Dr Who and the Daleks

[dlong18]

In my opinion the Dalek episodes have always been popular and it is my belief that they will one day be found. For instance the dalek masterplan was very popular and even in the good old black and white days they would have been collectable. I reckon that these episodes will be in some collectors private collection.
Is it me or do you feel the BBC are NOT doing enough to find the missing Dr Who episodes.

Regards

dlong18

PS this is just my opinion and dont want people to slag the BBC off or praise them on my behalf

[Steven Sigel]

I think it's possible that there are a few more episodes out there in private collections (only if the collectors don't realize that they are missing) - but it's not very likely. Remember that there were only a small number of prints made of any given episode -- just try finding ANY Dr. Who telerecordings on film - even existing episodes are really hard to find. The best chance would be if they were sitting, forgotten, in a warehouse somewhere...

[jlaird77]

I THINK MR LONG HAS A POINT WHEN IT COMES TO MISSING DALEK EPISODES THEY WERE VERY VERY POPULAR I FIND IT VERY STRANGE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN VERY FEW FOUND, AND AS FOR THE GOOD OLD BBC THEY COULDNT GIVE A MONKEYS IF ANY MORE WERE FOUND .BUT EVERY TIME A SINGLE EPISODE TURNS UP THEY COULD ALWAYS PUT IT ON DVD AND MAKE A NICE TIDY PROFIT.
JLAIRD77

[Ade Gregg]

Yes there were only a small N.O of prints made from each epp.. and lost were send to other countries to save em striking new positives.. and ive heard that ... that the index card (made for each copy of the prints) reveales that almost 99% of em were (i repeat ) WERE junked.. i really don't know why ppl moan on about
" Oh when Oh when will (insert fav epp here) be found"
they are ALL GONE I mean thats what I heard. hell it was published somewhere but Fandom kinda buried it..
not to put a damper on anything though and yes i hope more will turn up.. been looking myself for 20 years..

[dlong18]

I dont want to sound harsh but I have to respond to Ade Gregg's response.
If all the missing episodes are all gone then why are we all part of this forum.
I always like to ask when my favourite episodes will be found.
If it wasnt for a forum like this continually asking for these to be found, then there would be none.
Finally the BBC are supposed to be making a Dr Who film in the near future. Wouldn't it be great if they refilmed the Dalek masterplan - as this is a great story and would make a great film.
What do you guys and gals think would make a great Dr Who movie.
Regards
Dennis

[James Phillips]

dlong18 said:

Is it me or do you feel the BBC are NOT doing enough to find the missing Dr Who episodes.

What a stupid question. Exactly what do you expect them to do?

[Dalek Fan]

I would expect them to get off their backsides and look in the places they have sent them to.
Instead of sitting back and taking all the profits.
And still managing to charge you for a TV licence that no one wants to pay for.
Use advertisements and stop ripping people off.

[jlair77]

what a silly reply what do you expect them to do.
exactly what they said they would do in the nintys.
witch was if enough copys of tomb of the cyber men were sold they would set up a group to try and track down the lost episodes .
this was mentioned in DWBor DWM cant actually remember wich.
thats what i expect them to do

[dlong18]

Well Mr James Phillips
As I said this was my opinion and did not want to slag off or praise the BBC for what I believe is their lack of interest in finding the lost episodes.
But since you have made the point of what I would do.
Here it is
By offering collectors decent amounts of money to buy the episodes and not a poor offering like you will be given a copy of the episode when it is brought out on DVD.
At the end of the day the BBC is funded with our money. So I should be able to state my view on how it should be spent without certain people telling me
"What a stupid question. Exactly what do you expect them to do?"
At the end of the day they know what they should do and so do most people

Regards

Dennis

[Lance]

Maybe the BBC might consider posting spots on TV for the missing episode hunt, and maybe offer a small reward for actual substantial replys. Posssibly also putting a add at a local film collectors convention, there are tons all over europe especially in the UK. Any news on that so called "Bernie Kent" from Austraila who supposedly had some Mind of Evil color episodes and Space Pirates episodes? Thanks.

[Richard Molesworth]

What the BBC *have* done

Contacted all countries that purchased 'Doctor Who' to see if they have kept material.

Discretely followed up most of the CREDIBLE leads that came in about episodes in private hands.

Contacted certain film archives to see if they had got episodes, just in case.

Publically encouraged collectors / organisations to come forward with any missing material, and offered a blanket amnesty over the return of such material.

Many times.

What the BBC *haven't* done....

Sat back and done nothing.

Promised to set up a 'missing episodes' office based on 'Tomb's VHS sales.

Blindly followed-up every stupid rumour that does the rounds with the more rabid members of the fan community.

Offered a reward.


So in other words, they've done everything they can and more, and haven't done any of the really stupid things.

Regards,


Richard

[Steve Boyce]

Just curious, how actively was this contacting of foreign stations done. Levine-active? Or a clerk-faxing-out-a-mail-merge-active?

Not meaning to be rude or disrespectful, just curious. Because, clearly, for many of these foreign stations there is zero motivation to do the large amount of work required to seriously follow such a request up, unless there is someone very active at the BBC end persuading, cajoling, etc.

Steve

[Simon Wells]

I agree with Richard on all these points.
However, I do think the BBC should re-think its policy on renumeration for vendors/donors of material.
Aside from the fact that the BBC rightly claim these items (they made them and they paid for them so it is their property) I do think that a financial incentive would unearth some more gems. Otherwise, well... what's the point? They could easily skirt the contentious issue of payment by offering a "finders/research" fee or percentage to the donor.

Simon

[James Phillips]

That's ludicrous, for two reasons:

Firstly, if they start handing out money for missing episodes, nobody is ever going to give them any thing for free again.

Secondly, the vast majority of the licence fee-paying public would probably be incensed to know that the BBC was using their hard earned money to pay for stuff that they destroyed in the first place. Most people don't give a hoot about old episodes of Dr Who, especially b/w ones, so would consider this a horrendous waste of money that could be better spent making new programmes.

[Simon Wells]

Thanks James,

The BBC already pay "researchers" huge sums of money to find film items (I should know, I am one!) so why not extend that courtesy to those who've maybe spent considerable time and money acquiring such items?

I take note of your other comments.