Which actor is most bitter?

[OmahaStar]

Which actor do you think seems the most bitter about their association with Doctor Who?

There's Eccleston, who we've all discussed repeatedly.

Then there's Lala Ward. I'm thinking she may be. She can't even be in the same room with Tom Baker. In DVD commentaries, she is derisive and hateful towards Matt Waterhouse, and when she isn't hating people, she seems bored.

Most of the other former stars seem to have enjoyed their time. But is there someone who hates it more than them?

[Allyn Gibson]

I've never thought of Lalla Ward as embittered about Doctor Who. Oh, true, she and Tom Baker won't be in the same room, and she's no fan of Matthew Waterhouse, but she's been quite active with Big Finish and you could argue that her association with Doctor Who (specifically, knowing Douglas Adams) led her to meet her current husband. Heck, she even recorded dialogue for Ian Levine's animated "Shada."

For a long time, I'd have said that Janet Fielding was the most embittered Doctor Who actor.

[Marc]

OmahaStar wrote:

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Which actor do you think seems the most bitter about their association with Doctor Who?

There's Eccleston, who we've all discussed repeatedly.

Then there's Lala Ward. I'm thinking she may be. She can't even be in the same room with Tom Baker. In DVD commentaries, she is derisive and hateful towards Matt Waterhouse, and when she isn't hating people, she seems bored.

Well her and Tom Baker in the same room situation is pretty common when there's been a divorce.

Don't think Matthew Waterhouse was particularly well liked on set. Supposedly you can see Sarah Sutton and Janet Fielding trying not to burst out laughing when at the end of Earthshock but made that's from Waterhouse having to work with a big hang over).

Most of the other former stars seem to have enjoyed their time. But is there someone who hates it more than them?

It was mentioned in another thread about friction between T. Baker and Jon Pertwee but that was more personal than towards the role. (Louise Jameson had a few clashes with Baker until finally blowing up at him while doing Fang Rock)

Janet Fielding had been bitter towards the show for years claiming it was sexist though I guess she has mellowed a bit because they got her back for some of the Big Finish stories.

[Count Zero]

Mmh, I always thought that Tom Baker and Jon Pertwee had more of a good-natured rivalry going on. And there's Tom's account of him kinda trolling Pertwee by embellishing the amount of money he had been offered for some voice overs he had turned down (or something like that - I don't quite remember the details). What kind of friction are you referring to, Marc?

[Marc]

Count Zero wrote:

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Mmh, I always thought that Tom Baker and Jon Pertwee had more of a good-natured rivalry going on. And there's Tom's account of him kinda trolling Pertwee by embellishing the amount of money he had been offered for some voice overs he had turned down (or something like that - I don't quite remember the details). What kind of friction are you referring to, Marc?

I don't know the details (was hoping some-one would fill in the gaps). It was mentioned in one of the other threads in this forum but wasn't expanded upon.

[Mr. Adventure]

Marc wrote:

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Janet Fielding had been bitter towards the show for years claiming it was sexist though I guess she has mellowed a bit because they got her back for some of the Big Finish stories.

From some of the stuff I've read it doesn't sound like that period would've been fun for a woman back then. Sounds like pawing and groping weren't uncommon along with the sexist comments and attitudes.

[Marc]

Mr. Adventure wrote:

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From some of the stuff I've read it doesn't sound like that period would've been fun for a woman back then. Sounds like pawing and groping weren't uncommon along with the sexist comments and attitudes.

Never heard of any of those details but why is that Fielding is the only one who's spoken (to my knowledge anyway but that doesn't mean much).

[Mr. Adventure]

I've heard comments like that from Louise Jameson as well at the very least.

[VDCNI]

Fielding had more general issues with how the female characters were written and the lack of interest in the companions and their characterisation - Sutton & Waterhouse back her up though less outspokenly on some of the commentaries. The groping etc does seem to be pretty much true - there's a story from Talons that when the stuntman (Stuart Fell?) dressed up in Leela's Victorian costume from the back it was hard to tell who was who and he was shocked by how many crewmen felt him up thinking he was Louise.

I don't think any of them are actually bitter - not being completely effusive about the show doesn't mean you're bitter it just means they are pretty normal - they aren't fans of the show after all why should they love it as much as we do.

[VDCNI]

Marc wrote:

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Well her and Tom Baker in the same room situation is pretty common when there's been a divorce.

Don't think Matthew Waterhouse was particularly well liked on set. Supposedly you can see Sarah Sutton and Janet Fielding trying not to burst out laughing when at the end of Earthshock but made that's from Waterhouse having to work with a big hang over).

It was mentioned in another thread about friction between T. Baker and Jon Pertwee but that was more personal than towards the role. (Louise Jameson had a few clashes with Baker until finally blowing up at him while doing Fang Rock)

Janet Fielding had been bitter towards the show for years claiming it was sexist though I guess she has mellowed a bit because they got her back for some of the Big Finish stories.

The hangover is a separate story - it was Castrovalva when Waterhouse did the last days outside filming with a terrible hangover.

[The Wormhole]

Marc wrote:

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I don't know the details (was hoping some-one would fill in the gaps). It was mentioned in one of the other threads in this forum but wasn't expanded upon.

As I remember, Pertwee was reportedly rude to Baker when Baker was on set to film the regeneration scene in Planet of the Spiders. I don't really remember anything further.

[DWF]

Marc wrote:

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Never heard of any of those details but why is that Fielding is the only one who's spoken (to my knowledge anyway but that doesn't mean much).

You need to check out the Lust In Space video where several of the Doctor's female companions accuse the show of being sexist.

[Marc]

DWF wrote:

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You need to check out the Lust In Space video where several of the Doctor's female companions accuse the show of being sexist.

Have heard of it but haven't seen and haven't found it on YouTube yet.

[Starkers]

VDCNI wrote:

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Fielding had more general issues with how the female characters were written and the lack of interest in the companions and their characterisation - Sutton & Waterhouse back her up though less outspokenly on some of the commentaries. The groping etc does seem to be pretty much true - there's a story from Talons that when the stuntman (Stuart Fell?) dressed up in Leela's Victorian costume from the back it was hard to tell who was who and he was shocked by how many crewmen felt him up thinking he was Louise.

I don't think any of them are actually bitter - not being completely effusive about the show doesn't mean you're bitter it just means they are pretty normal - they aren't fans of the show after all why should they love it as much as we do.

In the wake of the Savile revelations several female BBC radio presenters have talked about such things as well. Seems it was perceived as just 'one of those things'. So much for the golden era eh?

[Cutter John]

Hopefully the sexism and other nonsense was a BBC thing in that era and not exclusive to DW.

I do remember there being a good bit of friction between Jamison and Baker. Though I suppose they've buried the hatchet since then as they're currently doing Big Finish stories together.