The Curse of Peladon

Alpha Centauri (Stuart Fell)
 looking a little limp

Four episodes (Episode One, Episode Two, Episode Three, Episode Four)
First broadcast Jan 29 to Feb 19 1972
Average audience for serial: 9.38m

An episode by episode review of this story can be read on Time Space Visualiser.

REGULAR CAST

Jon Pertwee (The Doctor) Jul 7 1919 to May 20 1996 (heart attack) Click here to see Jon Pertwee's entry on Spearhead from Space

Katy Manning (Jo Grant) Born Oct 14 1946 Click here for Katy Manning's entry on Terror of the Autons

GUEST CAST

Terry Bale (Voice of Arcturus) Mar 8 1928 to 2013
Doctor Who credits
Played: Soldier in The Reign of Terror (1964)
Played: Voice of Arcturus in The Curse of Peladon (1972)
Career highlights
Further credits include The Seven Faces of Jim (1961), King of the River (1966), The Revenue Men (1967), Doomwatch (1971), Warship (1973), The Sweeney (1975), 1990 (1977) and Grange Hill (1980).

Alan Bennion (Izlyr) Apr 18 1930 to Jul 27 2018
Doctor Who credits
Played: Slaar in The Seeds of Death (1969)
Played: Izlyr in The Curse of Peladon (1972)
Played: Azaxyr in The Monster of Peladon (1974)
Career highlights
Alan made his debut in 1967's Send Foster before going on to appear in Sexton Blake (1967, as the Scorpion), The Troubleshooters (1970), Psychomania (1971), Thriller (1974), The Wilde Alliance (1978), Juliet Bravo (1981), Oliver Twist (1985), Sorry! (1986), Spatz (1992), B&B (1992) and Holding the Baby (1997).
Facts
A nod to Alan is included in Gary Russell's 1994 Doctor Who novel Legacy, in which it is said Supreme Lord Izlyr retired to the planet Bennion.

Sonny Caldinez (Ssorg) Jul 1 1932 to Apr 12 2022
Doctor Who credits
Played: Kemel in The Evil of the Daleks (1967)
Played: Turoc in The Ice Warriors (1967)
Played: Ice Warrior in The Seeds of Death (1969)
Played: Ssorg in The Curse of Peladon (1972)
Played: Sskel in The Monster of Peladon (1974)
Career highlights
Trinidadian Sonny's other appearances include Scott On... (1964), Virgin of the Secret Service (1968), The Spy Killer (1969), White Cargo (1973), The Man With the Golden Gun (1974), Mind Your Language (1978), Sexton Blake and the Demon God (1978), Arabian Adventure (1979), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1988) and The Fifth Element (1997).
Facts
Sonny, who is 6ft 4in, emigrated to the UK in 1952 and started working on the railways and as a wrestler, before moving into stuntwork and acting. He also worked for a time as bodyguard for music legend Michael Jackson. He moved to Spain in 2005.

Ysanne Churchman (Voice of Alpha Centauri) May 14 1925 to Jul 4 2024
Doctor Who credits
Played: Alpha Centauri (voice) in The Curse of Peladon (1972), The Monster of Peladon (1974), Empress of Mars (2017)
Played: Spider voice in Planet of the Spiders (1974)
Career highlights
Ysanne made her debut aged 13 in Gallows Glorious (1938), followed by roles in Craven House (1950), Murder in the Cathedral (1951), The Railway Children (1951 & 1957), Sara and Hoppity (1962), Space Patrol (1964), Swizzlewick (1964), Rainbow City (1967), Z Cars (1968), Sadie, It's Cold Outside (1975), Madame Bovary (1975), Beasts (1976), 1990 (1978), Artemis 81 (1981), Ghost in the Water (1982), Alice in Wonderland (1986), Starlings (1988), Lipstick on Your Collar (1993) and Oliver Twist (1999). She is a prolific voice artiste best known for playing Grace Archer in radio soap The Archers (1952-55), as well as being the voice for Children's Hour on BBC Radio.

Wendy Danvers (Amazonia) Born c.1927
Career highlights
Wendy's only other credits include Don't Open 'Til Christmas (1984), voice work on Space Warriors 2000 (1985) and a 1988 episode of Bad Boyes.
Facts
Wendy, then about 75, appeared in the My Old Tart? episode of comedian Russell Brand's 2002 series RE: Brand, about social taboos, in which Brand tries to seduce her on a dirty weekend in Eastbourne. It's a fascinating programme, in which Wendy talks about why she doesn't feel sexually active any longer, and her penchant for gentlemen's bottoms!
In 2016 Toby Hadoke released his Who's Round interview with Wendy here.

Stuart Fell (Alpha Centauri) Born 1942
Doctor Who credits
Stunt/ fight arranger: Terror of the Autons (1971, uncredited), The Talons of Weng-Chiang (1977), The Ribos Operation (1978, uncredited), State of Decay (1980)
Played: UNIT soldier in The Claws of Axos (1971, uncredited)
Played: Alpha Centauri (body) in The Curse of Peladon (1972), The Monster of Peladon (1974)
Played: Sea Devil in The Sea Devils (1972, uncredited)
Played: Functionary in Carnival of Monsters (1973, uncredited)
Played: Tramp in Planet of the Spiders (1974)
Played: Field guard in Planet of the Spiders (1974, uncredited)
Played: Wirrn operator/ larvae in The Ark in Space (1975)
Played: Kraal in The Android Invasion (1975)
Played: Morbius monster in The Brain of Morbius (1975)
Played: Guard in The Masque of Mandragora (1976, uncredited), The Face of Evil (1977, uncredited), The Sun Makers (1977, uncredited)
Played: Entertainer in The Masque of Mandragora (1976)
Played: Sontaran in The Sontaran Experiment (1975, uncredited), The Invasion of Time (1978)
Played: Roga in State of Decay (1980)
Career highlights
Stuntman Stuart had bit-parts and action roles in a great number of productions, starting with Doomwatch (1970), then Colditz (1972), Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973), Steptoe and Son (1974), Poldark (1975-77), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Superman (1978), The Dick Emery Show (1977-80), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Superman II (1980), Blake's 7 (1978-81), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Open All Hours (1981), Octopussy (1983), The Goodies (1977-82), The Invisible Man (1984), The Two Ronnies (1973-85), A View to a Kill (1985), The Kenny Everett Television Show (1981-86), Aliens (1986), Alice in Wonderland (1986), Chocky's Challenge (1986), Bread (1987), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Willow (1988), 'Allo 'Allo (1989), French and Saunders (1990), The Les Dennis Laughter Show (1991), One Foot in the Grave (1994), Keeping Up Appearances (1992-95), The Demon Headmaster (1986), Duck Patrol (1998) and Last of the Summer Wine (1979-2008).
Facts
Stuart performs at events as Taro the Jester (voted Jester of the Year 1993), and at locations such as country hotels, castles and even the Tower of London. His skills include stilt-walking, fire-eating and juggling.

Henry Gilbert (Torbis) Apr 4 1913 to Jan 29 1973
Career highlights
Henry was originally a writer, having written material for a couple of European films in 1931, and had his acting debut in 1948's Kid Flanagan. Further credits include The Seekers (1954), Long John Silver (1954), The Adventures of Long John Silver (1956-57), The Seagull (1959), Hamlet (1959), Jonah (1963), The Saint (1965), Death is a Good Living (1966), The Caesars (1968), The Borderers (1970), Song of Norway (1970), Jason King (1971) and Inferno (1973).

George Giles (Guard captain) Aug 28 1930 to Aug 17 2007
Career highlights
Other credits include No Trams to Lime Street (1970), The Troubleshooters (1970), Paul Temple (1970/71), Bless This House (1972) and Arthur of the Britons (1973).

Murphy Grumbar (Arcturus operator) Aug 16 1928 to May 5 1991 Click here for Murphy Grumbar's entry on The Daleks (as Peter Murphy)

Nick Hobbs (Aggedor)
Doctor Who credits
Played: Technician in The Ambassadors of Death (1970, uncredited)
Played: Daffodil man in Terror of the Autons (1971, uncredited)
Played: Auton in Terror of the Autons (1971, uncredited)
Played: American aide in The Mind of Evil (1971, uncredited)
Played: Driver in The Claws of Axos (1971, uncredited)
Played: UNIT soldier in Day of the Daleks (1972, uncredited)
Played: Aggedor in The Curse of Peladon (1972), The Monster of Peladon (1974)
Played: Guard in The Time Monster (1972, uncredited)
Played: Wirrn operator in The Ark in Space (1975)
Played: Mr Nainby in Amy's Choice (2010)
Awards
2018: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture (Wonder Woman) - shared with entire stunt cast
2012: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2) - shared with entire stunt cast
Career highlights
Prolific stuntman and bit-part actor Nick's further work includes The Guardians (1971), The Edwardians (1972), The Flaxton Boys (1973), One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing (1975), Space: 1999 (1977), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Krull (1983), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Willow (1988), Batman (1989), Lovejoy (1991), The Darling Buds of May (1992), Braveheart (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Billy Elliott (2000), Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001), 24 Hour Party People (2002), Closer (2004), Little Britain (2004), The Worst Week of My Life (2004-05), The Last Enemy (2008), Ashes to Ashes (2008), Valkyrie (2008), Wild Target (2009), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Silent Witness (2012), Jack the Giant Slayer (2013), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Game of Thrones (2015), Agatha Raisin (2016), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016), Wonder Woman (2017), Tulip Fever (2017) and Requiem (2018).

Gordon St Clair (Grun) Born Jan 31 1933
Doctor Who credits
Played: Yeti in The Web of Fear (1968, as Gordon Stothard)
Played: Cyberman in The Wheel in Space (1968, as Gordon Stothard)
Played: Man carrying caskets in The Invasion (1968, as Gordon Stothard, uncredited)
Played: Prison officer in The Mind of Evil (1971, as Gordon Stothard, uncredited)
Played: Grun in The Curse of Peladon (1972)
Career highlights
Gordon's only other credited role was in Paul Temple (1970).

Geoffrey Toone (Hepesh) Nov 15 1910 to Jun 1 2005 (natural causes)
Doctor Who credits
Played: Temmosus in Doctor Who and the Daleks (1965)
Played: Hepesh in The Curse of Peladon (1972)
Career highlights
Irishman Geoffrey's earliest credit was in 1937's Cymbeline, followed by Queer Cargo (1938), An Englishman's Home (1940), The Woman's Angle (1952), The Man Between (1953), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955), The King and I (1956), The Entertainer (1960), The Odd Man (1960), The Terror of the Tongs (1961), Dr Crippen (1962), The Troubleshooters (1971), A Little Princess (1973), Warship (1974), The New Avengers (1976), Anna Karenina (1977), Citizen Smith (1979), Yes, Minister (1981), Only Fools and Horses (1982), Strangers and Brothers (1984), War and Remembrance (1988), Jeeves and Wooster (1991-93), Middlemarch (1994) and The Apocalypse Watch (1997). He also had a recurring role as Von Gelb in Freewheelers (1968-69).
Facts
Geoffrey was something of a matinee idol in his younger years, and enjoyed great success on stage alongside Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, being one of the longest-lived founding members of the Old Vic repertory company of the 1930s.

David Troughton (King Peladon) Born Jun 9 1950
Doctor Who credits
Played: Guard in The Enemy of the World (1967-68, uncredited)
Played: Moor in The War Games (1969)
Played: King Peladon in The Curse of Peladon (1972)
Played: Professor Hobbes in Midnight (2008)
Career highlights
David - the son of Second Doctor Patrick Troughton - made his acting debut aged 13 in The Tin Whistle Man in 1963, then appeared in two of his father's Doctor Who stories until moving on to roles in The Regiment (1972), Wessex Tales (1973), David Copperfield (1974), Our Mutual Friend (1976), Survivors (1976), Crime and Punishment (1979), Smuggler (1981), Dance with a Stranger (1985), Bergerac (1989), Tales of Sherwood Forest (1989), Rab C Nesbitt (1990), Boon (1992), Bonjour la Classe (1993), Underworld (1997), Cider with Rosie (1998), Paradise Heights (2002), Trevor's World of Sport (2003), Jericho (2005), Outnumbered (2011), Father Brown (2014), The Interceptor (2015), Unforgotten (2015), Grantchester (2014-16), The Hollow Crown (2016), The Levelling (2016), ChickLit (2016) and Life (2020). David also enjoyed regular roles as Lieutenant Richard Bravington in Wings (1976-78), Dr Bob Buzzard in A Very Peculiar Practice (1986-88) and A Very Polish Practice (1992), Hurry Fenwick in Casualty 1906/1907/1909 (2006-09), Ricky Hanson in New Tricks (2006-09) and Stan Astill in The Cafe (2011-13). In 2014, he took over the role of Tony Archer in BBC radio soap The Archers, which had been played by Colin Skipp for 46 years.
Facts
David played his father's role of the Second Doctor in a 2011 BBC audio featuring Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor. Here's a quick Troughton dynasty rundown - David, who is married to actress Alison Groves, has an actor half-brother called Michael (who appeared in Last Christmas), while David's son Sam is also in the profession (memorably playing Much in the BBC's 21st century version of Robin Hood). Another son, Jim, is a professional cricket player, and last but not least there's William (Wigsy), who is also an actor. David's nephew (Michael's son) is Harry Melling, an actor best known as Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films. In the early 1970s David shared a flat with fellow actor Colin Baker, who would go on to become the Sixth Doctor and star opposite David's father in Doctor Who in 1985! Colin was also the best man at David and Alison's wedding, and is godfather to Sam Troughton. It's almost as involved as the Davison/ Tennant clan!
In 2014 Toby Hadoke released his Who's Round interview with David here.

CREW

Brian Hayles (writer) Mar 7 1931 to Oct 30 1978 Click here for Brian Hayles's entry on The Celestial Toymaker

Lennie Mayne (director) Nov 8 1927 to May 20 1977 (drowned)
Doctor Who credits
Directed: The Curse of Peladon (1972), The Three Doctors (1972-73), The Monster of Peladon (1974), The Hand of Fear (1976)
Career highlights
Lennie also directed series such as Mickey Dunne (1967), Vendetta (1968), The First Lady (1969), The Borderers (1970), The Troubleshooters (1969-70), Brett (1971), Doomwatch (1971-72), Warship (1973), The Brothers (1974-75) and The Onedin Line (1976-77). He also choreographed for shows such as Rush Hour (1958), Cribbins (1965) and Call It What You Like (1965), and was credited as a dancer performing on 1960's Dial for Music.
Facts
Australian Lennie, who was married to actress Frances Pidgeon (who appeared in The Hand of Fear), was tragically drowned in a boating accident soon after finishing The Hand of Fear, when a dinghy he was using on the English Channel with two other yachtsmen (one of whom was actor Ian McCulloch, who was in Warriors of the Deep (1984)) was capsized by a freak wave, and the search-and-rescue team were unable to find him. It is his whistling you can hear in Sarah Jane actress Elisabeth Sladen's final scene in The Hand of Fear, as Sladen couldn't whistle.

Barry Letts (producer) Mar 26 1925 to Oct 9 2009 (cancer) Click here for Barry Letts's entry on The Enemy of the World

Terrance Dicks (script editor) Apr 14 1935 to Aug 29 2019 Click here for Terrance Dicks's entry on The Invasion