Monday, November 17, 2014

Vengeance on Varos

Peri (Nicola Bryant) grabs the first
hunky man she comes across after
 sustained emotional abuse from her
travelling companion.
And who can blame her?
Two episodes (Part One, Part Two)
First broadcast Jan 19 to 26 1985
Average audience for serial: 7.10m

REGULAR CAST

Colin Baker (The Doctor) Born Jun 8 1943 Click here for Colin Baker's entry on Arc of Infinity

Nicola Bryant (Peri Brown) Born Oct 11 1960 Click here for Nicola Bryant's entry on Planet of Fire

GUEST CAST

Geraldine Alexander (Areta) Born 1960
Career highlights
Geraldine debuted in The Gay Lord Quex (1983), then appeared in Florence Nightingale (1985), Miss Marple (1987), Bust (1987), Bad Ronald (1992), Victoria Wood's All Day Breakfast (1992), Perfect Scoundrels (1992), The Vacillations of Poppy Carew (1995), Jonathan Creek (1997), Forgotten (1999), Where the Heart Is (2002), The Government Inspector (2005), Midsomer Murders (2005), Extras (2006), Coronation Street (2004/07), Silent Witness (2008), Law and Order UK (2010), Case Sensitive (2012), Shetland (2013), Father Brown (2015), Marcella (2016) and The Child in Time (2017). She has also appeared in EastEnders in two different roles, as Vivien in five episodes in 2009 and as Andrea Rooney in four episodes in 2018-19.
In 2018 Toby Hadoke released his Who's Round interview with Geraldine here.

Nicolas Chagrin (Quillam) Nov 26 1945 to Aug 26 2017
Career highlights
Nicolas debuted in The Sky Larks (1958), followed by The Budds of Paragon Row (1959), The Fourth Square (1961), Thirteen Against Fate (1966), The Man in the Iron Mask (1968), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1969), Department S (1970), Shelley (1972), The Losers (1978), Beau Geste (1982), Minder (1984), The Box of Delights (1984), Fortunes of War (1987), Traffik (1989), Wings of Fame (1990), Zorro (1992), Highlander (1994), The Knock (1996), Coronation Street (2000), The Courtroom (2004), Hollyoaks (2009), Suite Francaise (2014) and London Spy (2015).
Facts
Nicolas's father was composer Francis Chagrin, who composed the incidental score for The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964), while his brother was actor and mime artist Julian Chagrin, who among many more impressive roles, played the Secret Lemonade Drinker in R Whites' 1973 TV commercial (mega-trivia: his wife in that advert was played by Genesis of the Daleks' Harriet Philpin!). In 1980, Nicolas married Hon. Elizabeth Mackintosh, daughter of the 2nd Viscount Mackintosh of Halifax (they'd divorced by 1990). Nicolas also coached in performance skills and personal development, including for the Ariel Group.

Forbes Collins (Chief Officer) Born Jul 29 1941
Career highlights
Forbes made his debut with 1971's Coppers End, after which he took roles in Warship (1973), John Halifax, Gentleman (1974), Intimate Games (1976), Jesus of Nazareth (1977), A Horseman Riding By (1978), Dick Turpin (1979), Bull Week (1980), The Black Adder (1983), By the Sword Divided (1985), CATS Eyes (1986), William Tell (1987), The Lady and the Highwayman (1989), Covington Cross (1992), The Bill (1994) and Mike and Angelo (1999). He also had regular roles as Zacky Martin in Poldark (1975-77), Curl Cohen in Dick Barton: Special Agent (1979) and, perhaps most memorably, as King John in the children's series Maid Marian and Her Merry Men (1989-94).

Jason Connery (Jondar) Born Jan 11 1963
Career highlights
Jason - the son of film star and one-time James Bond Sean Connery and actress Diane Cilento - broke into acting with 1983's The Lords of Discipline, after which he found roles in The Boy Who Had Everything (1985), Worlds Beyond (1987), Puss in Boots (1988), Casablanca Express (1989), The Other Side of Paradise (1992), Jamila (1994), The Successor (1996), The Famous Five (1997), Urban Ghost Story (1998), Shanghai Noon (2000), Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action! (2001-02), Smallville (2001-03), Shoebox Zoo (2004), Private Moments (2005), Lightspeed (2006), Velocity (2007), Penance (2009), General Hospital (2013), Alien Strain (2015) and The Untold Story (2019). His most memorable role was playing Robert of Huntingdon in the third series of Robin of Sherwood (1986), and he also gave his voice to 49 episodes of Gadget and the Gadgetinis (2003) and 18 episodes of Trollz (2005). He also directs, including The Devil's Tomb (2009), The Philly Kid (2012) and Tommy's Honour (2016).
Awards
2016: BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Feature Film (Tommy's Honour) - with Keith Bank, Bob Last and Jim Kreutzer
Facts
Jason, who schooled for a time with Prince Edward of Wessex, was married to American actress Mia Sara between 1996-2002. In 2014 he took part in BBC1's Celebrity MasterChef.

Graham Cull (Bax)
Career highlights
Graham's earliest role was as Tubby in Thomas and Sarah (1979), followed by We'll Meet Again (1982), Bergerac (1983), Minder (1984), Alice in Wonderland (1986), Seal Morning (1986), The Charmer (1987), Woof! (1991), Teenage Health Freak (1993), Fever Pitch (1997), Boyz Unlimited (1999), The Honeytrap (2002), Red Cap (2003) and Gideon's Daughter (2005).

Martin Jarvis (Governor) Born Aug 4 1941
Doctor Who credits
Played: Hilio in The Web Planet (1965)
Played: Butler in Invasion of the Dinosaurs (1974)
Played: Governor in Vengeance on Varos (1985)
Career highlights
Martin has enjoyed a long and prolific career, starting with The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling (1964), then Nicholas Nickleby (1968), Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970), Little Women (1970), The Moonstone (1972), The Pallisers (1974), Enemy at the Door (1980), The Black Tower (1985), Buster (1988), the narrator of children's series Huxley Pig (1989), Inspector Morse (1991), Murder Most Horrid (1991), The Scarlet and the Black (1993), Space: Above and Beyond (1996), Titanic (1997), Lorna Doone (2000), The Queen's Nose (2003), Numb3rs (2007), Stargate: Atlantis (2007), Taking the Flak (2008), Marple: The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side (2010), EastEnders (2010), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Wreck-It Ralph (2012, voice), Endeavour (2013), Law and Order UK (2014), United Passions (2014) and Casualty (1992/2017). He had regular roles as Jolyon in The Forsyte Saga (1967), Sam Harvey in Breakaway (1980) and Oliver Pryde in Rings on Their Fingers (1978-80). Between 2011-15 Martin voiced Alfred Pennyworth in a series of Batman video games.
Awards
2000: Officer of the order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama
Facts
Since 1974 he has been married to actress Rosalind Ayres. Martin's voice is familiar to many radio drama listeners, as well as those who listen to talking books. His son Toby is a leading TV and radio composer, working on series such as Love Island and Survival of the Fittest.
This is Your Life: Martin was the subject of BBC TV's This is Your Life on November 29th, 1999, surprised by host Michael Aspel while appearing on Gyles Brandreth's LBC radio show.

Hugh Martin (Priest) Dec 8 1933 to Jul 16 1997
Doctor Who credits
Played: Munro in Terror of the Zygons (1975)
Played: Priest in Vengeance on Varos (1985)
Career highlights
Debuting in The Errol Flynn Theatre (1957), Hugh's further work included Suspense (1962), Resurrection (1968), Softly Softly (1972), Hadleigh (1973), Oil Strike North (1975), The Sweeney (1976), Black Island (1979), The Enigma Files (1980), Union Castle (1982), Up the Elephant and Round the Castle (1985), A Very British Coup (1988) and Taggart (1983/90).

Sheila Reid (Etta) Born Dec 21 1937
Doctor Who credits
Played: Etta in Vengeance on Varos (1985)
Played: Clara's gran in The Time of the Doctor (2013), Dark Water (2014)
Career highlights
Sheila's earliest TV credit was in Mr Nobody (1960), after which she appeared in The Alphabet Murders (1965), A Flea in Her Ear (1967), Three Sisters (1970), Justice (1973), Moll Flanders (1975), Flickers (1980), Get Lost! (1981), The Home Front (1983), Miracles Take Longer (1984), Brazil (1985), The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987), American Friends (1991), Oliver's Travels (1995), Where the Heart Is (1998), Mrs Caldicot's Cabbage War (2002), Sea of Souls (2006), Bones (2008), Holby City (2009), Psychoville (2009/11), Psychobitches (2012-14), Containment (2015), The Bad Education Movie (2015), Humans (2018), All About Eve (2019), The Man in the Hat (2020), Big Boys (2022) and Love Without Walls (2022). Her most memorable role is as mobility scooter driver Madge Harvey in 45 episode of the comedy drama Benidorm (2007-16), and she also played Mildred in the trilogy Murder on the Blackpool Express, Death on the Tyne and Dial M for Middlesbrough (2017-19).
Facts
Sheila's first husband was the actor Julian Curry, best known as Claude in Rumpole of the Bailey.

Nabil Shaban (Sil) Born Feb 12 1953
Doctor Who credits
Played: Sil in Vengeance on Varos (1985), The Trial of a Time Lord (1986)
Career highlights
Born in Jordan, Nabil's acting career began playing Ben Gunn in the 1982 TV movie Walter, after which he took roles in Raspberry Ripple (1986), Iranian Nights (1989), City of Joy (1992), Wittgenstein (1993), Skallagrigg (1994), Slave of Dreams (1995), Children of Men (2006), Trouble Sleeping (2008) and Morticia (2009). He also reprised the role of Sil in the spin-off production Sil and the Devil Seeds of Arodor (2019).
Facts
Nabil, who was born with the brittle bone disease osteogenesis imperfecta, co-founded the Graeae Theatre Company for artists with physical and sensory disabilities in 1980. He was sent to the UK as a child for treatment for his disease and as a result grew up in numerous hospitals and residential homes, with little contact with his family. Long-time Doctor Who fan Nabil sent a letter to the production team in 1974 saying he could become the new Master, and again in 1980 suggesting he could be the new Doctor!

Keith Skinner (Rondel) Born 1949
Career highlights
Debuted in Mademoiselle (1966), then The Devil in the Fog (1968), Man at the Top (1970-71), So It Goes (1973), Beryl's Lot (1973/75), Esther Waters (1977), Jesus of Nazareth (1977), Maria Marten or Murder in the Red Barn (1980), The Borgias (1981) and Ripper Street (2013).
Facts
Keith gave up acting after appearing in Doctor Who and is now a leading crime historian, advising television productions such as The Diary of Jack the Ripper (1993) and From Hell (2001), as well as Ripper Street through his research into the history of the Metropolitan Police. Since 1987 he has written a great number of historical crime books, specialising in the subject of Jack the Ripper (he helped produce the Jack the Ripper document pack for the UK National Archives). He is also one of the people behind History by the Yard, which advises TV and film production companies on the history of policing in London, and also undertakes family history and genealogy projects. He is also a volunteer at the Metropolitan Police's Crime Museum (here he is pictured (on the right) in 2013).

Owen Teale (Maldak) Born May 20 1961
Doctor Who credits
Played: Maldak in Vengeance on Varos (1985)
Played: Ewan Sherman in Torchwood: Countrycide (2006)
Career highlights
After debuting in Doctor Who, Owen went on to appear in The Mimosa Boys (1985), David Copperfield (1986), Knights of God (1987), Waterfront Beat (1990), Robin Hood (1991), The Hawk (1993), The Thin Blue Line (1995), Death of a Salesman (1996), The Cherry Orchard (1999), Ballykissangel (1999), Ted and Alice (2002), Island at War (2004), Murphy's Law (2005), The Last Detective (2007), Silk (2011), The Hollow Crown (2012), Line of Duty (2012), Under Milk Wood (2014), River (2015), Ripper Street (2016), Houdini and Doyle (2016), Pulse (2017), A Discovery of Witches (2018), Tolkien (2019), Deep State (2019) and Dream Horse (2020). He played Dai in 20 episodes of Stella (2012-13) and may be best recognised as Alliser Thorne in Game of Thrones (2011-16).
Awards
1997: Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (A Doll's House)
Facts
Owen was previously married to actress Dilys Watling, sister of Debbie Watling (who played companion Victoria Waterfield). Owen is now married to actress Sylvestra le Touzel, who herself appeared in Doctor Who as a child in The Mind Robber (1968). In 1997 he won Broadway's Best Actor Tony Award for his role in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House.

Stephen Yardley (Arak) Born Mar 24 1942
Doctor Who credits
Played: Sevrin in Genesis of the Daleks (1975)
Played: Arak in Vengeance on Varos (1985)
Career highlights
Stephen's earliest appearance was in The Bender (1964), followed by The Flying Swan (1965), Danger Man (1965), The Champions (1968), Villains (1972), Harriet's Back in Town (1972), Adolf Hitler - My Part in His Downfall (1972), Oranges & Lemons (1973), The Brothers (1974), Coronation Street (1974), Thriller (1976), The Gentle Touch (1980), Blake's 7 (1981), The Day of the Triffids (1981), Funny Money (1983), Morgan's Boy (1984), Widows 2 (1985), The Doctor and the Devils (1985), Remington Steele (1987), Virtual Murder (1992), Heartbeat (1996), Bugs (1998), Holby City (2000) and Hex (2004). He has enjoyed a number of regular roles in ongoing dramas, including PC May in Z Cars (1967-68), William "Spider" Scott in The XYY Man (1976-77), Max Brocard in Secret Army (1978) and Vince Farmer in 93 episodes of the soap Family Affairs (1999-2003), but will be best remembered as Ken Masters in Howards' Way (1985-90).
Facts
Stephen is married to his Howards' Way co-star Jan Harvey.

CREW

Philip Martin (writer) Jul 3 1938 to Dec 13 2020
Doctor Who credits
Wrote: Vengeance on Varos (1985), The Trial of a Time Lord Parts 5-8 (1986)
Career highlights
Philip's television writing career stems back to 1970 when he began penning scripts for Z Cars, after which he also worked on New Scotland Yard (1972), Gangsters (1975/78), Shoestring (1979), Star Cops (1987), Tandoori Nights (1987), Virtual Murder (1992), The Good Guys (1993), Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1997-98), Doctors (2007) and Sil and the Devil Seeds of Arodor (2019).
Facts
Philip's unused script for Season 23, before it became The Trial of a Time Lord, was Mission to Magnus featuring Sil and the Ice Warriors, which he novelised for Target in 1990 and was adapted into an audio adventure by Big Finish in 2009. Philip also wrote a Doctor Who 'make your own adventure' book in 1986 called Invasion of the Ormazoids. Philip's writing techniques on Gangsters (which he occasionally acted on as various minor characters) were featured on the Open University study list at one point.
In 2014 Toby Hadoke released his Who's Round interview with Philip here.

Ron Jones (director) Aug 6 1945 to Jul 9 1993
Doctor Who credits
Directed: Black Orchid (1982), Time-Flight (1982), Arc of Infinity (1983), Frontios (1984), Vengeance on Varos (1985), The Trial of a Time Lord (1986)
Career highlights
Starting out as a BBC Radio studio manager in the 1960s, Ron worked for a time as a researcher and writer for the children's show Blue Peter, before acting as an assistant floor manager and production manager on series such as Bergerac and Secret Army. Ron's few other directing credits include Juliet Bravo (1985), the German soap Lindenstraße (1987-88) and the TV movie Burg Wutzenstein (1988). In the 1970s Ron worked as a researcher and writer on the children's show Blue Peter. Ron's partner was Gordon Elsbury, who directed shows such as Are You Being Served?, Top of the Pops and Spitting Image (he was also production assistant on the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest).

John Nathan-Turner (producer) Aug 12 1947 to May 1 2002 (liver failure) Click here for John Nathan-Turner's entry on The Leisure Hive

Eric Saward (script editor) Born Dec 9 1944 Click here for Eric Saward's entry on on Castrovalva

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