RIP Roy Skelton

Hello all, the Historian here. Yes, I know this isn't the post you might have been expecting (I'll catch up soon! I promise!), but I wanted to note the sad passing of actor Roy Skelton, one of the not-sung-enough heroes of Doctor Who. He was the voice of the Daleks from 1967 until 1988 as well as voicing the Cybermen and multitudes of other creatures and appearing on-screen in the Third Doctor's final adventure, "Planet of the Spiders." As an odd coincidence, the TARDIS Project will be watching Skelton's first work for the show this week (and I will hopefully catch up on things and blog about it by next week).

Here's a nice obituary of Mr. Skelton from the Doctor Who News Page. (Warning: mild spoiler for the current TP story buried in there.)

RIP Mr. Skelton. Thanks for making so many monsters as scary and believable as they can be.

THE HISTORIAN

Farewell Mr. Courtney...

Word has come to me that Nicholas Courtney has passed away at the age of 81. Courtney was known for playing the rarely flappable Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, acting opposite the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Seventh Doctors. (And the Sixth in "Dimensions in Time," for what that's worth.) [EDIT: And the Eighth in audio adventures, which I'd forgotten.] Before that, insofar as Doctor Who goes, Courtney appeared as Space Security Agent Bret Vyon in "The Daleks' Master Plan," the story the TARDIS Project is in the middle of right now.

I'm struggling for what to write here, to articulate what Nicholas Courtney and the Brig mean to both Doctor Who and, well, to me. He brought so much flair to the role, lighting up the screen. He made some of the silliest bits ("The Three Doctors," anyone?) absolute fun. And not only in Doctor Who; I remember watching an old episode of "The Avengers" when I was a kid and being delighted to recognize "The Brig" (sans mustache) in a role.

I guess what it comes down to is Nicholas Courtney did a lot to make a lot of Doctor Who fans very happy. He was reportedly a kind man, generous to fans and very funny. I wish I'd met him. And I'm sad that the Brig will never get to meet the Eleventh Doctor. The Doctor Who world will be sadder for his loss.

Thanks, Mr. Courtney. But remember--this time when you see a chap with wings, belay that five rounds rapid!

THE HISTORIAN

RIP John Scott Martin

The Historian here. One of the biggest stars of Doctor Who you've probably never heard of, John Scott Martin passed away this January 6th. He probably appeared in more episodes of the show than any other actor, mainly playing various monster roles. He was most famous as a Dalek operator--indeed, it is fitting that we remember him at the same time the TARDIS Project is in the process of covering his first appearance on the show during the original Dalek serial.

And so, we raise our flagons high to John Scott Martin, 1926-2009--the greatest Exterminator of them all!

Until next time, I remain

THE HISTORIAN

The image is that of Mr. Martin "exposed" behind the scenes of the season four story "Power of the Daleks," which we will get to! Eventually!