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.


Characters hide uncredited
Dr. WhoWilliam Hartnell
Ian ChestertonWilliam Russell
Barbara WrightJacqueline Hill
Susan ForemanCarole Ann Ford
HorgHoward Lang
KalJeremy Young
HurAlethea Charlton
ZaDerek Newark
TribeswomanJean Denyer (uncredited)
TribeswomanBrenda Proctor (uncredited)
TribeswomanElizabeth Body (uncredited)
TribeswomanVeronica Dyson (uncredited)
TribeswomanDiane Gay (uncredited)
TribeswomanDoreen Ubels (uncredited)
TribeswomanLyn Turner (uncredited)
TribesmanFrank Wheatley (uncredited)
TribesmanAl Davis (uncredited)
TribesmanRoy Denton (uncredited)
TribesmanBill Nicholas (uncredited)
TribesmanBillie Davis (uncredited)
TribesmanLeslie Bates (uncredited)
TribesmanBob Haddow (uncredited)
ChildDavid Rosen (uncredited)Info
ChildElizabeth White (uncredited)Info
ChildJanet Fairhead (uncredited)Info
ChildTimothy Palmer (uncredited)Info
Stunt Double for KalDerek Ware (uncredited)
Stunt Double for ZaBilly Cornelius (uncredited)