING I SUPPOSE SHE'D SAY MORE LIKE FATHER AND DAUGHTER BUT SHE WAS ALWAYS RUDE.THE PROBLEM WITH THE RELATION SHIP ON SCREEN WAS THAT PERI WAS OBVIOUSLY FEMALE IT MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE SIXTH DOCTOR TO BE TOO OVERTLY FRIENDLY WITH HER.YOU KNOW THE ARM AROUND THE SHOULDER AND ALL THAT THERES AN OLD BBC RULE ABOUT NO HANKY PANKY IN THE TARDIS AND LESS THERE BE SEEN TO BE THE POSIBILATY OF HANKY PANKY WE HAD TO KEEP IT IN A VERY FIRMLY KIND OF AVUNCLUALAR RELATIONSHIP WHEN SHE WENT AND BONNIE TOOK OVER HER CHARACTOR WAS MUCH MORE EVEN THOUGH THEY'ER A SIMUILAR AGE MUCH MORE KIND OF GIRL LIKE I MEAN SHE WAS YOUNG BOUNCY ENERGETIC GIRL SO I COULD BE MORE PROTECTIVE OF HER,BUT AS FAR AS THE TWO COMPANIONS ARE CONCERNED I DON'T HAVE FAVOURITES I JUST KNEW NICOLA BETTER I DARE SAY THAT AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS WORKING WITH BONNIE I'D HAVE HAD THE SAME SORT OF RELATIONSHIP WITH HER AS WELL.
T.R.in the marvel comic strip your companion was a shape changing wifferdill.
C.B.OH FROBISHER I THINK FROBISHER WAS GREAT THE FROBISHER CARTOONS HAVE COME OUT IN BOOK FORM AND THEY ASKED ME TO WRITE A LITTLE APPRECIATION SO I SAID THAT WHIFFERDILLS WERE A GREAT IDEA A BIT TRICKY TO DO ON TELEVISION MIND YOU BUT I LOVE THE IDEA OF A WHIFFERDILL WHO STAYS AS A PENGUIN BECAUSE HES TOO BORED TO CHANGE INTO ANYTHING ELSE YEAH I THINK FROBISHER WAS GREAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE FROBISHER WELL WE'VE GOT ZOG WHO'S FROBISHERISH A CUTE FURRY ALIEN AND THE NICE THING ABOUT ZOG THAT THE ACTRESS WHO PLAYS ZOG BRILLIANLY CAN GO "CHRIP CHRIP ZZXLAXABLUB" AND I CAN SAY ANYTHING I LIKE WHICH IS FUN.
T.R.would you have liked to have done a story with nicholas courtney?
C.B.I WOULD IT LOOKS AS THOUGH I'M GOING TO BE THE ONLY DOCTOR WHO HASN'T DONE A STORY WITH NICHOLAS COURTNEY FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAY NOT KNOW,PLAY'S THE BRIGADIER IN DOCTOR WHO WHICH IS A CHARACTOR THAT STARTED IN THE PERTWEE ERA MAYBE BEFORE.
T.R.yes he started with patrick troughton.
C.B.YES HE STARTED WITH PATRICK TROUGHTON AND BECAUSE HE WAS IN THE THREE DOCTORS HE APPEARED WITH WILLIAM HARTNELL SO UNTIL HE FAILED TO WORK WITH ME HE WAS THE ONLY ACTOR TO WORK WITH EVERY SINGLE ACTOR,IT WAS PLANED BUT UNFORTUNEATLY BECAUSE OF WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER THAT NEVER TRANSPIRED.
IN THE SEASON THAT WAS CANCELLED THERE WAS A STORY PLANNED THAT WAS GOING TO INVOLVE THE BRIGERDIER AND THE AUTONS AS I RECALL OVER IN SINGAPORE THEY'D GOT FILMING RIGHTS FOR SINGAPORE BUT ALAS MICHAEL GRADE CAME TO THE BBC THAT STORY WAS CANCELLED ALONG WITH NIGHTMARE FAIR THE AUTON STORY WENT AND SO DID THE BRIGADIER.SO THE SIXTH DOCTOR AND THE BRIGADIER ARE DOOMED TO REMAIN RESALUTLY APART I KNOW NICK QUITE WELL WE TALKED A LOT ON THE PHONE WE GET ON QUITE WELL AND WE'RE BOTH SAD ABOUT THAT.
T.R.now that michael grade's gone to channel four isn't there any way you can return to the series?
C.B.WELL I DON'T SEE HOW THEY'D DO IT REALLY I SUPPOSE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IN THE FUTURE SOMEONE MIGHT SAY LETS HAVE THE SIXTH DOCTOR BACK BIUT I DOUBT IT ITS NOT THE WAY THEY WORK.
T.R.graham williams has recently novelised nightmare fair have you read it?
C.B.YES I'VE READ IT AND I WROTE A REVIEW OF IT FOR A FAN-ZINE CALLED PRIVATE WHO I THINK IT'S A SMASHING STORY JOHN NATHAN-TURNER GIVE IT ME TO READ BEFORE WE KNOW THE SERIES WAS CANCELLED I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT DOING IT AND VERY DISAPOINTED WHEN IT WAS CANCELLED I THINK IT'S A SMASHING STORY I URGE YOU TO READ IT IF YOU'RE A DOCTOR WHO FAN.
T.R.i will finish off by asking you if its difficult for you being on stage in leeds during the hotest june since 1976?
C.B.YES IT HAS I DID ASK FOR A COSTUME THAT WOULD BE AS COOL AS POSSIBLE I HAD QUITE AN HOT COSTUME DOING THE TV SERIES BUT I WAS ABLE TO TAKE IT OFF BETWEEN SHOTS AND COOL DOWN HERE ON STAGE I'M ON STAGE FOR THE FULL TWO HOURS AND THATS IT SO THE FACT THAT THE TEMPERATURES BEEN 80 DEGREES AND RISING INSIDE THE THEATERS AND THE AUDIANCE HAS BEEN SITTING IN SHIRTSLEEVESLIKE A BULL IN A WHAT EVER THEY SWEAT IN,YES IT'S BEEN EVEN WORSE FOR THE POOR ACTRESS PLAYING ZOG BECAUSE ZOG IS THIS FURRY ALIEN AND INSIDE ZOG IS A VERY NON FURRY HUMAN BEING CALLED STETHENIE AND SHE'S HAD AN HARD TIME OF IT SHE'S BEEN KIND OF BROILED ALIVE POOR GIRL.
T.R.thank you for sparing the time to talk to us colin.
T.R.can you start by telling us how you became involved in acting
C.B.WELL I SURPOSE IT ALL STARTED AT SCHOOL I WAS BROUGHT UP IN ROCHDALE,JUST ACROSS THE PENINES FROM HERE;I WENT TO SCHOOL IN MANCHESTER.THEN WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD AT ST.BEADS COLLAGE IN MANCHESTER,WAS INVITED TO TAKE PART IN A PRODUCTION OF YEOMAN OF THE GUARD.THEY DID GILBERT AND SULLIVAN EACH YEAR AT MY SCHOOL;AND I WAS IN THE CHORUS FOR YEOMAN OF THE GUARD.THEN WHEN I WASW 13 FOR SOME BIZIARRE REASON KNOWN TO THEMSELVES THEY DECIDED I OUGHT TO PLAY THE FEMALE LEAD SO I PLAYED PHYLLIS IN IOLANTHE AND I GOT A REVIEW IN THE SCHOOL MAGAZINE WHICH SAID "COLIN BAKER THREW HIMSELF WITH VERVE INTO THE PART OF PHYLLIS AND RARLY STRAYED MORE THAN HALF AN OCTAVE FROM THE NOTE"WHICH AT THE TIME I THOUGHT WAS A REALLY GOOD REVIEW,BUT IT ONLY OCCURED TO ME LATER,WHEN I WENT AND REREAD IT AS AN ADULT,THATTHERE WAS AN IMPLIED CRITISM OF MY SINGING THERE WHICH HASN'T IMPROVED OVER THE YEARS,I'M AFRAID.BUT THE BUG WAS PLANTED THEN;I TOOK PART IN ALL THE SCHOOL PRODUCTIONS OF GILBERT AND SULLIVAN PLAYS IN VARYING DEGREES OF SUCCESS.
WHEN I LEFT SCHOOL;WHEN I TOLD MY FATHER I WAS COMTEMPLATING ACTING AS A CAREER,HE SAT ON THAT VERY FIRMLY AND SENT ME OFF TO BE A LAWYER;AND WHEN I WAS DOING THAT I JOINED VARIOUS AMATOUR GROUPS,INCLUDING THE NORTH MANCHESTER AMATOUR OPERATIC AND DRAMATIC SOCIETY IN THE CURTAIN THEATRE AT ROCHDALE WHERE I LEARNT AN AWFUL LOT.THERE WERE A LOT OF EXTREMLY GOOD AND TALENTED PEOPLE THERE WHO COULD HAVE WORKED WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY AT ALL,IN THE PROFESSIONAL THEATRE HAD THEY WANTED TO BUT CHOSE TO ENJOY THEIR ACTING RATHER THAN MAKE MONEY FROM IT.GRADUALY I CAME TO REALISE ESPECIALLY WHEN MY FATHER BECAME ILL THIS IS VERY SERIOUS REALLY THAT WE HAVE A VERY SHORT LIFEON THIS EARTH AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL DO SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO RATHER AT THE END OF A LIFE SAY WHY DID YOU BOTHER WITH ALL THAT SO AT LEAST I'M DOING SOMETHING I ENJOY AND I'M COMMITED TO I'VE BEEN EXTREMLY FORTUNATE AT MAKING A LIVING OUT OF IT AS WELL WHICH IS MORE THAN I HAD A RIGHT TO EXPECT AND AS 80% OF ACTORS ARE OUT OF WORK AT A GIVEN TIME SO ITS NOT THE MOST SECURE OF PROFFESSIONS THATS HOW IT ALL STARTED AND WHY I'M SITTING HERE TALKING TO YOU TODAY.
T.R.you're returning to the role of the doctor who after 4 years now?
C.B.YES IT'LL BE 4 YEARS IN A MONTHS TIME SINCE I RECORDED MY LAST EPISODE.
YES I AM AND PEOPLE SAY WAS IT HARD DECISION TO COME BACK?IT WASN'T ACTUALLY I LEFT UNDER NOT THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES:MICHALE GRADE WHO WAS CONTROLLER OF BBC AT THE TIME DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO CHANGE THE DOCTOR AND THAT WAS A KIND OF EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PRODUCERS AND DIRECTORS AND THEY HAD TO LIVE WITH IT WE WERE ALL A BIT SAD AND WE FELT A BIT CHEATED,BECAUSE WE WERE ALL ENJOYING THE RELATIONSHIP BUT THOSE KIND OF DECISIONS ARE MADE UP TOP HE DECIDED THREE YEARS WAS ENOUGH FOR A DOCTOR AND IT WAS TIME TO REGENERATE SO THATS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME OVER THE LAST 4 YEARS I'VE BEEN DOING OTHER THINGS DOCTOR WHO IS STILL PART OF MY LIFE CAUSE YOU CAN NEVER FORGET THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOCTOR WHO AND PEOPLE NEVER LET YOU FORGET
T.R.do you still attend conventions?
C.B.I DO WHEN I CAN OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE PROGRAMME THERES GREATER INCENTIVE TO ATTEND CONVENTIONS BECAUSE YOU'RE HELPING AN ON GOING THING AND BY GOING TO A CONVENTION YOU ARE IN A SENCE PUBLICISING THE WORK YOU ARE DOING ONCE YOU'RE DOING OTHER WORK IT BECOMES MORE A LABOUR OF LOVE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IF IM FREE AND HAPPEN TO BE IN A TOWN AND I'VE GOT NOTHING TO DO THAT PARTICULAR MORNING THEN I'M VERY HAPPY TO TURN UP TO THAT PARTICULAR DOCTOR WHO CONVENTION BUT OBVIOUSLY I CAN NO LONGER REGARD IT AS A THING I HAVE TO DO PUT INTO MY SCHEDULE BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF HARKING BACK RATHER THAN FORWARDS FOR ME.
T.R.what alterations had to be made to the script of doctor who the ultimate advenure when you took over from jon pertwee?
C.B.JON PERTWEE HAD BEEN PLAYING THE PART FOR 10 WEEKS BEFORE I TOOK OVER AND TERRANCE DICKS WHO WROTE THE SCRIPT WROTE IT SPECIFICALLY WITH JON IN MIND.SO HE SENT ME A COPY OF THE SCRIPT AND ASKED ME WHAT KIND OF CHANGES I THOUGHT I'D WANT AND WHEN I READ IT I RANG HIM UP AND TO HIS GREAT RELIEF I THINK SAID THERE ARE VERY FEW CHANGES I WOULD MAKE BECAUSE BASICLY THE DOCTOR IS THE DOCTOR,AND IT'S THE MERE FACT THAT I'M SAYING THE LINES INSTEAD OF HIM THAT MAKES IT DIFFERANT.THE FORCES ARE VERY DIFFERANT THE LINES THAT HAVE BEEN CHANGED ARE ABOUT ONE OR TWO PERCENT OF THE SCRIPT SO THINGS LIKE REVERSE THE POLARITY OF THE NEUTRON FLOW WHICH IS A JON PERTWEE LINE HAS BEEN CHANGED AND THERES ARE THINGS THAT'VE BEEN ADDED IN SOME BY ME AND SOME BY TERRANCE DICKS IN CONSULTATION WITH EACH OTHER ITS A SHIFT OF EMPHISIS RATHER THAN A CHANGE OF DIALOGUE I MEAN I'M MY USUAL KIND OF BUMPTSOUS ARROGANT SELF AND HE WAS HIS KIND OF DIGNFIED CURTIOUS SELF BUT WE'RE SAYING MORE OR LESS THE SAME LINES.
T.R.i was surprised that the line about daleks being equipedwith sinkplungers and egg wisks was kept in because that sounds the sort of thing pertwee's doctor might have said.
C.B.YES NOW I'VE ONLY RECENTLY LEART THIS WE CHANGED"POLARITY"BECAUSE IT WAS PARTICUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH JON PERTWEE I HAD NOT RELISED UNTIL RECENTLY THAT THE SINK PLUNGERS AND EGG WISKS WAS A PERTWEEISM,BUT IT'S SUCH A GOOD LINE THAT I'M LOATH TO LOSE IT SO IT STAYED IN HE DID SAY LAVORTORY PLUNGER,AND AS THERES NO SUCH THING AS A LAVORTORY PLUNGER I REFUSED TO SAY IT.SO MR PERTWEE STANDS CORRECTED.
T.R.i found it strange at the begining of the play when the doctor's sent on a mission by maggie thatcher,because the doctor usually fights the forces of evil,but here he is being sent on a mission by them.
C.B.(laughter)YOU'RE SAYING THAT MARGARET THATCHER'S A FORCE FOR EVIL? WELL,I'M NOT GOING TO GET DRAWN INTO THAT TYPE OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THE DEMORCRATICLY ELECTED LEADER OF OUR OWN COUNTRY I THINK THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN RATHER TOUGN-IN-CHEEK.IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANYBODY DOUBTLESS IF THERE WAS A GENRERAL ELECTION DURING THIS SHOW AND NEIL KINNOCK WAS THE PRIME MINISTER,WE'D HAVE A POOR ACTOR SITTING WITH HIS BACK TO THE AUDIANCE PRETENDING TO BE NEIL KINNOCK.
T.R.so you don't think the doctor's a tory and thats why the chamelion circuit turned the tardis into a blue box?
C.B.(more laghter)THATS A VERY INTERRESTING VIEWPIONT,BUT I DON'T THINK THE DOCTOR IS A TORY THE DOCTOR IS A DOCTORITE PERHAPS HE'S A FOLLOWER OF DOCTOR OWEN VERY INTERESTING POINT.
T.R.have you been pleased with the public responce to the play?
C.B.YES OBVIOUSLY THIS AFTERNOON BEING A MATINEE IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER THE TEST MATCH STARTED TODAY AND THAT RULES OUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ITS A LOVELY DAY OUTSIDE IT'S A THURSDAY AFTERNOON THERE WERN'T A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE THEATER THIS AFTERNOON,BUT MOST THEATERS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE HAVING THAT AT THE MOMENT.WE'RE DOING VERY WELL OTHERWISE AND I THE PEOPLE WHO DO COME TO SEE IT FAIRLY UNIFORMLY TELL ME THAT THEY'RE DELIGHTED AND I GET TO MEET QUITE A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE I GO ROUND AFTERWARDS AND MEET THEM AND SIGN THIER AUTOGRAPHS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND THE RESPONSE I GET IS OBVIOUSLY FROM THE FANS OF DOCTOR WHO I MEAN THEY'ER GOING TO LIKE IT MORE OR LESS ONE HOPES,BUT THE PEOPLE WHO COME WITH THEM THE ONES WHO SAY WELL I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO COME BUT MY KIDS WANTED TOGO AND I WON'T LET THEM GO OUT ON THIER OWN AT NIGHT SO I HAD TO COME WITH THEM AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU I ENJOYED MYSELF ENOURMOUSLY AND THEY WANT TO COME AGAIN ON SATURDAY AND I'M COMING WITH THEM AND I HAVE HAD THAT SAID TO ME QUITE A LOT.
IT IS A SMASHING SHOW AND I CAN SAY THAT NOT WITH ANY DEGREE OF SELF CONGRATULATION BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT WITH JON PERTWEE IN IT I WENT TO SEE IT IN THE FIRST WEEK WHEN THERE WERE THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE PUT RIGHT BECAUSE IT'S A VERY COMPLCATED TECHNICAL SHOW AND IT WAS QUITE HARD TO GET ON THE ROAD EVEN WHEN THERE WERE THINGS GOING WRONG I SAW IT IN BRISTOL AND A COUPLE OF TIME IN MANCHESTER AND A COUPLE OF TIMES IN OXFORD AND EVERY TIME I'VE SEEN MORE AND ENJOYED IT MORE AND IT'S THE SORT OF SHOW THAT IF I WERE TO TURN THE CLOCK BACK THIRTY YEARS AND I'M WORKING AS A STAGE HAND OR SOMETHING I'D BE HAPPY TO STAND IN THE WINGS AND WATCH IT EVERY NIGHT THERE'S A LOVELY ATMOSTHERE TO IT AND IT'S FUN TO BE INVOLVED WITH IT A GREAT CAST AND A GREAT TEAM.
T.R.one of your companions in the show is played by rebecca thornhill she seems quite a talented young actress.
C.B.I THINK REBECCA THORNHILL IS SMASHING ASIDE FROM BEING A RATHER PRETTY YOUNG LADY OF TWENTY YEARS OF AGE WHICH MAKES ME FEEL LIKE A GRANDFATHER SHE IS A JOLLY GOOD ACTRESS YES SHE MAKES UP WITH TALENT WHAT SHE LACKS IN EXPERIENCE AND THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET EXPERIENCE IS BY WORKING SHE'S DOING THAT AND DOING IT VERY WELL SHES A GOOD COMPANION IN A LONG LINE OF GOOD COMPANIONS.
T.R.you had two traveling companions in the t.v series peri and melanie did you have a personel favourite of the two?
C.B.BECAUSE I WAS WITH NICOLA WHO PLAYED PERI FOR SUCH ALONG TIME TWO AND A HALF YEARS OUT OF MY FREE YEARS A CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP GREW UP BETWEEN US AND WE STILL KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ONE ANOTHER AND SHE'S LIKE MY YOUNG SISTER OR SOMETHING I SUPPOSE SHE'D SAY MORE LIKE FATHER AND DAUGHTER BUT SHE WAS ALWAYS RUDE.THE PROBLEM WITH THE RELATION SHIP ON SCREEN WAS THAT PERI WAS OBVIOUSLY FEMALE IT MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE SIXTH DOCTOR TO BE TOO OVERTLY FRIENDLY WITH HER.YOU KNOW THE ARM AROUND THE SHOULDER AND ALL THAT THERES AN OLD BBC RULE ABOUT NO HANKY PANKY IN THE TARDIS AND LESS THERE BE SEEN TO BE THE POSIBILATY OF HANKY PANKY WE HAD TO KEEP IT IN A VERY FIRMLY KIND OF AVUNCLUALAR RELATIONSHIP WHEN SHE WENT AND BONNIE TOOK OVER HER CHARACTOR WAS MUCH MORE EVEN THOUGH THEY'ER A SIMUILAR AGE MUCH MORE KIND OF GIRL LIKE I MEAN SHE WAS YOUNG BOUNCY ENERGETIC GIRL SO I COULD BE MORE PROTECTIVE OF HER,BUT AS FAR AS THE TWO COMPANIONS ARE CONCERNED I DON'T HAVE FAVOURITES I JUST KNEW NICOLA BETTER I DARE SAY THAT AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS WORKING WITH BONNIE I'D HAVE HAD THE SAME SORT OF RELATIONSHIP WITH HER AS WELL.
T.R.in the marvel comic strip your companion was a shape changing wifferdill.
C.B.OH FROBISHER I THINK FROBISHER WAS GREAT THE FROBISHER CARTOONS HAVE COME OUT IN BOOK FORM AND THEY ASKED ME TO WRITE A LITTLE APPRECIATION SO I SAID THAT WHIFFERDILLS WERE A GREAT IDEA A BIT TRICKY TO DO ON TELEVISION MIND YOU BUT I LOVE THE IDEA OF A WHIFFERDILL WHO STAYS AS A PENGUIN BECAUSE HES TOO BORED TO CHANGE INTO ANYTHING ELSE YEAH I THINK FROBISHER WAS GREAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE FROBISHER WELL WE'VE GOT ZOG WHO'S FROBISHERISH A CUTE FURRY ALIEN AND THE NICE THING ABOUT ZOG THAT THE ACTRESS WHO PLAYS ZOG BRILLIANLY CAN GO "CHRIP CHRIP ZZXLAXABLUB" AND I CAN SAY ANYTHING I LIKE WHICH IS FUN.
T.R.would you have liked to have done a story with nicholas courtney?
C.B.I WOULD IT LOOKS AS THOUGH I'M GOING TO BE THE ONLY DOCTOR WHO HASN'T DONE A STORY WITH NICHOLAS COURTNEY FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAY NOT KNOW,PLAY'S THE BRIGADIER IN DOCTOR WHO WHICH IS A CHARACTOR THAT STARTED IN THE PERTWEE ERA MAYBE BEFORE.
T.R.yes he started with patrick troughton.
C.B.YES HE STARTED WITH PATRICK TROUGHTON AND BECAUSE HE WAS IN THE THREE DOCTORS HE APPEARED WITH WILLIAM HARTNELL SO UNTIL HE FAILED TO WORK WITH ME HE WAS THE ONLY ACTOR TO WORK WITH EVERY SINGLE ACTOR,IT WAS PLANED BUT UNFORTUNEATLY BECAUSE OF WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER THAT NEVER TRANSPIRED.
IN THE SEASON THAT WAS CANCELLED THERE WAS A STORY PLANNED THAT WAS GOING TO INVOLVE THE BRIGERDIER AND THE AUTONS AS I RECALL OVER IN SINGAPORE THEY'D GOT FILMING RIGHTS FOR SINGAPORE BUT ALAS MICHAEL GRADE CAME TO THE BBC THAT STORY WAS CANCELLED ALONG WITH NIGHTMARE FAIR THE AUTON STORY WENT AND SO DID THE BRIGADIER.SO THE SIXTH DOCTOR AND THE BRIGADIER ARE DOOMED TO REMAIN RESALUTLY APART I KNOW NICK QUITE WELL WE TALKED A LOT ON THE PHONE WE GET ON QUITE WELL AND WE'RE BOTH SAD ABOUT THAT.
T.R.now that michael grade's gone to channel four isn't there any way you can return to the series?
C.B.WELL I DON'T SEE HOW THEY'D DO IT REALLY I SUPPOSE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IN THE FUTURE SOMEONE MIGHT SAY LETS HAVE THE SIXTH DOCTOR BACK BIUT I DOUBT IT ITS NOT THE WAY THEY WORK.
T.R.graham williams has recently novelised nightmare fair have you read it?
C.B.YES I'VE READ IT AND I WROTE A REVIEW OF IT FOR A FAN-ZINE CALLED PRIVATE WHO I THINK IT'S A SMASHING STORY JOHN NATHAN-TURNER GIVE IT ME TO READ BEFORE WE KNOW THE SERIES WAS CANCELLED I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT DOING IT AND VERY DISAPOINTED WHEN IT WAS CANCELLED I THINK IT'S A SMASHING STORY I URGE YOU TO READ IT IF YOU'RE A DOCTOR WHO FAN.
T.R.i will finish off by asking you if its difficult for you being on stage in leeds during the hotest june since 1976?
C.B.YES IT HAS I DID ASK FOR A COSTUME THAT WOULD BE AS COOL AS POSSIBLE I HAD QUITE AN HOT COSTUME DOING THE TV SERIES BUT I WAS ABLE TO TAKE IT OFF BETWEEN SHOTS AND COOL DOWN HERE ON STAGE I'M ON STAGE FOR THE FULL TWO HOURS AND THATS IT SO THE FACT THAT THE TEMPERATURES BEEN 80 DEGREES AND RISING INSIDE THE THEATERS AND THE AUDIANCE HAS BEEN SITTING IN SHIRTSLEEVESLIKE A BULL IN A WHAT EVER THEY SWEAT IN,YES IT'S BEEN EVEN WORSE FOR THE POOR ACTRESS PLAYING ZOG BECAUSE ZOG IS THIS FURRY ALIEN AND INSIDE ZOG IS A VERY NON FURRY HUMAN BEING CALLED STETHENIE AND SHE'S HAD AN HARD TIME OF IT SHE'S BEEN KIND OF BROILED ALIVE POOR GIRL.
T.R.thank you for sparing the time to talk to us colin.
