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| Derek Francis as the amorous Emperor Nero |
First broadcast Jan 16 to Feb 6 1965
Average audience for serial: 11.63m
- A pictorial guide to the guest cast can be seen at the bottom of this entry. Read an episode-by-episode review of this story at Time Space Visualiser!
William Hartnell (The Doctor) Jan 8 1908 to Apr 23 1975 (heart failure after a series of strokes) For a full career biography for William Hartnell, click here.
William Russell (Ian Chesterton) Nov 19 1924 to Jun 3 2024 For a full career biography for William Russell (aka Russell Enoch), click here.
Jacqueline Hill (Barbara Wright) Dec 17 1929 to Feb 18 1993 (bone cancer) For a full career biography for Jacqueline Hill, click here.
Maureen O'Brien (Vicki) Born Jun 29 1943 For a full career biography of Maureen O'Brien, click here.
GUEST CAST
Bart Allison (Maximus Pettulian) Dec 1 1890 to Jun 29 1978
Career highlights
Bart's earliest credit was as an Ugly Sister in a TV adaptation of Cinderella, broadcast in December 1947, after which he secured work in Vengeance is Mine (1949), The End of the Affair (1955), Three Golden Nobles (1959), Bootsie and Snudge (1960), Sherlock Holmes (1965), Softly Softly (1966), The Forsyte Saga (1967), Late Night Horror (1968), Carry On Loving (1970), Hadleigh (1973), No Sex Please: We're British (1973), Moody and Pegg (1975), Angels (1976) and Maidens' Trip (1977).
John Caesar (Second man in market) Jan 23 1926 to Jun 11 2000
Doctor Who credits
Played: Second man in market in The Romans (1965)
Played: Egyptian warrior in The Daleks' Master Plan (1965-66, uncredited)
Played: Monoid Four in The Ark (1966)
Played: Cowboy in The Gunfighters (1966, uncredited)
Played: Guard in The Macra Terror (1967)
Played: Pirate guard in The Space Pirates (1969, uncredited)
Played: CPO Myers in The Sea Devils (1972)
Played: R/T soldier in Invasion of the Dinosaurs (1974)
Career highlights
John's first credit was in The Escape of RD7 (1961), then The Lenny the Lion Show (1961), Maigret (1963), Bat Out of Hell (1966), No Hiding Place (1967), War and Peace (1972), The Legend of Robin Hood (1975), Janet and Company (1982) and The Bill (1989).
Peter Diamond (Delos) Aug 10 1929 to Mar 27 2004 (stroke)
Doctor Who credits
Stunts: The Daleks (1964, uncredited), The Rescue (1965, uncredited), The Daemons (1971, uncredited)
Fight arranger: The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964), The Romans (1965), The Space Museum (1965), The Chase (1965), The Highlanders (1966-67), The Evil of the Daleks (1967), The War Games (1969), The Daemons (1971)
Played: Delos in The Romans (1965)
Played: Morok technician/ guard in The Space Museum (1965)
Played: Sailor in The Highlanders (1966-67)
Played: Davis in The Ice Warriors (1967)
Played: Extra in The Enemy of the World (1967-68, uncredited)
Played: Double for Dr Who/ Salamander in The Enemy of the World (1967-68, uncredited)
Played: Confederate horseman in The War Games (1969, uncredited)
Played: Alien guard in The War Games (1969, uncredited)
Career highlights
Peter was one of the most prolific stuntmen in the UK, starting out on The Three Musketeers (1954), followed by The Gordon Honour (1955-56), The Cabin in the Clearing (1959), Ghost Squad (1963), Children of the Damned (1964), Carry On Cleo (1964), Alfie (1966), Follyfoot (1971), Star Wars (1977), Poldark (1977), Return of the Saint (1978-79), Dick Turpin (1979), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Superman II (1980), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), An American Werewolf in London (1981), Return of the Jedi (1983), Lifeforce (1985), Superman IV (1987), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), TECX (1990), Zorro (1990-93, some episodes of which he also directed), Highlander (1992-93), Hamish Macbeth (1995-96), One Foot in the Grave (1996), Oktober (1998), Monarch of the Glen (2002) and Heartbeat (1996-2004), as well as a great many James Bond and Hammer films.
Facts
Peter learnt his craft from Hollywood action man Errol Flynn. He will be remembered by a generation of Star Wars fans as the Tusken Raider who attacks Luke in the original film, as well as the man who devised the definitive method of handling a light saber! He died returning home to Durham from Yorkshire after being on the set of the drama Heartbeat as its stunt coordinator (aged 74!).
Dennis Edwards (Centurion) Dec 28 1916 to Mar 15 2008
Doctor Who credits
Played: Centurion in The Romans (1965)
Played: Lord Gomer in The Invasion of Time (1978)
Career highlights
Debuted in Toad of Toad Hall (1953), followed by The Scarlet Pimpernel (1956), The Black Brigand (1956), The Prince and the Showgirl (1957), Private Investigator (1959), Ghost Squad (1963), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1967), Jackanory (1971), Father Brown (1974), The Brothers (1976), Nicholas Nickleby (1977), People Like Us (1978), Ladykillers (1981), No Problem! (1983), Grange Hill (1985) and Birds of a Feather (1991).
Nick Evans (Didius)
Doctor Who credits
Played: Dalek in The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964), The Power of the Daleks (1966, uncredited)
Played: Slyther in The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964)
Played: Didius in The Romans (1965)
Career highlights
Nick had previously appeared in The Forgotten Faces (1961).
Derek Francis (Nero) Nov 7 1923 to Mar 27 1984 (heart attack)
Career highlights
Hugely prolific Derek debuted in 1960's Knight Errant Limited, followed by roles in The Long Way Home (1960), The Six Proud Walkers (1962), The Tomb of Ligeia (1964), Danger Man (1966), The Forsyte Saga (1967), Nicholas Nickleby (1968), Middlemarch (1968), Up Pompeii! (1970), Jason King (1971), Whoops Baghdad! (1973), Churchill's People (1975), To the Devil a Daughter (1976), Rising Damp (1977), Bless Me Father (1978), Partners (1981), Jemima Shore Investigates (1983) and A Christmas Carol (1984). Derek also had a memorable long-running role as Father Matthew in the sitcoms Oh, Brother! (1969-70) and Oh, Father! (1973), and appeared in a number of Carry On films between 1967-72.
Facts
Derek was a good friend of Jacqueline Hill and her husband, and was the godfather to their two children. With sad irony, Derek played a character called Ernest in Channel 4's mini-series Winter Sunlight (1984), who died of a heart attack in the same week that Derek died himself.
Dorothy-Rose Gribble (Woman slave) Jul 5 1917 to Oct 1 2014
Career highlights
Other credits include The Crucible (1959) and Monitor (1965). Dorothy-Rose was also a theatre producer, writer (in 1977 she wrote a book called My Servant Must Not Fail: A Story of Black Magic in Renaissance Times), poet and guesthouse owner.
Facts
She was a long-time resident of Highclere in Hampshire, and a member of the Highclere Society (Highclere being the location of Downton Abbey's filming).
In 2014, two months after her death, Toby Hadoke released his Who's Round interview with Dorothy-Rose here.
Barry Jackson (Ascaris) Mar 29 1938 to Dec 5 2013
Doctor Who credits
Played: Ascaris in The Romans (1965)
Played: Jeff Garvey in Mission to the Unknown (1965)
Played: Drax in The Armageddon Factor (1979)
Career highlights
Barry enjoyed a long career, starting with An Age of Kings (1960) and taking in A for Andromeda (1961), The Desperate People (1963), Kenilworth (1967), Ryan's Daughter (1970), Doomwatch (1972), Diamonds on Wheels (1974), Poldark (1975), Moll Flanders (1975), The New Avengers (1976), Blake's 7 (1978), Churchill and the Generals (1979), Cribb (1981), Them and Us (1985), Fortunes of War (1987), Growing Rich (1992), Three Seven Eleven (1993-94), Bernard's Watch (1999-2000), Wimbledon (2004), Derailed (2005), Toscanini in His Own Words (2009), Foster (2011) and The Wedding Video (2012). He played Walter Peters in A Touch of Frost (1994/2002) and played Dr George Bullard in 76 episodes of Midsomer Murders (1997-2011). Barry also acted as a fight arranger under the name Jack Barry, most notably on Adam Adamant Lives! (1966).
Facts
Barry was named after the theatre impresario Sir Barry Jackson, founder of Birmingham Rep.
Ernest Jennings (First man in market) Jan 9 1902 to Mar 1 1994
Doctor Who credits
Played: First man in market in The Romans (1965)
Played: Peasant in State of Decay (1980, uncredited)
Played: Aged rebel in The Trial of a Time Lord (1986, uncredited)
Career highlights
Ernest debuted in Top Secret (1962), followed by Stand Up, Nigel Barton (1965), The Goodies (1970), Psychomania (1973), Steptoe and Son (1974), Kizzy (1976), Bless Me Father (1981) and Objects of Affection (1982).
Edward Kelsey (Slave buyer) Jun 4 1930 to Apr 23 2019
Doctor Who credits
Played: Slave buyer in The Romans (1965)
Played: Resno in The Power of the Daleks (1966)
Played: Edu in The Creature from the Pit (1979)
Career highlights
Debuted in Mary Britten MD (1958), then The Men from Room 13 (1961), The Avengers (1962), St Ives (1967), The Saint (1968), Doomwatch (1970), Cranford (1972), Shoestring (1979), Minder (1982), Anna of the Five Towns (1985), Casualty (1987), The Vicar of Dibley (1994), Brush with Fate (2003) and Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005). Edward also memorably provided the voice of Baron Silas Greenback and Colonel K in the cartoon series Danger Mouse (1981-92). Since 1985 he also played Joe Grundy on BBC Radio 4's long-running soap The Archers.
Gertan Klauber (Galley master) Mar 5 1932 to Aug 1 2008
Doctor Who credits
Played: Galley master in The Romans (1965)
Played: Ola in The Macra Terror (1967)
Career highlights
Gertan's lengthy career began in Assignment Foreign Legion (1957), then The Adventures of Ben Gunn (1958), The Big Pull (1962), Carry On Cleo (1964), Danger Man (1966), The Avengers (1969), The Goodies (1970), Carry On Henry (1971), Upstairs Downstairs (1974), Poldark (1977), Octopussy (1983), Blackadder the Third (1987), House of Cards (1990), The Famous Five (1997) and Red Cap (2003).
Facts
Czechoslovakian born Gertan was married to actress Gwendolyn Watts (sister of fellow actor Sally Watts), who appeared in three medical-themed Carry On films. They had two children, one of whom - Daniel - died before Gertan.
Tony Lambden (Court messenger) Dec 10 1933 to Sep 21 2006
Doctor Who credits
Played: Citizen of Millennius in The Keys of Marinus (1964, uncredited)
Played: Revolutionary soldier in The Reign of Terror (1964, uncredited)
Played: Rebel in The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964, uncredited)
Played: Court messenger in The Romans (1965)
Career highlights
Tony's other credits include The Avengers (1964), Steptoe and Son (1965) and Frankie Howerd (1966).
Kay Patrick (Poppaea) Born Sep 2 1941
Doctor Who credits
Played: Poppaea in The Romans (1965)
Played: Flower in The Savages (1966)
Career highlights
Kay started her career in front of the cameras, appearing in The Call (1962), The Flying Swan (1965), Nana (1968) and The First Churchills (1969), but then moved behind the camera to become director on soaps such as Emmerdale (1998-99), Brookside and EastEnders (1986), as well as Jupiter Moon (1990), In Suspicious Circumstances (1993-94) and Sunburn (1999). In later years she became a producer on Coronation Street (1996-97), Crossroads (2001) and Mersey Beat (2002). Her latter career has concentrated on directing the soap opera Coronation Street (1994-2015).
Facts
In 2009 Kay was hit and injured badly by a car while working on Coronation Street (needing a plate in her shoulder and a reconstructed knee), but she was back on set in the new year.
Michael Peake (Tavius) Oct 13 1918 to Apr 1 1967
Career highlights
Michael's earliest credit was the narrator of The Ambermere Treasure (1956), followed by roles in William Tell (1959), Strip Tease Murder (1961), Strongroom (1962), The Gorgon (1964), The Troubleshooters (1965), The Avengers (1966) and The Rat Catchers (1967).
Brian Proudfoot (Tigilinus) Mar 15 1932 to Sep 7 2009
Doctor Who credits
Played: Dr Who in The Reign of Terror (1964, uncredited)
Played: Tigilinus in The Romans (1965)
Career highlights
Other work includes The Andromeda Breakthrough (1962) and The Desperate People (1963).
Facts
Brian has the honour of being the first actor to appear in Doctor Who on location - and as the Doctor to boot! The shots of the Doctor wandering the French countryside in The Reign of Terror (1964) are actually Proudfoot, not William Hartnell.
Derek Sydney (Sevcheria) Jan 11 1920 to Jun 18 2000 (heart attack)
Career highlights
Derek's earliest credit was a 1949 adaptation of Macbeth, followed by roles in Hot Ice (1952), The Constant Husband (1955), Man from Tangier (1957), Sword of Freedom (1957-58), The Men from Room 13 (1959), Danger Man (1960), Carry On Spying (1964), The Likely Lads (1966), Carry On Up the Khyber (1968) and Timeslip (1971).
Margot Thomas (Stallholder) Jan 16 1919 to Sep 26 2008 (cancer)
Career highlights
Margot debuted in Oliver Twist (1962), followed by roles in Katy (1962), Z Cars (1967), Take Three Girls (1969), The Befrienders (1972), The Dragon's Opponent (1973), The Stud (1978), Roger Doesn't Live Here Any More (1981), Bullseye! (1990) and After Henry (1992).
Facts
Margot was an ardent supporter of the theatre and in the 1960s helped revive the fortunes of Henley's Kenton Theatre, which first opened in 1805 but fell on hard times in 1963. Her husband was RAF pilot Gilbert Travers Thomas, who also wrote screenplays for the BBC in the 1940s and 50s.
Ann Tirard (Locusta) Jun 5 1917 to Aug 12 2003
Doctor Who credits
Played: Locusta in The Romans (1965)
Played: The Seeker in The Ribos Operation (1978)
Career highlights
Ann's earliest credit was on Nathaniel Titlark (1957), then Violent Playground (1958), Emergency Ward 10 (1960), The Avengers (1961), Let's Go Out (1965), Witchfinder General (1968), Rogues' Gallery (1969), Jane Eyre (1973), Crossroads (1966-67), Within These Walls (1976-78), Schalcken the Painter (1979), Moonlighting (1982), The Witches (1990) and Devil's Advocate (1995).
Facts
Ann was married to actor William Lyon-Brown.
CREW
Dennis Spooner (writer & story editor) Dec 1 1932 to Sep 20 1986 (heart attack) Click here for Dennis Spooner's entry on The Reign of Terror
Christopher Barry (director) Sep 20 1925 to Feb 7 2014 (following a fall) Click here for Christopher Barry's entry on The Daleks
Verity Lambert (producer) Nov 27 1935 to Nov 22 2007 (cancer) Click here for Verity Lambert's entry on An Unearthly Child
Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer) Feb 28 1912 to May 20 1966 Click here for Mervyn Pinfield's entry on An Unearthly Child
Career highlights
Tony's other credits include The Avengers (1964), Steptoe and Son (1965) and Frankie Howerd (1966).
Kay Patrick (Poppaea) Born Sep 2 1941
Doctor Who credits
Played: Poppaea in The Romans (1965)
Played: Flower in The Savages (1966)
Career highlights
Kay started her career in front of the cameras, appearing in The Call (1962), The Flying Swan (1965), Nana (1968) and The First Churchills (1969), but then moved behind the camera to become director on soaps such as Emmerdale (1998-99), Brookside and EastEnders (1986), as well as Jupiter Moon (1990), In Suspicious Circumstances (1993-94) and Sunburn (1999). In later years she became a producer on Coronation Street (1996-97), Crossroads (2001) and Mersey Beat (2002). Her latter career has concentrated on directing the soap opera Coronation Street (1994-2015).
Facts
In 2009 Kay was hit and injured badly by a car while working on Coronation Street (needing a plate in her shoulder and a reconstructed knee), but she was back on set in the new year.
Michael Peake (Tavius) Oct 13 1918 to Apr 1 1967
Career highlights
Michael's earliest credit was the narrator of The Ambermere Treasure (1956), followed by roles in William Tell (1959), Strip Tease Murder (1961), Strongroom (1962), The Gorgon (1964), The Troubleshooters (1965), The Avengers (1966) and The Rat Catchers (1967).
Brian Proudfoot (Tigilinus) Mar 15 1932 to Sep 7 2009
Doctor Who credits
Played: Dr Who in The Reign of Terror (1964, uncredited)
Played: Tigilinus in The Romans (1965)
Career highlights
Other work includes The Andromeda Breakthrough (1962) and The Desperate People (1963).
Facts
Brian has the honour of being the first actor to appear in Doctor Who on location - and as the Doctor to boot! The shots of the Doctor wandering the French countryside in The Reign of Terror (1964) are actually Proudfoot, not William Hartnell.
Derek Sydney (Sevcheria) Jan 11 1920 to Jun 18 2000 (heart attack)
Career highlights
Derek's earliest credit was a 1949 adaptation of Macbeth, followed by roles in Hot Ice (1952), The Constant Husband (1955), Man from Tangier (1957), Sword of Freedom (1957-58), The Men from Room 13 (1959), Danger Man (1960), Carry On Spying (1964), The Likely Lads (1966), Carry On Up the Khyber (1968) and Timeslip (1971).
Margot Thomas (Stallholder) Jan 16 1919 to Sep 26 2008 (cancer)
Career highlights
Margot debuted in Oliver Twist (1962), followed by roles in Katy (1962), Z Cars (1967), Take Three Girls (1969), The Befrienders (1972), The Dragon's Opponent (1973), The Stud (1978), Roger Doesn't Live Here Any More (1981), Bullseye! (1990) and After Henry (1992).
Facts
Margot was an ardent supporter of the theatre and in the 1960s helped revive the fortunes of Henley's Kenton Theatre, which first opened in 1805 but fell on hard times in 1963. Her husband was RAF pilot Gilbert Travers Thomas, who also wrote screenplays for the BBC in the 1940s and 50s.
Ann Tirard (Locusta) Jun 5 1917 to Aug 12 2003
Doctor Who credits
Played: Locusta in The Romans (1965)
Played: The Seeker in The Ribos Operation (1978)
Career highlights
Ann's earliest credit was on Nathaniel Titlark (1957), then Violent Playground (1958), Emergency Ward 10 (1960), The Avengers (1961), Let's Go Out (1965), Witchfinder General (1968), Rogues' Gallery (1969), Jane Eyre (1973), Crossroads (1966-67), Within These Walls (1976-78), Schalcken the Painter (1979), Moonlighting (1982), The Witches (1990) and Devil's Advocate (1995).
Facts
Ann was married to actor William Lyon-Brown.
CREW
Dennis Spooner (writer & story editor) Dec 1 1932 to Sep 20 1986 (heart attack) Click here for Dennis Spooner's entry on The Reign of Terror
Christopher Barry (director) Sep 20 1925 to Feb 7 2014 (following a fall) Click here for Christopher Barry's entry on The Daleks
Verity Lambert (producer) Nov 27 1935 to Nov 22 2007 (cancer) Click here for Verity Lambert's entry on An Unearthly Child
Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer) Feb 28 1912 to May 20 1966 Click here for Mervyn Pinfield's entry on An Unearthly Child
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