Doctor Who Prop Hunt

Hello folks! This week on my Instagram I have been posting pictures of Classic Who space suits. And whenever I thinking about spacesuits and astronauts I will always consult the excellent blog Say Hello Spaceman  This prop hunt entry is very much indebted to Steve of SHS and his excellent research into the helmets used in The Ambassadors of Death.  MOON ZERO TWO, 1969 The helmets from Ambassadors started life in the Hammer Films science fiction movie Moon Zero Two. Pictured here are James Olsen and Catherine Schell (a very beautiful women, probably) THE AMBASSADORS OF DEATH, 1970 A year after their big screen debut they are pressed into service for Doctor Who. Unlike many of the other appearances listed here, Who only used the helmet and not the completed suit. It is mainly identifiable by the raised area at the chin. HERE COME THE DOUBLE DECKERS!, 1970 The same year several of the colourful Moon Zero Two suits appeared in this British/American co-produced kids show.  SPA...

As always, the hunt goes on. And it often throws up stuff I had previously missed. So it’s time for another round up of updates.                                                                                                                     Back at the beginning of this month I looked at these panels in The Pirate Planet, The Armageddon Factor and more. Well, I’ve found one I missed and it’s also from the key to time season. . THE POWER OF KROLL, 1978 THE ARMAGEDDON FACTOR, 1979 In the post about these panels I highlighted a large example from The Armageddon Factor. But also in this story is a smaller panel in the Marshall’s module. If you look at the top you can see the three rows of lights ...

International Electromatic Company. State your business! This week I take a look at the ‘stupid primitive machine’ from the reception of IE. The Doctor and Zoe may not appreciate this ‘brainless tin box’ but it is a distinctive prop and one that turns up a bit in sixties TV. And it’s not alone as there are a few variants to look for. THE INVASION, 1968 Let’s start with its memorable appearance in The Invasion. We get a good look at the whole thing so we can see what to spot in its other appearances. There are two panels at the top which have handles and almost look like they can open. Under that we have the standard whirly tapes and then in the body of the machine is a wedge shaped control panel. SOMETHING IN THE CELLAR, 1969 Something in the Cellar is an episode from the seminal 60s anthology series Out of the Unknown. It’s from OOTU’s third season and was broadcast in February 1969. In the episode a Professor, haunted by the memory of his Mother, builds a computer in his basement. TH...

This weeks props are cupboards that adorned many a set during the Pertwee era, made a bit of a comeback in the Davison era, and have even appeared in Nu Who. Often paired with a row of circular oven like knobs as seen below, these cupboards made for a quick and easy set dressing for everything from spaceships to submarines. Here are all of the Doctor Who appearances I have been able to find. As always, if you know of any others please do get in touch.  THE AMBASSADORS OF DEATH, 1970 The earliest example I have found is from Pertwee’s first season. The cupboards, along with the circles, can be seen behind the seats in Recovery 7. Keep in mind their orientation here. For this story the circular controls are above the cupboards. But, as we will see in other examples, there was a lot of variety in how these were displayed. THE SEA DEVILS, 1972 This story features the cupboards on two sets. First, in the above picture, in Trenchards office (complete with telephones) and second…. …. on b...