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On This Day (Europe) - 16 February



Invasion of the Dinosaurs: Part Six premiered on BBC One in 1974 at 5:29pm GMT, watched by 7.50 million viewers.

Dinosaurs are appearing all over London in a last effort to frighten people away as Professor Whitaker prepares to initiate 'Operation Golden Age'.


The Visitation: Part Two premiered on BBC One (Not Wales) in 1982 at 7:05pm GMT, watched by 9.30 million viewers.

Terminus: Part Two premiered on BBC One in 1983 at 6:46pm GMT, watched by 7.50 million viewers.

The Two Doctors: Part One premiered on BBC One in 1985 at 5:22pm GMT, watched by 6.60 million viewers.

Starring Colin Baker and Patrick Troughton
A three-part story by Robert Holmes
Even when aided by a former regeneration of himself, can the Doctor prevent Dastari's illegal experiments in time from reaching fruition?
*CEEFAX SUBTITLES


The Haunting Of Villa Diodati premiered on BBC One in 2020 at 7:10pm GMT, watched by 5.07 million viewers.

 Birthdays

Christopher Eccleston was 60 - 30 credits, including Doctor Who in Rose

Christopher Eccleston was born in the Langworthy area of Pendleton, Salford, Lancashire, the youngest of three boys. He attended Joseph Eastham's High School, Little Hulton, Eccleston completed a two-year Performance Foundation Course at Salford Tech, before going on to train at the Hampstead-based Central School of Speech and Drama. 

Eccleston first came to public attention as Derek Bentley in the 1991 film Let Him Have It and an episode of Inspector Morse, "Second Time Around", also in 1991. He had a regular role in the television series Cracker (1993-94) and around the same time he appeared in Agatha Christie's Poirot. He appeared in the low-budget Danny Boyle 1994 film Shallow Grave, and won the part of Nicky Hutchinson in the epic BBC drama serial Our Friends in the North. 

His film career includes Jude (1996), Elizabeth (1998), eXistenZ(1999), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), The Others (2001), 24 Hour Party People (2002) and another Danny Boyle film, the horror movie 28 Days Later (2002). He played a major role as the protagonist of Alex Cox's 2002 Revengers Tragedy, adapted from Thomas Middleton's play of the same name. 

He has appeared in a variety of television roles including Hearts and Minds (1995) for Channel 4, Clocking Off(2000) and Flesh and Blood (2002) for the BBC and Hillsborough (1996), a modern version of Othello (2002), playing 'Ben Jago'and the religious telefantasy epic The Second Coming (2003) for ITV, which was written by Russell T Davies. 

He has had guest appearances in episodes of the comedy drama Linda Green (2001) and macabre sketch show The League of Gentlemen (2002). 

When Doctor Who was relaunched in 2005, Eccleston was cast as the ninth incarnation of the Doctor by producers Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner. He was the first actor to play the role who was born after the series began. Although he stayed for just one series his portrayal of the Doctor was highly regarded, and a key reason behind the success of the revived series. The role earned him "Most Popular Actor" at the 2005 National Television Awards . 

Eccleston has not talked much about the role since he departed the series, however in a 2010 interview, he revealed that he left because he "didn't enjoy the environment and the culture that the cast and crew, had to work in", but he said that he was proud of having played the role. 

After Doctor Who Eccleston appeared on stage at the Old Vic theatre in London in the one-night play Night Sky. He appeared in the ITV documentary special, Best Ever Muppet Moments as a commentator and in May 2006, he appeared as the narrator in a production of Romeo and Juliet at The Lowry theatre in his home city of Salford. In 2006, Eccleston filmed New Orleans, Mon Amour and starred in Perfect Parents, an ITV drama. 

He joined the cast of the NBC TV series Heroes in the episode "Godsend", and appeared as The Rider in a film adaptation of Susan Cooper's novel The Dark Is Rising. In 2010 he played John Lennon in a BBC production called Lennon Naked and starred in the first episode of BBC One anthology drama Accused written by Cracker creator Jimmy McGovern. Eccleston is an avid charity worker and became a Mencap charity ambassador on 28 April 2005. He is also a celebrity supporter of the British Red Cross.


Jeremy Bulloch (died 2020 aged 75) would have been 79 - 2 credits, including Hal in The Time Warrior

Jeremy Bulloch was born in the town of Market Harborough in the middle of England. He is one of six children and even at the young age of five was on stage in his school show enjoying acting and singing. After failing a school exam at the age of eleven Bulloch seemed destined for the acting profession and was soon attending Corona Academy Drama School, making his first professional appearance at the age of twelve when he appeared in a commercial for a breakfast cereal.

Following many appearances on children's television, his big break came at the age of 17 when he landed a major role in the musical film Summer Holiday (1963) which starred the pop idol Cliff Richard. Shortly after he went into a BBC soap opera called "The Newcomers" (1965) which ran for three years and made him a household name in the UK. In 1969, Jeremy was off to Madrid in Spain to play the leading role in a musical film called Las leandras (1969). This was followed by two major films: The Virgin and the Gypsy (1970) and _Mary, Queen of Scots (1971)_. 

During the 1970s he made many other screen appearances, including the James Bond films, in which he portrayed the character 'Smithers' (Q's assistant). In 1977 Jeremy spent six months in the Far East, where he was based in Singapore and travelled to the Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia filming a BBC drama documentary called 'The Sadrina Project'. This documentary was designed to teach the English language to people in the Far East, mainly the Chinese. On a trip to China some 15 years later, where Jeremy was performing in a stage play, he was instantly recognised by hundreds of people who said they had learnt their English from the Sadrina Project.

In 1978 he was starring in a hit television comedy series, "Agony" (1979), which was co-written by an American called Len Richmond. It was during this series that Jeremy was asked to play a small part in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980). The part, of course, was 'Boba Fett' - proving the old theatrical saying that "there is no such thing as a small part"! Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) soon followed and Jeremy was invited to reprise the role of Boba.

Since the early 1980s Bulloch has played many roles on television and on the stage in London's West End. He has also done two world-wide theatre tours covering the Middle and Far East. Jeremy appeared regularly in the favourite TV series "Robin of Sherwood" (1984), in which he played the part of Edward of Wickham. Jeremy's son Robbie was asked to play Matthew in the series. 'Robin of Sherwood' has a great following all around the world, and Jeremy attends the convention 'Spirit of Sherwood' in Novi, Michigan every year, work permitting. Another popular series he has appeared in is "Doctor Who" (1963) where he played Hal the Archer in 'The Time Warrior' with Jon Pertwee, and also Tor in the 'Space Museum' with William Hartnell as the Doctor.

Since the re-release of Star Wars in 1997, the interest in the character of "Boba Fett" has meant that Jeremy has been invited to many sci-fi conventions and events all around the world. His fan mail has increased five-fold, and he manages somehow to reply to everyone that writes to him. In the little leisure time he has left, he loves nothing more than a game of cricket with his friends. Jeremy also enjoys travelling; in the past few years he has spent more time abroad than at home. He has collected an awesome amount of Boba Fett memorabilia, some given to him by dedicated fans, and some he cannot resist buying at toy fairs. His office at home resembles a "Boba Fett" museum.

Jeremy has three grown-up sons, and lives in London with his wife Maureen, and lucky black cat 'Percy'.


Patricia Maynard was 82 - 2 credits, including Miss Winters in Robot

Patricia Maynard  is a British actress. 

Patricia Maynard was born in Beighton, West Riding of Yorkshire, brought up in Tooting Bec, South London and went to school in Battersea, just down the road from the Old Vic where she learned her love of Shakespeare. She trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Her first five years were spent in rep and the theatre. One of her first theatrical engagements was in a play �Collapse of a Stout Party�, written by Trevor Peacock. In 1966 she joined the RSC, the same year as Trevor Nunn and Terry Hands, with appearances as Katharine to Ian Holmes� �Henry V� and also Castiza in �Revengers� Tragedy�. She was at the Bristol Old Vic from 1967-69, where her plays included �Blythe Spirit�, �Comedy of Errors�, �Venice Preserved� (with Alan Bates, Bernard Hepton and Alan Webb, �Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton� by Dennis Potter, and a musical of Nancy Mitford�s book �The Pursuit of Love� written by Julian Slade. She returned to Bristol in 1982, playing Lady India in Anouilh�s �Ring around the Moon�.

Her television work has included playing the heroine Cora in �Last of the Mohicans� in the late 1960s, Tom Baker's first story line in Doctor Who in 1974-75, Robot, playing chief baddie Miss Winters. Two films for television in the 1970s, �When Day is Done�, co-starring with Edward Woodward, and �Lives of our Own�. Her TV Series have included �This Year, Next Year� about Yorkshire hill farmers, �General Hospital�, playing the gynaecologist, with Lynda Bellingham, �Strike it Rich� - two series in the 1980s - and guest appearances in �The Sweeney�, �Minder�, �Jemima Shore Investigates�, �House of Eliot�, and �Campion�. She has appeared in most of the soaps of the time � �Coronation Street�, �Emmerdale Farm�, �Casualty�, �Holby City�, �Crossroads� and �East Enders�, where she played the part of Edwina Dunn, the mother of Laura Beale, who was played by her daughter Hannah.

wikipedia


Harry Brooks (died 2008 aged 72) would have been 88 - credited as Talon in The Tenth Planet

Harry Brooks  played Talon and Krang in the Doctor Who story The Tenth Planet.

Also appeared in Hanover Street, Wings, Dial M for Murder, Going Dutch, ITV Sunday Night Theatre, Colditz, Jason King, Eyeless in Gaza, Underground, The Spies, Danger Man, Quatermass II 


Kevin Manser (died 2001 aged 72) would have been 95 - 8 credits, including Dalek Operator in The Dalek Invasion of Earth

Born in Adelaide, Australia in 1929, Kevin Manser emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1957 and worked as a stage manager before taking on a number of roles on stage and in television. He was one of the original Dalek operators from their first story, and continued to operate them until The Power of the Daleks - he also operated one of the Daleks in the first Aaru movie, Dr Who And The Daleks

He returned to Australia in 1969, where he later became popular on the convention circuit. He published his autobiograpy, Memoirs of a Dalek, in 2001 shortly before his death.


June Brown (died 2022 aged 95) would have been 97 - credited as Eleanor in The Time Warrior

June Brown is an English actress with a long television career. 

She had small roles in Coronation Street as Mrs Parsons (1970); in the Doctor Who story "The Time Warrior" as Lady Eleanor (1973/74); medical soap Angels; history-of-Britain Churchill's People; long-running comedy drama Minder; police soap The Bill; and cult sci-fi series Survivors. She also had a bigger part as Mrs Leyton in the costume drama The Duchess of Duke Street (1976), and played Mrs Mann in Oliver Twist (1985).

She starred in the wartime big band comedy Ain't Misbehavin (1997), and played Nanny Slagg in the BBC's big-budget production of Gormenghast in 2000. She had a number of small roles in several famous movies, appearing as the grieving mother of an undead biker in British horror flick Psychomania (1971), as well as Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971), Straw Dogs (1971), Murder by Decree (1979), Nijinsky (1980), The Mambo Kings (1992) and the hugely successful Mr. Bean movie spin-off Bean (1997).

In 2006, Brown appeared as Aunt Spiker at the Children's Party At The Palace, an all-star event to celebrate the Queen's 80th birthday. In 2010 Brown took part in the annual Christmas special for Strictly Come Dancing.


 Deaths
Arthur Hewlett (died 1997 aged 89) - 2 credits, including Kalmar in State of Decay

Arthur Hewlett  was a British actor.

He is best remembered for his roles on television, including Quatermass and the PitPolice SurgeonThe AvengersThe SaintNo Hiding PlaceThe BaronThe TroubleshootersMenaceFollyfootThe Changes,Blake's 7ShoestringJuliet Bravo,The Black Adder and Moondial. Arthur Hewlett also played Dr Grant in Emmerdale Farm in 1973.

Biography from the Wikipedia article, licensed under CC-BY-SA