ISSUE FIVE - A 1966 Special!
Our first birthday, and our first colour cover!
Film Review - Dalek Invasion Of Earth 2150AD
Monkees - CD Reissues and trading cards
Doctor Who - The First Regeneration
To say that the year 1966 was a watershed for the Beatles is to state the screamingly obvious. If 1966 had been a knife in the Beatles' career, it could not have sliced through it and divided it more clearly. Pre-1966 saw the foursome as cheeky, smiling, terribly witty mop-tops. Post-1966 saw a group of introspective, drug-taking, cultural leaders. A generalisation perhaps, but one that generally defines the issue.
One only has to look at the Beatles set list for their last live concert in Britain, the New Musical Express Annual Poll Winners All Star Concert, which incorporates I Feel Fine, Nowhere Man, Day Tripper, If I Needed Someone and I'm Down. Survey this collection of songs, then cast your ears over songs that the group were beginning to record over the period, such as Tomorrow Never Knows (begun on Wednesday 6th of April). The relatively simple recording techniques of the set list of songs contrast markedly with the Revolver-era recordings - tape loops, artificial double tracking (ADT), backwards tapes and sitars to name but a few. If the Beatles desired to create a certain sound that just couldnít be done on existing equipment, George Martin and the sound engineers at Abbey Road simply pushed forward the barriers of recording technology to enable the group to accomplish their dreams.
1966 saw a lot of lasts for the Beatles - their first and only ever appearance on the BBC's flagship music programme, Top of the Pops, performing, or rather miming, the masterful Rain and Paperback Writer single. It also heralded, rather more famously, the end of their touring days as a group. Anyone who assumed that the Beatles were simply happy-go-lucky popsters (the media's description, not mine) must have acknowledged the tremendous amount of pressure building up around these four, still very young, men, as death threats accumulated around them (in Japan and the USA in particular), as hotels remained their prisons (Japanese security forces would not allow the group out), as audiences failed to hear them and as their concerts bore little resemblance to the music that they were now in the process of making.
It is little wonder then that the four changed considerably during '66, turning more and more to drugs, religion [and moustaches - JMxx] and the relative sanctuary of the recording studio. And who can blame them.
1966 incorporates some important dates for the Beatles, and here is a few to help fill out some of the information you've just read. The ones given are far from being exhaustive - pick up various Beatles-related books and you can easily trace their steps throughout the year - but rather encompass what the author believes to be the key points of the year and why.
Already mentioned was the date, Wednesday 6th April, a key date for the a hugely influential album, Revolver. Hidden under the towering shadow of Sgt. Pepper, nonetheless it has established, over the years, a key place in the Beatles recording history.
Sunday 1st May saw the fabs grace the stage of the Empire Pool, Wembley, performing on the bill for the New Musical Express Poll Winner's Concert - the last time they appeared live in concert in Britain, although not announced publicly as such at the time. A nation, if it had known, would surely have mourned.
Queen eat yer heart out! The Beatles beat them to it by a number of years,(the promo clip that is) and spent the 19th and 20th May producing just that. In fact not content with merely one promo, they went the whole hog and shot four for Paperback Writer and three for its B-side Rain. Thursday's (19th) shoot took place in the Beatles home from home, Abbey Road, whilst Friday saw them in front of the cameras at Chiswick House. A small ëfactí for McCartney fans - the end product of Paul's moped accident while motoring round the Wirral is in evidence on these promo films, with his Doctor's prowess at stitching clearly on show!
The Beatles controversial dates at the Nippon Budokan Hall, in Daikan-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, took place from Thursday 30th June to Saturday 2nd July. They performed five shows in total, two of which were taped, ensuring that John, Paul, George and Ringo were forever remembered for those glorious red shirts and what can only be described as lack of rehearsal.
Monday 4th July saw Beatlemania erupt in the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, Vito Cruz Street, Manila. In other words, the notoriously infamous Philippines tour. 80,000 fans caught the two shows that day, but then Beatlemania turned sour as Imelda Marcos, having gathered together assorted V.I.P brats to meet the fabulous foursome, was ceremoniously snubbed, either that or the Beatles weren't even told about the event. Whichever version you believe, what resulted from the incident was the Fabs leaving the islands as quickly as possible with a little help from various boots and fists.
Which brings me neatly to their last ever tour of the US (Friday 12th August to Monday 29th August) and, ultimately, their last ever gig, performed in Candlestick Park, Jamestown and Harney Way, San Francisco, California. Their last ever live song Long Tall Sally brought to a close their touring days in front of 25,000 people bringing to an end what must have been a summer of hell for the four, worshipped as they still were, but running the gauntlet from various narrow minded factions, with the Ku Klux Klan immediately springing to mind, having the entire ëBible Beltí against you in the land of the handgun due to a misinterpreted quote (the famous John 'Weíre bigger than God' line) must have been a barrel of laughs.
For the group then the last few important dates of the year turn away from the summer of hell and instead hint strongly towards 1967's summer of love with Thursday 24th November marking the first session for the Beatles for their next album, beginning with Strawberry Fields Forever , then in it's infancy. The first song recorded for the new album, which I'm sure I don't have to name, was When Iím Sixty Four which took place on Tuesday 6th December.
These are then the dates that I personally consider to be important, especially for those new to Beatlology! A framework, if you will, from which you may want to build around yourselves and discover the complete structure of The Beatles in 1966. Happy listening and reading!!
Andre Breton was born in France in 1896, and became a man of creative talents. He was a poet, essayist, critic and also the chief theorist of Surrealism.
Andre was a profound influence on art in the twentieth century. He published the first "Manifesto Of Surrealism" in 1924 which influenced the work of de Chirico amongst others. The Manifesto of Surrealism was a work in which Breton proposed the liberation of artistic expression from reason, logic and morals. He also helped with the first issue of the periodical "The Surrealism Revolution," which he later edited. The "Second Manifesto of Surrealism" was published in the final edition of this journal in December 1929, and he wrote numerous other books and articles on surrealism.
But if free, uncensored literature from the likes of Aragon, Desnos, and Eluard was where surrealism was born, it was in the visual arts that it made its biggest impression. The world of dreams was the source of inspiration for painters such as Dali, Magritte and Miro, who all achieved widespread, public recognition.
Breton was the person who sought to direct the doctrines of psychoanalysis towards something more constructive than Dada.
Andre Breton died on the 28th September 1966 at the age of 70.
The news that Chas Chandler had died, took me a little by surprise, mainly because I'd been watching him on Dancing In The Streets a few days earlier.
Making his name as the bass player in The Animals, Chandler went on to plough everything he had after the group split into managing and promoting a little known American guitarist called Jimi Hendrix. (According to Noddy Holder of Slade, the day Chandler sold his last bass guitar neatly coincided with the day Hey Joe charted.) He was a major influence in developing Hendrix's image and making him the legend he became.
After the 60s he continued his career in management, helping another band achieve amazing chart success throughout the 70s - Slade. Lead singer, Noddy Holder, who now works as a DJ on Piccadilly 1152 in Manchester, said it was Chandler who encouraged him and Jim Lea to write more songs for the group, many of which went on to top, or at least ride high in, the charts.
Despite being a member of one of the better remembered bands of the 60s, it is probably his work behind the scenes in management that has made the bigger impact on the history of popular music.
CULT FILM - DALEK INVASION OF EARTH 2150 AD
Starring - Peter Cushing, Roberta Tovey, Bernard Cribbins, Jill Curzon, Philip Madoc, Ray Brooks.
This classic sixties sci-fi flick is loosely based on the story "Dalek Invasion Of Earth" which the second TV adventure to feature the dreaded Daleks. Its original title was "The Daleks Invade Earth" and shooting for it began on 31st January 1966. It was the second Dalek film to be made, the first, "Doctor Who and The Daleks" has barely finished filming when it was decided to make a sequel. The budget was a whopping £180,000, some of which was financed by Quaker Cereals who make Sugar Puffs. This is why throughout the film advertising posters for the cereal can clearly be seen! Due to illness on Peter Cushing's part the shooting ran over schedule, finally finishing on 22nd March 1966.
Premiering at Studio One on 22nd July, the nationwide release was a little over two weeks later on the 8th August 1966. Despite £50,000 being spent on promoting it, the film was not as successful as its predecessor, although both are now big cult hits!
On the positive side this film has more action than the first. The Robomen are partially responsibly for this as they are much more mobile than the Daleks, so getting them to do some of the dirty work keeps things moving along. Gerry Powell, the stunt coordinator, actually broke his ankle in one of the action sequences. He portrays a Dalek prisoner who decides to run for it and falls from a building to his doom at the pincers of the little green blobs in poly-bonded carbide armour. Unfortunately part of the building gave way too soon and he fell awkwardly and had to be taken to hospital, before returning to the set to complete his death scene. The film also provides a great comedy moment where Bernard Cribbins' character, Tom, is disguised as a Roboman and follows a troop of the real thing into lunch! By far the true highlight of the film, however, is the Dalek Saucer. Even now it looks magnificent. ILM may be able to do it better for films like Star Wars etc.. but the effect of the saucer counterpointed amongst the other somewhat cheesy effects is breath-taking!
Both Dalek movies have recently been released on video in Widescreen format. The first film has its original trailer, the second doesn't, but if you can get your hands on the video "Dalekmania" from Lumiere, you can enjoy not only the British trailer, but also the Italian and French versions!
Dylan 66/96 - Thirty Years Adrift.
When Dylan announced two concerts in Liverpool this year, fans queued from the early hours to get tickets. Bob had chosen to play there, it had been 30 years since his last visit.
Bob Dylan Liverpool Empire 27th June 1996
The next morning it was all a bit like waking up from a rather good, but hazy dream. As I stretched away the last remnants of sleep from my limbs, my mind finally caught up with me - it hadn't been a dream - the night before had been one of those concerts that would always remain a little 'legendary' for a long time to come. I had seen Dylan before in Manchester but he had apparently been in a bad mood - he was still good, but not as good as this.
Arriving on stage sometime after eight to a rapturous welcome on his second night in Liverpool, Bob had, according to people who has attended the night before, changed his set a fair bit. This meant that I missed out on an acoustic version of 'Tangled Up In Blue' and 'Master Of War' but when what we got was so good who am I to complain? Bob's attire was a far cry from the black jeans and T-shirts of the sixties. He strode on stage clad in a black T-shirt, white satin shirt and the most amazing silver trousers! His clothes were only upstaged by his dancing. If Mike D'abo is your father at a school disco then Bob is your grandfather at one! I don't think he stood still at any point during the evening - crossing the stage with a bizarre, almost drunken, swagger which occasionally looked as if he was about to break into a skip. The band was a bit more soberly dress, all wearing blue suits, accept for Al Kooper. They provided a good solid backing and, like Bob himself, seemed to be having a good time.
Right now, as I sit here in Hyde Park, I can't quite recall the entire set list, but I know we got 'All Along The Watchtower' because it has become a mainstay of his concerts. We also got a great reworking of 'Sylvio' which was very cool and smooth, and during the acoustic segment we were offered a version of 'It Ain't Me Babe' (one my fave Bob songs) which provided us, not only with a an amazing harmonica solo, but a bit of audience participation to boot! A glance at the set list afterwards did reveal a couple of disappointments, well not really because we got other good stuff instead, but it still would have been kind of brilliant to hear 'Wheels On Fire' or the Grateful Dead song, 'Friend Of The Devil' both of which were alternative choices on the list.
The concert ended with the third encore (the night before saw four!) and 'Rainy Day Woman Nos. 12 & 35' - cue more audience participation and one happy reviewer! Afterwards, a quick post mortem in the pub revealed that the general opinion was that it truly was a fabulous gig!
(To top it all off, soon after writing this review, Bob took to the stage at Hyde Park and his set included the afore mentioned 'Tangled Up In Blue' - HEAVEN!)
I wasn't around to see Dylan thirty years ago, but thanks to bootlegs CDs I have been able to hear him. The following is a review of two bootlegs covering the entire concert from 17 May 1966 at Manchester's Free Trade Hall. (Unfortunately there are only a couple of songs available from the Liverpool concert, so I figured that Manchester was close enough.)
Bob Dylan Manchester 17th May 1966.
The first CD entitled Manchester Prayer deals with Dylan's opening acoustic set. The vocal sound may not have been as 'pure' as the year before but it was still very melodic. At times he sounds quite bored, and the songs do have a tendency to drag a bit, all of them being 'extended versions' of the originals. Like his recent concerts, there isn't much talk between the songs, but one light moment occurs towards the end of this set when there is some kind of problem during the tuning up, I wish I knew what was going on, but even Bob laughs! The highlight of this set has to be 'Desolation Row.' Looking at the track listing and discovering the track was 15 minutes 26 seconds can seem a bit daunting, but oh, to have been there and spent all that time sat in silence listening to the figure on stage sing this, especially the intonation of the word 'alphabet.' 'Mr. Tambourine Man' saw the end of the acoustic set, with its skipping reels of rhyme bizarrely fading out on this particular CD.
The second CD may be called 'Bob Dylan and The Band - Royal Albert Hall 19966' but I am assured it is, in fact, the electric set from the Manchester concert. The source for this CD must be different from the other one, because the sound isn't really as good. It is understandable that an unsuspecting audience would be surprised by this set as it is so very different to the acoustic one. From my retrospective point of view, it is hard to envisage a time when Dylan went electric, and it certainly is bizarre to think that the fans didn't like the switch. Some of the songs seem to have been badly rehearsed, if at all, while others are fantastic, with wicked guitar licks and pounding organ sounds. The sound is very modern, not at all dated. During 'Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat' it becomes hard to imagine that it is a version recorded thirty years before I heard it in Liverpool. After what sounds like a thrown together version of 'Ballad Of A Thin Man' featuring the twiddly organ sound from hell, a member of the audience cries out something, which is apparently the word 'Judas!' After a brief silence Dylan replies 'I don't believe you.' Another silence, then he adds 'You're a liar,' and moves right along into the final number, 'Like A Rolling Stone.' I have heard versions of this by the Stones and Hendrix, but I would still give my right arm to hear this live by Bob, (and 'Lay Lady Lay' for that matter!!)
Many have criticised Dylan's vocal and guitar techniques, but when you actually listen to him he's better than they think. Like the Beatles, he went from the publicly 'lovable' character as depicted in 'Don't Look Back' to a musician who wanted to expand and do his own thing! And, like the Beatles, it took a while for his fans to become used to the idea. After a period of bad live reviews, the past couple of years as seen Bob in fine voice, keeping his tradition of never quite performing the songs the same way as they were recorded and wowing audiences everywhere.
Film Review - Georgy Girl by Janina McCarthy
In 1966 this film was very nearly refused a classification. Scandalous was how it was seen. To be honest it could hardly be described as virtuous, it's got the lot - sex, abortions, dirty old men and - GASP - Alan Bates (ooh somebody rub me down with a damp copy of Plastics and Rubber Monthly!!!). Lynn Redgrave gives an awesome performance as the dumpy and awkward Georgy (a role, bizzarely enough, first earmarked for her glamourous and svelte sister, Vanessa). She is complimented perfectly by the stick thin, superchick with great hair, Charlotte Rampling, shining as the man mad Meredith.
Georgy just doesn't fit into the swinging scene, yearning for something a bit more traditional. She finds herself being pursued by her father's boss James (is it me or does James Mason excel in these pervy old men parts) but George has designs on Jos, Meredith's boyfriend, and avoids James as much as possible.
When Meredith falls pregnant (for the 3rd time) the plot starts to thicken. Georgy and Jos act like parents to be whilst Meredith carries on in her usual party girl fashion. While Meredith is having his baby, Jos is too busy realising he's in love with George - and she in love with him. This film contains one of the most kooky romantic scenes I've ever scene - Jos chasing Georgy around the streets of London taking his clothes off bit by bit until she admits she's in love with him - and to my mind she tells him far too quickly!! [Perv! - A-Mx]
In one fell swoop all George's dreams come true, she gets her man and her baby (both formerly belonging to Meredith!) but domestic bliss doesn't last long. Jos feels constricted by his bank job and new fatherhood, leaving Georgy on her own. Single-parenthood just wasn't on in 1966 so step forward Uncle James. With the big white wedding as our grand finale, we whistle our way out with the fabulous sound of the Seekers - bliss!!
The One In The Middle - Fronting The Manfreds by Anne-Marie Trace and Bethany Carstairs
Manfred Mann was a group whoís career ran for almost the entire decade of the sixties, despite a number of personnel changes. The most major change came in 1966 when Paul Jones left and the job of fronting the band was taken over by Mike D'abo. Both Mike and Paul currently appear with The Manfreds on tour, frequently joking about the handover, but who WAS the best man for the job? We at Brand X got on the case and weighed up the arguments for and against them both.
| PAUL JONES | MIKE D'ABO | |
| FOR | 1/ stunning voice -both speaking and singing 2/ lovely smile 3/ his stripey top and skill with maracas (Do Wah Diddy Diddy) 4/ his handling of the trouser puller during Come Tomorrow on Top Of The Pops |
1/ his groovy dancing (especially Ha! Ha! Said The Clown) 2/ he recorded Fox On The Run 3/ he wrote Handbags and Glagrags 4/ he's responsible for A Finger Of Fudge.... |
| AGAINST | 1/ his bow ties [although they do look good untied - Ed] 2/ his real surname is Pond! |
1/ erm - where did all his hair go?! 2/ [he's not Paul Jones - Ed] |
And what conclusion can we draw from all this? Well, putting aside the editor's obvious bias, it seems that the best man got the job - on both occasions! This makes the fact they both tour with the group rather fitting, with the concept of The Manfreds as a gestalt entity, a sum of all it's parts rather than carried by an individual.
[You forgot Mike D'abo's sexy cap and hand movements a la 'Just Like A Woman' - JMxx]
THE MONKEES- The Rhino Reissue CDs and the Trading Cards - by Whichway
The Monkees recording career was if anything second to that of their career as TV stars and the USA's answer to The Beatles. After two years of 'that group from over the water' dominating everything from record sales to cinema audiences, some people at NBC decided that it was time to strike back, with some cute clean cut kids of their own. The Monkees had struck it lucky as a gap was just about to open up in the market for clean cut kids, as the Beatles were trying to shed that image.
The Monkees recording career has always been a bit dubious as far as most people are concerned. Let's face it, the group as we know them from the TV didn't have one for the first two albums! It is the use of session musicians and tin pan alley song writers (some of the best money could buy, mind you) that has if anything meant that the work of the group is largely over looked by the record buying public who, while only to ready to buy another greatest hits collection, are unsure about the groups original album releases. (If you are one of these people and only read this far do yourself a favour go out and buy 'Headquarters'). Still, back in 1966 the record buying public didn't know that the records they were buying may not have had a great deal of the actual Monkees on them, so lets pretend we are one of them.
The group recordings as a four piece covers six albums, 'The Monkees,' 'More Of the Monkees,' 'Headquarters,' 'Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones LTD,' 'The Birds, Bees & The Monkees' and 'Head.' All have been made available by Rhino and feature extensive liner notes and bonus tracks. (Rhino has an on going release of out-take albums as well called Missing Links that I hope to look at in a later issue.) Now if they could just get some of the TV shows released on video over here that would be fantastic. [I'm pretty sure some were at one stage, I used to have Vol.1! - A-Mx]
A simple view of the albums would be to say that each is a collection of songs which are mainly up-beat to fit in with the TV programme with one funny, wacky song on each (hey they were, after all, those sort of TV shows). But right from the start you would be wrong. 'Saturday's Child' on the first album is stands out by anyone's standards with Mickey Dolenz giving a great vocal performance. (He and Davy Jones were to be the main vocal force in the group). The country flavoured 'Papa Gene's Blues' and 'Sweet Young Thing' are Michael Nesmith's two tunes on the album. The latter is a powerful stomper of a track maybe even pre-empting country rock of the later years.
The Monkees second album rocks right from the start with 'She', a bass driven song with some great harmonies and backing. This is followed by the almost 'throw away' song 'When Love Comes Knockin'' where Davy Jones' vocal chirpyness is this song's saviour not down fall. Still again for me it's Michael's more country flavoured songs that are the stand out tracks for me. (Sorry I like his stuff.)
Then it's 'Headquarters' and it's all change in The Monkees camp. Of the albums fourteen original songs, seven are now written by the band, or with a band member collaborating. Not only that but we have for the first time the band playing most of the instruments, with only a hand full of session musicians for the likes of cello and French horn. Again for me it's the Nesmith tracks that stand out mainly 'You Just May Be The One'. For many though, the stand out track was 'For Pete's Sake' which was quickly adopted for the closing credits of the shows second season. With it's lyrics about love and understanding it's a true song of 1967 and the summer of love. There is an extra track of note on this release - it is a great version of 'The Girl I Knew Somewhere' with a wonderful choppy guitar and some great harpsichord playing by Peter Tork.
As a total contrast the groups next album featured only four songs written or co-written by the group. Still taking a large part in the recording of the album, once again playing most of the main instruments, I've always felt as if this album was a step backward for the band after 'Headquarters'. Still like every Monkees album, 'Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones LTD' has it's moments. 'She Hangs Out' is one of them, with Davy Jones providing the vocals for this almost Beach Boys type song. 'Cuddly Toy' might be what a lot of girls think of Davy Jones as being or at least wish he was, but this track's rather unsavoury lyrics hiding under the surface are another highlight. Oh yeah, just in case you're wondering, I like Michael's songs on this one too, mainly his psychedelic wig out, 'Daily Nightly'.
The groups next album, "which is if anything a holding job until what would be the groups finest hour on film and downfall" features many echoes of Michael Nesmith's later solo work. It also has a song which will forever be associated with the group - 'Daydream Believer'. The album's greatest moment comes care of 'P.O. Box 9847' a call for love via the mail. Mickey Dolenz gives as strong a vocal performance as he has ever done, so much so that you believe it's him writing the pleas.
'Head' is where it all falls down, but the album begins with what is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. If it had come a year earlier this would have been the psychedelic anthem everyone would have been singing. 'Porpoise Song (Theme From Head)' makes you feel like you're a porpoise swimming throw a slow sea. If you're looking for great songs or just a place to start your Monkees collection then don't start here, but by all means end up here. You have to realise this is the end, if not in name, of the group and all the songs and the film point to this. (As an ending it's only ever been bettered once by those clean cut kids, The Beatles, whose real end came one album before their last album with Abbey Road). The Monkees had a few albums to go yet, with members dropping off along the way. If I have to pick a song from this album then it would be the vaudeville grace of Harry Nilsson's 'Daddy's Song', which for all you people waiting for it comes as bonus track with a great vocal by Mike, whose voice is perfect for this style of singing. It is however Davy Jones vocal feature on the original LP and gives us all a touch of hope.
Having never reviewed trading cards before I find this a bit odd, How do you review a small bit of card with a picture on? Not being female it's hard for me to say buy these as there's some scrummy pictures of Davy Jones (cute one, grin, doey eyes). I can however say that for lovers of the TV series and records alike these little darlings are packed with a wealth of information on the back of each card. One section of the cards is devoted to a TV guide to each show giving info on broadcast date and plot for that episode. A further sub-section of cards features details for the albums, showing song line up, release date and chart status. With cards also providing info of tours and other snippets of useful and not so useful info, they prove to be not only great to collect but great to read. Indeed if the writers of these cards should ever come to write a book about the Monkees then buy it, but until then these cards will have to do. Oh! yeah there are some cute Davy Jones cards. Hey there's even cards where Mickey, Peter & Michael look kind of cute too!
Doctor Who - The First Regeneration
In August 1966 it was announced in the press that actor, William Hartnell, was to leave Doctor Who. The departure was mainly due to his ailing health, but also 'artistic differences' were developing. Hartnell was sure that Doctor Who would not continue without him, especially as he had played a key role in the creation and development of the character. However, producer, Innes Lloyd, took the, then, revolutionary step of recasting the lead role. Michael Horden was amongst those considered for the part before it was given to Patrick Troughton. (Apparently Hartnell had commented to Lloyd that there was only one man in England who could take over and that was Patrick.) Troughton himself wasn't certain of the role but accepted it because he realised that the regular income would help pay for his sons' education.
The concept that would eventually become known as 'regeneration' was devised in order to explain the change of lead actor. The doctor was an alien, so he could have all sorts of unusual powers - one of which was the ability to renew himself causing both his physical appearance and his personality to alter drastically.
The original debut script for Troughton portrayed him as a bit of a verbose, Sherlock Holmes type (did someone have a premonition regarding the fourth doctor?!) However Troughton saw the timelord as more of a listener, but soon seized upon the idea from Sydney Newman (the then Head of Drama) that he was a bit of a 'cosmic hobo.' This image was reflected in Sandra Reid's eventually costume design which was a tramp-like parody of Hartnell's gear featuring a stove pipe hat, baggy trousers and an old frock coat.
The regeneration took place on 29th October 1966, during the closing scenes of 'The Tenth Planet' the story that introduced the Cybermen. The transformation was simply a mix from a camera fixed on an extreme close up of William Hartnell to another on lined-up to an identical shot of Patrick Troughton, with a glowing flare effect devised by vision mixer, Shirley Conrad, using a faulty bank of mixing faders. Despite the amount of time taken to rehearse and line up the scene, it was completed in just two takes.
In the aftermath of the regeneration, the Doctor's companions, Ben and Polly, are sceptical about the change. This gives the Doctor a chance to explain what has happened stating it is part of the TARDIS and he couldn't survive without it. Then just to make sure the viewing public would watch this new Doctor in action he was instantly pitted against his deadliest, and most popular, enemy - THE DALEKS!
STAR TREK by Bethany Carstairs
In the USA, September 8th 1966 saw the birth of a TV programme that, despite a difficult delivery, was destined to grow beyond the wildest dreams of the studio executives, and spawn a handful of offshoots that are certain to carry on itís name into the next century. The programme was, of course, STAR TREK (for all of you sitting at home thinking - 'but Star Trek didn't begin until 1969' - you're right, here in the UK we didn't get the show until after it had finished in the states).
It took two pilot shows and a cast change to get Star Trek on air, and from the moment it did it developed the loyal fan following it is still famous for (I can only think of The Beatles as having a similar battalion of devotees). I recently discovered that one of the more famous fan stories was not quite as it seemed. Legend has it that Star Trek was saved and given a third season when massive fan protests convinced the network bosses to change their minds. However the protests were not as spontaneous as we had been led to believe, and had, in fact, been orchestrated behind the scenes by the shows creator, Gene Roddenberry. Star Trek was Gene's baby and he nurtured it and helped it to develop, while at the same time he was prepared to defend it from any predators ! !
The fight for survival began very early on. The network had problems with the original pilot, particularly the satanic-looking Mr. Spock and Number One, the female first officer. They didn't think the latter role was believable (one wonders what they would have made of the Star Trek:Voyager series with it's female captain). Gene conceded to the removal of Number One, played by Majel Barret (later Mrs. Roddenberry) who went on to play Nurse Chapel in the series, but he dug in his heels about Spock. A Star Trek without him probably would never have worked, but they did insist that they tone down his make-up for the next pilot.
Watching the current run of repeats on Sky One, you come to realise that the effects, scenery and costumes mat appear a little dated, but the scripts are still good by todayís standard, (as proved by the first series of Next Generation which recycled a number of storylines). It is probably the constant striving for quality that has lead to this programme making it in the televisual history books. Off hand, I canít think of any other TV franchise wit so many off shoots. Thereís the original series, the animated adventures (featuring the voices of the original cast), the movies (including a second Next generation film currently in production), Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Then thereís book for all the series (both fiction and non-fiction), a monthly magazine, graphic novels, audio books (read by cast members), toys, T-shirts, greetings cards and even itís own 2 hour special on the QVC shopping network. It would take too long to list every episode from Star Treks original 3 series, perhaps I will save that for a future issue ! In the meantime here are a few pieces of TREK-TRIVIA.
- Majel Barret has been featured in every incarnation of Star Trek. She has played Number One (the first pilot), Nurse Chapel (original series/animated series), Lwaxana Troi (Next Generation/Deep Space Nine) and is the voice of all Star Fleet Computers (Next Generation/Voyager/movies.
- The NASA Space Shuttle Enterprise was named after itís fictional counterpart.
- Of the original crew McCoy, Spock and Scotty turned up in Next Generation episode, Kirk joined forces with Capt. Picard in the Generations movie and Sulu and Yeoman Rand are rumoured to be making an appearance of some sort in Voyager.
- Both Walter Koenig (Chekov) and Majel Barret have made appearances in the current cult sci-fi series Babylon 5. In fact Koenig character of Bester the Psi-Cop is a recurring baddie.
- Guest stars on the original series have included - Mark Lenard, Joan Collins, Julie Newmar, Diane Muldaur, Frank Gorshin, Lee Meriweather and Ricardo Montalban.
- It is one of the few cult TV shows not to have Roddy McDowall as a guest star!!
US Debut 9th September 1966 UK Debut 9th July 1968
Created by Irwen Allen (who also created Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea and Lost In Space)
Regular Cast-
Dr. Tony Newman - James Darren
Dr. Doug Phillips - Robert Colbert
Dr. Ann MacGregor - Lee Meriwether
Dr. Raymond Swain - John Zaremba
Lt. Gen. Heywood - Whit Bissell
If some of these names sound familiar let me refresh your memory as to where you may have heard them before. James Darren began his career as a singer but is probably more recognisable as Jim Corrigan from TJ Hooker. Robert Colbert had been seen as Brent, one of the many Maverick brothers. Lee Meriwether found fame as Catwoman in the original Batman movie and more recently as Lily in the abysmal revival show, The Munsters Today.
The basic plot behind the series was that these science boffins have been working away in their underground base on a top secret time-travel experiment. When the treat of losing government funding looms, Dr. Newman enters the Time Tunnel and becomes trapped. Fellow scientist, Phillips, is sent after his friend to rescue him. The pair then spend the rest of the episodes bouncing around in time trying to get home. Hold on! Underground bases, time-travel experiments, loss of funding, top scientists lost in time. Are any other Quantum Leap fans experiencing a creepy sense of deja-vu?
Anyway, back to our heroes. Where were they? Oh yes, bouncing around in time. Of course the problem with temporal dynamics is that once you muck up the time-lines itís one heck of a job to get them back on track! Luckily it appears that our two travellers are unable to change history, (however it seems the writers are at times more than capable of rewriting it!) despite developing a nasty habit of arrive in the middle of key historical events!
The show only lasted thirty episodes, which some attribute to lack of commercial success and others attribute to the fact that Allen was attempting to juggle three series at once and failed.
Time Tunnel remains a cult favourite, perhaps itís those fab sixties outfits, and was last seen residing in the schedules of the timewarp satellite and cable channel, BRAVO, before the recent channel changes.