Peter Purves as the First Doctor?

[Guy Gardener]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Purves

Stephen Taylor from the 60s who used to hang out with Hartnell and kicked Dalek ass in their Master Plan...

Pete has been doing the Companion Chronicles for some time now, there's even some continuity between his ongoing adventures, but here's the delight... Purves has been doubling up by voicing the first doctor as well, and his Hartnell is frightening familiar.

If they had to cast One for the Tv, they could come up with some worse ideas?

 

[23skidoo]

I think it was a brilliant idea. Big Finish, to their credit, has resisted recasting deceased Doctors and companions or most of their run. But at some point you need to allow more flexibility so that the Doctors' voices can be heard again. So they've made a brilliant casting choice with Purves as the First Doctor (and I agree 100% with Guy's assessment). Even more incredible is David Troughton playing the Second Doctor. Big Finish hasn't used him for this yet, but in the recent Audio Go Fourth Doctor miniseries, Troughton portrays his dad and he also does his voice in his readings of Target Books from the era. But anyone who closed their eyes and listened to Troughton speaking in the TV episode Midnight already knew he sounds uncannily like his dad.

Actually, honorable mention has to go to Wendy Padbury and Katy Manning. In the Companion Chronicles they've had to do impersonations of Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee and they're actually really good, especially Padbury's. (If you want to hear both under one roof, check out the Tales from the Vault story).

Now we just need to find someone to do Jon Pertwee's voice for reals. Big Finish cheated back in the 40th anniversary story Zagreus by using some unreleased recordings of Jon playing the Doctor in a fan film. But today, who knows? I've never heard Sean Pertwee (his actor son) actually speak so I don't know if he sounds anything like his dad.

Alex

 

[Stevil2001]

You can see and hear Sean Pertwee in this Labour ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p2bmyspD4s

I don't think he sounds particularly like Jon.

He actually mentions his dad-- and then David Tennant does a voice at the end!

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ I agree, I don't think Sean sounds like Jon. He has a much harsher, rougher voice and lacks Jon's slight lisp.

But then again, who can't do a decent impersonation of their old man?

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

Even more incredible is David Troughton playing the Second Doctor. Big Finish hasn't used him for this yet, but in the recent Audio Go Fourth Doctor miniseries, Troughton portrays his dad and he also does his voice in his readings of Target Books from the era.

I shouldn't think Big Finish would do that though. They already have Frazer Hines doing a brilliant impersonation of the second Doctor in the Companion Chronicles.

 

[Rarewolf]

Nick Briggs said he hadn't ruled it out, but the thunder has been taken out if the idea by the fact the BBC had done it first. But he also said Frazer was a little hurt by the suggestion.

And I have to admit David rarely convinces me as the 2nd Doctor. Frazer's does because it isn't pretending to be.

If Big Finish ever did cast David for a full cast Troughton story it it would be the first Big Finish Doctor Who I'd not buy.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

You can see and hear Sean Pertwee in this Labour ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p2bmyspD4s

I don't think he sounds particularly like Jon.

Agreed.

I think Sean Pertwee would be rather interesting as the Doctor (Statham-esque without Statham's asking price), but not as the third Doctor recast.

 

[Prydonian]

You can see and hear Sean Pertwee in this Labour ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p2bmyspD4s

I don't think he sounds particularly like Jon.

Agreed.

I think Sean Pertwee would be rather interesting as the Doctor (Statham-esque without Statham's asking price), but not as the third Doctor recast.

I may be misremembering, but I think I once read somewhere that Sean Pertwee has said that he would like to appear in Doctor Who, but that he would feel uncomfortable playing the Third Doctor (or effectively playing his father playing the Doctor).

 

[23skidoo]

Nick Briggs said he hadn't ruled it out, but the thunder has been taken out if the idea by the fact the BBC had done it first. But he also said Frazer was a little hurt by the suggestion.

And I have to admit David rarely convinces me as the 2nd Doctor. Frazer's does because it isn't pretending to be.

If Big Finish ever did cast David for a full cast Troughton story it it would be the first Big Finish Doctor Who I'd not buy.

It should be noted that all the actors who do the Companion Chronicles are more or less required to impersonate their Doctors. Mary Tamm does a passable Tom Baker in her stories, for example. For the most part the stories are presented in the context of the companions recounting them, so you're hearing, for example, Romana impersonating the Fourth Doctor, as opposed to being a straight performance. In fact, with a few exceptions I've heard the Companion Chronicles referred to as audio books as opposed to audio dramas. At least in terms of the earlier releases - others like Tales from the Vault are more traditional audio plays.

If they already have Frazer lined up then I'd have no objection - I'm sure he does fine just as Peter Purves does. But I part company on David Troughton. I'd definitely buy that. I have one of his Eleventh Doctor audio books that came out last year, and it sounds like Patrick Troughton reading it. He'd do fine, and with all respect to Frazer Hines, if the son of the original actor wants to do it, they deserve first dibs. Same as if there was an actor son of William Hartnell available, or if Sean Pertwee is able to impersonate his dad. Or, for that matter, if Sadie Miller (Lis Sladen's daughter) was willing to perform as Sarah Jane in, say, one of the Lost Stories series or for a SJA audio book.

I'd be less cheery about it if they brought in an outsider for this type of job. They got away with it for Doctor Who Unbound because Geoffrey Bayldon, David Warner and the others were playing alternate universe Doctors anyway. But so far they've been keeping this sort of thing in the family. (Even in the case of David Troughton as he played the recurring role of King Peladon during the Pertwee era and also has a stack of Big Finish recordings under his belt).

Alex

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

If they already have Frazer lined up then I'd have no objection - I'm sure he does fine just as Peter Purves does. But I part company on David Troughton. I'd definitely buy that. I have one of his Eleventh Doctor audio books that came out last year, and it sounds like Patrick Troughton reading it. He'd do fine, and with all respect to Frazer Hines, if the son of the original actor wants to do it, they deserve first dibs.

Why? I don't see what difference it makes, they're still someone impersonating the original.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Yeah, I agree. It should be based on merit, not hereditary principle. I mean, I think it'd be cool if Sean Pertwee wanted to play the Third Doctor in a special but I don't think he is entitled to it as of right.

 

[Rarewolf]

It should be noted that all the actors who do the Companion Chronicles are more or less required to impersonate their Doctors. Mary Tamm does a passable Tom Baker in her stories, for example. For the most part the stories are presented in the context of the companions recounting them, so you're hearing, for example, Romana impersonating the Fourth Doctor, as opposed to being a straight performance.

If they already have Frazer lined up then I'd have no objection - I'm sure he does fine just as Peter Purves does. But I part company on David Troughton. I'd definitely buy that. I have one of his Eleventh Doctor audio books that came out last year, and it sounds like Patrick Troughton reading it. He'd do fine, and with all respect to Frazer Hines, if the son of the original actor wants to do it, they deserve first dibs.

You have to strech your imagination a little for the characters to be doing the impression - the first Romana is much more at home with British, and other accents than the character really would be. The one hander 'The Stealers From Saiph' is a brilliant preformance from Mary, but more than Romana would be able to do.

Same with Frazer. He's an English actor doing a Scottish accent. So for Jamie to be impersonating the Doctor that would be an English actor playing a Scottish character impersonating an english sounding Doctor!

Personally I think he does a better 2nd Doctor than he does Jamie these days at times. He has the mannerisms, the timing spot on. When he says 'Jamie...' he's like a man possessed.