Michael Craze biography

Michael Craze (Ben Jackson) Nov 29 1942 to Dec 7 1998 (heart attack)

Doctor Who credits
Played: Ben Jackson in The War Machines, The Smugglers, The Tenth Planet, The Power of the Daleks, The Highlanders, The Underwater Menace, The Moonbase, The Macra Terror, The Faceless Ones (1966-67)
Michael also appeared in archive footage/ images in Resurrection of the Daleks (1984)

Career

Michael's earliest screen acting work was as Boy at Vaccination Centre in the now missing Armchair Theatre The Pillars of Midnight, written by Dail Ambler from the novel by Elleston Trevor. Shown on September 14th, 1958 - when Michael was just 15 years old - it concerned an outbreak of smallpox in an English city, and also starred George Baker (Full Circle) and Edward Dentith (The Invasion).

Michael, aged 15, in Blow Your Own Trumpet (1958)

The next month, Michael's first appearance in a feature film was released to cinemas, Blow Your Own Trumpet, although sadly he would not be credited on screen. Michael played Bert in a film which sounds like a cross between Billy Elliott and Brassed Off - Jim and Tony want to play the cornet in their local brass band, but while Jim's hard-up family works and saves hard to buy him an instrument, wealthy Tony does all he can to prevent Jim from succeeding. It was a Children's Film Foundation production which also starred Michael Crawford and Peter Butterworth (The Time Meddler and The Daleks' Master Plan). You can see Michael in scenes from the film on YouTube:

On August 23rd, 1959 Michael appeared in an episode of the ABC family comedy Sunday's Child entitled The Star, playing a page boy. The production also starred child star Mandy Miller and Daphne Anderson as her scatty widowed mother, with future Doctor Who director Fiona Cumming and Patrick Godfrey (The Savages and The Mind of Evil) also on the cast list. Sunday's Child is now thought to be missing from the archives.

Michael, aged 17, as Geoff (left) in the
children's SF series Target Luna (1960)

In 1960 Michael got his first regular role in a TV series, entitled Target Luna. In six episodes of the children's adventure serial (broadcast between April 24th and May 29th, 1960), Michael played Geoffrey Wedgwood, whose brother Jimmy (Michael Hammond) secretly replaces an astronaut and is launched into space on a mission to the moon, along with his pet hamster Hamlet. No footage of this serial is known to survive, but it also featured Frank Finlay and Angus Lennie (The Ice Warriors and Terror of the Zygons), and was co-written by Doctor Who writer Malcolm Hulke (who would go on to co-write Michael's Doctor Who swansong). On producing duties was Doctor Who creator Sydney Newman. Target Luna was so popular that it spawned three sequel series - Pathfinders in Space, Pathfinders to Mars and Pathfinders to Venus (1960-61), but these did not feature Michael (the role of Geoffrey was recast with Steward Guidotti).

Michael (back left, next to Jeremy
Bulloch) aged 18, in Spare the Rod (1961)

In April 1961 the film Spare the Rod was released in cinemas, based on the 1954 book by Michael Croft and directed by Leslie Norman. It concerns an idealist anti-punishment teacher (played by Max Bygraves) starting a new job at a tough East London slum-area school but who is faced with problems by his bored and sometimes unruly pupils. Also on the cast list was Donald Pleasence, Jean Anderson, Richard O'Sullivan, Aubrey Woods (Day of the Daleks), Annette Robertson (The Massacre) and Jeremy Bulloch (The Space Museum and The Time Warrior), while Michael played Thatcher (uncredited). You can watch the film on YouTube here (Michael can first be seen clearly at the 11m mark):

Michael's next project was in the TV series Family Solicitor in the episode First Eleven Plus, (now missing), broadcast on August 30th, 1961. It also featured Bernard Horsfall (The Mind Robber, The War Games and The Deadly Assassin), Geoffrey Palmer (Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Mutants and Voyage of the Damned), John Normington (The Caves of Androzani and The Happiness Patrol) and Ann Davies (The Dalek Invasion of Earth), while Michael played the part of Stonehouse.

On February 3rd 1962, Michael made his first of four appearances in the popular police procedural series Dixon of Dock Green. In The Flemish Giant, Michael played a character called Jimmy, and shared the screen with star Jack Warner, Robert Cawdron (The Ambassadors of Death), Larry Dann and Stanley Meadows. This episode is, of course, missing from the BBC archives.

Michael's second episode was Facing the Music, shown on September 19th, 1964 and also featuring James Beck, Jack Cunningham (The Reign of Terror) and George Tovey (Pyramids of Mars). Michael played Fleming, and this episode is also missing.

Michael in Two Left Feet (1965)

There was then a three-year gap in his TV and film CV, with his next appearance being the film Two Left Feet, released on March 1965. Written (for screen) and directed by Roy Ward Baker, it starred Michael's former co-star Michael Crawford as Alan, a callow youth desperate for any girl who can give him the experience he lacks. The film also starred Nyree Dawn Porter, Julia Foster, David Hemmings, Bernard Lee, David Lodge, Aimee Delamain (The Two Doctors), Neil McCarthy (The Mind of Evil and The Power of Kroll) and Michael Ripper. Michael played Ronnie, one of the local lads who, it is inferred, has a complicated romantic relationship with Hemmings' character (you even get to see Michael snog Hemmings in this old trailer!). The film was actually finished in 1963 but stayed on the shelf for two years as Baker was unable to secure a distributor. In the end it was given an X certificate and, despite being aimed squarely at the youth audience of the time, did not perform well.

Michael's next work was in the BBC detective series Cluff, starring Leslie Sands as the Yorkshire copper, based on the books by Gil North. All of series 1 is now missing, but the second series survives, including the one Michael appears in, The Dictator (shown on August 8th, 1965) - in which there's more to a broken window and a petty theft than meets the eye! Michael plays Eric Liddler, and his parents are played by John Barron and Yvonne Bonnamy; also on the cast list are Michael Bates, John Rolfe (The War Machines, The Moonbase and The Green Death), Stephen Jack (Terror of the Autons) and Judy Bloom.

On December 4th, 1965 Michael appeared in his third of four episodes of Dixon of Dock Green, playing Hyett in The Late Customer (missing), which concerned the question of whether a convicted man was actually innocent. The episode also featured Michael Goldie (The Dalek Invasion of Earth), Duncan Lamont (Death to the Daleks), Reg Lye (The Enemy of the World), Hugh Morton (The Seeds of Death), Peter Sanders (The Space Museum), Peter Thomas (The Savages) and Reg Lever (The Celestial Toymaker).

Ways with Words was a Thames TV series for younger secondary school children for learning English grammar, and Michael appeared in the (missing) first episode broadcast on New Year's Eve 1965, entitled Fighting. He played a soldier in a dramatisation which also featured Diane Grayson and Gladys Dawson; the programme was presented by Geoffrey Russell.

Michael in Fragment (1965)

In 1965, aged just 22, Michael founded a film company called Mantic Films, and released an 11-minute short film entitled Fragment, written and directed by Norman J Warren and produced by Michael himself. Exhibited at the Commonwealth Film Festival, it concerns a depressed young woman's unhappiness about a failed love affair, and starred Maureen Roche, Simon Brent and Michael too. It was the only film to come out of Mantic. Fragment, which features no dialogue, sees her wandering through a wintry landscape, reflecting her internal state of mind, and the locations are bleak and industrial. Michael appears in it only briefly, right at the end, but in a somewhat heroic role! You can watch it on YouTube, but the film is also available on the BFI DVD and Bluray for the Warren film Her Private Hell:

Michael in Gideon's Way, aged 23

On Boxing Day, 1965, Michael appeared in the lost Wednesday Play A Piece of Resistance, written by future Doctor Who writer and director Terence Dudley. The play concerned a retired colonel on the Channel Islands whose home is invaded by a German officer who takes a shine to his daughter. It starred William Kendall, Lally Bowers, Frederick Jaeger (The Savages, Planet of Evil and The Invisible Enemy), Gerald Cross (The Stones of Blood) and Gabor Baraker (Marco Polo and The Crusade). Michael played the part of Ernst.

On February 27th, 1966, Michael appeared in an episode of ITC's Gideon's Way (aka Gideon CID) called Boy with Gun. The series starred John Gregson as Commander George Gideon, and saw Michael play Vince Kelly, an escapee from Borstal who teams up with a lad who accidentally shoots a thug in self-defence and goes on the run. The episode also featured George Sewell (Remembrance of the Daleks), Michael Standing, Anthony Bate and Royston Tickner (The Daleks' Master Plan and The Sea Devils). You can see the episode on YouTube, or buy it on DVD:

Michael's fourth and final missing Dixon of Dock Green was Face at the Window, broadcast on March 5th 1966 and also starring Brian Badcoe (Invasion of the Dinosaurs), Harry Fowler (Remembrance of the Daleks) and Thora Hird. Michael was credited as simply Boy.

On May 4th 1966, Michael appeared in an episode of police series No Hiding Place entitled A Bottle Full of Sixpences, which co-starred Raymond Francis, Johnny Briggs and Michael McStay (The Seeds of Doom). Michael played Conner alongside Milton Johns (The Enemy of the World, The Android Invasion and The Invasion of Time), Reg Lye (The Enemy of the World), Jimmy Gardner (Marco Polo and Underworld) and Graham Ashley (The Underwater Menace), Simon Cain (The Enemy of the World and Doctor Who and the Silurians) and David Arlen (The Mutants). Doctor Who writer Louis Marks was script editor. The episode is missing from the archives.

Michael with Patrick Troughton and Anneke Wills on location
for The Highlanders (1966)

On May 26th, 1966, Michael (along with Anneke Wills) was contracted to appear in 18 episodes of Doctor Who as sailor Ben Jackson, which would take him through four stories, to the end of Patrick Troughton's first adventure, The Power of the Daleks. On June 10th, recording began for his first story, The War Machines, at Riverside Studio 1, and a fortnight later (on June 23rd), Michael and Anneke were introduced to the press as Doctor Who's new companions at a special media launch. Two days later, Michael's debut episode was broadcast on BBC1.

Ben and Polly's departure scene in the
Doctor Who story The Faceless Ones

Michael's contract was extended for three more stories on November 2nd, the same day that Frazer Hines was contracted for The Highlanders, with an option on three further serials. Michael's contract would take him up to The Moonbase, but little did he know when he was signing the contract that producer Innes Lloyd was already planning his character's departure. Lloyd believed Hines's Jamie McCrimmon worked better than Ben Jackson, and hoped to continue the series with companions Polly and Jamie after Ben was written out. Anneke Wills' contract was renewed on December 12th, and Michael's for a further 12 episodes on January 27th. Michael's final day of recording on the series was on April 8th, 1967 in Lime Grove Studio D for The Faceless Ones episode 2. A pre-filmed insert of Ben and Polly's leaving scene was included in episode 6, but neither character appeared in episodes 3, 4 or 5 as the actors were out of contract.

Michael appeared in 36 episodes of Doctor Who in total, of which just 12 exist in the archives today. In fact, the only complete story which exists is his debut, The War Machines - his other eight stories are either completely or partially lost.

It would be five months before Michael's next screen acting work would be broadcast, playing a character called Archie King in a (now lost) episode of the ITV series Send Foster called Off the Record (shown September 8th, 1967). His co-stars included Patrick Newell (The Android Invasion), Eric Francis (The Sensorites) and Polly James (The Awakening). The series concerned the adventures of junior reporter Johnny Foster (played by Hayward Morse).

On November 11th and 12th, 1967, Michael appeared in a two-part story called Seminar on Communications in the ABC series Sat'day While Sunday (now missing from the archive). Michael played Roger and appeared alongside John Gill (Fury from the Deep) and Derek Waring (Castrovalva) in the series which starred Malcolm McDowell and focused on the tribulations of first-year university students.

Also in 1967, Michael appeared in the short film A Long Spoon, produced by Rediffusion and adapted from an original 1956 story by John Wyndham. Michael was a member of the six-strong cast in a story about a demon which is summoned in error, and the lengths the couple who invoked him have to go to to get rid of him without losing their souls into the bargain. Sadly, I can find no further information about this film online.

Michael in Journey to
the Unknown

Journey to the Unknown was a horror anthology series produced by Hammer, who were better known for their big screen outings with the likes of Dracula and Frankenstein. On January 2nd, 1969, Michael appeared in the episode The Last Visitor, written by Alfred Shaughnessy and directed by Don Chaffey, in which a young woman tries to recover from a nervous breakdown at a seaside resort, where someone appears to be stalking her. Michael played Fred alongside Patty Duke, Geoffrey Bayldon (The Creature from the Pit), John Bailey (The Sensorites, The Evil of the Daleks and The Horns of Nimon) and Sally James. This is the only episode of Journey to the Unknown in which nobody dies! Michael's role is tiny, and he spends most of his screen time obscured in motorcycle leathers, but there is a brief moment where his smiling face is revealed for a kiss! You can see his footage here:

On September 29th, 1969 Michael appeared in an ITV Sunday Night Theatre called That Woman is Wrecking Our Marriage, which starred Ray Brooks (Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 AD) and Clare Jenkins (The Savages, The Wheel in Space and The War Games), with Michael playing the role of David. The play is now lost.

Next up was an episode of Detective called Mr Guppy's Tale, broadcast on November 9th, 1969. Michael played Charles Knottage, and co-starred with Hamilton Dyce (Spearhead from Space), Bill Fraser (Meglos and K9 & Company), Esmond Knight (The Space Pirates), Jenny McCracken (Carnival of Monsters) and Jeremy Wilkin (Revenge of the Cybermen). Mr Guppy was a character from Charles Dickens's novel Bleak House, and although he was a law clerk by trade, he also acted as an unofficial detective in the book. Knottage does not appear in Dickensian fiction, so was a creation of screenwriter Hugh Whitemore. Typically, this episode of Detective does not exist.

In 1970, Michael appeared in episodes 3, 6 and 7 of the 10-part BBC adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's book Ivanhoe, playing the character of Thomas. In the episodes Unmasked (January 18th), Condemned (February 8th) and The Black Knight (February 15th), Michael was joined on screen by other Doctor Who alumni such as Eric Flynn (The Wheel in Space), Terence Bayler (The Ark and The War Games), Noel Coleman (The War Games), Francis De Wolff (The Keys of Marinus and The Myth Makers), John Franklyn-Robbins (Genesis of the Daleks), Inigo Jackson (The Ark), Michael Napier Brown (The War Games), Tim Preece (Planet of the Daleks), Graham Weston (The War Games and Planet of Evil), Bernard Horsfall (The Mind Robber, The War Games and The Deadly Assassin), Hugh Walters (The Chase and Revelation of the Daleks) and Clare Jenkins (The Savages, The Wheel in Space and The War Games). The episodes were directed by David Maloney (unsurprisingly, given the number of actors from The War Games).

On July 9th, 1970 Michael had a guest role in an episode of medical series The Doctors, playing Charlie in episode 66, written by Frank Moore and directed by Desmond McCarthy. The episode is, of course, now missing, but it co-starred Barry Justice (The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve), Isla Blair (The King's Demons), June Bland (Earthshock and Battlefield), Terry Scully (The Seeds of Death) and Christine Pollon (Underworld). The producer was Bill Sellars, director of The Celestial Toymaker.

Sentimental Education was an adaptation of the 1869 novel by Gustave Flaubert concerning the romantic life of a young man during the French Revolution of 1848. The series starred Robert Powell, and in the first episode, A Start to Loving (broadcast on August 9th, 1970), Michael played the small role of an agitator, alongside Glyn Owen (The Power of Kroll), Eric Flynn (The Wheel in Space), David Garfield (The War Games and The Face of Evil), Philip Ray (The Seeds of Death), Patrick Tull (The Krotons), Hugh Walters (The Chase, The Deadly Assassin and Revelation of the Daleks) and Graham Weston (The War Games and Planet of Evil). The series was directed by David Maloney.

On December 8th, 1970 Michael appeared in his first of three Z Cars, entitled Strictly Cash (now missing). He played a character called Jack, alongside Ian Cullen (The Aztecs), James Ellis (Battlefield), Harry Fowler (Remembrance of the Daleks), Bernard Holley (The Tomb of the Cybermen and The Claws of Axos) and Jonathan Newth (Underworld). The episode was directed by Gerald Blake (The Abominable Snowmen and The Invasion of Time).

Michael in A Family at War, aged 28

Sadly, the promise Michael's career showed in the 1960s - notably before he was in Doctor Who - all but fizzled out in the 1970s and beyond. The roles were generally small and forgettable, such as the part he played in A Family at War: Hope Against Hope on December 16th, 1970. Michael played a Corporal in an episode set in Liverpool in 1941 when an aerial bomb hits a house and injures a pregnant woman. It also starred Colin Douglas (The Enemy of the World and Horror of Fang Rock) and Mark Jones (The Seeds of Doom), and was directed by Gerry Mill (The Faceless Ones).

The series Bel Ami was based on the 1885 Guy de Maupassant novel about Georges Duroy (played by Robin Ellis) who cynically exploits women, and his position as a journalist, to gain power in 19th century France. In the first episode, Georges - shown on May 8th, 1971 - Michael appeared as Max, alongside John Bryans (The Creature from the Pit) and Peter Sallis (The Ice Warriors), while it was directed by John Davies, who'd worked with Michael on the Doctor Who story The Macra Terror (1967).

Michael next played a sailor (familiar territory!) in an episode of Rules, Rules, Rules, a drama-documentary for teenagers showing the rules of society they will encounter when they grow up. In the episode Rules and the Generation Gap (shown on May 13th, 1971, but now missing), Michael co-starred with none other than former Doctor Who buddy Frazer Hines. Such a pity we can't watch this!

Rules of the Game was the title of Michael's second of three Z Cars appearances, on November 29th, 1971 (now missing). He played Nick in a story co-starring Ken Barker (Revelation of the Daleks), John Collin (The Leisure Hive), Ian Cullen (The Aztecs), James Ellis (Battlefield), Sheila Fay (The Time Warrior), Mark Jones (The Seeds of Doom) and Graham Weston (The War Games and Planet of Evil).

Michael's next assignment was playing a reporter in the third episode of the Granada series Holly, a psychological thriller starring Brigit Forsyth (The Evil of the Daleks), shown on September 15th, 1972. Coming so soon after Michael's co-billing with Frazer Hines in Rules, Rules, Rules, this job saw him sharing the bill with none other than future Doctor Who companion Ian Marter, as well as Peter Birrel (Frontier in Space), William Gaunt (Revelation of the Daleks), Michael Hawkins (Frontier in Space), Ray Lonnen (Frontier in Space) and Kenneth Watson (The Wheel in Space).

Pathfinders was a Thames series about an RAF squadron behind enemy lines during World War Two, starring Robert Urquhart and Jack Watling (The Abominable Snowmen and The Web of Fear). In the episode Fog (shown on October 11th, 1972, and written by Peter "The Mind Robber" Ling), Michael played Flight sergeant Tom Searle, alongside William Marlowe (The Mind of Evil and Revenge of the Cybermen), Jack May (The Space Pirates) and Kate O'Mara (The Mark of the Rani and Time and the Rani). The series has been released on DVD.

Michael in The Exorcism of Hugh,
aged 30.

In November 1972, Michael had a part in the film The Exorcism of Hugh (aka Neither the Sea Nor the Sand), written by broadcaster Gordon Honeycombe based upon his own novel. The film was directed by Fred Burnley and concerned a troubled wife who travels to the isle of Jersey to sort out her life. There, she meets a lighthouse keeper and falls in love with him, only for him to die while they are making love on a beach. Then her troubles really begin... The film starred Susan Hampshire, Frank Finlay and Michael Petrovitch, and Michael Craze played Collie Delamere, alongside other Doctor Who alumnus David Garth (The Highlanders, Terror of the Autons).

Ooh La La! was a BBC series based upon the short farces written by Georges Feydeau, and Michael appeared in a still-extant episode in the third series, A-Hunting We Will Go, shown on May 19th, 1973. Adapted by Caryl Brahms and Ned Sherrin, the comedy featured Michael as Gontran, alongside Patrick Cargill, Barbara Murray (Black Orchid), Tony Britton and Joan Hickson.

Two Women was a TV series set in wartime 1945, and starred Margaret Whiting as a woman who struggles to support herself and her daughter, played by Jenny Twigge. In episode 2, broadcast on July 5th 1973, Michael played a British naval officer. Also on the cast list was Godfrey James (Underworld), Margaret John (Fury from the Deep and The Idiot's Lantern), Jon Laurimore (The Masque of Mandragora), Carmen Silvera (The Celestial Toymaker and Invasion of the Dinosaurs) and Reg Lye (The Enemy of the World).

Michael, aged 31, in Crown Court

Between January 30th-31st 1974, Michael appeared in a two-part Crown Court called Do Your Worst, in which he played Michael Pollitson, club captain of Fulchester Rovers, where the manager is sacked because, he claims, three players deliberately performed badly to achieve just such an outcome. Also in the story was Roy Holder (The Caves of Androzani), Maureen Lipman (The Idiot's Lantern) and William Mervyn (The War Machines)

Next up was a sadly small and uncredited role in the Amicus horror film Madhouse, released in May 1974 and starring Vincent Price as a horror movie star released from a mental institution who finds that his murderous character Dr Death is killing independently. It co-starred big screen Dr Who Peter Cushing, Adrienne Corri (The Leisure Hive), Ian Thompson (The Chase) and Peter Halliday (various between 1968-88), and Michael played a reporter.

On September 8th, 1974, Michael secured a role in the BBC Play of the Month, entitled The Linden Tree, written as a play by J B Priestley in 1947. Concerning the conflicting opinions within one family, the play also featured Simon Lack (The Mind of Evil and The Androids of Tara), and Michael played the part of Bernard Fawcett.

Michael's final appointment of 1974 was two episodes of Intimate Strangers, a series about a man who suffers a heart attack which changes both his career and his relationships, particularly his marriage. It starred Anthony Bate and Patricia Lawrence, and Michael appeared in episodes 9 (shown on November 15th) and 11 (November 29th) as a character called Steve. Other Doctor Who alumni included Neil Hallett (Timelash), Ivor Roberts (Genesis of the Daleks), Bruce Purchase (The Pirate Planet) and Gordon Sterne (The Ambassadors of Death).

Michael's only work in 1975 was en episode of The Dick Emery Show, shown on September 27th. It's not clear what role Michael played in this perennial sketch show, but he shared billing with the likes of Graham Armitage (The Macra Terror), Victor Maddern (Fury from the Deep), Alan Tilvern (Planet of Giants) and Debbie Watling's sister Dilys.

Michael, aged 35, on the set of Satan's
Slave/ Evil Heritage

Satan's Slave (aka Evil Heritage) was a horror film directed by Norman J Warren and written by David McGillivray which concerned a young girl who got caught up in a devil-worshipping cult run by her evil uncle and cousin. The evil uncle was played by Michael Gough (The Celestial Toymaker and Arc of Infinity) and the cousin by Martin Potter (Terminus), while Michael played the character of John, boyfriend of starlet Candace Glendenning, who meets a grisly end by jumping off the top of a tower block. Satan's Slave also starred James Bree (The War Games, Full Circle and The Trial of a Time Lord). The film is available on DVD, and although he doesn't speak, Michael can be briefly glimpsed in the behind-the-scenes making of documentary All You Need is Blood, viewable on YouTube (he can be spotted at 11m 30s).

On May 10th, 1977 Michael appeared in his third and final edition of Z Cars, entitled Scavengers. He played Detective Constable Johnson alongside Keith Drinkel (Time-Flight), Brian Grellis (Revenge of the Cybermen and The Invisible Enemy) and Ray Lonnen (Frontier in Space).

Michael in Terror (1978), aged 36

In 1978 Michael appeared in another horror film, called simply Terror, again directed by Norman J Warren and written by David McGillivray. The story concerned the royal descendants of the condemned witch Mad Dolly, all of whom meet grisly ends by having their heads or limbs chopped off in various ways. Elaine Ives-Cameron from The Stones of Blood also appeared, as did Michael's brother Peter Craze (The Space Museum and Nightmare of Eden) and fellow Doctor Who companion William Russell. Michael played the part of Gary, a mesmerist who hypnotises starlet Carolyn Courage into maiming her cousin, played by John Nolan.

After that there was a gap of eight years in Michael's CV (although he was asked by Doctor Who director Graeme Harper to play Krelper in Peter Davison's swansong The Caves of Androzani, but this was vetoed by producer John Nathen Turner). He had given up on making acting his main career and, in 1974, had bought the tenancy of a pub in Shepperton. However, he did make very occasional acting appearances, firstly in the mini-series The December Rose, a period children's drama about the adventures of a young Victorian chimney sweep, Barnacle Brown, played by Courtney Roper-Knight. Michael played a Gentleman in the episode The Last Birthday, the final episode of six, broadcast on April 16th, 1986. Also on the bill was Judy Cornwell (Paradise Towers), Ian Hogg (Ghost Light) and Tracey Eddon (stuntwoman for, among others, Sophie Aldred).

Michael in The Diary of
Anne Frank, aged 45

Michael next appeared in The Diary of Anne Frank episode 1 (broadcast on January 4th 1987) playing a telephone engineer, alongside Emrys James (State of Decay) and Ghost Light's Katharine Schlesinger as the title character. There was a whole host of Doctor Who related faces behind the scenes too, including Terrance Dicks as producer, Dudley Simpson as composer, costumes by Dinah Collin, and design by Raymond London. Michael's appearance was fleeting.

There was then a seven year gap until April 1994, when Michael played Maudie in a TV movie adaptation of G F Newman's The Healer, about a Colombian immigrant working in London who has the gift of healing but cannot heal his own past. It was directed by Mike Hodges and also featured Helen Griffin (Rise of the Cybermen) and David Garfield (The War Games and The Face of Evil). The film won two BAFTA Cymru awards for Best Actor (Paul Rhys) and Best Drama.

Michael's last acting role was in the 31-minute film The Patient (1994), written by Andy Love and Omid Nooshin (who also directed). Parts of The Patient were edited into the 90-minute horror anthology Virtual Terror, but it's thought Michael's scenes were not used. I'm unable to find either of these productions online.

Michael on The Time, The Place in
1996, aged 53

On January 18th, 1996, Michael was among a number of Doctor Who actors and fans (or "freaks" as they were called on air) to appear on the daytime talk show The Time, The Place, hosted by John Stapleton. The discussion was prompted by the announcement of the casting of Paul McGann in a new Doctor Who TV movie, and the show asked whether the programme was still popular.

Appearing alongside Michael in the audience was Carole Ann Ford and William Hartnell's real-life granddaughter, Jessica Carney. You can watch the whole episode on Dailymotion here (Michael appears 21m 42s in).

Is this Michael in Victoria
Wood As Seen on TV?

I've always been intrigued by a fleeting cameo appearance by who I think is Michael Craze in an old Victoria Wood sketch. In Victoria Wood As Seen on TV series 1 episode 3 (transmitted on January 25th, 1985), there's a spoof documentary called To Be an Actress, in which a girl named Sarah Wells trains to become a thespian. We see her attend an audition, and one of the fellow attendees is a character called Tony, who I am convinced is Michael Craze. There's a screengrab here and a link to the sketch too. What do you think?

Michael eventually gave up his pub, but continued to work in the catering industry, for firms such as NatWest Bank and Trusthouse Forte, until his tragically early death on December 7th, 1998. The previous day he had suffered a heart attack and fallen down some steps while picking up his neighbour's newspaper for her, but because of a pre-existing heart condition, doctors were unable to operate, and he sadly passed away the next day, aged just 56. The Doctor Who theme was played at his funeral. He left first wife Edwina (who he'd met on the set of The Tenth Planet where she was working as a production assistant), second wife Helen (from whom he was separated at the time) and 15-year-old son Ben. Edwina Craze (nee Verner) died of cancer the following year, aged just 60.

A memorial to Michael can be found in the form of a plaque on one of the stalls seats in the Gaiety Theatre, Douglas, on the Isle of Man, placed there by the Isle of Man Doctor Who Group. It was officially unveiled by his son Ben.

Michael and Anneke pictured for the Radio Times in 1973

Addendum: In November 1973 Doctor Who celebrated its 10th anniversary, and to celebrate Radio Times held photoshoots with a number of previous companions, including Michael Craze and his co-star Anneke Wills. Michael, Anneke and two Cybermen were photographed at Stiffkey Marshes and Cley Beach in Norfolk, and afterwards went for lunch at the Jolly Farmer's pub in North Creake. It was the first time Michael and Anneke had been reunited since they left Doctor Who in 1967.

Anneke was interviewed about it in 2011: "I didn't see him again until 20 years later, in 1993. We got on a train to Manchester and he said, 'How are you, Duchess?', and we picked up again. We were really good friends. Of course, all the Doctor Who people wanted us to be romantic, but we weren't. Having adventures was much more interesting!"

Michael's intro for The Tenth Planet
from 1992

In 1992 Michael recorded two versions of an introduction to a planned VHS release of The Tenth Planet after a fan claimed they'd recovered the missing episode 4. However, this was soon revealed to be a hoax, and the release was shelved. Michael's unused intro can be seen on YouTube.

Michael/ Ben has been depicted twice since his death. The first time it was for his brief appearance in the 2013 drama An Adventure in Space and Time, where he was played by Robin Varley, and the second time was in Doctor Who's 2017 Christmas special, Twice Upon a Time, where he was portrayed by Jared Garfield. Both are pictured below and neither bear a very strong resemblance to Michael!

Anneke Wills biography

Anneke Wills (Polly) Born Oct 20 1941

Doctor Who credits
Played: Polly in The War Machines, The Smugglers, The Tenth Planet, The Power of the Daleks, The Highlanders, The Underwater Menace, The Moonbase, The Macra Terror, The Faceless Ones (1966-67)
Anneke also appeared in archive footage/ images in Resurrection of the Daleks (1984) and the minisode Meanwhile in the TARDIS Part 2 (2010)

Career
For the first three years of her screen acting career, Anneke went by the professional name of Anneke Willys (she was born Anna Katarina Willis), starting with her first role in the BBC's Impostor's Gold, aged just 12. Shown as part of the children's slot on April 29th, 1954, Impostor's Gold was an adventure play by Paul J Watkins set on a Californian ranch. Anneke was Sybil, daughter of rancher Jack Hughes, played by Gordon Bell and Rosemary Hughes, played by Beatrice Munroe. Also on the bill were Christopher Langley, Keith Grieve, Shaw Taylor and Neil McCallum.

This was followed on July 22nd, 1954 by The House with a Secret, also part of the children's slot, in which Anneke played Robina in an adventure written by Theodora Caldwell. The story was set in a house in Edinburgh in 1870, and was repeated the following Sunday.

Anneke (left) in Child's Play (1954)

Anneke's final work in 1954 was the 68-minute British comedy film Child's Play, from a story by Australian Don Sharp. It starred Anneke as Alice Nightingale, with Christopher Beeny, Ernest Scott, Ballard Berkeley, Peter Sallis (The Ice Warriors, 1967), Joan Young (The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve, 1966) and Robert Lankesheer (The Crusade, 1965). In a report in the Australian Women's Weekly in November 1952 (when they began to film Child's Play), Sharp said: "It is a comedy with a strong vein of satire about a bunch of precocious youngsters led by spectacled child 'professor' who discovers the secret of atomic energy to make popcorn." Interestingly, the report is sent from London to Australia by Bill Strutton, who wrote Doctor Who story The Web Planet in 1965.

Anneke continued her connection with the BBC children's slot with Alibi Children, shown on May 15th, 1955. It was a detective drama by Wendy Cooper, and Anneke played Molly Wilson, alongside Will Leighton, Robert Sandford and Mary Allen. It was repeated on June 9th. Soon after she appeared in BBC's children's adventure Remember Jane by Joan Paulin, shown on July 17th, 1955. Anneke played Jane Eyre, a pupil at the story's Lowood School in Yorkshire, set in 1828. Also appearing in the production was John Woodnutt (several stories between 1970-81). It was repeated on August 11th.

From August 21st, 1955, the BBC serialised Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper in six parts, and a 13-year-old Anneke played Lady Jane Grey in episode 1, Exchange. It also featured Colin Douglas (The Enemy of the World, 1967-68, and Horror of Fang Rock, 1977) and Seymour Green (The Seeds of Doom, 1976, and The Twin Dilemma, 1984). It was repeated on April 6th the following year.

On September 30th, 1955, Anneke played Henriette de Chamborde in Passage of Arms, an adventure play set in the time of the Napoleonic wars, also starring Arthur Lowe, Frederick Hall (The Awakening, 1984) and Richard Warner.

The Blakes was a four-part children's serial broadcast between October 2nd-23rd, 1955, adapted by Muriel Levy from Alison Wright's book. The story concerns a man who loses his job and buys an old bus, setting out with his family driving through England in their new home on wheels - a road trip for the 1950s! Robert Raglan played Jim Blake, who was joined by Betty Woolfe, Martyn Anderson, Douglas Hankin, and Anneke as Jean Blake. Co-stars included Philip Ray (The Seeds of Death, 1969), Eileen Way (100,000 BC, 1963, and The Creature from the Pit, 1979) and Peter Bathurst (The Power of the Daleks, 1966, and The Claws of Axos, 1971). All four episodes of this serial are now missing from the archive.

On March 13th, 1956, Anneke was back on the BBC's children's slot for African Holiday, written by J Potter Brown, starring Barbara Cavan as Mrs Wyndham, and Richard Peters and Anneke as her children Tony and Megs. Also in the cast was Margot Hayhoe, who would go on to become a floor manager and production manager on Doctor Who between 1966-83. Also on the cast list was Noel Coleman (The War Games, 1969).

Just a few weeks later, on April 4th, 1956, Anneke had a guest slot in the soap The Grove Family as Olive Green, accompanied by Edward Evans (Image of the Fendahl, 1977), Ruth Dunning, Christopher Beeny and Peter Bryant (who'd go on to produce Doctor Who between 1967-69). The writers were Michael and Roland Pertwee, Third Doctor's brother and father respectively. Naturally, this episode is missing from the archives.

Anneke (left) appeared on the cover of
the Radio Times for The Railway
Children in 1957

The next project for Anneke, now 15, was an eight-part adaptation of E Nesbit's The Railway Children for the BBC. Running between March 3rd and April 21st, 1957, the serial starred Jean Anderson, Cavan Kendall (The Myth Makers, 1965), Sandra Michaels and Richard Warner, with Anneke playing Roberta/ Bobbie. Also on the cast list were Donald Morley, John Baskcomb (Terror of the Autons, 1971), Ysanne Churchman (The Curse/ Monster of Peladon, 1972/74), Alan Curtis (The War Machines, 1966), Clive Dunn and Ivor Salter (The Space Museum, 1965; The Myth Makers, 1965; and Black Orchid, 1982). The serial was a great success and was repeated between October and December that year. You guessed it: all eight episodes are now missing.

The seven-part serial From Cover to Cover kicked off on ATV on February 14th, 1958, in which various authors or fictional characters appeared in a library. It featured Robert Cartland (Galaxy 4 and Mission to the Unknown, both 1965) as the commentator, with Deidre Day, George A Cooper (The Smugglers, 1966) and William Simons (The Sun Makers, 1977). Anneke played Girl in episode 1.

As from 1959 - the year she turned 18 - Anneke changed her professional name from Anneke Willys to Annika Wills, which she kept for the next five years. Her first credit as such was the ITV sitcom Don't Tell Father, written by Barry Baker and starring Julia Lockwood, Colin Gordon (The Faceless Ones, 1967), Joan Benham and Jill Booty, depicting the amusing adventures of a screenwriter and his daughter, who live on a barge on the Thames. Anneke appeared in episodes three and four (June 15th and 22nd, 1959) of the six episodes (now all missing) playing Diana.

On January 27th, 1960, Anneke appeared in her first of two episodes of police series No Hiding Place, entitled The Final Chase (the final episode of series 1, now missing). She played Glenda Williamson and co-starred with Cyril Shaps (several roles between 1967-78), Lorne Cossette (The Sensorites, 1964) and Julian Fox (Death to the Daleks, 1974).

As with a number of Doctor Who's earliest companions, Anneke appeared on pop panel show Juke Box Jury, her first appearance being on March 5th, 1960. Hosted by David Jacobs, Anneke's fellow panellists were comedian Spike Milligan, bandleader Jack Payne and journalist Nancy Spain.

On March 14th, 1960, Anneke appeared in her first of three Probation Officer episodes. In episode 27 (now missing) of series 1, she played Miss Shirley, joined on screen by Keith Anderson (The Reign of Terror, 1964) and Donald Bissett (The Highlanders, 1966-67).

On April 10th, 1960, Anneke appeared in the now-missing BBC Sunday Night Theatre play Glorious Morning, written by Norman Macowan and directed by Rudolph Cartier. She played Katrina Hoefler and was joined by Tom Fleming, Albert Lieven, Laurence Payne (The Gunfighters, 1966; The Leisure Hive, 1980; and The Two Doctors, 1985), Alan Haywood (The Myth Makers, 1965), Kevin Stoney (The Daleks' Master Plan, 1965-66; The Invasion, 1968; and Revenge of the Cybermen, 1975), Gertan Klauber (The Romans, 1965, and The Macra Terror, 1967) and Eileen Way (100,000 BC, 1963, and The Creature from the Pit, 1979).

Anneke next appeared in two episodes of the medical soap Emergency Ward 10, broadcast on April 19th and May 17th, 1960 (both now missing). Anneke played Clarissa Wallace and was joined on the bill by John Dearth (The Green Death, 1973, and Planet of the Spiders, 1974).

Next up were Anneke's other two episodes of Probation Officer. In episode 3 of series 2 (missing), broadcast on September 26th, 1960, she played Miss Field, alongside star John Paul, Derek Benfield, Arthur Ridley and Richard Vernon, while in episode 8 of series 2 (missing), shown on October 31st, 1960, she played the part of Sheila.

Anneke sitting (somewhat uncomfortably)
on Bernie Winters' knee in The Strange
World of Gurney Slade, episode 6

The Strange World of Gurney Slade was a curious series devised by and starring Anthony Newley and written by Sid Green and Dick Hills. It was a six-part sitcom which broke all the rules by smashing down the fourth wall and also including various bizarre, sometimes surreal elements. Anneke appeared in episodes 2 and 6 (shown on October 29th and November 26th, 1960) as Girl on Airfield, and was joined on the cast list by Hugh Paddick, Edwin Richfield (The Sea Devils, 1972, and The Twin Dilemma, 1984), Bernie Winters, Douglas Wilmer, Charles Lloyd Pack, Una Stubbs and James Villiers. All six episodes, made by ATV, are available to buy on DVD.

On February 23rd, 1961, Anneke had an uncredited bit-part in an ITV Television Playhouse made by Granada called Ben Spray, about a man who starts the day with everything and ends it with nothing, written by Peter Nichols and starring Ian Hendry in the title role. Anneke played Woman in Coffee Bar, and was joined on the cast list by John Arnatt (The Invasion of Time, 1978), Philip Bond (The Daleks, 1963-64) and Derrick Sherwin (Doctor Who producer, 1969-70).

Anneke and Scott Forbes
in The Primitive

On July 25th, 1961, Anneke appeared in her first of two ITV Plays of the Week, playing Kathleen Short in the now missing The Primitive, also starring Scott Forbes, Stephen Lewis, Campbell Singer (The Celestial Toymaker, 1966) and Barbara Young. Here's a picture of Anneke with Scott Forbes from a newspaper cutting of the time.

Golden Girl told the adventures of a woman (played by Catherine Boyle aka Katie Boyle) who suddenly becomes the richest in the world, and ran for 12 episodes on the BBC between 1960-61. All episodes are now missing, including the first episode of series 2, Ward of Court, shown on July 29th, 1961, in which Anneke played Minty. It also featured Patrick Barr (The Moonbase, 1967) and Robert Cawdron (The Ambassadors of Death, 1970).

Peggy Mount and Avice Landone

Fresh from one sitcom, Anneke next appeared in ATV's Winning Widows, a sitcom starring Peggy Mount (The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, 1988-89) and Avice Landone as two sisters who had each survived three husbands. Anneke appeared in the episode The Young Niece (shown October 21st, 1961, now missing) playing Sheila. Interestingly, it was written by Sid Green and Dick Hills, the masterminds behind The Strange world of Gurney Slade the year before.

Anneke next appeared in a six-part serialisation of Henry Garnett's English Civil War novel Gamble for a Throne for the BBC, adapted by Barbara S Harper. She played Kaye Chance in four episodes - Prison Over the Porch (broadcast November 11th, 1961), Witch of Hangman's Hill (November 18th, 1961), The Affair at Worcester (November 25th, 1961) and Death of a Dictator (December 9th, 1961). The serial was repeated in August and September 1962. All six episodes are now missing. Co-stars included Donald Pelmear (The Time Warrior, 1973-74), Colin Douglas (The Enemy of the World, 1967-68, and Horror of Fang Rock, 1977), John Woodnutt (several roles between 1970-81), Ivor Salter (several roles between 1965-82), Peter Diamond (several roles between 1965-69), Dennis Cleary (The Reign of Terror, 1964), Reginald Barratt (Planet of Giants, 1964), Derek Smee (Spearhead from Space, 1970), Barry Letts (Doctor Who producer, 1970-74), Joseph Greig (The Sensorites, 1964) and Trevor Martin (The War Games, 1969, and the Doctor on stage).

Anneke in Candidate for
Murder (1962)

In Candidate for Murder, an Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre production adapted by Lukas Heller and directed by David Villiers, Anneke played Jacqueline in a story about a man who hires a German assassin to murder his wife, who he suspects is having an affair. But when the assassin decides to kidnap rather than kill her, but still claim his fee, the husband demands proof of a body...

It starred Michael Gough (The Celestial Toymaker, 1966, and Arc of Infinity, 1983), who would go on to marry Anneke in 1965 (they first met on this production), as well as Erika Remberg, Paul Whitsun-Jones (The Smugglers, 1966, and The Mutants, 1972) and Pamela Greer (The Daleks' Master Plan, 1965-66). The short film was released by Merton Park Studios in January 1962.

In June 1962, Anneke appeared as Anne in the Clive Donner-directed musical film Some People, which told the story of three teenage layabouts who are persuaded to form a rock group to keep them out of trouble.

Anneke in Some People, sitting
in a bath to shrink her jeans and
make them skin-tight!

Shot entirely on location in Bristol, the film was a thinly veiled advocate for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, and starred Kenneth More, Ray Brooks (Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 AD, 1966), Angela Douglas (Battlefield, 1989), David Hemmings, Harry H Corbett, Richard Davies (Delta and the Bannermen, 1987), Fred Ferris (Planet of Giants, 1964) and Cyril Luckham (The Ribos Operation, 1978, and Enlightenment, 1983).

With the tagline "From the land of the Beatles came the young rebels... wild and explosive", the film generated income for both the DoE scheme and the National Playing Fields Association.

Anneke in The Sentimental Agent

Next up was an episode of ATV/ ITC drama The Sentimental Agent, which starred Carlos Thompson as an import-export agent in London. In the first ever episode, All That Jazz (broadcast September 28th, 1963), Anneke played Sarah, alongside co-stars Burt Kwouk (Four to Doomsday, 1982), Jeremy Bulloch (The Space Museum, 1965, and The Time Warrior, 1973-74), Hugh Futcher (The Sea Devils, 1972), David Blake Kelly (The Chase, 1965, and The Smugglers, 1966) and Brian Cant (The Daleks' Master Plan, 1965, and The Dominators, 1968). All 13 episodes have been released on DVD.

On October 1st, 1963 Anneke appeared in her second No Hiding Place, The Smoke Boys, co-starring Terence Brook (Planet of Evil, 1975), Alan Haywood (The Myth Makers, 1965) and Victor Winding (The Faceless Ones, 1967). Predictably, this episode is missing from the archives.

Anneke as Pussy Cat in The
Avengers (1963)

On December 28th, 1963, Anneke appeared in her first of two episodes of The Avengers, entitled Dressed to Kill written by Brian Clemens. Anneke played Pussy Cat, one of seven prospective land owners invited to a New Year's Eve fancy dress party aboard a train which stops at an abandoned station - where the passengers begin to get bumped off one by one! Anneke's fellow cast members included Honor Blackman (The Trial of a Time Lord, 1986), Leonard Rossiter, Richard Leech (The Sun Makers, 1977), John Junkin and Leon Eagles (The Face of Evil, 1977).

Nothing But the Best was a Clive Donner-directed film released on March 10th, 1964 (based on the 1952 short story The Best of Everything by Stanley Ellin) and starring Alan Bates as chancer Jimmy Brewster, who gets embroiled in romance with his boss's daughter, as well as a bank robbery and murder. Anneke sadly didn't have a very big role (simply "Girl"), but it also featured Denholm Elliott, Harry Andrews, Millicent Martin, Godfrey Quigley (Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 AD, 1966), Nigel Stock (Time-Flight, 1982), James Villiers, Alan Rothwell, Angus Mackay (The Deadly Assassin, 1976, and Mawdryn Undead, 1983), Howard Lang (100,000 BC, 1963), Donald Pickering (The Keys of Marinus, 1964; The Faceless Ones, 1967; and Time and the Rani, 1987), Julian Holloway (Survival, 1989), Gabriel Woolf (Pyramids of Mars, 1975, and The Impossible Planet/ The Satan Pit, 2006) and the Eagles. Music was by Ron Grainer. The film was also nominated for a BAFTA for Nicholas Roeg's cinematography.

Anneke in The Likely Lads

Anneke's next role was in an episode of the BBC sitcom The Likely Lads entitled Other Side of the Fence, broadcast on January 6th, 1965 and starring James Bolam and Rodney Bewes (Resurrection of the Daleks, 1984), with Don McKillop (The Daemons, 1971), Bartlett Mullins (The Sensorites, 1964), Eric Dodson (The Visitation, 1982) and Michael Sheard (various roles between 1966-88). Anneke played Judith Francis, alongside Didi Sullivan, two girls who are romanced by Terry and Bob at work.

Anneke's second ITV Play of the Week was the now missing No Baby, No Baby At All, broadcast on February 8th, 1965, in which she played Chris Durley. Joining her on the bill were Jane Baxter, Jeremy Burnham, Gretchen Franklin, Richard Vernon and Hazel Williams.

The Pleasure Girls (released December 3rd, 1965) was a film that gave Anneke a major role, playing Angela, one of the female cast in a story all about the Swinging '60s scene. It also starred Francesca Annis, Rosemary Nicols, Ian McShane, Mark Eden (Marco Polo, 1964), Klaus Kinski, Carol Cleveland, David Graham (Dalek voice artist), Yvonne Antrobus (Dr Who and the Daleks, 1965), Julian Holloway (Survival, 1989), Hugh Futcher (The Sea Devils, 1972), Peter Diamond (various roles) and Brian Cant (The Daleks' Master Plan, 1965, and The Dominators, 1968). The film is available on DVD, but here's the scene where Annis's character meets all her new friends in London, including Anneke:

On February 28th, 1966, Anneke appeared in the now-missing Thirty Minute Theatre Keep On Running, written by Vickery Turner and directed by Michael Hart (The Space Pirates, 1969). She played Julia alongside Sally Goldie, Neville Smith (The Reign of Terror, 1964) and Bridget McConnell.

Toddler on the Run was a Wednesday Play written by 18-year-old Shena Mackay featuring Anneke as Leda, alongside Ian Trigger, Jerome Willis (The Green Death, 1973), Stanley Lebor, Iain Cuthbertson (The Ribos Operation, 1978), Renu Setna (The Hand of Fear, 1976) and narrated by Michael Robbins (The Visitation, 1982). Shown on May 25th, 1966, the BBC play still exists in the archives. It's synopsis read: "Morris, a homunculus, is under suspicion of having stolen the swimming pool fund from a girls' school".

The very next day after Toddler on the Run was televised, Anneke (along with fellow actor Michael Craze) was contracted to appear in 18 episodes of Doctor Who as new companion Polly. These first 18 episodes would take up four stories, including the first story featuring new Doctor Patrick Troughton. Anneke began recording her first story, The War Machines, on June 10th, 1966, and on June 23rd, there was a photo call to introduce Anneke and Michael Craze to the press, to publicise The War Machines episode 1 two days later. In total, Anneke played Polly in 40 episodes transmitted between June 25th, 1966 and May 13th, 1967, with her final day of recording being April 8th, 1967.

Anneke with William Hartnell and Michael Craze, filming
The Smugglers (1966)

Anneke in The Saint (1969)

On October 28th, 1966 - the day before episode 4 of the Doctor Who story The Tenth Planet was aired - Anneke's appearance in an episode of ITC's The Saint starring Roger Moore was shown on ITV, called The Helpful Pirate. She played Fran Roeding alongside Redmond Phillips as her father, Professor Roeding, and the cast also included Vladek Sheybal, George Pravda (The Enemy of the World, 1967-68; The Mutants, 1972; and The Deadly Assassin, 1976) and George Roubicek (The Tomb of the Cybermen, 1967). You can watch the episode on YouTube, but unfortunately with one of those bizarre borders and a reduced viewing area:

Anneke as Judy in The Avengers (1967)

Three weeks after wrapping on Doctor Who, Anneke appeared on her second Juke Box Jury, broadcast on April 29th, 1967, the same day as episode 4 of The Faceless Ones. The pop panel show was shown on BBC1 at 5.15pm, followed by a 10-minute news bulletin, and then Doctor Who, but sadly Anneke wasn't in that week's Doctor Who (Polly only appears in episodes 1 and 2, and then episode 6 to say farewell!). Anneke's co-panellists were American singer Vikki Carr, along with Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch from the Shadows.

Soon after Anneke completed production on Doctor Who, she landed her second role in The Avengers, in an episode written by Roger Marshall called The £50,000 Breakfast. She finished filming on July 20th, 1967, and the episode debuted on October 12th, 1967. Anneke (sporting notably shorter hair) played boutique owner Judy, starring alongside Diana Rigg (The Crimson Horror, 2013), Jon Laurimore (The Masque of Mandragora, 1976), Nigel Lambert (The Leisure Hive, 1980), Yolande Turner, Pauline Delaney and Cardew Robinson.

On July 7th, 1968, Anneke appeared on the final episode of series 3 of the panel game Call My Bluff (now missing), alongside team captains Drusilla Beyfus and Kenneth Horne, and guests broadcasters Jean Metcalfe and Cliff Michelmore and journalist Milton Shulman. The BBC made 25 series of this show between 1965-88, but only seven episodes survive from the first eight series (1965-74)!

The next role would actually turn out to be Anneke's last screen acting job to date, in the ITC series Strange Report. Anneke played series regular Evelyn McLean alongside Anthony Quayle and Kaz Garas, who investigated bizarre mysteries in Swinging Sixties London. The 16-episode series was filmed between July 1968 and March 1969 and saw the team (although too often just the men) investigate everything from World War Two skeletons to student riots, abducted beauty queens to witchcraft.

Over the course of the series, Anneke appeared in an episode written by Bill Strutton (The Web Planet, 1965), and a great many Doctor Who actors turned up too, including Julian Glover (The Crusade, 1965, and City of Death, 1979), Sylvia Sims (Ghost Light, 1989), Derren Nesbitt (Marco Polo, 1964), Keith Barron (Enlightenment, 1983), Hugh Burden (Spearhead from Space, 1970), Lisa Daniely (The Space Pirates, 1969), Peter Jeffrey (The Macra Terror, 1967, and The Androids of Tara, 1978) and John Bennett (The Talons of Weng-Chiang, 1977) among many others.

The original intention was to make more than 16 episodes, but when plans fell through to film the latter episodes in the US, the entire series was cancelled when Anneke and Quayle opted out of a second series. Episode 1 (Murder Shrieks Out by Morris Farhi) was broadcast on September 21st, 1969 and was shown weekly (except on November 16th) through to January 11th, 1970. It received its American transmission between January and September 1971.

Anneke on Clive James on TV (1998)
and in An Adventure in Space and Time
(2013)

Since giving up acting Anneke has appeared in numerous Doctor Who related documentaries, including a notable appearance on a science-fiction special of Clive James on TV on December 21st, 1998, alongside Sophie Aldred (Ace), Nicola Bryant (Peri) and John Scott Martin (Dalek operator).

She also had a brief cameo in the 2013 drama An Adventure in Space and Time as an uncredited party guest. In the drama her younger self was portrayed by Ellie Spicer.

Facts

In the 1970s, Anneke gave up acting and moved to Norfolk to run a craft shop, and in 1977 moved to Belgium, then India (where she became part of the infamous Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh cult) and the US. She then settled in Canada in the 1990s to work as an interior designer, and it is during this period she was filmed for the fan video Bidding Adieu, which follows Seventh Doctor actor Sylvester McCoy from the UK to Vancouver to film the 1996 TV movie. Anneke, who now lives in Devon, was married to actor Michael Gough between 1962-79, who appeared in Doctor Who himself in 1966 and 1983. At the age of 17, Anneke was thrown out of RADA for "behaving badly" with actor Edward Fox, and in 1959 she had an abortion after falling pregnant with actor/ singer Anthony Newley, who left her for actress Joan Collins. Despite the Newley/ Collins relationship, Anneke fell pregnant with Anthony again - she kept the baby, christened Polly, who was subsequently adopted by Gough. Polly tragically died in a car accident in the 1980s.

Anneke pictured with Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi during
a set visit in early 2017

The War Machines

Ding ding! It was Round 1 to the
War Machine in the Covent Garden
 Big Fight

Four episodes (Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4)
First broadcast Jun 25 to Jul 16 1966
Average audience for serial: 5.23m

• A pictorial guide to the guest cast is at the bottom of this entry. An episode-by-episode review of this story is on Time Space Visualiser here.

REGULAR CAST

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.

Jackie Lane (Dodo Chaplet) Jul 10 1941 to Jun 7 2021 For a full career biography for Jackie Lane, click here.

Anneke Wills (Polly) Born Oct 20 1941 For a full career biography for Anneke Wills, click here.

Michael Craze (Ben Jackson) Nov 29 1942 to Dec 7 1998 (heart attack) For a full career biography for Michael Craze, click here.

GUEST CAST

John Boyd-Brent (Sergeant) May 5 1919 to Dec 15 2005
Career highlights
Further acting credits include Rumpelstiltskin (1951), Lines of Communication (1952), Ghost Squad (1963), The Caves of Steel (1964) and King of the River (1966). He also wrote two TV plays, Tom's Goblin (1953) and Simon's Treasure (1955).

Sandra Bryant (Kitty) Born Sep 30 1945
Doctor Who credits
Played: Kitty in The War Machines (1966)
Played: Chicki in The Macra Terror (1967)
Career highlights
After starting out with an uncredited role as a schoolgirl in Carry On Teacher (1959), Sandra's other credits include Suspense (1963), Emergency Ward 10 (1967), Sat'day While Sunday (1967), Coronation Street (1969), Rogues' Gallery (1969), Special Branch (1969-70), Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? (1973), On the Buses (1973), Billy Liar (1974), Not on Your Nellie (1975) and Breakaway (1980).
Facts
She played Chicki in episode 1 of The Macra Terror, but was released from her contract before the character's reappearance in episode 4, and replaced by Karol Keyes. In 1970 she married TV production designer and later film art director Terry Gough. This Sandra Bryant is not the same Sandra Bryant who released two pop records in 1967.

John Cater (Professor Krimpton) Jan 17 1932 to Mar 21 2009 (liver cancer)
Career highlights
John appeared in well over 150 productions since a live teleplay about the French Resistance in 1949, followed by 1958's The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, Hancock (1963), The Plane Makers (1964), Take a Pair of Private Eyes (1966), Virgin of the Secret Service (1968, as Fred Doublett), Dad's Army (1970), The Abominable Dr Phibes (1971), Dr Phibes Rises Again (1972), Alcock and Gander (1972), Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter (1974), South Riding (1974), I, Claudius (1976), Rosie (1978), The Setbacks (1980-81, as Larry), Rising Damp (1980), The Other 'Arf (1980-81), Chance in a Million (1986), Home to Roost (1987), The Woman in Black (1989), Ruth Rendell Mysteries: The Best Man to Die (1990, as Mr Pertwee!) Sitting Pretty (1992), Lipstick on Your Collar (1993), 2point4 Children (1991/94), Bramwell (1996), Goodnight Mr Tom (1999), Crossroads (2001-02, as Arthur Williams), Down to Earth (2001-03), Bad Girls (2005), Alien Autopsy (2006) and Bonekickers (2008). John regularly played Starr in The Duchess of Duke Street (1976-77).
Facts
Throughout his life John suffered from the blood disorder haemochromatosis, which did not affect him too much until he developed arthritis in later life. His wife was fellow actor Wendy Gifford, who appeared in Doctor Who in The Ice Warriors (1967).

Edward Colliver (Garage mechanic) 1928 to Oct 24 2013
Career highlights
Edward's other work included First Night (1963), The Edged of Reason (1963), Quick Before They Catch Us (1966) and Z Cars (1968).

Carl Conway (US correspondent) Feb 6 1922 to Feb 10 2017
Doctor Who credits
Played: US correspondent in The War Machines (1966)
Played: Control room assistant in The Ambassadors of Death (1970)
Career highlights
Carl's acting CV takes in The Counterfeit Plan (1957), Nudist Paradise (1959), Man from Interpol (1960), Watch Your Stern (1961), The Saint (1966), Pegasus (1969) and Out of the Unknown (1969). In 1964 Carl joined the unlicensed off-shore Radio Caroline at its launch but did not care for life at sea and mainly took part in the advertisements and interviews conducted on dry land (the pirate radio station transmitted from a former passenger ferry anchored off Felixstowe). In the 1980s Carl worked for BBC Radio Kent, and later kept himself busy organising film shows in old people's homes and community centres.

George Cross (Minister) Feb 12 1902 to Sep 1987
Career highlights
Other work includes Down Under (1933), Street Song (1935), Under Suspicion (1939), We Dive at Dawn (1943), Dulcimer Street (1948), The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan (1953), Big Time Operators (1957), Thorndyke (1964) and The Spies (1966).

Desmond Cullum-Jones (Worker) Dec 1 1924 to Jun 6 2002

Doctor Who credits

Played: Citizen of Millennius in The Keys of Marinus (1964, uncredited)

Played: Worker in The War Machines (1966)
Career highlights
Seattle-born Desmond's career began in The Great Armoured Car Swindle (1961) and saw roles in The Big Pull (1962), Danger Man (1965), Doomwatch (1971), Brett (1971), Fall of Eagles (1974), Penmarric (1979), Shoestring (1979), The Day of the Triffids (1981), Blott on the Landscape (1985) and The Rag Nymph (1997). He also regularly played a platoon member (occasionally known as Private Desmond) in Dad's Army (1969-77, uncredited).

Alan Curtis (Major Green) Jul 30 1930 to Feb 18 2021
Career highlights
Alan's career on the screen began with The Black Brigand (1956), followed by roles in The Avengers (1962), The Plane Makers (1964), The Corridor People (1966), Horne Aplenty (1968-69), The Good Old Days (1968), The Morecambe and Wise Show (1969-71), Up Pompeii (1970), Carry on Henry (1971), Four Dimensions of Greta (1972), Carry On Abroad (1972), Whoops Baghdad! (1973), Professor Popper's Problem (1974), The Howerd Confessions (1976), The Bounder (1982), 3-2-1 (1983-84), Duty Free (1984) and Footballers' Wives (2003).
Facts
Alan also acted as announcer for Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord's. He suffered a stroke in the early 21st century, leaving him without the free use of one arm.
In 2016 Toby Hadoke released his Who's Round interview with Alan here.

Eddie Davis (Worker)
Doctor Who credits
Played: Parisian in The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve (1966, uncredited)
Played: Worker in The War Machines (1966)
Career highlights
Eddie's other credits include Softly Softly (1966) and The Goodies (1977). He may also have played one of the inventors in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), but this Eddie Davis (born in the US in 1895) may be a different man.

Robin Dawson (Soldier)
Robin also appeared in an episode of Z Cars (1969), uncredited.

John Doye (Interviewer) Feb 16 1918 to Mar 10 1995
Doctor Who credits
Played: Freedom fighter in The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964, uncredited)
Played: Cowboy in The Gunfighters (1966, uncredited)
Played: Interviewer in The War Machines (1966)
Played: Redcoat in The Highlanders (1966-67, uncredited)
Career highlights
Other credits include The Strong are Lonely (1956), The Kentish Robin (1957), The Informer (1967) and The Gamblers (1967).
Facts
On January 30th, 1954, John was performing in a production of Wish You Were Here at London's Casino Theatre when, during the first half, comedian Chris Hewitt struck his head on the side of a pool which he was routinely pushed into to form the climax of Act 1. John and a fellow actor dived into the pool to rescue the unconscious Hewitt, who went on with the show after receiving treatment.

Ric Felgate (American journalist) Jun 4 1933 to Jul 31 1999
Doctor Who credits
Played: American journalist in The War Machines (1966)
Played: Brent in The Seeds of Death (1969)
Played: Van Lyden in The Ambassadors of Death (1970)
Career highlights
Ric's other credits include Quick Before They Catch Us (1966), Jackanory (1969), Softly Softly (1968-70), The Passenger (1971) and The Sweeney (1976).
Facts
He was married to Cynthia Felgate (nee Harris, 1935-91), co-creator and producer of children's programmes Play School and Playdays.

Roy Godfrey (Tramp) Aug 20 1921 to May 3 2005
Career highlights
Other credits include Paint Your Wagon (1954), The Water Gipsies (1955), William Tell (1959), Diary of a Young Man (1964), Dixon of Dock Green (1965/66), Torture Garden (1967) and Mystery and Imagination (1968).
Facts
In October 2008 Bonhams held an auction in which one of the lots was a pen and ink sketch by Ronald Searle of Roy Godfrey playing Sweeney Todd in a Punch Theatre production of The Demon Barber, duelling with fellow Doctor Who alumnus James Maxwell's barber.

John Harvey (Professor Brett) Sep 27 1911 to Jul 19 1982
Doctor Who credits
Played: Professor Brett in The War Machines (1966)
Played: Officia in The Macra Terror (1967)
Career highlights
With a career starting in I STand Condemned (1935), John was prolific, and had roles in Dick Barton Strikes Back (1949), Stage Fright (1950), The Kate Smith Evening Hour (1951), X: The Unknown (1956), Ivanhoe (1958), Meeting Point (1958), Invisible Man (1959), The Old Dark House (1963), The Plane Makers (1964-65), They Came from Beyond Space (1967), A Challenge for Robin Hood (1967), The Deadly Bees (1967), The Borderers (1970), Sykes (1972), The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973), Man About the House (1976), George and Mildred (1976), Rentaghost (1976), Edward and Mrs Simpson (1978), Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1978) and The Racing Game (1980).
Facts
John was married to the actress Diana King.

Frank Jarvis (Corporal) May 13 1941 to Sep 15 2010
Doctor Who credits
Played: Corporal in The War Machines (1966)
Played: Ankh in Underworld (1978)
Played: Skart in The Power of Kroll (1978-79)
Career highlights
Frank's extensive career began in 1962's Mix Me a Person, then That Kind of Girl (1963), Adam Adamant Lives! (1966), Z Cars (1967), The Italian Job (1969), Callan (1972), The Brothers (1974), Poldark (1975), Warship (1976-77, as Burnett), Grange Hill (1978), The Professionals (1978/79), Juliet Bravo (1981), Jenny's War (1985), Lovejoy (1992), EastEnders (2000), Catterick (2004), The Penalty King (2006) and Dear Father (2009).
Facts
The theme tune to The Italian Job, Self Preservation Society aka Get a Bloomin' Move On, was played at Frank's funeral.

Kenneth Kendall (Television newsreader) Aug 7 1924 to Dec 14 2012 (following a stroke)
Career highlights
Kenneth was a schoolmaster before joining the BBC as a radio announcer in 1948, and in 1955 became the first person to appear on British TV reading the news, as opposed to just a newsreader's voice being heard. In the 1960s he worked as a freelance newsreader, often for ITN, and then worked for the BBC (1969-81). He might be best known as the host of Treasure Hunt (1982-89), or as the BBC-12 announcer in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). He also appeared as a newscaster in Scotland Yard (1960), The Brain (1962), Adam Adamant Lives! (1966), They Came from Outer Space (1967), Dead of Night (1972) and The Dark Side of the Sun (1983). His voice was also used as that of the BBC Micro Acorn Computers hardware speech synthesis system.
Facts
In 2010 Kenneth took part in BBC1's The Young Ones, in which six celebrities in their 70s and 80s attempt to overcome some of the problems of ageing by harking back to the 1970s. In retirement Kenneth lived on the Isle of Wight with his civil partner Mark Fear, where he owned a marine art gallery and was a keen beekeeper. Sadly, in April 2013, four months after Kenneth's death, Mark Fear - his partner of 23 years - was found hanged. He had killed himself, unable to continue without the love of his life. A note found next to Mark's body read: "I am sorry to land you in all this. I simply cannot face the future without Kenneth."

William Mervyn (Sir Charles Summer) Jan 3 1912 to Aug 6 1976
Career highlights
Beginning in 1947's The Mark of Cain, Nairobi-born William's extensive career saw roles in The Loves of Joanna Godden (1947), The Good Companions (1949), The Blue Lamp (1950), Parent-Craft (1951), Fabian of the Yard (1955), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1957), Hancock's Half Hour (1959), Circus of Horrors (1960), Oliver Twist (1962), Saki (1962), Murder Ahoy (1964), The Liars (1966), Carry On Follow That Camel (1967), The Railway Children (1970), Follyfoot (1971), Tottering Towers (1971-72), The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1973), Pardon My Genie (1973), The Ghosts of Motley Hall (1976) and Raffles (1977). Regular roles include Chief Inspector Rose in The Odd Man (1963), It's Dark Outside (1964-65) and Mr Rose (1967-68), Rev Cuthbert Hever in All Gas and Gaiters (1966-71) and Justice Campbell in Crown Court (1973-76).
Facts
William's son Michael Pickwoad became production designer on Doctor Who in 2010 (and William's granddaughter - Michael's daughter - Amy Pickwoad worked in the art department of Doctor Who (2010-14)). Another son, Professor Nicholas Pickwoad, is a world expert in bookbinding and has been advising the National Trust in the UK on book preservation since 1978.

Ewan Proctor (Flash) Born Oct 28 1944
This is Ewan's sole credit. However, Ewan did appear at a signing event for the release of The War Machines DVD in August 2008 (click here for a picture). He is now a ceramicist and a member of the Portsmouth-based Watershed Galleries community.

Michael Rathborne (Taxi driver) Apr 6 1923 to Jan 22 1971 (liver disease)
Career highlights
Doctor Who was Michael's final credit after a brief career appearing in The Buccaneers (1956), Private Investigator (1958) and Call the Gun Expert (1964).

Facts

Michael was married to actor Diana van Proosdy, and their daughter is the actor Pippa Rathborne. Michael contracted liver disease from contaminated water while serving as a captain in the Burmese campaign of 1944-45.

John Rolfe (Captain) Mar 25 1935 to Aug 12 2020
Doctor Who credits
Played: Captain in The War Machines (1966)
Played: Sam Becket in The Moonbase (1967)
Played: Fell in The Green Death (1973)
Career highlights
John's long career began in Agib and Agab (1953), then The River Flows East (1962), Cluff (1964, as Det Con Barker), Adam Adamant Lives! (1967), Out of the Unknown (1971), The Brothers (1974), The Chinese Puzzle (1974), Hadleigh (1976), Blake's 7 (1978), Thomas and Sarah (1979), To Serve Them All My Days (1980), One By One (1985), Howard's Way (1985-86, as James Sinclair), Mr Bean (1992) and Joking Apart (1995).
Facts
John was apparently named after the English colonist who married Pocahontas in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1614.

John Slavid (Man in telephone box) Oct 28 1931 to Dec 30 2002
Doctor Who credits
Played: Officer in The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve (1966)
Played: Man in telephone box in The War Machines (1966)
Career highlights
John's other credits include A Hundred Years Old (1952), Danger Man (1960), Crossroads (1964), The Gamblers (1967), Madame Sin (1972), Upstairs, Downstairs (1972), Life and Death of Penelope (1976), When the Boat Comes In (1981) and Executive Stress (1987). John specialised in playing croupiers, a credit he had on 16 different productions.

Gerald Taylor (War Machine/ Voice of WOTAN) Oct 11 1940 to Dec 4 1994 Click here for Gerald Taylor's entry on The Daleks

Dwight Whylie (Radio announcer) Jun 7 1936 to Sep 15 2002 (heart attack)
Career highlights
Jamaica-born Dwight was the first black radio announcer hired by the BBC, in 1965. In 1973, he became the general manager of the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation, and four years later joined the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as director of its national radio news, until 1997.
Facts
Dwight died in Barbados while visiting there as chief judge at the Caribbean Broadcasting Union's media awards. His sister was Jamaican jazz and traditional musician Marjorie Whylie.

WOTAN (WOTAN)
The super-computer was credited as playing itself in The War Machines episodes 1-3. It didn't get much work elsewhere.

CREW

Ian Stuart Black (writer) Mar 21 1915 to Oct 13 1997 Click here for Ian Stuart Black's entry on The Savages

Kit Pedler (provided idea for story) Jun 11 1927 to May 27 1981 (heart attack)
Doctor Who credits
Wrote: The War Machines (1966, came up with the story idea), The Tenth Planet (1966), The Moonbase (1967), The Tomb of the Cybermen (1967), The Wheel in Space (1968, came up with the story idea), The Invasion (1968, came up with the story idea)
Career highlights
Kit also had writing credits on Doomwatch (1970) and its 1972 big screen spin-off. Kit trained as a doctor and surgeon, and was awarded a Ph.D for his research into the causes of infant blindness and became a senior lecturer at the Institute of Ophthalmology, part of the University of London, where he studied the function of the retina and was one of the pioneers in electron microscopy. In the mid-1960s Kit became Doctor Who's science fiction advisor, helping add factual weight to the scientific ideas in the series, and was also a contributor to science series Horizon and Tomorrow's World.
Facts
In the 1970s, Kit became an advocate for alternative technology and energy supplies which did not create irreversible or damaging pollution; he rejected harmful or wasteful products generated by modern industrial society. This led to his 1979 book The Quest for Gaia. The day after the third episode of Mind Over Matter - his documentary series on psychics and the paranormal - was transmitted, Kit was found dead in the conservatory of his home in Kent. His daughter is novelist Carol Topolski, writer of Monster Love and Do No Harm.
Note: This biog has been put together with the kind personal involvement of Kit's biographer, Michael Seely, who was determined to dispel some common myths about Dr Pedler. He says: "One of the reasons I wrote his life story was because of the misinformation out there about his life and achievements." Thanks Michael!

Michael Ferguson (director) Jun 14 1937 to Oct 4 2021
Doctor Who credits
Assistant floor manager: The Daleks (1963-64)
Directed: The War Machines (1966), The Seeds of Death (1969), The Ambassadors of Death (1970), The Claws of Axos (1971).
Career highlights
Other directing work included Z Cars (1962), Out of the Unknown (1969), Hadleigh (1969), Paul Temple (1970-71), Colditz (1972-73), Quiller (1975), Flambards (1979), Airline (1982), Lytton's Diary (1986), The Bill (1985/87-89/96/2000-02) and Night & Day (2003). He also produced The Sandbaggers (1978), EastEnders (1989-91) and Casualty (1993-94, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA in 1994). He wrote ITV Playhouse: Too Close to the Edge in 1980.
Facts
Michael had the honour of being the very first Dalek seen on TV, operating the sink plunger seen in the cliffhanger to The Dead Planet in 1963! Michael's second wife was actor Jana Shelden, who had a regular role in The Sandbaggers. In 1992, Michael was at the centre of a court action brought by EastEnders script writer David Yallop, who was dismissed when his storyline - in which key characters were killed in an IRA bomb attack - was vetoed. The BBC paid £68,195 in damages and an estimated £250,000 in costs to the writer.
In 2016 Toby Hadoke released his Who's Round interview with Michael here.

Innes Lloyd (producer) Dec 24 1925 to Aug 23 1991 Click here for Innes Lloyd's entry on The Celestial Toymaker

Gerry Davis (script editor) Feb 23 1930 to Aug 31 1991 (stomach cancer) Click here for Gerry Davis's entry on The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve

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