Tom’s scarf was actually an accident. They had gone to see this sweet little old lady to knit them the scarf and they had given her all the wool she’d need, and when they came to collect, she had used all the wool and the scarf was 13ft long. But Tom loved it so much, they decided to keep it and it’s now the most iconic piece of clothing related to the show.
You can buy your own scarf, and I have one ! Mine is a full length one and boy it's difficult to wear, quite heavy. Got mine from The Who Shop in Forest Gate, London.
Same actor from Carnival Of Monsters a few seasons ago! Maybe Lt Andrews was an ancestor of Harry Sullivan on his mother's side. He has the sea in his blood!
Dear, wonderful Harry Sullivan. One of the nicest and most underrated of companions. He was played by Ian Marter, who was taken from us too soon. Tom thought the world of him. They holidayed together - Ian saved Tom from drowning in a swimming pool - and they started writing a Dr Who movie together (which Tom turned into a novel a few years back). In his biography, Tom said that with Ian Marter was the closest he’d ever been to having a friend. Tom adored Ian and Lis Sladen. I often wonder if that’s why he had such a difficult time working with the companions that came after. He even got in badly with Lala ‘Romana’ Ward on set, and they married each other!
Tom Baker admitted back in the 90’s that he fell deeply in love with Lis Sladen but said he never tried to pursue it because she was already married, and thought better of telling her… he did do the right thing there of course but omg that’s still just so…💔 his novel is one big tribute to his friends Ian and Lis😭
One of the most unique things about this regeneration story is that it was filmed concurrently with Planet of the Spiders - meaning Pertwee and Baker were both actively filming as the Doctor at the same time. The two shooting schedules were tailored, though, to try and keep them them apart as much as possible so their paths didn't cross at the studio (except for the regeneration day itself) , as that would have been an awkward experience for both of them.
Terrance Dicks told new script editor, Robert Holmes (earlier writer of Terror of the Autons) that there was a tradition that the outgoing script editor was given a story by the new one. He totally made it up.
He may have made it up, but it's actually pretty much true. -- David Whitaker handed over to Dennis Spooner in 1965 and wrote the very next story, "The Rescue". [YES] -- Dennis Spooner handed over to Donald Tosh in 1965 and wrote the very next story, "The Meddling Monk". [YES] -- Donald Tosh handed over to Gerry Davis and didn't write a story for him [NO] -- Gerry Davis handed over to Victor Pemberton in 1967 and wrote the very next story, "Tomb of the Cybermen". [YES] -- Victor Pemberton handed over (immediately) to Peter Bryant but didn't write a story till 6 months later [NO] -- Peter Bryant handed over to Derrick Sherwin in 1968 and didn't write a story for him (because he became producer instead) [NO] -- Derrick Sherwin handed over to Terrance Dicks in 1968 and wrote the very next story, "The Invasion". [YES] -- Terrance Dicks handed over to Robert Holmes in 1974 and wrote the very next story, "Robot". [YES] -- Robert Holmes handed over to Anthony Read in 1978 and wrote the first story of the next season, "The Ribos Operation". [YES] -- Anthony Read handed over to Douglas Adams and didn't write a story for him [NO] -- Douglas Adams handed over to Christopher H Bidmead in 1980 and didn't write a story for him (although he wrote the last one of his own era). [NO] -- Christopher H Bidmead handed over to Eric Saward in 1981 and wrote the very next story, "Castrovalva" (although the stories were produced out of order and there was a stopgap script editor on a couple of stories). [YES] -- Eric Saward handed over to Andrew Cartmel in 1987 and didn't write a story for him. [NO] So, more often than not, that's what DID happen.
Yay! So glad that you like him so far :) Describing his behaviour as 'somewhat erratic' may be the understatement of the series lol. Also gotta love The Brig's deadpan 'It's just possible.' Excited to see your next reactions.
Fun fact: Four first line after regain consciouss is "Sontaran, perventing the course of history", reference back at The Time Warrior. It's very low so it's kinda hard to catch from first time. Interestingly, Twelve said this line at "Listen" and "The Doctor Falls".
I'm excited for you Marie. You're starting out discovering Tom who made a titanic impression on my generation in the 1970's. His years saw some of the best stories (including two of the very best ever, according to many fans), oft-quoted lines, iconic moments with Tom being utterly mad and loveable. It won't be long before you'll be sporting an unfeasibly long scarf :). Now, settle down with some jelly babies for a long fun ride....
Glad you enjoyed that. It's a testament to both casting and actor(s) that each actor playing the Doctor inhabits the role so much and so well that it becomes virtually impossible to see anyone else is the part. There is some good stuff to come...
A variation of the "You may be A Doctor, but I am THE Doctor" line was indeed spoken by Peter Capaldi when getting zapped by the Cybermen in The Doctor Falls. It was also said by David Bradley's First Doctor when he turned up at the end of the episode. Glad to see you've enjoyed this episode! It's always daunting heading into a new Doctor's era. I guess it helps to have the UNIT family still gathered around. I too am impressed by Tom Baker and Ian Marter's skipping rope routine! Goodness knows how many takes they had to do of that! Speaking of Ian Marter (playing the exasperated Dr. Sullivan here), he was the actor originally offered the role of Mike Yates. As it turned out he wasn't available so it went to Richard Franklin instead.
@@CountScarlioni Or Harry could have been one of Andrews's ancestors. Maybe he accompanied the Doctor on a trip to 1850, fell in love with a local girl and left her a present of his sea-faring genes.
Though Capaldi stops short of saying "the definite article, you might say", which has only ever been said by Tom Baker. Bradley (playing the first Doctor) adds "the original, you might say".
I just love how infectious Baker's smile is. He's clearly someone who isn't simply acting as the Doctor, but is genuinely having fun and enjoying his time playing the character.
Did you know that the first episode of Robot was being filmed at the same time as the final episode of Planet of the Spiders and that a number of the characters were rushing back and too between the two productions.
This is where I came in. This was the first episode of Doctor Who I ever watched, way back in the late 70's, when it was being shown in the US for the first time. Obviously, I was hooked, as I'm still around all these years later. The Doctor's scarf was made by a lady named Begonia Pope. The costume designer took her far more wool than she needed to knit a scarf and she kept knitting and knitting til it reached it's epic length.
7:35 Classic Who's legendarily long-serving composer, Dudley Simpson, sometimes used to work teasers from other musical works into his scores, and the trumpet here quotes a theme from Wagner's "Flying Dutchman". Wagner's operas were often caricatured as featuring people in Viking gear, so this is a jokey musical reference to the Doctor's costume.
They brought him in because the Fourth Doctor was originally going to be an older man and they needed a younger man to do the action stuff; as it happened, Tom was quite capable of doing his own action stuff.
@@franl155 Yes, and Harry Sullivan was some sort of replacement for Mike Yates. In fact, Ian Marter was originally intended to play Yates, before Richard Franklin got the role. Ian Marter already played the role of a maritime lieutenant in Carnival of Monsters.
I love part 1 of this story so much. It's probably the strongest part 1 that any Doctor has in my opinion, it establishes the 4th Doctor so well and makes him so immediately likeable and entertaining, as well as differentiating himself from the 3rd Doctor.
We're now getting into what some fans describe a the golden age of Doctor Who with my favourite Doctor. I'm old enough to have watched the show from the start and watched grumpy grandad turn into the impish chaotic eccentric uncle who then turned into the Edwardian Dandy adventurer. Now we see more of the alien side of the Doctor as we now have the original mad man in the blue box.
I started with Pertwee, not being old enough for 1st and 2nd, though I went back to them as soon as I could. 70's WAS the golden era of who, never to be repeated. Now we have the most inhuman of the doctors, and the most fun!
I agree Tom played (or maybe in his case was) the Doctor with the right mix of strangeness, humour and gravitas that the following Doctors couldn't manage. It was only when we got to Capaldi that I felt anyone got close to Tom.
I love robot in 2019 my dad introduced me to doctor who and I watch the Christmas invasion but robot was my introduction to the amazing four doctor played by the amazing tom baker and I have watched robot alot and I have it on dvd i got it from hmv in Victoria centre in Nottingham and I got it along with time and the Rani and i love sear Jane Smith in this doctor who story and I love the brigder in this doctor who story this story fling like a jon Pertwee doctor who story
Welcome To The Era Of The 4th Doctor Tom Baker And You Are Going To Love It Alot and Keep Up The Good Work As Always Marie-Clare,Lord Colton Of Gallifrey
Here we are, the Tom Baker years. First of all to newcomers, NO SPOILERS AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!! This is also the last story under Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks (Dicks told the next script editor that it's "tradition" for the script editor to leave at the start of the new era). And the reason why Benton is now called "Mr Benton" is because he got promoted in between the time the doctor was away
Hmmm, with all those funny clothes the Doctor wears and then his iconic main outfit (which was based on a bohemian piece of art) and s one-off one he wears in a later story (you'll know what I mean when you see it), is the 4th Doctor basically a cosplayer..?
I'm amazed at how many people completely overlook Tom Baker's line, "What do you say to the ears?". Instead of "What do you say ABOUT the ears?". So the "correct" answer is, "Everything! Because THEY are the ones who listen." :) Glad you at least seemed to catch it, or were at least, AMUSED enough to chuckle at that line.
This is my fave Tom Baker story and Im not sure why exactly, cos its his debut and cos I personally liked his argyle cardigan and first costume best which he only wears for the first series, the humour is new and as you described fresh, everyone remembers the scene with Sullivan and as someone has probably already told you the first Doctor recites Tom's line in Twice Upon a Time. Interesting you noted the likeness to the second Doctor though alot of people forget alot of the humour in the show started with Troughton so Tom is effectively bringing it back after the rather straight laced Pertwee, whereas alot of people think Tom started the humour. And he does get angry yes.
10:05 By coincidence - or perhaps deliberately? - the location for Tom's first story was also used in Pertwee's debut. Here it's Think-Tank's HQ, and it was the hospital in _Spearhead from Space._ Wood Norton Hall, Evesham, was once owned by the BBC and used as a training facility, but it's now a very nice hotel. And another entry for the bucket list :)
Yay!! I love this episode so much!! Watched it for the first time last week and was blown away :D So atmospheric and so fun! I hope you enjoy the rest!! :)
My favorite Doctor in the long decades of the entire series being the only actor to really come closest hitting the nail with the alien qualities of the character. His range of moods and eccentric notes set him apart from the previous Doctors. The sixties and seventies are my favorite time of the Doctor Who series with Tom Baker being the most cherished incarnation for me. I got my longish scarf when I was 14-years-old and still have it to this day after thirty years. Tom Baker has the best number of horror stories and I'm a fan of horror. His Doctor visited the most alien planets (27 out of 42, I think... including the Shada show.). He also has the best exit season of any Doctor as well being a very funeral-like atmosphere for the stories. Stephen King. One of my favorite authors along with H.P. Lovecraft, Joe R. Lansdale, Clive Barker and James Lee Burke.
Despite this being the first Tom baker story it’s the last story for producer Barry Letts he was the Show runner through Almost all the third Doctor era. After this story the show changes its tone and style Philip Hinchcliffe took over as the new producer and Robert Holmes (my favorite Doctor Who Writer) takes over from Terrance Dicks as Script editor. So this story’s in someways feels more like the end of an era. Now please most of the titles of this season have spoilers in them so other then the next story please avoid all titles for this season.
Sooooooo glad you like the new doctor - this is an absolutely cracking season coming up. I'd completely forgotten the costume changing scene and the skipping rope. Great bit of vaudeville from Tom Baker. Having now seen the third doctor's first episode, I notice a similarity here - the antics of both Pertwee and Baker when they are recovering in the hospital/sick bay are quite similar, which is good continuity by the production staff. Also in selecting the actors they seem to have followed an older/younger looking combo (Hartnell/Troughton, Pertwee/Baker). I'd never wondered before whether that was deliberate. Enjoy! And after the next story, DON'T WATCH THE TITLES!
Kettlewell has lockdown hair decades ahead of his time. ;) I'm glad, but not surprised, that you enjoyed the episode. Tom Baker was pretty much born to play the part. :)
I’m extremely pleased you enjoyed Part One! Because you were a big Third Doctor fan, it must’ve felt nice to still have the Brigadier and Benton around for the Tom’s first story! And I definitely agree, those scenes were very fresh, more alien I’d say too! Can’t wait for the next reactions!! 😊
The robot is big in real life, I’ve seen it in London a few years back and it still looks as good as it did back then. It’s very impressive. Tom is funny though isn’t he?! When he compares the a Brigadier to the great war leaders, buttering him up, lol.
While naming no names, both to avoid future spoilers and because people's opinions differ in any case, I think it's fair to say that while some Doctors may take a while to really get into their stride, others manage to own the role as it were pretty much from the proverbial get-go...and Tom Baker is definitely one of the latter, yes? Hope you enjoy the rest of the story, and stay safe in the meantime...
WELCOME TO THE FOURTH DOCTOR ERA, AND SEASON 12. LOTS OF LAUGHS AND LOTS OF ICONCI MOMENTS . I hope to god no one spoils for you. I watched this last night and I agree with your point about it being good cause the doctor isnt in bed. That's probably why I'm not the biggest fan of Spearhead and The christmas invasion. When will the part 2 reaction be?
You will Love Tom Baker. He's a nut case and it is so Perfect for him. That's why so many People Love him. Didn't you recognise the Naval Doctor, the man you first thought was a bad man? You saw him before as a Naval Officer, in a Jon Pertwee story. Remember when Jo and the Doctor and TARDIS were shrunk and in a machine which kept repeating short periods of time.
Some people think the robot killed the dog, but the script indicated that dog ran away from it in fear. Also this serial was directed by Christopher Barry, who directed Patrick Troughton's first story, The Power of the Daleks. I sometimes get the same vibe when I watch this. This ones silly at times, but it's easy to watch and the four episodes move along quite well.
Probably my favorite reaction from you Marie Claire.(Even when originally broadcast, many didn’t like him and said he was too silly)Tom was my Doctor and the David Tenant of the classic era. He was the first to gain the international recognition for the character. You’re in for fantastic journey and you’ll see why even after all these years Tom Baker still on occasion tops the polls as the best portrayal of the Doctor.
I like the fact that after a little zaniness, the Doctor gets straight into the action. I dislike regeneration stories where the Doctor spends most of the time incapacitated or acting weird.
You will be hearing this a lot, but it is difficult to appreciate at this distance how much of a headlock Tom Baker had on the role of Doctor Who. He became as synonymous with it as Sean Connery was with James Bond and the distinctive image was so ingrained in the psyche of a generation that, even years after he left the role, one of the questions you were likely to be asked on admitting you were a fan was 'Where's your scarf?' Said piece of knitwear was assembled by a lady with the unlikely name of Begonia Pope, who was apparently given balls of wool in a variety of colours and simply opted to knit the lot! The rest of the ensemble was inspired by a depiction of the French singer Aristide Bruant, in a poster by the Post-Impressionist Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. As a result, the term 'Bohemian' tends to get used A LOT in connection with Tom's Doctor...
Kinda hoped we wud get your reaction and thoughts on the new title sequence. Just as the diamond logo appears, u can see on the bottom left corner, a bit of pertwee’s silhouette still in there haha
I would imagine if Jon Pertwee had remained the dr beyond season 11 then I doubt Harry would have been created as a companion to the dr given Pertwee was into venusian aikido and venusian karate he never really required a male assistant unlike Hartnell and Troughton
Great reaction. Welcome to the Tom Baker era. Arguably, the "prime cut" of the classic series. For me the golden age (begun in the Troughton days) continues. I love how Baker soon gets into the thick of the action.
HI I have just discovered your channel, you have some great videos. Looking forward to seeing your reactions to the Tom Baker era. I started watching Dr Who at the end of John Pertwee and through the Baker years all those years ago, I was hooked. I have since seen every story for every Doctor. You have some cracking stories to come, some of the best. Enjoy :)
Glad you enjoyed it. What did you think of the revamped title sequence? Obviously it hadn't changed that much, the basic style only having been in use for one season, but the picture of Tom looks imposing and impressive. He also very rapidly stamps his authority on the part, and it is easy to see from just this one episode why he became so popular so quickly. His style is more erratic and shambolic than his predecessor's, recalling more the second Doctor, but he also conveys a real sense of being an alien in a way that Troughton and Pertwee never quite did. For me, Tom is the first Doctor since Hartnell to convey that, and to also have a slightly dangerous unpredictability about him. The iconic scarf was a happy accident. Jim Acheson, who designed Tom's costume, had intended it to be a conventional length, but the woman who did the knitting misunderstood her instructions and ended up using the whole ball of wool! Happily Tom saw immediately that an extra-long scarf would make him stand out more, fit with the eccentricities of the fourth Doctor, and also come in handy as a prop. You may have recognised the actor playing Harry Sullivan - he was Ian Marter, who had previously played another naval officer in Carnival of Monsters. Although Tom was a protege of Laurence Olivier's, and had appeared in both TV and films, his one notable success before Who was playing Rasputin in the film Nicholas and Alexandra. His career had subsequently hit the skids a bit, and when he was offered the role of the Doctor by Barry Letts he was actually working on a building site to make ends meet. Thankfully, as Letts had already realised, the Doctor was a role he was made for. Incidentally, Tom is the only Doctor I have ever seen in the flesh, about 20 years ago at the check-out in M&S...
Should that be "Physiognomy Book" page for Tom? Terrance Dicks said that "As for the physiognomy" (5:29) was an ad-lib by Tom; the original script simply said "As for the face".
I am indeed delighted that the 4th doctor has made such a good first impression on you. While I don't think _Robot_ is my favourite "new doctor" story, it does have some of my favourite "new doctor" scenes: picking out his wardrobe, skipping rope, and of course the iconic line "you may be _a_ doctor, but I am _the_ doctor," which has now been repeated at least twice in New-Who.
I probably mentioned it when you started season 10 a little while back. But that was Pertwee's first season to get the Blu-ray treatment. And the 10th anniversary season was a great place to start for season box sets for his Doctor. The teaser trailer for that release was great and worth you watching sometime as it was really fun. All the Blu-ray release trailers for classic Who have been great actually.
Something new that you not have noticed, the show was now able to tape outdoor scenes using video cameras since they were now small enough to be portable. This means they can use better CSO effects outside. So glad you're liking Tom, it takes actors some time to adjust to the role but he's a bit bigger than life and as you indicated a bit mercurial. There's a bit of the first 3 Doctors in him. For me that makes him unpredictable.
Wow! great reaction, MC, tbh, I was dreading this review a wee bit, wasn't sure just how you'd take to Doctor number 4, though like you said yourself of the 3rd Doctor, I can't EVER recall hearing anyone say the _didn't_ like him? I do love this first outing - & he is so *The Doctor* right off the bat!, this *is* him starting as he means to go on! And not sure if you spotted it or if someone else here in the comments has already mentioned it but - that great moment he finally settles on HIS iconic outfit - is on his FOURTH attempt ;) & we get a wee bit of his theme just for good measure too! looking forward now to see what you make of (& so maaany of us on here say it -) MY Doctor! - & if I summed up number 3 as the most *cool* Doctor, then 4 is by FAR, ...the most *ALIEN* .
PS: Also, I thought it might interest you to know that one of the key deciding factors in persuading Barry Letts to cast Tom Baker in the first place was seeing his performance as an evil wizard in a film called 'The Golden Voyage of Sinbad', which is well worth checking out some day if you get the chance...moreover, as another commenter already mentioned, at the time he was cast, Tom was working on a building site to make ends meet between acting gigs...one minute you're a Navvy, the next minute you're a Time Lord, yes?!
Interestingly, just as Patrick Troughton's Doctor was initially referred to by one disenchanted viewer as 'Coco the Clown', Tom's Doctor also took a bit of getting used to - with one reviewer talking about him as 'Harpo Marx let loose from 'Horse Feathers' and children initially being unsure after Pertwee's avuncular action man. Tom was only 39 when he shot these sequences, making him the youngest actor to take on the role, and he was prepared to grab the opportunity with both hands...
Why is a mouse when it spins I never knew the answer to that one Loved that line when I first heard it. Yes you will see him angry it's awesome too Tom's doc always does little things in most episodes that are so fantastic. You have so much to look forward to. Enjoy your adventures with the 4th doctor
Also, echoing what everyone else is saying. Don't look at the titles of stories before you get to them. Stories 3, 4 and 5 of season 12 as well as story 1 of season 13 all have spoilers in the titles.
The actors considered for the role of the fourth Doctor included Fulton Mackay (Dr Quinn in 'Dr Who & The Silurians' - and on the verge of becoming a household name as Mr Mackay in the Ronnie Barker sitcom 'Porridge'), 'Carry On...' film star Jim Dale, and comedian Michael Bentine (one of the original stars of the surreal BBC radio comedy 'The Goon Show', alongside Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers). For various reasons, none of these actors would commit to the series (Bentine, for example, wanted considerable script input) and so Barry Letts turned to head of department Shaun Sutton for advice. By sheer coincidence, Sutton had received unsolicited mail from the character actor Tom Baker, who he had directed in an adaptation of G.B. Shaw's 'The Millionairess' with Maggie Smith: ruclips.net/video/r-jk1VgxrPo/видео.html. Despite having worked with Olivier at the National Theatre, for Pasolini on film, and having garnered two Golden Globe nominations for his portrayal of Rasputin in the 1971 film 'Nicholas & Alexandra' - ruclips.net/video/7ddDJObJLhg/видео.html - Baker was then working as a tea-maker and hod-carrier on a London building site (his fellow labourers referred to him, teasingly, as 'The Actor'). Acting on Sutton's suggestion, Letts interviewed the actor and was able to assess his abilities courtesy of the fantasy film 'The Golden Voyage of Sinbad', then on general release: ruclips.net/video/LdX1Acby_aU/видео.html. And the rest, as they say, is history...
Tom’s scarf was actually an accident. They had gone to see this sweet little old lady to knit them the scarf and they had given her all the wool she’d need, and when they came to collect, she had used all the wool and the scarf was 13ft long. But Tom loved it so much, they decided to keep it and it’s now the most iconic piece of clothing related to the show.
You can buy your own scarf, and I have one ! Mine is a full length one and boy it's difficult to wear, quite heavy. Got mine from The Who Shop in Forest Gate, London.
The knitter in question had the wonderful name of Begonia Pope.
My aunt made one for me!
The old lady's name was Begonia Pope
3:19 - “I don’t trust him already.”
In the words of Harry; Steady on, old girl.
That was before she saw the scene where he joins the Doctor playing with the skipping rope. How could anyone distrust Harry after that?
Same actor from Carnival Of Monsters a few seasons ago! Maybe Lt Andrews was an ancestor of Harry Sullivan on his mother's side. He has the sea in his blood!
Excellent
@@frankshailes3205 I genuinely thought you were gonna go with "He has seamen in his blood" I feel ashamed 😔
Dear, wonderful Harry Sullivan. One of the nicest and most underrated of companions. He was played by Ian Marter, who was taken from us too soon. Tom thought the world of him. They holidayed together - Ian saved Tom from drowning in a swimming pool - and they started writing a Dr Who movie together (which Tom turned into a novel a few years back). In his biography, Tom said that with Ian Marter was the closest he’d ever been to having a friend. Tom adored Ian and Lis Sladen. I often wonder if that’s why he had such a difficult time working with the companions that came after. He even got in badly with Lala ‘Romana’ Ward on set, and they married each other!
Tom Baker admitted back in the 90’s that he fell deeply in love with Lis Sladen but said he never tried to pursue it because she was already married, and thought better of telling her… he did do the right thing there of course but omg that’s still just so…💔 his novel is one big tribute to his friends Ian and Lis😭
Did you notice the little nod to Jon Pertwee’s first story ‘Spearhead from Space’ with the Fourth Doctor having the TARDIS key in his shoe?
One of the most unique things about this regeneration story is that it was filmed concurrently with Planet of the Spiders - meaning Pertwee and Baker were both actively filming as the Doctor at the same time. The two shooting schedules were tailored, though, to try and keep them them apart as much as possible so their paths didn't cross at the studio (except for the regeneration day itself) , as that would have been an awkward experience for both of them.
Terrance Dicks told new script editor, Robert Holmes (earlier writer of Terror of the Autons) that there was a tradition that the outgoing script editor was given a story by the new one. He totally made it up.
He may have made it up, but it's actually pretty much true.
-- David Whitaker handed over to Dennis Spooner in 1965 and wrote the very next story, "The Rescue". [YES]
-- Dennis Spooner handed over to Donald Tosh in 1965 and wrote the very next story, "The Meddling Monk". [YES]
-- Donald Tosh handed over to Gerry Davis and didn't write a story for him [NO]
-- Gerry Davis handed over to Victor Pemberton in 1967 and wrote the very next story, "Tomb of the Cybermen". [YES]
-- Victor Pemberton handed over (immediately) to Peter Bryant but didn't write a story till 6 months later [NO]
-- Peter Bryant handed over to Derrick Sherwin in 1968 and didn't write a story for him (because he became producer instead) [NO]
-- Derrick Sherwin handed over to Terrance Dicks in 1968 and wrote the very next story, "The Invasion". [YES]
-- Terrance Dicks handed over to Robert Holmes in 1974 and wrote the very next story, "Robot". [YES]
-- Robert Holmes handed over to Anthony Read in 1978 and wrote the first story of the next season, "The Ribos Operation". [YES]
-- Anthony Read handed over to Douglas Adams and didn't write a story for him [NO]
-- Douglas Adams handed over to Christopher H Bidmead in 1980 and didn't write a story for him (although he wrote the last one of his own era). [NO]
-- Christopher H Bidmead handed over to Eric Saward in 1981 and wrote the very next story, "Castrovalva" (although the stories were produced out of order and there was a stopgap script editor on a couple of stories). [YES]
-- Eric Saward handed over to Andrew Cartmel in 1987 and didn't write a story for him. [NO]
So, more often than not, that's what DID happen.
Yay! So glad that you like him so far :) Describing his behaviour as 'somewhat erratic' may be the understatement of the series lol. Also gotta love The Brig's deadpan 'It's just possible.' Excited to see your next reactions.
Fun fact: Four first line after regain consciouss is "Sontaran, perventing the course of history", reference back at The Time Warrior. It's very low so it's kinda hard to catch from first time. Interestingly, Twelve said this line at "Listen" and "The Doctor Falls".
I'm excited for you Marie. You're starting out discovering Tom who made a titanic impression on my generation in the 1970's. His years saw some of the best stories (including two of the very best ever, according to many fans), oft-quoted lines, iconic moments with Tom being utterly mad and loveable. It won't be long before you'll be sporting an unfeasibly long scarf :). Now, settle down with some jelly babies for a long fun ride....
Baker played that role energizing and ecentric.. and ecentric alien with a sense of humor .. my fav Doctor of all time next to 10th Doctor
Glad you enjoyed that. It's a testament to both casting and actor(s) that each actor playing the Doctor inhabits the role so much and so well that it becomes virtually impossible to see anyone else is the part.
There is some good stuff to come...
I am so looking forward to your reactions to 4! I grew up watching Tom Baker every Saturday night on PBS.😁😁❤❤
A variation of the "You may be A Doctor, but I am THE Doctor" line was indeed spoken by Peter Capaldi when getting zapped by the Cybermen in The Doctor Falls. It was also said by David Bradley's First Doctor when he turned up at the end of the episode.
Glad to see you've enjoyed this episode! It's always daunting heading into a new Doctor's era. I guess it helps to have the UNIT family still gathered around.
I too am impressed by Tom Baker and Ian Marter's skipping rope routine! Goodness knows how many takes they had to do of that!
Speaking of Ian Marter (playing the exasperated Dr. Sullivan here), he was the actor originally offered the role of Mike Yates. As it turned out he wasn't available so it went to Richard Franklin instead.
and of course Ian played Andrews, the officer on the ship in Carnival of Monsters.
@@TheZodiacz Heheh Yes! I often wondered when one of the novels was going to to claim Andrews was one of Harry's ancestors!
@@CountScarlioni
Or Harry could have been one of Andrews's ancestors. Maybe he accompanied the Doctor on a trip to 1850, fell in love with a local girl and left her a present of his sea-faring genes.
@@paulkennedy8701 That's an even better idea. They should have gone with that!
Though Capaldi stops short of saying "the definite article, you might say", which has only ever been said by Tom Baker. Bradley (playing the first Doctor) adds "the original, you might say".
Fun Fact: The Robot is played by the same man who played the Cyber Controller in Tomb of the Cybermen.
He also wrote a radio adaptation of The Hobbit in the 1960s, strange but true.
And no matter how much more padding they added to the inside during filming he still got bruised and cut to bits haha
@@bananasaregood8655
He supplied his own padding the next time he played a monster. But then most of us put on a few kilos over the years.
Michael Kilgariff.
Awesome
I just love how infectious Baker's smile is. He's clearly someone who isn't simply acting as the Doctor, but is genuinely having fun and enjoying his time playing the character.
Did you know that the first episode of Robot was being filmed at the same time as the final episode of Planet of the Spiders and that a number of the characters were rushing back and too between the two productions.
This means that technically, Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker were actually playing the Doctor at the same time.
Interesting
4th Doctor! Grab your Jelly Babies and let’s go!
Ohhh errrr....
This is where I came in. This was the first episode of Doctor Who I ever watched, way back in the late 70's, when it was being shown in the US for the first time. Obviously, I was hooked, as I'm still around all these years later. The Doctor's scarf was made by a lady named Begonia Pope. The costume designer took her far more wool than she needed to knit a scarf and she kept knitting and knitting til it reached it's epic length.
The Professor actor played Professor Watkins in The Invasion 🎩
With a less crazy hairstyle than here! LOL
I loved when Harry checked himself for two hearts. ❤️❤️
Tom did make an immediate impression. As did Ian Marter. Good old Harry
I think everyone wants to think they have a bit of this Doctor in them. Quite a character!
you've finally met the great one in all his glory, fun isnt he? And it get even better!
Your channel is awesome it makes me laugh and smile when you laugh at stuff.
Aaah! What a good refreshing rewatch! I really enjoyed this… again😄
7:35 Classic Who's legendarily long-serving composer, Dudley Simpson, sometimes used to work teasers from other musical works into his scores, and the trumpet here quotes a theme from Wagner's "Flying Dutchman". Wagner's operas were often caricatured as featuring people in Viking gear, so this is a jokey musical reference to the Doctor's costume.
You’re wrong about Dr Harry Sullivan though: he’s definitely one of the very Goodest of the good guys😉
They brought him in because the Fourth Doctor was originally going to be an older man and they needed a younger man to do the action stuff; as it happened, Tom was quite capable of doing his own action stuff.
He's awesome
@@franl155 Yes, and Harry Sullivan was some sort of replacement for Mike Yates. In fact, Ian Marter was originally intended to play Yates, before Richard Franklin got the role. Ian Marter already played the role of a maritime lieutenant in Carnival of Monsters.
@@Nikioko - I remember him in Carnival of Monsters, but I didn't know he'd been slated to play Mike Yates, thanks for that!
@@Nikioko - He gets a mention in a Sarah Jane Adventure; along with several other classic companions.
I love part 1 of this story so much. It's probably the strongest part 1 that any Doctor has in my opinion, it establishes the 4th Doctor so well and makes him so immediately likeable and entertaining, as well as differentiating himself from the 3rd Doctor.
I like Classic Dr.Who ,70s was a golden age.
We're now getting into what some fans describe a the golden age of Doctor Who with my favourite Doctor. I'm old enough to have watched the show from the start and watched grumpy grandad turn into the impish chaotic eccentric uncle who then turned into the Edwardian Dandy adventurer. Now we see more of the alien side of the Doctor as we now have the original mad man in the blue box.
I started with Pertwee, not being old enough for 1st and 2nd, though I went back to them as soon as I could. 70's WAS the golden era of who, never to be repeated. Now we have the most inhuman of the doctors, and the most fun!
I agree Tom played (or maybe in his case was) the Doctor with the right mix of strangeness, humour and gravitas that the following Doctors couldn't manage. It was only when we got to Capaldi that I felt anyone got close to Tom.
@@BigMack1959 agreed
i know ............
You may have noticed Doctor Harry was also in 'Carnival of Monsters'
... playing a naval officer again. Talk about typecasting :)
I think you can begin to see why some of us cried when Tom turned up in day of the Doctor.
"some of us"? 75% at a conservative estimate.
I love robot in 2019 my dad introduced me to doctor who and I watch the Christmas invasion but robot was my introduction to the amazing four doctor played by the amazing tom baker and I have watched robot alot and I have it on dvd i got it from hmv in Victoria centre in Nottingham and I got it along with time and the Rani and i love sear Jane Smith in this doctor who story and I love the brigder in this doctor who story this story fling like a jon Pertwee doctor who story
Welcome To The Era Of The 4th Doctor Tom Baker And You Are Going To Love It Alot and Keep Up The Good Work As Always Marie-Clare,Lord Colton Of Gallifrey
Here we are, the Tom Baker years.
First of all to newcomers, NO SPOILERS AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!
This is also the last story under Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks (Dicks told the next script editor that it's "tradition" for the script editor to leave at the start of the new era).
And the reason why Benton is now called "Mr Benton" is because he got promoted in between the time the doctor was away
The I'm THE doctor line was used by in Twice Upon A Time. I've got this on the bluray collection and looks surprisingly good in HD
Hmmm, with all those funny clothes the Doctor wears and then his iconic main outfit (which was based on a bohemian piece of art) and s one-off one he wears in a later story (you'll know what I mean when you see it), is the 4th Doctor basically a cosplayer..?
I'm amazed at how many people completely overlook Tom Baker's line, "What do you say to the ears?".
Instead of "What do you say ABOUT the ears?".
So the "correct" answer is, "Everything! Because THEY are the ones who listen." :)
Glad you at least seemed to catch it, or were at least, AMUSED enough to chuckle at that line.
This is my fave Tom Baker story and Im not sure why exactly, cos its his debut and cos I personally liked his argyle cardigan and first costume best which he only wears for the first series, the humour is new and as you described fresh, everyone remembers the scene with Sullivan and as someone has probably already told you the first Doctor recites Tom's line in Twice Upon a Time. Interesting you noted the likeness to the second Doctor though alot of people forget alot of the humour in the show started with Troughton so Tom is effectively bringing it back after the rather straight laced Pertwee, whereas alot of people think Tom started the humour. And he does get angry yes.
10:05 By coincidence - or perhaps deliberately? - the location for Tom's first story was also used in Pertwee's debut. Here it's Think-Tank's HQ, and it was the hospital in _Spearhead from Space._ Wood Norton Hall, Evesham, was once owned by the BBC and used as a training facility, but it's now a very nice hotel. And another entry for the bucket list :)
Yay!! I love this episode so much!! Watched it for the first time last week and was blown away :D So atmospheric and so fun! I hope you enjoy the rest!! :)
My favorite Doctor in the long decades of the entire series being the only actor to really come closest hitting the nail with the alien qualities of the character. His range of moods and eccentric notes set him apart from the previous Doctors. The sixties and seventies are my favorite time of the Doctor Who series with Tom Baker being the most cherished incarnation for me. I got my longish scarf when I was 14-years-old and still have it to this day after thirty years.
Tom Baker has the best number of horror stories and I'm a fan of horror. His Doctor visited the most alien planets (27 out of 42, I think... including the Shada show.). He also has the best exit season of any Doctor as well being a very funeral-like atmosphere for the stories.
Stephen King. One of my favorite authors along with H.P. Lovecraft, Joe R. Lansdale, Clive Barker and James Lee Burke.
Despite this being the first Tom baker story it’s the last story for producer Barry Letts he was the Show runner through Almost all the third Doctor era. After this story the show changes its tone and style Philip Hinchcliffe took over as the new producer and Robert Holmes (my favorite Doctor Who Writer) takes over from Terrance Dicks as Script editor. So this story’s in someways feels more like the end of an era. Now please most of the titles of this season have spoilers in them so other then the next story please avoid all titles for this season.
You're exactly right. Robot was originally written for Pertwee but they decided to save it for Tom.
Talking about ends of eras is a spoiler too...
@@frankshailes3205 Only if it Relates to Doctors or Companions. Script Editors and Producers are fine.
Sooooooo glad you like the new doctor - this is an absolutely cracking season coming up. I'd completely forgotten the costume changing scene and the skipping rope. Great bit of vaudeville from Tom Baker.
Having now seen the third doctor's first episode, I notice a similarity here - the antics of both Pertwee and Baker when they are recovering in the hospital/sick bay are quite similar, which is good continuity by the production staff. Also in selecting the actors they seem to have followed an older/younger looking combo (Hartnell/Troughton, Pertwee/Baker). I'd never wondered before whether that was deliberate.
Enjoy! And after the next story, DON'T WATCH THE TITLES!
that comment about older younger, remember who five and six is, does it follow?
@@julieeverett7442 I cannot comment on future classic Who - spoilers etc.
fair enough @@ianmansfield68
Kettlewell has lockdown hair decades ahead of his time. ;) I'm glad, but not surprised, that you enjoyed the episode. Tom Baker was pretty much born to play the part. :)
Steven Whaley Most people had lockdown hair in the 70s...
I’m really pleased! You’re going to LOVE him as much as I have for the past 41 years! :D
I’m extremely pleased you enjoyed Part One! Because you were a big Third Doctor fan, it must’ve felt nice to still have the Brigadier and Benton around for the Tom’s first story! And I definitely agree, those scenes were very fresh, more alien I’d say too! Can’t wait for the next reactions!! 😊
Professor Kettlewell is played by the same actor who played Professor Watkins in the Second Doctor story Invasion.
The robot is big in real life, I’ve seen it in London a few years back and it still looks as good as it did back then. It’s very impressive. Tom is funny though isn’t he?! When he compares the a Brigadier to the great war leaders, buttering him up, lol.
While naming no names, both to avoid future spoilers and because people's opinions differ in any case, I think it's fair to say that while some Doctors may take a while to really get into their stride, others manage to own the role as it were pretty much from the proverbial get-go...and Tom Baker is definitely one of the latter, yes? Hope you enjoy the rest of the story, and stay safe in the meantime...
You in for a treat with the fourth doctor
WELCOME TO THE FOURTH DOCTOR ERA, AND SEASON 12. LOTS OF LAUGHS AND LOTS OF ICONCI MOMENTS .
I hope to god no one spoils for you. I watched this last night and I agree with your point about it being good cause the doctor isnt in bed. That's probably why I'm not the biggest fan of Spearhead and The christmas invasion.
When will the part 2 reaction be?
Sunday :)
@@fp7026 😂😂 thanks just corrected it
You will Love Tom Baker. He's a nut case and it is so Perfect for him. That's why so many People Love him. Didn't you recognise the Naval Doctor, the man you first thought was a bad man? You saw him before as a Naval Officer, in a Jon Pertwee story. Remember when Jo and the Doctor and TARDIS were shrunk and in a machine which kept repeating short periods of time.
If I’m not mistaken,I think this is the first time that you hear the Brig’s full name.
Some people think the robot killed the dog, but the script indicated that dog ran away from it in fear.
Also this serial was directed by Christopher Barry, who directed Patrick Troughton's first story, The Power of the Daleks. I sometimes get the same vibe when I watch this. This ones silly at times, but it's easy to watch and the four episodes move along quite well.
The definate article you might say. Looking forward to more reactions. X
I am happy you love the 4th Doctor right away! He's my 2nd favourite incarnation. Great reaction! :)
Seeing your delight grow and apprehension fade away as the episode progressed was a joy to watch ❤️ Thanks MC as always 😊
My favourite doctor! Great reaction, I'm glad you liked it. :)
Probably my favorite reaction from you Marie Claire.(Even when originally broadcast, many didn’t like him and said he was too silly)Tom was my Doctor and the David Tenant of the classic era. He was the first to gain the international recognition for the character. You’re in for fantastic journey and you’ll see why even after all these years Tom Baker still on occasion tops the polls as the best portrayal of the Doctor.
Tom is Awesome you're going to love him
I like the fact that after a little zaniness, the Doctor gets straight into the action. I dislike regeneration stories where the Doctor spends most of the time incapacitated or acting weird.
You will be hearing this a lot, but it is difficult to appreciate at this distance how much of a headlock Tom Baker had on the role of Doctor Who. He became as synonymous with it as Sean Connery was with James Bond and the distinctive image was so ingrained in the psyche of a generation that, even years after he left the role, one of the questions you were likely to be asked on admitting you were a fan was 'Where's your scarf?' Said piece of knitwear was assembled by a lady with the unlikely name of Begonia Pope, who was apparently given balls of wool in a variety of colours and simply opted to knit the lot! The rest of the ensemble was inspired by a depiction of the French singer Aristide Bruant, in a poster by the Post-Impressionist Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. As a result, the term 'Bohemian' tends to get used A LOT in connection with Tom's Doctor...
Kinda hoped we wud get your reaction and thoughts on the new title sequence. Just as the diamond logo appears, u can see on the bottom left corner, a bit of pertwee’s silhouette still in there haha
love the reaction to the iconic skipping scene at 5:54. "That's so impressive!"
I would imagine if Jon Pertwee had remained the dr beyond season 11 then I doubt Harry would have been created as a companion to the dr given Pertwee was into venusian aikido and venusian karate he never really required a male assistant unlike Hartnell and Troughton
Great reaction. Welcome to the Tom Baker era. Arguably, the "prime cut" of the classic series. For me the golden age (begun in the Troughton days) continues. I love how Baker soon gets into the thick of the action.
I suspect you quietly love him already!
Lovely reaction, could see you warming up to this Doctor the longer he was on screen.
As much as I loved Jon (he was my 1st Doctor) Tom will always be THE Doctor of my Childhood.
Jon was my first Doctor. I never thought I could enjoy a new actor in the role. I was hooked on Tom by end of season 12.
same here
First episode featuring my favourite classic doctor. Been looking forward to you getting to tom baker
Tom baker was my mom's favorite doctor
HI I have just discovered your channel, you have some great videos. Looking forward to seeing your reactions to the Tom Baker era.
I started watching Dr Who at the end of John Pertwee and through the Baker years all those years ago, I was hooked.
I have since seen every story for every Doctor. You have some cracking stories to come, some of the best. Enjoy :)
Thank you so much for being here!
4th Doctor is what Americans assume classic Who is all about so that must give you some idea of the popularity Tom Baker had.
Glad you enjoyed it. What did you think of the revamped title sequence? Obviously it hadn't changed that much, the basic style only having been in use for one season, but the picture of Tom looks imposing and impressive. He also very rapidly stamps his authority on the part, and it is easy to see from just this one episode why he became so popular so quickly. His style is more erratic and shambolic than his predecessor's, recalling more the second Doctor, but he also conveys a real sense of being an alien in a way that Troughton and Pertwee never quite did. For me, Tom is the first Doctor since Hartnell to convey that, and to also have a slightly dangerous unpredictability about him. The iconic scarf was a happy accident. Jim Acheson, who designed Tom's costume, had intended it to be a conventional length, but the woman who did the knitting misunderstood her instructions and ended up using the whole ball of wool! Happily Tom saw immediately that an extra-long scarf would make him stand out more, fit with the eccentricities of the fourth Doctor, and also come in handy as a prop. You may have recognised the actor playing Harry Sullivan - he was Ian Marter, who had previously played another naval officer in Carnival of Monsters.
Although Tom was a protege of Laurence Olivier's, and had appeared in both TV and films, his one notable success before Who was playing Rasputin in the film Nicholas and Alexandra. His career had subsequently hit the skids a bit, and when he was offered the role of the Doctor by Barry Letts he was actually working on a building site to make ends meet. Thankfully, as Letts had already realised, the Doctor was a role he was made for. Incidentally, Tom is the only Doctor I have ever seen in the flesh, about 20 years ago at the check-out in M&S...
"A new body's like a new house. Takes a bit of time to settle in". Love that line :)
BTW Tom has a Facebook page if you want to follow him.
Should that be "Physiognomy Book" page for Tom? Terrance Dicks said that "As for the physiognomy" (5:29) was an ad-lib by Tom; the original script simply said "As for the face".
"The nose is a definite improvement..." was a huge dig at Pertwee.
@@robalexander8065 Yes, Pertwee was very sensitive about the size of his nose, and disliked any close-ups which highlighted it.
I am indeed delighted that the 4th doctor has made such a good first impression on you. While I don't think _Robot_ is my favourite "new doctor" story, it does have some of my favourite "new doctor" scenes: picking out his wardrobe, skipping rope, and of course the iconic line "you may be _a_ doctor, but I am _the_ doctor," which has now been repeated at least twice in New-Who.
I'm glad you're enjoying Tom Baker so far. There may be people that hate his Doctor, but I haven't come across any.
Welcome to the... Baker zone!
They call the next few seasons the golden age , we'll see if you agree... :)
Maire Clare welcome to mid 70s and the Tom Bakers years. He is my all time favourite Doctor you really going to enjoy him.
This season was Tom's first to get a Blu-ray box set release, and it's pretty strong in my opinion.
I probably mentioned it when you started season 10 a little while back. But that was Pertwee's first season to get the Blu-ray treatment. And the 10th anniversary season was a great place to start for season box sets for his Doctor. The teaser trailer for that release was great and worth you watching sometime as it was really fun. All the Blu-ray release trailers for classic Who have been great actually.
"The Doctor wasn't just in a sick bed the whole time"
TELL ME ABOUT IT!!!
Something new that you not have noticed, the show was now able to tape outdoor scenes using video cameras since they were now small enough to be portable. This means they can use better CSO effects outside. So glad you're liking Tom, it takes actors some time to adjust to the role but he's a bit bigger than life and as you indicated a bit mercurial. There's a bit of the first 3 Doctors in him. For me that makes him unpredictable.
Wow! great reaction, MC, tbh, I was dreading this review a wee bit, wasn't sure just how you'd take to Doctor number 4, though like you said yourself of the 3rd Doctor, I can't EVER recall hearing anyone say the _didn't_ like him?
I do love this first outing - & he is so *The Doctor* right off the bat!, this *is* him starting as he means to go on!
And not sure if you spotted it or if someone else here in the comments has already mentioned it but - that great moment he finally settles on HIS iconic outfit - is on his FOURTH attempt ;) & we get a wee bit of his theme just for good measure too!
looking forward now to see what you make of (& so maaany of us on here say it -) MY Doctor! - & if I summed up number 3 as the most *cool* Doctor, then 4 is by FAR, ...the most *ALIEN* .
Although I also love the Tenth Doctor, the Fourth is still the definitive Doctor for me...
Pertwee was a tough act to follow. Pertwee was still very successful with high ratings and great stories.
PS: Also, I thought it might interest you to know that one of the key deciding factors in persuading Barry Letts to cast Tom Baker in the first place was seeing his performance as an evil wizard in a film called 'The Golden Voyage of Sinbad', which is well worth checking out some day if you get the chance...moreover, as another commenter already mentioned, at the time he was cast, Tom was working on a building site to make ends meet between acting gigs...one minute you're a Navvy, the next minute you're a Time Lord, yes?!
Here we go, here we go, here we go!...still prefer the pertwee era...but, here we go, here we go, here we go!!
Good to see you enjoying the 4th Doctor. I knew you would!
Whaaaaat I remember this one l was the same in those days warren and ingrid Melbourne Australia 😎👍😻😸😺👽👽🇦🇺💕🌺
This season for me is my favourite.
Interestingly, just as Patrick Troughton's Doctor was initially referred to by one disenchanted viewer as 'Coco the Clown', Tom's Doctor also took a bit of getting used to - with one reviewer talking about him as 'Harpo Marx let loose from 'Horse Feathers' and children initially being unsure after Pertwee's avuncular action man. Tom was only 39 when he shot these sequences, making him the youngest actor to take on the role, and he was prepared to grab the opportunity with both hands...
Tom had just turned 40, he was born in January 1934 and these shots were filmed in May 1974.
Why is a mouse when it spins
I never knew the answer to that one
Loved that line when I first heard it.
Yes you will see him angry it's awesome too
Tom's doc always does little things in most episodes that are so fantastic. You have so much to look forward to. Enjoy your adventures with the 4th doctor
Great episode. Always looking so stunning
Also, echoing what everyone else is saying. Don't look at the titles of stories before you get to them. Stories 3, 4 and 5 of season 12 as well as story 1 of season 13 all have spoilers in the titles.
Love tom Baker
TheRebelPrince and Ian Mansfield posted possible hints at spoilers.
Knew you would like this. I was also looking in the wrong place. Wondering what 😳 shade of green I was seeing.
The actors considered for the role of the fourth Doctor included Fulton Mackay (Dr Quinn in 'Dr Who & The Silurians' - and on the verge of becoming a household name as Mr Mackay in the Ronnie Barker sitcom 'Porridge'), 'Carry On...' film star Jim Dale, and comedian Michael Bentine (one of the original stars of the surreal BBC radio comedy 'The Goon Show', alongside Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers). For various reasons, none of these actors would commit to the series (Bentine, for example, wanted considerable script input) and so Barry Letts turned to head of department Shaun Sutton for advice. By sheer coincidence, Sutton had received unsolicited mail from the character actor Tom Baker, who he had directed in an adaptation of G.B. Shaw's 'The Millionairess' with Maggie Smith: ruclips.net/video/r-jk1VgxrPo/видео.html. Despite having worked with Olivier at the National Theatre, for Pasolini on film, and having garnered two Golden Globe nominations for his portrayal of Rasputin in the 1971 film 'Nicholas & Alexandra' - ruclips.net/video/7ddDJObJLhg/видео.html - Baker was then working as a tea-maker and hod-carrier on a London building site (his fellow labourers referred to him, teasingly, as 'The Actor'). Acting on Sutton's suggestion, Letts interviewed the actor and was able to assess his abilities courtesy of the fantasy film 'The Golden Voyage of Sinbad', then on general release: ruclips.net/video/LdX1Acby_aU/видео.html. And the rest, as they say, is history...
Also Bernard Cribbins, GrahamCrowden and Richard Hearne.
It was Bill Slater not Shaun Sutton, whom Tom had worked with on The Millionairess and to whom he wrote.
#shouldershake Marie-Clare ;) Baker, imho is my fave Doctor.