In Memory of Mary Tamm 1950 - 2012

My Sunday update is once again a sad news one. Short on the heels of the Doctor Who world having lost Caroline John, now the wonderful Mary Tamm has passed away earlier this week.

Photo from Big Finish

Mary appeared in the Key To Time series alongside Tom Baker's Doctor. In this series the Doctor was tasked to locate the six segments and to do this he was given a new companion to help him, the Time Lady Romanadvoratrelundar (Romana for short). Romana brought style and elegance to the TARDIS, but could also be aloof and superior to the Doctor. 

When you met Mary at the conventions there was no sign of that aspect of Romana, instead a warm smile greeted the fans along with friendly and witty chat. I will always remember when I first met Mary, coming away from the event saying how nice she was and looked forward to meeting her again.

Outside of Doctor Who Mary could be seen in Eastenders, Paradise Heights and Jonathan Creek to name just a few. She had returned to the part of Romana for the Big Finish Companion Chronicles and Gallifrey series, and had just recently finished recording some new adventures alongside Tom Baker for a series of audio releases due out next year.

All our thoughts are with Mary's family and friends at this sad time.

BBC News

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18995370

Big Finish tribude to Mary Tamm

http://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/mary-tamm-1950-2012

Elizabeth Sladen Tribute

In memory of Elizabeth Sladen

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13137674

Doctor Who fans world wide are again in shock and grief as another legend from the series has passed away. Elizabeth Sladen first appeared as Sarah-Jane Smith the plucky journalist that stowed away on the TARDIS in 1973 opposite Jon Pertwee.

Sarah-Jane then stayed with The Doctor when he became Tom Baker and remained until 1976.  Elizabeth later reprised her role in the spin off K9 & Company, The Five Doctors and when the series returned she was once again invited back to bring Sarah-Jane to a new generation, being rewarded with her own award winning spin off series The Sarah-Jane Adventures.

I met Elizabeth at several signings and conventions and always found her to be warm and friendly, just like the character she portrayed in Doctor Who.

I’m not sure if it wasn’t for the partnership of Tom Baker and Elizabeth Sladen I might not have got so hooked on Doctor Who.

Our thoughts go out to her family and close friends at this sad time.

A tribute to two very special people.

Doreen Kettlety 6th June 1928 – 16th April 2008
Joseph Kettlety 3rd October 1924 – 26th November 2009

I have been painting figures and building models now for many years, and I’ve certainly inherited this creativity from my parents, I think it must be in the blood.

Today is a sad day, it is the third anniversary of the day mum lost her battle with cancer, and having been married for sixty years that took its toll on dad, and he passed away eighteen months later from a heart attack. So today I would like to pay tribute to both of them, and share some of their creations which live on, along with loving memories.

When I was a kid, the school had its annual fate, and mum along with my then neighbour would always be found running the handicraft stall, having more or less completely populated that stall themselves with knitted gloves, scarves and hats, cuddly toys, tea cosies, dolls clothes, puppets – you name it they made it.

You may have guessed by now that I’m a fan of a certain TV programme, Doctor Who. Mum knitted both the multicoloured scarf and the burgundy variation made famous by the 4th Doctor, Tom Baker. In fact – and I’ll post when I find the picture – mum made the entire original costume for me and it has served me well for many fancy dress parties.

When it came time to update the costume mum’s knitting skills were put to the test by knitting the 7th Doctor’s question mark pullover worn by Sylvester McCoy.

We examined photos of the costume closely to get the pattern right stitch by painful stitch.  I’m sure you’ll agree from these photos mum did a very good job of the whole costume.

I said the craft comes in the blood, and dad’s gift was working with wood, which my brother has inherited. He always said wood work was his best subject at school.

Here you’ll see samples of the display cases dad built for me, from wall mounted cases for the lead figures seen here with some of my Doctor Who figures, to large free standing model cabinets, with plate glass shelves for my many fantasy collections.

Dad also turned his hand to display cabinet draws, when I needed something that extra bit special for a special collection.



When I was very young, dad built a mini store for me, and then for a later Christmas my first Hornby Train Set, complete with a village layout – now guess where my love of building scenic layouts and models came from.

Although today does have sad memories, whenever I think of my folks I’m left very warm memories, and I thought today would be appropriate to share some of them.

Thank you.

Nicholas Courtney Tribute

In memory of Nicholas Courtney - Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/news/bulletin_110223_01/Nicholas_Courtney

Nicholas Courtney first appeared in Doctor Who in 1965 in the story “The Dalek’s Master Plan” playing Bret Vyron. He later returned in 1968 where he played Lethbridge-Stewart for the first time, and after that the character became a regular in the classic series throughout the early 1970s. He returned on several occasions, and had played against all first eight Doctors either on screen or on audio.


It almost became part of the Doctor Who tradition that the new Doctor was not really ‘The Doctor’ until he had met the Daleks and his old friend ‘The Brigadier’.


Nicholas Courtney returned to the character recently in the new Doctor Who spin off series ‘The Sarah Jane Adventures’.

I had the pleasure of meeting Nicholas Courtney at several Doctor Who events, where he was always a marvellous ambassador for the series, always warm and generous to the fans.

However I first met him in Pizza Hut in Wimbledon where he and a small party with him sat at nearby table. We ended up comparing notes as to what was good on the menu. I will always treasure that memory of our first meeting.

Here is a photo of the Fine Art Castings 80mm figure of the Brigadier I painted in the mid 1980s, and another picture of the other figureheads of the programme already passed over, who I am sure were there to greet him.

Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.

A memorial tribute has been set up in memory of Nicholas Courtney by Hirst Publishing, raising money for Marie Curie Cancer Care. If you would like to donate please follow the link to the 'Just Giving' website.
http://www.justgiving.com/nicholascourtney