Mirror: Over 100 long-lost Doctor Who episodes found by dedi

[silentfilm]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/106- ... ed-2343474

Over 100 long-lost Doctor Who episodes found by dedicated fans - in Ethiopia
6 Oct 2013 00:00

The Sunday People can exclusively reveal that 106 BBC programmes have been unearthed featuring the first two doctors



A group of dedicated Doctor Who fans tracked down at least 100 long-lost episodes of the show gathering dust more than 3,000 miles away in Ethiopia.

It was feared the BBC ­programmes from the 1960s – featuring the first two doctors William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton – had vanished for all time after the Beeb flogged off a load of old footage.

But after months of ­detective work the tapes have been unearthed at the Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency.

A television insider said: “It is a triumph and fans ­everywhere will be thrilled.

“This is a really big deal for the BBC and is set to make them millions from the sale of the DVDs.”

They were here: The agency where the tapes were found


If the tapes are returned in time the BBC hopes to announce the news during ­celebrations to mark Doctor Who’s 50th ­anniversary next month.

The Thick Of It actor Peter Capaldi, 55, takes over from Matt Smith as the 12th Time Lord at Christmas.

The recovered episodes from the 60s include much-loved scenes from The Crusade, The Enemy of the World and The Ice Warriors series.

In the four-part Crusade story Hartnell and his ­assistant Vicki, played by Maureen O’Brien, arrive in the Tardis in Palestine in the 12th century just as King Richard the Lionheart is doing battle with the Saracen ruler Saladin.

After each airing only once between 1964 and 1969, copies were sold to the Ethiopian Agency and the BBC then lost or wiped the originals.

As the corporation still owns the copyright the shows could be digitally remastered and shown again. The prospect will delight millions of fans worldwide.

Doctor Who expert Stuart Kelly revealed news of the discovery at the Wigtown Book Festival in Scotland last week.

When contacted by the Sunday People he said: “I was told by a friend that the ­episodes have been found in Ethiopia. The BBC is ­negotiating to get them back right now. I really can’t say any more than that.”

Rumours emerged of the lost shows earlier this year when tapes and 16in films of 90 episodes were thought to have been handed to a TV historian after turning up in a container loaded on a ship from Zambia.

In December 2011 two other ­episodes that were thought to have been lost were returned to the BBC.

The shows, from 1965 and 1967, ­starring Hartnell and Troughton, were found three decades after they were sold by mistake at a village fete.

The 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who will be broadcast ­simultaneously in at least 70 countries on November 23, the BBC has said.

[goalieboy82]

its official
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24448063
cant wait to find out what they found.

[Spiny Norman]

What rot! It seems there really is something to be announced because BBC news now lists it too, but that mirror article is 99% nonsense. For one, that rumour has been going on for months before they finally published it, then, the episodes would be on film, not on tape, but most of all the high number. ALL the missing episodes, really? That's like recovering all the Melies films, or all of Lon Chaney's lost films, or all the lost Harold Lloyds.

Also, better TV shows than Doctor Who were wiped, but for some reason that's all anyone cares about.

[boblipton]

Speaking as a fan of Doctor Who, Spiny, I don't disagree with you. Still, everyone's gone crazy over the Three Stooges short. People want to see what they want to see, regardless of the actual quality.

Bob

[Spiny Norman]

Not that I object to Doctor Who, far from it. I'm still watching it now and I've seen all I could of the first two geezers, including the last two to be officially recovered. Currently I'm almost at the last episodes of geezer #3.
So count me in to watch more when they find it (or announce it, anyway). But I also wouldn't mind if they found some World of Wooster/Wodehouse, or some All gas and gaiters, or Misleading Cases, other well-made UK series that I got introduced to but that are mostly lost (DW is not so bad off, at least there's audio for all the missing stuff).

[LouieD]

What rot! It seems there really is something to be announced because BBC news now lists it too, but that mirror article is 99% nonsense. For one, that rumour has been going on for months before they finally published it, then, the episodes would be on film, not on tape, but most of all the high number. ALL the missing episodes, really? That's like recovering all the Melies films, or all of Lon Chaney's lost films, or all the lost Harold Lloyds.

Also, better TV shows than Doctor Who were wiped, but for some reason that's all anyone cares about.

Your usual tolerant and easy going self again, I see?

[Salty Dog]

So count me in to watch more when they find it (or announce it, anyway). But I also wouldn't mind if they found some World of Wooster/Wodehouse, or some All gas and gaiters, or Misleading Cases, other well-made UK series that I got introduced to but that are mostly lost (DW is not so bad off, at least there's audio for all the missing stuff).

I'd like to see the many missing Hancock's Half Hour episodes.

[Jim Roots]

Speaking as a fan of Doctor Who, Spiny, I don't disagree with you. Still, everyone's gone crazy over the Three Stooges short. People want to see what they want to see, regardless of the actual quality.

Bob

Hope nobody drags The Day the Clown Cried into this thread.

Jim

[Spiny Norman]

Speaking as a fan of Doctor Who, Spiny, I don't disagree with you. Still, everyone's gone crazy over the Three Stooges short. People want to see what they want to see, regardless of the actual quality.

Bob

Hope nobody drags The Day the Clown Cried into this thread.

Jim

Personally I hate clowns, and I also hate the three or four stooges. Can't stand them. So I won't bring them up if you don't.

[Danny Burk]

Speaking as a fan of Doctor Who, Spiny, I don't disagree with you. Still, everyone's gone crazy over the Three Stooges short. People want to see what they want to see, regardless of the actual quality.

Bob

Hope nobody drags The Day the Clown Cried into this thread.

Jim

Oops! You just did.

[Joe Migliore]

Spiny Norman wrote:

Also, better TV shows than Doctor Who were wiped, but for some reason that's all anyone cares about.

Yes. Why is it that everyone is happy about the Doctor Who episodes that have been found, and nobody is talking about your fictional, alternative option of better shows that haven't been found being found?

[Spiny Norman]

Yes. Why is it that everyone is happy about the Doctor Who episodes that have been found, and nobody is talking about your fictional, alternative option of better shows that haven't been found being found?

OK, perhaps I need to explain it further (it's after all a children's show): There is an enormous amount of energy and attention for finding missing DW episodes. Now I understand it was part of many people's childhood but it still seems out of proportion to me sometimes. If that amount of energy went into other searches my examples might be a lot less fictional.

Anyway, you go and watch the last 3 episodes of DW: The Space Museum, and then come back and tell me how happy you are... Tell me you wouldn't swap them for, say, the 1st season of The Avengers, if you could.

I'll tell you what else is fictional: Any report that says nearly all the missing DW episodes have conveniently been found. Most now think there is something, probably between 5 and 9 episodes, waiting to be officially announced. But until that happens, we know nothing.

[silentfilm]

The Northern Echo newspaper inadvertantly broke the story before the BBC could announce it tonight...
"Lost" Dr Who serial found gathering dust abroad

5:54pm Thursday 10th October 2013 in News
By Nigel Burton

FOUR decades ago, Dr Who's encounter with the mythical Yeti left a generation of children terrified and enthralled.

The six part serial Web of Fear became one of the best-loved serials of the Patrick Troughton era.

Sadly, in the 1970s the well-travelled time lord faced an enemy far deadlier than the Daleks - BBC bean counters.

In an effort to save money, tapes of classic shows were wiped and recorded over.

In a matter of months some of the Doctor's greatest adventures were lost... seemingly forever.

The Web of Fear is one of the most missed serials, along with another Troughton era adventure, The Power of the Daleks.

But now all six missing episodes have been found - in a dusty storeroom in Nigeria.

The previously lost nine shows were among 11 traced to a television relay station and the find brings back to life an entire six-episode story, while another is almost complete.

The newly found programmes - which introduce the character of Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, better known to audiences as The Brigadier - will be available on iTunes from today and will later come out on DVD.

Phillip Morris, the director of Television International Enterprises Archive, unearthed the programmes by looking up the records of overseas shipments of tapes made by the BBC.

The stories, The Enemy Of The World (1967) and The Web Of Fear (1968) and both starring Patrick Troughton as the second Doctor, have now been remastered by BBC Worldwide, the corporation’s commercial arm.

Mr Morris said: ‘‘I remember wiping the dust off the masking tape on the canisters and my heart missed a beat as I saw the words Doctor Who. When I read the story code, I realised I’d found something pretty special.’’ Only one episode of The Enemy Of The World - which featured Deborah Watling as companion Victoria and Frazer Hines, later to find fame in Emmerdale as Jamie - had remained in the archives, so the addition of programmes one, two, four, five and six have completed the story.

Fiona Eastwood, director of consumer products, BBC Worldwide, said: ‘‘We are thrilled with the recent discovery of The Web Of Fear and The Enemy Of The World and we’re very happy to be launching re-mastered versions of these treasured episodes to fans as we celebrate the 50th year of Doctor Who.’’ The BBC still had the first edition in the Web Of Fear story, and the new finds mean only number three is missing. The tale introduced Nicholas Courtney as Lethbridge-Stewart, who began with the rank of Colonel but later became Brigadier.

The missing episode has been recreated using 37 still images which were available and the original audio which survived.

Many programmes from the era, along with many classic shows, disappeared as a result of efforts to save space. There are still 27 Doctor Who stories which have not been recovered or for which episodes are missing.

The show celebrates its half-century on November 23.

[goalieboy82]

9 down, 97 to go
http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2013/10/ni ... vered.html" target="_blank" target="_blank

[Spiny Norman]

And now it's past Wednesday standard time so the story is official: 9 episodes returned, Enemy of the world now goes from 1 episode extant to complete, and Web of Fear from 1 existing episode to only 1 missing episode.
Next question: Are we really going to have to get them from itunes?

[goalieboy82]

here is the itunes link:
http://www.itunes.com/doctorwho" target="_blank

[Allen Perkins]

What rot! It seems there really is something to be announced because BBC news now lists it too, but that mirror article is 99% nonsense. For one, that rumour has been going on for months before they finally published it, then, the episodes would be on film, not on tape, but most of all the high number. ALL the missing episodes, really? That's like recovering all the Melies films, or all of Lon Chaney's lost films, or all the lost Harold Lloyds.

Also, better TV shows than Doctor Who were wiped, but for some reason that's all anyone cares about.

Stop being a buzzkill

[The Blackbird]

Both serials are coming out on DVD soon. THE WEB OF FEAR in particular is exciting news, as it's considered one of the really iconic stories of the series' history. The Great Intelligence, malevolent enitity of the astral plane, covers London in misty cobwebs and before you know it the army is battling robot Yeti through the Underground tube stations (I'm not making this up). It was a sequel to THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN, a serial still mostly lost, where the Yeti attacked a Tibetan monastery. WEB OF FEAR is also notable for featuring the first appearance of the late Nicholas Courtney in character as The Brigadier, the good Doctor's ultimate straight man. Oddly enough, the Great Intelligence (now voiced by Sir Ian McKellan) just returned after a 45-year hiatus to menace our hero at the conclusion of the latest series, not that the timing of that is a bit suspicious given rumours of these lost episodes having been found have been circulating for months....

[The Blackbird]

Here's a link to the story in the Daily Mirror with various clips from the episodes. Pretty amazing quality given they've been lying around in boxes for decades. Even the soundtrack on THE WEB OF FEAR is spine-tingling.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/doct ... my-2359698" target="_blank" target="_blank

[Spiny Norman]

Personally I started with Web of Fear. Even though it's incredibly far fetched (robot yeti invading the London underground guided by a disembodied consciousness) and one episode doesn't even feature the doctor at all, it's got a nice atmosphere.

Oddly enough, the Great Intelligence (now voiced by Sir Ian McKellan) just returned after a 45-year hiatus to menace our hero at the conclusion of the latest series, not that the timing of that is a bit suspicious given rumours of these lost episodes having been found have been circulating for months....

But they also revived the ice warriors, and their first story still has two episodes missing that were not among the new recoveries (as far as we know).

[Gaucho]

Now I understand it was part of many people's childhood but it still seems out of proportion to me sometimes...Tell me you wouldn't swap them for, say, the 1st season of The Avengers, if you could.

Exactly. That would be one my holy grails (along with the complete first season of Callan)
Thank god Danger Man was never lost, wiped, or otherwise ruined.

[boblipton]

Don't you think that's a bit rancorous, Gaucho? I haven't felt it necessary to be snippy about the recovered Three Stooges movie that their fans are raving about. Nor am I going to throw a snit fit every time a new Ham & Bud turns up instead of Hats Off. I'll simply ignore them unless I'm in the audience for some other movie.

Given my druthers, it would all have been saved, but that's not the way things happen. Certainly I understand the economic issues that caused the BBC to erase a bunch of tapes. The discovery that some of the stuff survived in the middle of Africa is a good thing Or do you imagine that someone decided to get Satan to return the Doctor Who episodes by destroying the first season of The Avengers?

Bob

[Gaucho]

No, there was no intent to be rancorous or otherwise. My post wasn't directed against you or anyone else on the board - just wishing. After all, one can speculate all one wishes but what was found was found.

[Spiny Norman]

Certainly I understand the economic issues that caused the BBC to erase a bunch of tapes.

Junk the films, you mean. The tapes were reused sometimes after weeks, but all was fine until the telerecordings (kinescopes) were dumped. All the major news sites still talked about wiping and tapes...

[The Blackbird]

I've now seen both ENEMY OF THE WORLD and THE WEB OF FEAR and cannot recommend them highly enough. Patrick Troughton is The Man!

[goalieboy82]

more might be release soon:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/doct ... en-2839102" target="_blank

[Spiny Norman]

more might be release soon:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/doct ... en-2839102" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Oh, that's very likely... Someone who apparently recorded on 16mm at home, changing reels halfway every episode, and without sound. So it must have been very costly, but utterly useless at the time.


Note. My sarcasm isn't directed at goalieboy, but I am sceptical of sites who keep posting nonsense like this. And of BBC officials who lied to the public just before the last round of recoveries.
Marco Polo was exported to many countries so it's likely to be recovered, and I am quite fond of the first doctor now that I've gotten used to him. But if it returns it won't be like this.
(And although there is a good chance, you never know. Episodes have been recovered that had the chance of a snowball in hell (that is, 3 from "Dalek master plan"), so things may even themselves out by some obvious episodes sadly NOT returning.)

[boblipton]

Call for Phlip Morris

Rather than relying on conjecture, I decided to look in at Manhattan's branch of Books of Wonder and found the December 2013 issue of Doctor Who Magazine had a lot of news about the newly rediscovered episodes. Apparently they were recover by Philip Morris, whose company, Television International Enterprises Archives, is in the business of helping networks and broadcasters preserve their own production. The episode he is proudest of recovering is ... The Sky at Night episode with Arthur C. Clarke, and top on his list of what he hopes to find some day is Juke Box Jury with the Beatles..... as well as Episode 4 of Doctor Who's The Tenth Planet. Consult your nearest Whovian on why.

The restoration was led by Paul Vanezis, who reports the beginning of vinegar syndrome on the film. There's been a lot of interesting work done in restoration of Who, including techniques on recovering color from B&w tapes, which sounds impossible to me. I have, however, seen some of the results, so.... magic!


I have looked at both restored serials. The Web of Fear is not terribly outstanding, another "base under siege story" and visually subpar -- apparently this was the first serial shot in the 625-line format and they were still breaking in the machines. The Enemy of the World, in contrast, is a great serial, well written, some beautiful compositions and Patrick Troughton is dynamite in handling the two roles.

Bob