Whoniversaries 24 September: Downie, Colbourne, Banks, Smugglers, Fang, Paradise, Slitheen

i) births and deaths

24th September 1925: birth of Gary Downie, production manager on the later years of Old Who, partner of producer John Nathan-Turner, and editor of the immortal Doctor Who Cookbook.

24th September 1939: birth of Maurice Colbourne who played Lytton in Resurrection of the Daleks (1984) and Attack of the Cybermen (1985).

24th September 1951: birth of David Banks, who played the Cyber-leader in Earthshock (1982), The Five Doctors (1983), Attack of the Cybermen (1985), and Silver Nemesis (1988) and also wrote the New Adventures novel Iceberg (1993).

ii) broadcast anniversaries

24th September 1966: broadcast of third episode of The Smugglers. It’s the Doctor’s turn to escape from his captors by magic; and everyone comes to the church for the final confrontation.

24th September 1977: broadcast of fourth episode of Horror of Fang Rock. The alien is revealed as a Rutan; the Doctor destroys its ship with a laser, and Leela’s eyes change from brown to blue.

24th September 1993: broadcast of the fifth and, thank God, last episode of The Paradise of Death on BBC Radio. Does it help if I tell you that in the climactic scene, the president’s son is mauled to death in an arena by a giant toad? No, I thought not.

24th September 2007: on a much happier note, first broadcast of both parts of Revenge of the Slitheen, which kicks off the first regular season of the Sarah Jane Adventures. Maria and Luke, with Sarah Jane and their new friend Clyde, discover that the Slitheen have taken over their school; but are able to destroy them with vinegar.

One thought on “Whoniversaries 24 September: Downie, Colbourne, Banks, Smugglers, Fang, Paradise, Slitheen

  1. There is no name so bad that someone hasn’t got it. I’m thinking of poor Robert Snodgrass who used to play for Leeds.

    Re: second point – you could easily get away with Newton for New Town, and you’re right, it would sound better.

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