| Doctor Who? | The classic TV show provided over 600 episodes, 150 stories, two TV movies and K9's spin-off show. The First Doctor: William Hartnell 1963-1966 The Second Doctor: Patrick Troughton 1966-1969 The Third Doctor: Jon Pertwee 1970-1974 The Fourth Doctor: Tom Baker 1974-1981 The Fifth Doctor: Peter Davison 1982-1984 The Sixth Doctor: Colin Baker 1984-1986 The Seventh Doctor: Sylvester McCoy 1986-1989 The Eighth Doctor: Paul McGann 1996 K9 Travelled with the Doctor between The Invisible Enemy and Warrior's Gate. K9 was the creation of Professor Marius, who had made the loyal robot dog to circumvent weight restrictions when travelling to the Bi-Al asteroid. When he returned to Earth, Marius gave K9 to the Doctor. Capable of independent thought, and equipped with a blaster, K9 was a useful companion. The Doctor gave K9 to Leela when he left her on Gallifrey, but had already prepared K9 Mk II. Despite numerous technical problems which put him out of action, K9 Mk II travelled with the Doctor until he was given to Romana as a parting gift. The Doctor sent another K9 to Sarah Jane Smith, after she had returned to Earth. |
For four years Sylvester McCoy studied at a Scottish seminary with the intention of becoming a priest. But he shunned the priesthood to become an actor - playing the 7th Dr Who from 1986 to 1989. But there are a lot of similarities between Bible stories and the cult TV programme, says Sylvester. "When you are on the stage you are a god," he quoted from famous theatre guru Joan Littlewood, "so rather than become the Pope I decided to become God instead! I was spared the priesthood. At the time I believed in all that. I now know it to be a complete falsehood and a fantasy. Saving mankind  | | Sylvester's trademark hat and umbrella |
"Dr Who is the same Christian story. Someone coming down from outside this world to save mankind. A small man who does his best against the odds. It's an universal story that everyone loves which is the real appeal of Dr Who. "Before Christianity there were other faiths using the same story that Christianity used." Sylvester will be in Milton Keynes Theatre for a week from April 4 with the much-loved classic Arsenic and Old Lace, but before that he will be watching the new series. "I'm delighted with the 9th doctor. I have been lucky enough to see the first episode and it's absolutely wonderful," he said. "Christopher Ecclestone is very eccentric in his own wonderful inimitable way. Billie Piper is awesome. She's so good it's a joy to watch. their work together is wonderful. "There is a sense of something more going on too. One of the great chat-up lines is 'And it travels through time as well' and with that he's wooed her and won her over - but you need to have a Police Box for it to work!" New audience Sylvester is sure the new series will find a place in a new audience's heart: "The new Dr Who will capture an audience as the old one did. It's got an element of the early Doctors but it's a piece of now as was Dr Who when it came out in the 60s. It echoes back to other Doctors' stories bit at the same time it's brand new and exciting and cut in a quick way which works terribly well."  | | The Tardis |
And the people who follow Dr Who, travelling from convention to convention - are they just a little bit mad? Sylvester says no: "They are very nice and very committed people. Dr Who gives them an enthusiasm in their life. The Whovians are great - maybe they should be called the Whovers as they hoover everything up about Dr Who!" Sylvester will be visiting a Dr Who convention in Milton Keynes. He is fond of the new city as he played there in Noises Off two years ago. "It's a great theatre. The show went down a storm and that gives me fond memories of it." Classic farce Sylvester plays Dr Einstein in the classic farce, a character he describes as "quite a nice man, but also an alcoholic and a face lifter - a plastic surgeon. "The play has been barn storming all round the country. we are packing them in wherever we are going. We did a matinee this afternoon and it was extraordinary. It was full up."  | | Sylvester and the Daleks |
The play was made into a film by Frank Capra in 1944 with Cary Grant making the role of Mortimer Brewster. But what does Sylvester prefer - theatre or film/television? "I much prefer theatre. it's the most natural place for an actor to be. In front of an audience, feeling their response whether you hear their laughter of their tears. On television you are a jigsaw piece in a whole jigsaw puzzle." Arsenic and Old Lace will be appearing at: Milton Keynes Theatre
4 April - 9 April 2005
Mon- Sat eves: 7.30pm
Saturday matinee: 2.30pm Wycombe Swan
18-23 April 2005
Mon-Sat eves: 7.30pm
Wed & Sat mats: 2.30pm | 
