William Russell Article in DWM

[Alan Turrell]

While reading the DWM i came across this interesting article from William Russell about missing Doctor Who episodes.


Several
of William Russell's Doctor Who episodes are still missing from the BBC
archives: the entirety of seven-parter Marco Polo (1964), the fourth
and fifth episodes of The Reign of Terror (1964), and the second and
fourth episodes of The Crusade (1965). The actor remains philosophical
about this.
"Well, it happens," he shrugs. "It was an accident. I
remember one young director telling me that he'd been told
that one of
the BBC producers had come out of his office on that circular corridor
at TV Centre and seen a man with a wheelbarrow full of cans of film.
This producer had said to him, 'Where are you going with that?' 'Oh,
we're going to junk it - get rid of it.' He said, 'Really? Perhaps you
could put it in the back of my car,' and this chap had said, 'Yeah, all
right. I don't mind. I've just got to get rid of it.' Now what was in
there? I don;t know, but the implication of the man telling me this
story was that it was some of the lost Doctor Whos, so they might still
be out there somewhere. It's extraordinary how things come back. It's
amazing. It's possible."

[Richard Tipple]

Thanks for sharing. The recovery of 'The Lion' just goes to show that sometimes people do pick things out of tips!

[George D]

If I was there back then, I would have given the guy with the wheelbarrow a five every week with a key to the truck of my car

[Jon Preddle]

Jun 25, 2012 13:21:59 GMT Alan Turrell said:

... but the implication of the man telling me this
story was that it was some of the lost Doctor Whos, so they might still
be out there somewhere.

There's always the possibility they have already been recovered and returned in the 1980s, such as Abominable Snowmen ep 2 and Reign of Terror 6...

[LanceM]

Very good point there Jon, chronologically speaking there in terms of recoveries. Then again, there is also the possibility that these were not the mentioned tins? We will more than likely, never know here sadly. I would like to think as many do that there are still further episodes out there, just awaiting for an inquiring mind to uncover, you never know..Fingers Crossed!!

Just as " The Underwater Menace: Episode 2 " and " Airlock " episode recoveries go to show. Makes me wonder if these were sent back in around the same time as " Counter Plot " and " Escape Switch "? As I recall, these as well were supposed to have been Ex-ABC sales prints? Also, just a side note in that the consignment of films sent by NZBC to the tip, was actually intercepted, rather than picked from the actual tip if memory serves here?

Also, just wondering if DWM might possibly be able to contact Mr. Russell further to see if can recall which BBC producer it was who received this consignment of films?

Cheers, Lance.

[Andrew Parker]

Not read the article proper yet, but from the snippet given William Russell is lucky that most of his stories survive intact, only 2 partially (50% or more) and one missing, compared to Peter Purves who I rate highly as Steven who is about half surviving, half missing.

But hey that's the way the cookie crumbles...

William Russell is appearing at London Film & Comic Con next weekend, I'm looking forward to meeting him and getting a signed photo. Carol Ann Ford and Arthur Cox are appearing as well so looking forward to meeting them.