"Acting" like the Doctor

[NickInABox]

Hello Whovians! I'm not exactly sure if this should be going here, but it's definitely Who related and... well... this is the Doctor Who forum..

SO! This Halloween, I'm going to be dressing up as Tom Baker's Doctor, and in my usual fashion, not only do I have to look the part (which I can easily do), but I have to act the part.

Three years ago I dressed up as Sarah Palin and won best costume at the college, and I was in character the whooooole daaaay.

So my question is, what tips could y'all give to someone in order for them to successfully act as The Doctor (speech mannerisms, physical mannerisms, etc)? 4th Doctor-centric tips preferred, but any kind of Doctor act-y advice would be greatly appreciated! Pics and/or videos will come when the time is right.

It's a weird question, I know, but it's definitely a great question to ask to get varying perspectives on who the Doctor is from people. And a surefire way to get me to win best costume

 

[Sindatur]

Hello Whovians! I'm not exactly sure if this should be going here, but it's definitely Who related and... well... this is the Doctor Who forum..

SO! This Halloween, I'm going to be dressing up as Tom Baker's Doctor, and in my usual fashion, not only do I have to look the part (which I can easily do), but I have to act the part.

Three years ago I dressed up as Sarah Palin and won best costume at the college, and I was in character the whooooole daaaay.

So my question is, what tips could y'all give to someone in order for them to successfully act as The Doctor (speech mannerisms, physical mannerisms, etc)? 4th Doctor-centric tips preferred, but any kind of Doctor act-y advice would be greatly appreciated! Pics and/or videos will come when the time is right.

It's a weird question, I know, but it's definitely a great question to ask to get varying perspectives on who the Doctor is from people. And a surefire way to get me to win best costume

Obviously the Jelly babies, and for that matter pockets full of gizmos and such. Pay attention to his eyes if you view some footage (Youtube or other streaming sites can get you episodes to watch), he drives home the point with different looks in his eyes.

ETA: He also had a tendency sometimes to have an "Aw Shucks" attitude

 

[NickInABox]

OBVIOUSLY the jelly babies. Would sour patch kids suffice?

 

[Sindatur]

OBVIOUSLY the jelly babies. Would sour patch kids suffice?

I'd use them, but, you'd have to ask a Brit if they made sour Jelly Babies.

 

[NickInABox]

I think sour patch kids are more yummy Might go over better with the Canadian crowd

 

[TigerBait]

use the word 'darling' quite a bit, and you'll have a fantastic tom baker.

 

[Silent_Bob]

Practice intense staring in the mirror and work on your vocal range. You need to be able to go from calm jollity to booming intensity in moments.

 

[G2309]

Try to stay in character don't laugh at your own mannerisms its more effective for laughs. Being silly and eccentric but with great dignity is what I remember the 4th Doctor for

 

[NickInABox]

Try to stay in character don't laugh at your own mannerisms its more effective for laughs. Being silly and eccentric but with great dignity is what I remember the 4th Doctor for

Oh, I can do that. I played Palin straight the whole night.

Practice intense staring in the mirror and work on your vocal range. You need to be able to go from calm jollity to booming intensity in moments.

Got an example?

 

[Sindatur]

Oh, Tom...Sorry to bring it up again so many years later, but, beginning with The Mary Tamm Key to Time Series, you started breaking out with embarrassing cold sores and had quite a few episodes that featured them

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

The guy in this video does a good Tom Baker.

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35uYgSYXtfA[/YT]

Also, any other Dead Ringers/Doctor Who spoofs he might be in are likely just as good.

 

[Australis]

A deep voice. Work on it.

 

[Winterwind]

I think sour patch kids are more yummy Might go over better with the Canadian crowd

As a Canadian, I hate sour candies and can't think of I single person I know that likes them.

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

The real knack to doing the fourth Doctor: whenever anyone says anything to you, especially anything that's slightly unexpected or surprising, pause for two seconds, then suddenly turn to face them and exclaim "WHAT????"

 

[23skidoo]

I think sour patch kids are more yummy Might go over better with the Canadian crowd

If you have any British shops that sell candy you should be able to get jelly babies. Here in Calgary there are shops that sell them, both loose and prepacked (Maynards makes them and in fact for about 6 months they were actually available at Safeway). There's enough time to special order too. (If you're in Calgary the best place for "classic" jelly babies is the candy shop on High Street in McKenzie Towne; if you're in Saskatoon the candy shops at the Centre and Lawson malls carry them).

There is no substitute. And however you buy them, decanter them into a paper bag. Oh and also remember proper Fourth Doctor (and apparently any other actor in Doctor Who) etiquette when eating them - you bite the head off first and then eat the rest, regardless of how small they are. And anyone accepting a jelly baby from you has to, for some reason, sniff them first even though they have no odor.

Other tips: always act as if you're in charge and know where you're going - even if you aren't and don't. You also have to balance the Doctor's mood swings: I've seen scenes where the Doctor has gone from indifference to anger to happiness virtually in the space of a single sentence.

A attributed to Tom Baker personally whenever he appeared as the Doctor at events, etc - children take priority over all others. Although fandom argues over the notion of Doctor Who being a kid's show, Baker embraced this back in the 70s.

Alex

 

[Dick_Valentine]

The guy in this video does a good Tom Baker.

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35uYgSYXtfA[/YT]

Also, any other Dead Ringers/Doctor Who spoofs he might be in are likely just as good.

Wow their 4th Doctor is pretty good but their 10th is terrible and the 7th is just Patrick Moore!

Never liked Dead Ringers, too poncy and smarmy...

Also It's Christmas at THE DOCTOR'S...when will society learn

 

[C.E. Evans]

David Tennant actually channels a very good Tom Baker at times, even doing the occasional drawn-out "Well..." before going into an explanation of something and the intense [highlight]stare[/highlight] whenever he discovers a horrible secret.

Physically, the Fourth Doctor kind of bounces along slightly when he walks, with fairly long strides. If he's wearing a short jacket or frock coat, his hands will be in his trouser pockets while he walks. Not so much when wearing a long coat (his arms will then swing somewhat noticeably).

 

[Newspaper Taxi]

Are you as tall as Baker? Doctor Four frequently leans/hunches in closer to people when he talks to them -- smiling, to make them more comfortable. (Although it can come off a little creepy.) He also listens to people really well and nods alot while listening, and smiles in response.

 

[Timby]

Be very, very drunk.

 

[FalTorPan]

Why not just study the source material -- episodes starring Tom Baker?