Last updated 09 January 2020


The Firemaker

Series Episode Number: 4

World Premiere: Sat 14 Dec 1963 - 5:15pm GMT [BBC One] (United Kingdom)
First Broadcast: Tue 5 Aug 2014 - 8:30pm EDT [Retro TV]
Running Time: 24 minutes 23 seconds

6.40 Million (UK)

Appreciation Index: 55 (UK)

Chart Position: 70 () (UK)

Recorded on Fri 08 Nov 1963 in Lime Grove D
Archive State: 16mm t/r



The Doctor and his companions use guile and cunning to escape death at the hands of their Stone Age captors. The Doctor decides that the only way to escape is to show the cave dwellers how to make fire.


Production Team hide uncredited
WriterAnthony Coburn
DirectorWaris Hussein
ProducerVerity Lambert
Associate ProducerMervyn Pinfield
DesignerBarry Newbery
Story EditorDavid Whitaker
Incidental MusicNorman Kay
Title MusicRon Grainer
with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
Vision MixerClive Doig (uncredited)
Special Effects Visual Effects Department of the BBC (uncredited)
Assistant Floor ManagerCatherine Childs (uncredited)
Costume SupervisorMaureen Heneghan (uncredited)
Film CameramanRobert Sleigh (uncredited)
Make-up SupervisorElizabeth Blattner (uncredited)
Production AssistantTony Lightley (uncredited)
Special SoundBrian Hodgson (uncredited)
LightingGeoff Shaw (uncredited)
Film EditorJohn House (uncredited)
Studio SoundJack Clayton (uncredited)
Title SequenceBernard Lodge (uncredited)
Title Music ArrangerDelia Derbyshire (uncredited)
SecretaryMargaret Allen (uncredited)
Grams OperatorAdrian Bishop-Lagget (uncredited)
Floor AssistantRobert Fort (uncredited)
Make-Up AssistantBeryl Sanderson (uncredited)
Fight ArrangerDerek Ware (uncredited)
Producer's SecretaryValerie Speyer (uncredited)
Director's AssistantPeggy Lupton (uncredited)
Boom OperatorPeter Fletcher (confirmed)