Statistics


On This Day (USA) - 26 April



The War Games: Episode Two premiered on BBC One in 1969 at 5:14pm BST, watched by 6.30 million viewers.

Finding evidence of alien technology in Smythe's office, the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe make their escape in Lady Jennifer's ambulance, but Smythe gives orders to have them killed.


Revenge of the Cybermen: Part Two premiered on BBC One in 1975 at 5:30pm BST, watched by 8.30 million viewers.

Sarah is the latest victim of the 'space plague'. But the poison can be removed from her body by transmatting her to the surface of the mysterious planetoid, Voga…


Death Comes To Time (pt 2) premiered on BBC Online in 2002 at 12:00pm BST

The Sontaran Stratagem premiered on BBC One in 2008 at 6:19pm BST, watched by 7.06 million viewers.

Send in the Clones premiered on BBC Three in 2008 at 7:05pm BST

 Birthdays
Susannah Harker will be 59 - 3 credits, including Clare Keightley in Shada (Online)(Misc)

Susannah Harkeris an English film, television, and theatre actor. 

She is the daughter of English actress Polly Adams and actor Richard Owens. She was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award in 1990 for her role as Mattie Storin in House of Cards.

She voiced Clare Keightley in the Web Cast version of Shada.

Harker was also featured in the Big Finish Productions revival of Sapphire & Steel, in which she played Sapphire opposite David Warner as Steel.


Ron Donachie will be 68 - 2 credits, including Steward in Tooth and Claw

Ron Donachie is a Scottish actor. 

He is known for his supporting roles in films The Jungle BookTitanic and television series Game of Thrones.

He played a steward in the 2006 Doctor Who story Tooth and Claw.

Donachie was born in Dundee, Scotland as Ronald Eaglesham Porter. He was educated at Madras College, St. Andrews and Glasgow University, from where he graduated in English Literature and Drama in 1979.

His brother, Stewart Porter, is also an actor. Donachie is married to Fiona Biggar, they have two children.


Lois Baxter will be 77 - 3 credits, including Lamia in The Androids of Tara

Lois Baxter is a British actress, best known for playing Marie Stanton in Coronation Street from 1976 to 1977, and Lady Caroline in the period drama When the Boat Comes In.

Other appearances include: The Black StuffSpyder's WebWithin These WallsHadleighZ-CarsDoctor Who (in the serial The Androids of Tara), Dickens of LondonAll Creatures Great and SmallBergeracDempsey & MakepeaceHolby City and The Bill. She has guest-starred in the audio dramas Sapphire and Steel: Cruel ImmortalityCircular Time and The Adolescence of Time.

Baxter was born in Bridgwater, Somerset, the daughter of Dr John Baxter and Christine D Baxter (née Arkens). The family later moved to Worthen in Shropshire where John was a General Practitioner for many years. Lois attended Shrewsbury High School from 1951-1959 when she left for boarding school.


Harry Fielder (died 2021 aged 80) would be 84 - 13 credits, including Crew of Wheel in The Wheel In Space

Harry Fielder (sometimes credited as Harry Aitch Fielder) (born in Islington,London) is an English actor and supporting artist who has worked extensively in British films and television since the 1960s.

Despite being based entirely in Britain, Fielder has appeared in a large number of American films, due to filming taking place partly or entirely in Britain. His film credits include Star Wars: A New HopeMcVicarHighlander andOliver!.

Fielder has appeared in a wide range of TV shows including Doctor WhoBlake's 7,ShoestringThe SweeneyMinder and The Professionals.

Fielder co-presented CBTV, a Thames TVprogramme for younger viewers, in the 1980s where he played the Security Guard, Harry, who Jim Sweeney and Steve Steen would have to sneak past on the gates of Teddington Studios.

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


Gareth Gwenlan will be 87 - 3 credits, including Assistant Floor Manager for The Savages

Gareth Gwenlan is a British television producer, best known for his work on shows such as The Fall and Rise of Reginald PerrinTo the Manor BornOnly Fools and Horses, and High Hopes

He was Assistant Floor Manager for the Doctor Who stories The Savages and The Underwater Menace, and Production Assistant for The Web of Fear.

In 1983 he was appointed Head of Comedy for BBC.


Donald Cotton (died 1999 aged 71) would be 96 - 2 credits, including Writer for The Myth Makers
Donald Cotton was a writer for radio and television during the black and white era. He also wrote numerous musical comedys for the stage.
Cotton's scripts for the BBC Third Programme include Echo and Narcissus (1959), The Golden Fleece and Stereologue (both 1962) and The Tragedy of Phaethon (1965, described as a comedy despite the name). In 1960, he introduced Voices in the Air, a programme whose script included work not only by Cotton but also by other notable contributors including Harold Pinter, John Betjeman, Michael Flanders, Antony Hopkins, N. F. Simpson, Donald Swann, and Sandy Wilson.After helping to create Adam Adamant Lives!, Donald Cotton mainly confined his attention to writing and performing for the stage, although he would also become a novelist and columnist. He helped Tony Snell write the satirical 1968 album Medieval & Latter Day Lays, also known as Englishman Abroad. In the Eighties, Cotton novelised both his Doctor Who serials as well as The Romans for Target Books. All three rank as the most comedic and possibly the most unusual in the book range, being told in the first person and from a broadly humorous standpoint. He also wrote a novel called Bodkin Papers in 1986.

Graham Ashley (died 1979 aged 52) would be 97 - credited as Overseer in The Underwater Menace

Graham Ashley played the Overseer in the 1967 Doctor Who story The Underwater Menace.

He was well know on British television appearing in early series's of Grange Hill.  He later played Gold Five in Episode IV of Star Wars.

Worked on Grange HillLicensed to Love and KillSome Mothers Do 'Ave 'EmScorpion TalesZ CarsPlay for TodaySomebody's DaughterAdventures of a Plumber's MateThe Black PantherIt Could Happen to YouStar Wars: Episode IV - A New HopeAdventures of a Private EyeHolding OnThe Deadly FemalesHunter's WalkMr. SmithAngelsAdventures of a Taxi DriverAlfie DarlingPorridgeHennessySix Days of JusticeChurchill's PeopleEskimo NellThe Carnforth PracticeBedtime StoriesThe ProtectorsDixon of Dock GreenBilly LiarOur CissyThe SwordsmanBig ZapperSoftly Softly: Task ForceColditzThe Fast KillSteptoe and SonManhuntStrange ReportDoctor in the HouseThe Power GameThe AvengersNo Hiding PlaceDanger ManThe Edgar Wallace Mystery TheatreCrossroadsITV Play of the WeekDr. Finlay's CasebookTaxi!SuspenseThe Young DetectivesThe Last Man OutBBC Sunday-Night PlayThe CheatersThe Tell-Tale HeartMan AccusedThe Infamous John FriendA Christmas Night with the StarsKenilworthStryker of the YardLondon PlayhouseTrack the Man DownThe Pickwick PapersBBC Sunday-Night Theatre


Derek Waring (died 2007 aged 79) would be 97 - credited as Shardovan in Castrovalva

Derek Waring started playing DI Neil Goss in 1969, in the police drama Z-Cars and continued in this role for 215 episodes until 1973. Following Z-Cars he played Roland Moody in Moody and Pegg. Later in the 1970s, Waring appeared in programmes such as Murder Most English, Crown Court, The New Avengers, Two's Company and George and Mildred. In 1980, he played Harry Somers in the Scottish soap opera Take the High Road. During the 1980s he appeared on screen in The Enigma Files, Never the Twain and The Professionals. In 1982, he appeared as Shardovan in the third and fourth parts of the Doctor Who serial "Castrovalva".

He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and appeared in many productions including War of the Roses.[3] In the West End he appeared in Cowardy Custard, Suzie Wong and in the late 1980s The Boy Friend, which was his final West End appearance. On Broadway he played Prince Albert in Portrait of a Queen[2] opposite his wife who played Queen Victoria.

His father was the TV pioneer Wing Commander H.J. Barton-Chapple, who had worked with John Logie Baird.


Donald Eccles (died 1986 aged 77) would be 116 - credited as Krasis in The Time Monster

Donald Eccles  was a British character actor.

Eccles was born in NaffertonYorkshire the son of Charles Henry and Constance Eccles, his father was doctor. Eccles was educated at Highgate School and then worked in an insurance office.

He made his stage debut in New York City in 1930, and later became known as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. His debut in London was in Counsellor at Law in 1934 at the Picadilly. During the second world war he spent six years in the navy.

In 1960, he appeared in his first film, A Taste of Money, and continued to appear in small roles in film and television (such as Mr Justice Vosper in the second series of Rumpole of the Bailey) until his death, in a road accident, in Brighton.

He played Krasis in the Doctor Who story The Time Monster.

He worked on Blood Royal: William the ConquerorParadise PostponedThe Theban Plays by SophoclesThe Return of the AntelopeNever the TwainSilas Marner: The Weaver of RaveloeYoung Sherlock HolmesOliver TwistShine on Harvey MoonA Private FunctionDon't Wait UpFresh FieldsThe Master of BallantraeCrown CourtMinderThe DresserTom, Dick and HarrietTales of the UnexpectedComing Out of the IceThe Hunchback of Notre DameBrideshead RevisitedPlay for TodayLadykillersA Question of GuiltQuatermassThe Legend of King ArthurITV PlayhouseRumpole of the BaileyPeople Like UsSupernaturalI, ClaudiusLorna DooneKillersITV Sunday Night DramaThe Prince and the PauperYou're on Your OwnPublic EyeMicrobes and MenMarked PersonalThe Nine TailorsSpecial BranchThe Fortunes of NigelThe PallisersGreat MysteriesPianoramaThe Wicker ManThe ProtectorThe Upper CrustsCountry MattersEmmaITV Sunday Night TheatreThe Shadow of the TowerThe AdventurerSoftly Softly: Task ForceBBC Play of the MonthFraud SquadDoomwatchThe CaesarsThe Devil in the FogA Midsummer Night's DreamThe Revenue MenChampion HouseThirty-Minute TheatreWrite a PlayAdam Adamant Lives!The GamblersTheatre 625Love StoryThe Wednesday PlayMacbethKnock on Any DoorThe Mask of JanusFront Page Story


 Deaths
Ann Davies (died 2022 aged 87) - credited as Jenny in The Dalek Invasion of Earth

Ann Davies played Jenny in the The Dalek Invasion of Earth.

In the documentary Future Memories, Davies claimed that Jenny was under consideration as a replacement companion following the departure of Susan Foreman at the end of the episode. Davies also noted that she became friends and neighbours with actress Jacqueline Hill. This recollection incorrectly suggested that perhaps Davies was, like Pauline Collins, a "companion-that-almost-was".

However, it was only Jenny that was considered as a replacement, not Davies herself. The extensive notes left behind of this period of Doctor Who's history clearly indicate that the character was originally called "Saida" and had been offered first to Pamela Franklin on about 17 August 1964. Lambert had made this offer because BBC1 Controller Donald Baverstock had agreed to renew Doctor Who for thirteen weeks beyond the end of Carole Ann Ford's contract, which lasted until the conclusion of Dalek Invasion.

Almost as soon as he had agreed to the extension, however, Baverstock withdrew the offer as a ploy in the renegotiation of William Hartnell, Hill and William Russell's contracts. In the waning days of August, 1964, Verity Lambert was forced to consider that the whole show might end at the conclusion of the present production block. Indeed, Baverstock flatly told her on 19 August 1964 that "it would be unwise to establish the new girl as a permanent member of the cast in the last episode" of Dalek Invasion and even suggested that if the salary negotiations failed, "a totally new or partly new group of principals" might have to be considered. Lambert therefore reversed herself and ordered Jenny be written as a one-shot guest. The deal with Franklin fell through and the now-smaller role was subsequently offered to Davies.

It therefore seems extremely unlikely that she would have ever believed herself actually in the running for a regular part on the programme, because by the time the part was actually offered her it was firmly that of a secondary guest character.

She was married to Richard Briers from 1956 until his death in 2013.

Biography from the TARDIS Data Core article, licensed under CC-BY-SA


Rupert Jarvis (died 2013) - 4 credits, including Costume Designer for Underworld

Costume Designer on several Tom Baker episodes.

He died after a prolonged battle with MS, and is survived by his wife Norma.


Michael Coles (died 2005 aged 68) - credited as Ganatus in Dr Who and the Daleks(Aaru)

Michael Coles played Ganatus the 1965 film in Dr. Who and the Daleks.


Barry Gray (died 1984 aged 75) - 2 credits, including Electronic Music for Dr Who and the Daleks(Aaru)

Barry Gray composed the music for the Dalek movies produced in the 1960s and starring Peter Cushing as Dr. Who. Gray is best known for his work composing themes and incidental music for Gerry Anderson's numerous Supermarionation and live-action series, including Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, UFO, and the first season of Space: 1999.


Kevin Lindsay (died 1975 aged 51) - 3 credits, including Cho je in Planet of the Spiders

Kevin Lindsay was an Australian actor, based in Britain.

He appeared as Cho-Je in Planet of the Spiders as well as playing the first Sontaran to be seen in the series in The Time Warrior. Later he played two more members of this species inThe Sontaran Experiment.

He died from a heart condition.