Richard Bignell (via Bernie Newnham)
I wonder if I could enlist the help of the Tech Ops boys once again with a couple of questions? This concerns a “Doctor Who” project that I’m currently working on for the BBC at the moment (November 2017)
In the mid-1970s, a handful of “Doctor Who”’s had their exterior work done via OB rather than the usual film unit. One of these was for Tom Baker’s opening series as the Doctor, with a story entitled ‘The Sontaran Experiment’ (dir. Rodney Bennett), which was shot in September 1974 entirely on location at Hound Tor on Dartmoor. The shoot was covered by the local newspaper, the Mid-Devon Advertiser, but one of the unused pictures that appears on the 35mm contact sheet, seems to show a man standing by one of the rocks with what appears to be a cine camera to his eye (image below).
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You can’t see much of him, but I wondered if anyone recognises him as being one of the OB crew from that time, as it would be lovely to find some behind-the-scenes footage of the recording going on.
David Hume did suggest that the “cine camera” might actually be a Pentax Spot Meter and the man behind it may have been Pete Cook, but the front of the object in question looks slightly different to the spot meters of the time, so I don’t know if that’s correct. Of course, it may just be one of the Dartmoor locals who was watching what was going on, but I thought it would be worthwhile trying to work out if it was one of the BBC crew first. It helps cut down the odds!
I’ve checked the other photographs that were taken at the time to see if there is another shot of the man in question. There’s a couple of possibilities (based on the shirt and jumper), but I’m not 100% certain that it’s the same person. I wonder if anyone recognise any of these individuals at all? You can see one of them in the photo marked ‘Mystery Man 2’ – it’s the man taking the photograph and in ‘Mystery Man 3’, it’s the man lying down.
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Mystery Man 2:
Mystery Man 3:
The second question concerns another “Doctor Who” OB shoot from 1975, done at Athelhampton House in Dorset (dir. Douglas Camfield). Does anyone recognise the man in the attached photo (Athelhampton Mystery Man) as being part of the OB team at all?
Peter Cook
In photo 2, the cameraman with woolly hat (from his stance)could be Paul Harding:
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and the man cuddling the alien looks a lot like Mike Farmer (vision).
Robin Suterhland
I agree with Pete Cook’s identification of Paul Harding in the main photo and thought it worth asking Paul if he can shed any light on the other photos.
I sent him the photos and here are his comments.
“… Yes I worked on the Sontarian Experiment with Frank Hudson. Peter Cook wasn’t involved. The guy with the camera is a local. I remember it well because this was the episode when Tom Baker fell over and broke his collar bone, caused a bit of a problem! It was the first LPU, (ex RE 5) plus a VT van. The on board portable ampex machine proved a disaster not helped by the fact that the van leaked! The big picture is certainly John and myself with a KCR 40 on Ronford legs and no, I haven’t still got that woolly hat.
I should have said the guy with what appears to be a cine camera was not a member of the technical crew. I think we recorded at least parts of Tom’s first episode at Wood Norton because I remember that famous scarf almost tangled with the wheel of that horrid car WHO 1…”
Peter Cook
I was not involved in “Doctor Who” until an underwater shoot at Lulworth Cove 18th ,19th , 20th April 1989. A couple of images are attached. The Doctor was Sylvester McCoy and the assistant Sophie Aldred.
The other notable memory was that the shoot was made more challenging because the stunt man (Tug?) did not discharge his duties adequately, leaving the BBC dive team to pick up pieces.
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Lulworth Cove: John Nathan Turner briefs Alan Jessop.
Lulworth Cove Dive Team and Vessel.
