Doctor Who Guide: The Pirate Planet

Last updated 17 August 2023

Part One

Appreciation Index: 61 (UK)

Chart Position: 30 () (UK)

Recorded on Mon 22 May 1978 in Television Centre 6

The Doctor, Romana and K9 face new dangers searching for the second segment to the Key to Time. What has happened to the planet it is hidden on?

Instead of landing on Calufrax as originally intended, they arrive on a different planet and encounter the Mentiads, and the strange Captain.

Characters include uncredited
Doctor Who		Tom Baker
Romana		Mary Tamm
Captain		Bruce Purchase
Mr. Fibuli		Andrew Robertson
Balaton		Ralph Michael
Pralix		David Sibley
Kimus		David Warwick
Mula		Primi Townsend
Citizen		Clive Bennett
Mentiad		Bernard Finch
Guard (Pirate Planet)		Adam Kurakin
Voice of K-9		John Leeson

Production Team hide uncredited
Writer		Douglas Adams
Director		Pennant Roberts
Producer		Graham Williams
Designer		John Pusey
Script Editor		Anthony Read
Studio Lighting		Mike Jefferies
Studio Sound		Mike Jones
Costume Designer		L Rowland-Warne
Make-up Artist		Janis Gould
Visual Effects Designer		Colin Mapson
Electronic Effects Operator		Dave Chapman
Videotape Editor		Rod Waldron
Film Cameraman		Elmer Cossey
Film Recordist		Doug Mawson
Film Editor		John Dunstan
Production Assistant		Michael Owen Morris
Production Unit Manager		John Nathan-Turner
Incidental Music		Dudley Simpson
Special Sound		Dick Mills
Assistant Floor Manager		Ruth Mayorcas (uncredited)
Title Music Arranger		Delia Derbyshire (uncredited)
Title Music		Ron Grainer (uncredited)
Title Sequence		Bernard Lodge (uncredited)
Vision Mixer		Sue Thorne (uncredited)
Senior Cameraman		Spencer Payne (uncredited)
Grams Operator		Ian Tomlin (uncredited)
Floor Assistant		Peter Leslie (uncredited)
Director's Assistant		Hazel Marriot (uncredited)
Film Operations Manager		Ian Brindle (uncredited)
Title Music		BBC Radiophonic Workshop (uncredited)
K9 Operator		Nigel Brackley (uncredited)
Technical Manager		Tony Bate (uncredited)
Assistant Sound Recordist		Norman Johnstone (uncredited)
Assistant Film Cameraman		Brian Hall (uncredited)
Visual Effects Assistant		Chris Lawson (uncredited)
Design Assistant		Peter Higgins (uncredited)
Make-Up Artist		Linda Burr (uncredited)
Make-Up Artist		Miranda Davidson (uncredited)
Make-Up Artist		Sally Millican (uncredited)
Make-Up Artist		Catherine Whitfield (uncredited)