The Doctor Who Production Diary: The Hartnell Years: 1 - Softcover

Brunt, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1845832221 ISBN 13: 9781845832223

Publisher: Telos Publishing Ltd, 2024

Synopsis

In the first of a new series of books, noted Doctor Who historian David Brunt presents the most detailed and comprehensive day-by-day record ever published of the show’s production during the years 1963-1966 when William Hartnell played the Doctor.

 Drawing on many years of research and an exhaustive study of BBC archive documentation – including files not previously accessed by any other Doctor Who author – the book includes a wealth of newly-discovered information and explodes some long-standing myths. 

Some things you will discover in this book:

• Which future Doctor Who scriptwriter was the first person approached to write for the series?
• How major was the overhaul to the BBC Drama Department under Sydney Newman in 1963, and who first suggested the idea before he even joined the BBC?
• How did the series manage to get made, when several people inside the BBC tried to get it cancelled before it even went into production?
• How many people turned down the offer of becoming the series’ producer before Verity Lambert was hired?
• How long before he appeared as Steven Taylor was Peter Purves contracted for the role?
• Was Vicki going to appear in ‘The Daleks’ Master Plan’?
• Was Katarina originally going to survive that same story?
• When was Vicki planned to be burned as a witch?
• Was Anne Chaplet going to appear in ‘The Celestial Toymaker’?
• On what date was it first decided to write out William Hartnell as the Doctor?
• Exactly when was Patrick Troughton contracted to replace him?

And much more …

You think you know the background and history of the development of the show and the era of the First Doctor? Think again … ‘

Skewering fan myths along the way, it’s a truly impressive feat of contextualisation.’ Nick Setchfield, SFX

‘It’s a tremendous achievement. David copes well with the peaks and troughs in the source material – and lets us know in an appendix where all the gaps are. I have a clearer idea than before of how the handovers between Verity Lambert and John Wiles, and John Wiles and Innes Lloyd, worked. There is all sorts of new information which enriches our understanding of how television worked, both formally and through social connections. The proximity of Doctor Who to an early end is now much clearer, both in late 1963 and throughout 1966 – and Shaun Sutton emerges as a crucial defender of the series, and as one of its reinventors, at a crucial point. I await the next instalment eagerly, but with patience.’ Matthew Kilburn

‘The first volume of The Doctor Who Production Diary – The Hartnell Years – has now turned up. It’s a beautifully presented item – wonderfully designed cover with photographic endpapers and a really classy feel to it. But it’s the 668 pages inside the quality binding that really interest me. As yet, I’ve just had a brief chance to glance through the sheer delight that if offers… and I really do feel that for Doctor Who reference works, this is The Next Thing.’ Andrew Pixley

‘I’ve pored over much of the original paperwork used here and thought I knew this stuff. This exhaustive diary tells a whole new story.’ Simon Guerrier

Edition details

• Publisher: Telos Publishing Ltd
• Publication date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1845832221
• ISBN 13: 9781845832223
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 668