Fan Scene- CT 1980 Jul - Sep

 July

`Decay in Studio` is the headline this month though rather than a story of dry rot it’s actually referring to the news that the unmade story formerly known as `The Vampire Mutations` or `The Witch Lords` and more recently dubbed `The Wasting` is now to be titled `State of Decay` and broadcast fourth in the new season. The news item reminds us that this Terrance Dicks tale was originally penned three years back but pulled due to the series being instructed not to `send up` a lavish BBC2 version of Dracula. At the time this raised hopes that `Shada` might also be resurrected but it was not to be. The issue also reveals the title of the second story as `The Last Zolphathoron` and that Jacqueline Hill is returning to the series. Of course we all thought this meant Barbara was going to appear.

After a paragraph updating us on his recent house move, Chris Dunk addresses the fact that some members have claimed adverts in CT cost too much (remember they’ve recently gone up). He reveals the extent to which adverts subsidise the newsletter; if there were none CT could only afford to be four pages long. Then there would be no room to discuss moving house or to splash a largish photo of fan Gavin French on the front page whose presence is odd to say the least. 

In case we imagine it is recently that Jan Vincent- Rudzki has taken a less than optimistic view of the series, this month’s column has him reminiscing about how he had mixed feelings about the series ten years ago. Later in the column he discusses real theories about time travel recently featured in the magazine `Omni` so perhaps he is planning a trip back to 1963? Elsewhere there’s a lot of admin about. Jan reminds everyone that the DWAS does not have a bank account while Treasurer David Saunders asks we don’t stick 10p stamps on our postal orders and how to address them. “Sorry if this sounds severe,” he says but I bet he wasn’t sorry! Spoiling the fun we used to have sticking 10p stamps on postal orders!

The reason for Gavin French’s presence on the cover is revealed in a press cutting in the issue as he is making a Doctor Who film. Nothing to do with DWASfilms (see last month) The Destructors team includes the ubiquitous David Howe (where does he get the time?) and Ian Paice. I had to check this wasn’t the Deep Purple drummer. It’s set on the planet Fandra (real location Wisley) and has a creepy villain called Mrs De Male. The Doctor is played by Stephen Harmon. There is also a DWASfilms ad where you can win a Tshirt featuring a Voc robot and the words `Silent Force` so they must have changed the name of their film.

Fewer fanzines this month. Issue 6 of `Continuum` interviews Roger Oldmanstead, a monster costume designer who made the Mandrels and Nimon amongst others. One of the best ever issues of the DWAS zine `Tardis` is advertised; this featured a colour cover taken on the `Marco Polo` set and contributions from a number of series stalwarts and an in depth examination of `Masque of Mandragora` in a feature by the forensic Martin J Wiggins. A rather unfortunate ad pushing “fabulously constructed photographic posters” looks like it was scribbled on a napkin with an illustration that could be anything. I wonder if the creator sent a doodle instead of the finished ad in by mistake. A very wordy `Web Planet` advert takes four paragraphs to get to telling you what is in their latest issue which includes a Bob Baker interview and contributors Martin J Wiggins and Martin J Malcolm. Are they the same person? Finally the still going Swap Shop column includes an ad from someone with the extraordinary name of Sac K Loosley.

 

August

Much of the front page is given over to a preview of what members can expect from the Interface 1 event on 9 August. Events scheduled to happen include screenings of Hartnell episodes `Edge of Destruction` and `The Rescue` and there will be two guests Carole Anne Ford and Heather Hartnell. There will be refreshments but no full meals available though “the area is full of restaurants.” Afterwards attendees are invited to an informal get together at a pub called The Cock in Great Portland Street. Elsewhere there is “pitifully little news” so Chris Dunk resorts to printing some rumours he’s heard. One is a Doctor Who Festival in 1981 with several old stories being shown on BBC1 including `The Dalek Masterplan` and `The Ice Warriors`. Jon Pertwee will be appearing in `The Leisure Hive` in a crowd scene. This is obviously untrue as you could never imagine Mr P as simply part of a crowd.  Oh and Romana will be regenerating again. You were just making these up weren’t you Chris?

Turns out there is big DWAS news but it sits on the inside front page in the Presidential Column. “All things must end,” begins Jan Vincent-Rudzki dramatically, “and now its my turn.” Yep he’s stepping down having been the President since the DWAS started in May 1976. He thinks it’s time the next generation of fans had a turn. “I’ve certainly learned a lot about human nature,” he continues, “I’ve also become generally less naïve in my approach to life. I suppose I’m less trusting than I used to be.” One thing that hasn’t changed is his moaning, this time about people giving fandom a bad name as well as not resisting the chance to criticise Tom Baker – “I feel he has now little to give to the show.” Perhaps Tom read this and thought; “You know, cock, you’re right.” His own resignation would be announced later this year.

There are loads of fanzines advertised including the debut issue of `Shada` which would go on to become one of the top zines of the decade. Here, Gary Russell opens his account interviewing Norman Jones, a feature on the Nestenes and the start of a complete A-Z of Doctor Who. This is surely the sort of task that can never be completed? `The Space Museum` edited by Andrew Byford has its second issue and is one of a few zines this issue offering content about other series notably Blake’s 7. Issue 4 of `Frontier Worlds` edited by the two Peters has an interview with Dudley Simpson while John Nathan- Turner says “stay tuned” probably during his interview with Francis Danes’ `Fendahl` issue 11. A frantic sounding and dodgily typed ad for issue 7 of `Continuum` sees Douglas McDonald offer “comedy”, “news” and “monsters”. Yes Douglas McD but what’s actually in the issue? `76 Totter’s Lane` looks an altogether more organised affair with a comic strip and photos from the Exhibition. `The Dr Who Review` talks to Matthew Waterhouse, who had not yet been seen in the series and also director David Maloney. Well done Gary Hopkins but in terms of the most exclusive interview they’ve all been scooped by Ian Wishart in issue 3 of `Invasion`. He somehow managed to talk to notoriously grumpy Maureen O’Brien without her throwing him out of the window. How did he manage that?’

 

September

Big news this month reveals that a member of the DWAS has had a story accepted for next season. Andrew Smith, a member of the Society for years is the writer of `Full Circle` formerly called `The Planet That Slept`. It’s also reported that the Writers Guild are boycotting Target Books because owners WH Allen are refusing to pay the wages for adaptations of tv scripts asked for. Meanwhile John Nathan -Turner has reportedly been having discussions with Louise Jameson but “no other details have filtered through.” A Society appointment is announced with Richard Walter becoming the new editor of `Tardis`. Underneath this is a rather small thank you “to Steve and Jan for the hard work they put into DWAS over the four years they were involved.” This cursory note is immediately followed by “A minor amount of re-organisation is inevitable…” which somewhat undermines the value of all that hard work. Hard work which included actually starting the whole Society in the first place! Get the impression this parting of the ways was less than harmonious?

With Jan gone the Presidential column is replaced by two accounts of local fan events. Finally after advertising this all year the Tom Baker Pen Pal Club have been to Newlands Corner but the report does not say why. They just “went exploring” and had a buffet tea. It sounds like a Women’s Institute outing. If they wanted to find Tom they should really have formed the Tom Baker Drinking Pals Club. The other report is about the first Cumbria local group meeting on 20 July where, inevitably, Jeremy Bentham was a guest. He is from the area though, its not as if he invited himself to every local group meeting! The inside back page advertises A Convention for 80 with a provisional line up that beggars belief; even Uncle Tom Cobbley is going! Did they really get all these guests?

This issue is mainly full of adverts. Issue 7 of `Matrix` includes interviews with Louis Marks, Jacqueline Hill and Michael Gough, a most impressive set. As its editor is Richard Walter we can expect similar interviewtastic issues of `Tardis`. `Gallifrey`s eleventh issue includes the Great Secret of the Time Lords!  Wow, they were forty years early with the Timeless Child! `Web Planet` no 3 has a couple of interviews with Gareth Hunt and Paul Lavers among its contents. `Ark in Space` 4 has an interview with Katy Manning. Actors seemed to do a lot of fanzine interviews in those days. There’s also an ad for Dwosters. Doctor Who Posters they are with “stunning art from the next Leonardo da Vinci”. They cost 30p plus “a very large SAE” presumably to fit the picture frames surrounding these masterpieces.