Raymond Cusick has died

Candlelight · February 24 2013, 01:24 AM

The man who designed the Daleks has passed away. He was 84.

diankra · February 24 2013, 01:56 AM

Had some nice bar chats with him at cons. He criticised my 6th form engineering project, in a very constructive way.

The Wormhole · February 24 2013, 02:34 AM

Raymond Cusick is very well the guy responsible for for the lasting popularity and success of the Daleks. After all, their look captivated audiences just as much as their stories did. And the basic Dalek design is sound enough that fifty years later and very little has changed. A true masterpiece and one hell of a legacy to leave behind. RIP.

Emh · February 24 2013, 03:28 AM

The Wormhole wrote:

Raymond Cusick is very well the guy responsible for for the lasting popularity and success of the Daleks. After all, their look captivated audiences just as much as their stories did. And the basic Dalek design is sound enough that fifty years later and very little has changed. A true masterpiece and one hell of a legacy to leave behind. RIP.

All of this. Rest in peace, Raymond Cusick.

diankra · February 24 2013, 05:11 AM

Oh, got to share this, just came back to me. In the hotel bar at a con, after the bar had closed, I pulled out a hip flask of scotch. Ray Cusick pointed out my mistake: two hips, yet I only had one flask, so we'd run out twice as fast as we would have done if I'd just thought ahead.
Terrific chap.

Cutter John · February 24 2013, 06:37 AM

The official BBC News obit.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21563344

sidious618 · February 24 2013, 06:50 AM

Talk about a guy who is leaving quite an artistic legacy.

Mr. Adventure · February 24 2013, 06:53 AM

So did this guy get royalties on his designs? If not, it's a shame because that's a big part of what makes Daleks so iconic.

Candlelight · February 24 2013, 09:09 AM

Would be nice for An Adventure in Space and Time if they could include the famous meeting between Ray and (FX expert) Bill Roberts when he grabs the salt shaker to explain how a Dalek should move...

Orac Zen · February 24 2013, 09:52 AM

The Wormhole wrote:

Raymond Cusick is very well the guy responsible for for the lasting popularity and success of the Daleks. After all, their look captivated audiences just as much as their stories did. And the basic Dalek design is sound enough that fifty years later and very little has changed. A true masterpiece and one hell of a legacy to leave behind. RIP.

Very well said.

RIP.

Redfern · February 24 2013, 01:11 PM

Mr. Adventure wrote:

So did this guy get royalties on his designs? If not, it's a shame because that's a big part of what makes Daleks so iconic.

Alas, no. Being a BBC employee at that time, he was paid the standard salary for his efforts. Terry Nation (whom I think was NOT under BBC contract) was shrewd enough to nogeotiate rights separate from the BBC (hence the reason we almost didn't get the Daleks when the series was revived last decade).

Sincerely,

Bill

Candlelight · February 24 2013, 08:49 PM

Redfern wrote:

Mr. Adventure wrote:

So did this guy get royalties on his designs? If not, it's a shame because that's a big part of what makes Daleks so iconic.

Alas, no. Being a BBC employee at that time, he was paid the standard salary for his efforts. Terry Nation (whom I think was NOT under BBC contract) was shrewd enough to nogeotiate rights separate from the BBC (hence the reason we almost didn't get the Daleks when the series was revived last decade).

Negotiated by Steven Moffat's mother-in-law.

No, seriously.

diankra · February 24 2013, 09:21 PM

Candlelight wrote:

Redfern wrote:

Mr. Adventure wrote:

So did this guy get royalties on his designs? If not, it's a shame because that's a big part of what makes Daleks so iconic.

Alas, no. Being a BBC employee at that time, he was paid the standard salary for his efforts. Terry Nation (whom I think was NOT under BBC contract) was shrewd enough to nogeotiate rights separate from the BBC (hence the reason we almost didn't get the Daleks when the series was revived last decade).

Negotiated by Steven Moffat's mother-in-law.

No, seriously.

Not negotiated. She just crossed out a line in the contract before sending it back, and the BBC accepted it!

Orac · February 24 2013, 09:40 PM

I didn't even know he was sick.

February 24 2013, 01:24 AM	#1
Candlelight Admiral Location: New Zealand	Raymond Cusick has died The man who designed the Daleks has passed away. He was 84. __________________ "I'd rather be judged by twelve than carried by six."

February 24 2013, 01:56 AM	#2
diankra Commodore Location: UK	Re: Raymond Cusick has died Had some nice bar chats with him at cons. He criticised my 6th form engineering project, in a very constructive way. __________________ "Some days are better than others. They say that where I come from." "Loudly, I imagine, on the day you left." (Blake's 7 - Rumours of Death)

February 24 2013, 02:34 AM	#3
The Wormhole Admiral	Re: Raymond Cusick has died Raymond Cusick is very well the guy responsible for for the lasting popularity and success of the Daleks. After all, their look captivated audiences just as much as their stories did. And the basic Dalek design is sound enough that fifty years later and very little has changed. A true masterpiece and one hell of a legacy to leave behind. RIP. __________________ "Internet message boards aren't as funny today as they were ten years ago. I've stopped reading new posts." -The Simpsons 20th anniversary special.

February 24 2013, 05:11 AM	#5
diankra Commodore Location: UK	Re: Raymond Cusick has died Oh, got to share this, just came back to me. In the hotel bar at a con, after the bar had closed, I pulled out a hip flask of scotch. Ray Cusick pointed out my mistake: two hips, yet I only had one flask, so we'd run out twice as fast as we would have done if I'd just thought ahead. Terrific chap. __________________ "Some days are better than others. They say that where I come from." "Loudly, I imagine, on the day you left." (Blake's 7 - Rumours of Death)

February 24 2013, 06:37 AM	#6
Cutter John Rear Admiral Location: Beyond the wall of sleep, just south of Seattle.	Re: Raymond Cusick has died The official BBC News obit. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21563344 __________________ "The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don't always soften the bad things. But vice versa, the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant."

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ABOUT US

February 24 2013, 06:50 AM	#7
sidious618 Admiral Location: New York, US	Re: Raymond Cusick has died Talk about a guy who is leaving quite an artistic legacy. __________________ We've met before, haven't we?

February 24 2013, 06:53 AM	#8
Mr. Adventure Admiral Location: Mr. Adventure	Re: Raymond Cusick has died So did this guy get royalties on his designs? If not, it's a shame because that's a big part of what makes Daleks so iconic.

February 24 2013, 09:09 AM	#9
Candlelight Admiral Location: New Zealand	Re: Raymond Cusick has died Would be nice for An Adventure in Space and Time if they could include the famous meeting between Ray and (FX expert) Bill Roberts when he grabs the salt shaker to explain how a Dalek should move... __________________ "I'd rather be judged by twelve than carried by six."

February 24 2013, 09:40 PM	#14
Orac Vice Admiral Location: Platonius	Re: Raymond Cusick has died I didn't even know he was sick. __________________ "Sorry, miss. I was giving myself an oil-job." - Robby the Robot (Forbidden Planet)