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On This Day (USA) - 28 March



Marco Polo: Mighty Kublai Khan premiered on BBC One in 1964 at 5:29pm BST, watched by 8.40 million viewers.

When Marco Polo discovers Ping Cho's betrayal, the girl runs away. Ian follows her to Cheng-Ting and there discovers that the TARDIS has been stolen by Tegana's allies.


The Ambassadors of Death: Episode 2 premiered on BBC One in 1970 at 5:14pm BST, watched by 7.60 million viewers.

Recovery 7 has returned to Earth but the UNIT convoy transporting the capsule is ambushed. The Doctor is able to relocate the capsule, but is he too late?


Torchwood Declassified Series Two: Episode 12 premiered on BBC2 in 2008 at 9:45pm GMT, watched by 1.57 million viewers.

 Birthdays
Lacey Turner will be 36 - credited as Stacey Branning in Eastenders (Valentines 2008)(Related)

Lacey Turner is an English actress. She is best known for her work on Bedlam, Switch, and portraying the role of Stacey Slater on the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role for which she has won 33 awards. She has won more British Soap Awards than any other actor in any soap, and, at the age of 17, she was the youngest person to ever win 'Best Actress', an award she went on to win four times. In 2013, she also starred in the television movie Our Girl, which became a full series in 2014.

Early life

Turner was born in Edgware, Barnet, Greater London to parents Bev and Les. She was raised as a Catholic with her two younger sisters, Daisy Turner (born 1990) and Lily Harvey (born 2001), in Hertfordshire, near to the BBC television studios in Elstree. She has commented, "From my bedroom window you could see part of the square [the external filming lot for EastEnders], and you could hear them all filming at night. I used to say to my mum: "I wanna be on that!" It was whilst living there that Turner decided to become an actress. At the age of 10, she schooled at the Sylvia Young Theatre School to achieve her ambition, but left after a year stating that it "wasn't my cup of tea". She has since revealed that she was bullied while at stage school, by children who teased her for being "geeky". Instead, she attended a local girls private school (Peterborough And Saint Margarets School) in Stanmore NW London and went to dance, singing and acting classes outside school.

EastEnders (2004-10)

Turner's earliest work included appearances on stage and in advertisements (notably a Haribo advert). In 2004 Turner went on to audition for the role of Demi Miller in BBC's EastEnders. Though she failed to get that part, she was instead given the role of Stacey, a new addition to the popular Slater family. She started in the soap the day after leaving school, and made her first appearance on-screen in November 2004. Commenting on the role, Turner said, "I always dreamt of being on the show and so I can't believe that I've fulfilled my greatest ambition!" In 2005, Turner appeared alongside Catherine Tate's character Lauren in a special sketch for the BBC's annual Children in Need telethon. In March 2007, Turner had a breast enlargement, taking her from a 32B to a 32D.

In January 2009, Turner appeared as a guest on The Sunday Night Project. Turner also starred in a live episode of EastEnders on 19 February 2010 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the soap opera. The live episode gained over 16.6 million viewers which saw Stacey's husband Bradley Branning die after falling from a rooftop during a police chase before Stacey's confession that she murdered Archie Mitchell. After her co-star Charlie Clements who played Bradley Branning left in February 2010, EastEnders bosses declared that they are keen to retain Turner after proving her popularity with viewers, however, she announced her decision to leave the show in April 2010. She stated, "I'll miss Stacey and everyone in Albert Square very much but the time has come to try something different." Turner later revealed that she had agreed with Charlie Clements to leave EastEnders at the same time as him. Of the decision, Turner said "Charlie and I always said we'd go at the same time. For quite a while I'd been saying I was going to go and kept realising I wasn't ready. But when Charlie said he was going last year I was like, 'Right, OK, I'm going too'." The Daily Mail reported that after leaving EastEnders Turner hopes to become a film star, but hasn't ruled out a return in the future. Bosses at the BBC are leaving her the option to return to EastEnders.

Work after EastEnders (2010-14)

In December 2010 she did some advertising for Royal Mail to remind people of Christmas postal deadlines. Turner was cast as Lia Shaman in the third series of Being Human. Turner starred in series 3 opener which broadcast on 23 January 2011. It was watched by 1.37 million (5%). She reprised her role for the series three finalé. In March 2011 she played Elizabeth Lavenza, the bride of Victor Frankenstein, played by Andrew Gower, in an adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein which aired on BBC 3, live from the derelict Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds, in front of an audience of 12,000. The show was titled Frankenstein's Wedding.

Turner appeared alongside David Tennant, Billie Piper, David Morrissey, Jane Horrocks, Ashley Walters and Vicky McClure in the BBC One improvisational programme True Love, which aired in June 2012. She played the leading role of Ellie, a character who claims to see ghosts and spirits, in the second series of Bedlam. Turner starred in ITV2 supernatural drama Switch, which centres on the story of four young witches living in contemporary London. Turner's character is referred to as the "immaculately dressed" careerist Stella. Turner played a young army recruit called Molly in a one-off 90-minute drama titled Our Girl. She began filming in BBC Elstree Studios in October 2012 and the film aired on BBC One on 24 March 2013. This was then followed by a five part series which began airing on BBC One on 21 September 2014.

In October 2012, Turner joined ASDA's Tickled Pink campaign. Turner has also done voice over work in CITV programme Goodbye Year Six and narrating BBC3's Don't Just Stand There, I'm Having Your Baby. Turner starred in radio dramas The One about the Social Worker and Up the Junction, which aired on BBC Radio 4 in September 2013.

Return to EastEnders (2014)

On 6 December 2013 it was announced that Turner would be returning to EastEnders, to reprise her role as Stacey. Turner began filming in January 2014. She made her on-screen return on 7 February 2014 and departed on 25 March 2014. She returned full time in August 2014.

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


Gareth David-Lloyd will be 43 - 52 credits, including Ianto Jones in The Stolen Earth / Journey's End

Gareth David-Lloyd is a Welsh actor best known for his role as Ianto Jones in Torchwood.

He was born Gareth David Lloyd in BettwsNewportWalesUnited Kingdom. David-Lloyd's first acting role was as a robot in a junior school play. As a teenager, he joined the Gwent Young People's Theatre in Abergavenny and The Dolman Youth Theatre in Newport, where he was a contemporary of the actor Matthew Woodyatt and the singer Nia Lynn. While there, he appeared in several plays, including MacbethThe Threepenny Opera and Henry V, in which he played the title role. Gareth studied Performing Arts at Crosskeys College in South Wales. When former Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock saw the young David-Lloyd performing at Monmouth Castle, he sent him £250 to use towards his acting career.

While studying at Coleg GwentCrosskeys, Gareth David-Lloyd appeared in various local stage productions at the Dolman Theatre in Newport and the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff. David-Lloyd went on to train at the National Youth Theatre, before moving to Reading to pursue his acting career with The Rep College. David-Lloyd's parts have included Sebastian in Twelfth Night on stage.[3]

In the 2004 comedy/drama Mine All Mine, written by Torchwood creator Russell T Davies, he played a character named Ianto Jones. In 2005, David-Lloyd began a part-time degree in philosophy and psychological studies with the Open University.[3] Gareth David-Lloyd returned to Wales for the filming of his first regular television role in 2006 for Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood, in which he played Ianto Jones, a member of the fictional Torchwood Institute. Lloyd has appeared in three of four series of Torchwood. His character, Ianto, was killed off in the fourth episode of Series 3. His character Ianto also made an appearance in the Doctor Who series 4 finale episodes "The Stolen Earth" and "Journey's End". David-Lloyd has also recorded a Torchwood audio book, The Sin Eaters, and appeared in the Torchwood audio dramas Lost SoulsAsylumGolden AgeThe Dead Line and The Lost Files.

David-Lloyd has recorded a number of M.R. James Ghost Stories entitled Tales of the Supernatural

In 2009 he appeared the short comedy film A Very British Cover-up, whislt also appearing as a police detective in Internet crime thriller, Girl Number Nine, also starring Tracy Ann Oberman, premiering online on 30 October 2009.

In 2010 David-Lloyd starred in an episode of the long-running ITV1 series The Bill first aired on 21 January 2010  and also appeared as Dr. John Watson in 2010 direct-to-DVD film Sherlock Holmes by The Asylum.

David-Lloyd will also be appearing in a short film entitled Casimir Effect, an independent short feature, starring as Dr Robert Cameron. This film will begin shooting in early 2010. The production company has said this is a proof of concept which will see Casimir Effect developed in to a TV series.

In June 2011, Gareth appeared as a main character in the Syfy movie Red Faction: Origins based on the video games.

David-Lloyd appeared in 2011 in an episode of SyFy television show Warehouse 13 in Season 3 titled "3...2...1..." as an agent of Warehouse 12 in the 1890's, partnered with H. G. Wells.

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


Nick Frost will be 52 - 3 credits, including Santa Claus in Last Christmas

Nick Frost is an comic actor, best known for his partnership with Simon Pegg in their trilogy of films, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World's End, and their breakthrough television series Spaced.

Frost was born in Dagenham, Essex, and attended Beal High School in Ilford. Having appeared in a few corporate videos, he became friends with Pegg and co-starred as Mike in Channel 4's Spaced. He then had a small role in the one-off special of Acorn Antiques in 2001. He wrote and presented his own spoof documentary Danger! 50,000 Volts! a year later, but it was in 2004 when both he and Pegg gained worldwide recognition for the zombie comedy horror Shaun of the Dead.

As well as the "Cornetto Trilogy", other films include Paul (also with Pegg), Kinky Boots, and provided voices for The Boxtrolls, Ice Age: Continental Drift, and The Adventures of Tin Tin: The Secret of the Unicorn. On television he played Henderson in Hyperdrive, had roles in Black Books, Man Stroke Woman, and Look Around You, and can currently be seen as the eponymous Mr Sloane.

He lives in Essex with his wife Christina, a production executive, and their son.


Orla Brady will be 63 - credited as Tasha Lem in The Time of the Doctor

Orla Brady was born in Dublin, Ireland. Moving to London, her early career was in modelling before moving to Paris to study theatre at the École Internationale de Mimodrame de Paris. Her first role upon return to Dublin after graduating was as Adela in House of Bernarda Alba but then continued as part of the Cambridge group Balloonatics.

Developing a career in both Irish and British theatre, she appeared at the Royal National Theatre in Blinded by the Sun and on television in shows like A Love Divided, Proof and Mistresses. Also working in Los Angeles, she has appeared in American shows like Family Law, Nip/Tuck, Shark, and sci-fi series Fringe.

More recently she has appeared in The Deep, Hustle, Eternal Law, Sinbad, and Poirot.

She is married to photographer Nick Brandt.


Matthew Corbett will be 76 - credited as Jones in The Dæmons

Matthew Corbett (born in GuiseleyWest YorkshireEngland) is an English television personality best known forThe Sooty Show and laterly Sooty and Co. He is the son of Harry Corbett. He took over Sooty from his father Harry Corbett in 1976, and retired in 1998.

Corbett was born in Guiseley, then a town in the historic West Riding of Yorkshire. In the late 1960s or early 1970s, he had to choose another stage name, as there was already another Peter Corbett registered. He kept his surname, but when choosing his new first name he was told it must be a name that is long, and so he chose the name of Matthew; for television purposes he has always remained as Matthew Corbett.

He appeared in the 1971 Doctor Who serial The Dæmons and was a regular performer in the Thames Television children's show Rainbow, where he sang and performed and wrote with Rod Burton and Jane Tucker as Rod, Matt and Jane, later better known as Rod, Jane and Freddy.

In 1976 Corbett left Rainbow to take over The Sooty Show from his father, Harry Corbett, on his retirement. He himself retired in 1998 after twenty two years, and hand picked Richard Cadell to replace him, and the show is still going strong.

Of late, Corbett has withdrawn from most public and media attention and lives in Lymm with his wife Sallie. In 2005, he noted that he would be playing guitar with his friend John Gray around pubs in Manchester. For this, he has gone back to his real name Peter Corbett. He is now playing guitar and singing in local pubs without John Gray. He's kicking off his solo career at pubs local to his home in Lymm, such as The Star Inn and The Bull's head.[citation needed]

In January 2008, Corbett reappeared on television, presenting Locks and Quays, a regional interest programme shown in the ITV Granada area (North West England), featuring a journey from the east to the west coast of England along waterways such as the River HumberAire and Calder Navigation and Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

On Sooty's 60th birthday in 2008, he said that the bear was "in, or should I say on, the right hands".

Corbett's great uncle was the famous chip shop chain owner Harry Ramsden, as revealed on his cable canal based series 'Locks and Quays'. Matthew returned as a guest on the new series of Sooty in 2011.

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


Morris Perry (died 2021 aged 96) would be 99 - credited as Dent in Colony In Space

Morris Perry is an English actor.

Perry was born in BromleyKentEngland. Credits include: The AvengersZ-CarsChampion HouseThe ChampionsThe Persuaders!Doctor Who (in the serial Colony in Space), Special BranchThe SweeneySurvivorsThe ProfessionalsSecret ArmyReilly, Ace of SpiesThe Bi


Robert James (died 2004 aged 80) would be 100 - 2 credits, including Lesterson in The Power of the Daleks

Robert James was a Scottish actor who had a long career on stage, television and in film spanning over five decades. 

He was born in Paisley, where his love for theatre led to a zest for amateur dramatics and he was spotted by a director from The Wilson Barrett Company. They gave him his first professional role, ultimately appearing in over 100 productions for them at The Glasgow Alhambra during the late 40's/early 50's. 

Despite being extremely busy in television, he continued treading the boards for forty years, loving being a company man whether it be at The Liverpool Playhouse (where he met his wife) or The Almeida. 

His film appearances, initially as a bit player, included the Titanic film "A Night To Remember" (1958). In "Doctor Who", his affecting performance as conscience stricken scientist slowly losing his mind in "The Power Of The Daleks" (1966) is considered among the best performances given by a guest actor in the show. 


 Deaths
Paul O'Grady MBE (died 2023 aged 67) - credited as Himself in The Stolen Earth / Journey's End

Paul  O'Grady was an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio DJ. He was best known for presenting the daytime chat television series, The Paul O'Grady Show and, more recently, Paul O'Grady Live, as well as his drag queen comedic alter ego, Lily Savage, as whom he performed in various television series including Blankety Blank (1997-1999) and Lily Live! (2000-2001). He also appeared in the comedy sitcom Eyes Down (2003-2004) and presented several travel documentaries. Most recently he presented the award winning For The Love Of Dogs, a series close to his heart, and appeared in the musical Annie.


Patrick Troughton (died 1987 aged 67) - 32 credits, including Dr. Who in The Power of the Daleks

Patrick Troughton was born in Mill Hill, Middlesex, England to Alec George Troughton, a solicitor, and Dorothy Evelyn Offord. Troughton attended Mill Hill School and continued to live in Mill Hill for most of his life. While at Mill Hill School, he acted in a production of J.B. Priestley's "Bees on the Boat Deck" in March 1937.

He attended the Embassy School of Acting at Swiss Cottage, under Eileen Thorndike, and won a scholarship to the Leighton Rallius Studios at the John Drew Memorial Theatre on Long Island in New York, U.S.

In the Second World War he joined the Royal Navy and served as a Lieutenant, R.N.V.R. on East Coast Convoy duty from February to August 1941, and Coastal Forces (M.G.B.'s) based at Great Yarmouth from November 1942 to 1945, where he was mentioned in dispatches.

After the war, Troughton returned to the theatre working with the Amersham Repertory Company, the Bristol Old Vic Company and the Pilgrim Players at the Mercury Theatre, Notting Hill Gate. He made his television debut in 1947 and his fim debut a year later. In 1953 he became the first actor to play Robin Hood on television, starring in six half-hour episodes broadcast from 17 March to 21 April on the BBC. Troughton's other notable film and television roles included Kettle in Chance of a Lifetime (1950), Sir Andrew Ffoulkes in The Scarlet Pimpernel (1955), Phineas inJason and the Argonauts (1963), Quilp in The Old Curiosity Shop (1962), Paul of Tarsus (BBC 1960, title role), Dr. Finlay's Casebook (BBC 1962, semiregular). He voiced Winston Smith in a 1965 BBC Home Service radio adaptation of Nineteen Eighty-Four. Prior to Doctor Who he appeared in numerous TV shows including, The Count of Monte Cristo, Ivanhoe, Dial 999, Danger Man, Maigret, Compact, The Third Man, Crane, Detective, Sherlock Holmes, No Hiding Place, The Saint, Armchair Theatre, The Wednesday Play, Z-Cars, Adam Adamant Lives! and Softly, Softly.

In 1966, Doctor Who producer Innes Lloyd cast Troughton in the series, replacing {p1}}. Lloyd later stated that Hartnell had approved of the choice, saying, "There's only one man in England who can take over, and that's Patrick Troughton". Doctor Who creator Sydney Newman suggested he play the role as a "cosmic hobo" in the mould of Charlie Chaplin.

Producer Lloyd credited Troughton with a "leading actor's temperament. He was a father figure to the whole company and hence could embrace it and sweep it along with him". Troughton found Doctor Who's schedule gruelling, and decided to leave the series in 1969, after three years in the role. He later returned to the series on three separate occasions.

After Troughton left the series, he appeared in various films and television roles. Film roles included Klove in Scars of Dracula (1970), Father Brennan in The Omen (1976) and Melanthius in Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977). Television roles included the recurring role of Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk in five of the six episodes of The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970), the villainous Nasca in Thames Television's Aztec-themed drama The Feathered Serpent (1976-1978), a guest starring spot in the comedy series The Goodies in the episode "The Baddies", as well as episodes of Paul Temple, Dr. Finlay Casebook, Doomwatch, The Persuaders!, A Family at War, Coronation Street, Softly, Softly: Taskforce, Colditz, Play for Today, Z-Cars, Special Branch, Sutherland's Law, The Sweeney, Jason King,Survivors, Crown Court, Angels, Warship, Van der Valk, Space: 1999, The Onedin Line, All Creatures Great and Small, Only When I Laugh (Series 2, Total Episode #9), Nanny, Minder, and the first episode ofInspector Morse. He portrayed Cole Hawlings in a BBC Television dramatisation of the John Masefield children's book The Box of Delights (1984).

Troughton's suffered two major heart attacks, one in 1978 and the other in 1984, which prevented him from working for several months. On Friday, 27 March 1987, Troughton was a guest at the Magnum Opus Con II science fictionC onvention in Columbus, Georgia, USA. He suffered a third and final heart attack at 7:25 a.m. the next day.

Troughton was married three times. He had two daughters and four sons, as well as a stepdaughter and stepson.

The actor is played by Reece Shearsmith in the 50th Anniversary drama An Adventure In Space And Time.