Was lucky enough to find a copy of the novelization of this story in a St Vincent's DePaul shop. There it was on display amidst some other gifted bricabrac ( Saw a Toby Jugg of William Gladstone, the Victorian Prime Minister.)
Reading it drew me back into a time before repeats, before videos, DVDs and Blu Rays. Which, off course, signals how ancient I am. The Hartnell and Troughton eras had such a myhic resonance for me growing. Their adventures existing only in black and white photograpghs and the occasional mention in articles in various magazines. No internet in those days. The only information highways lead to libraries.No bad thing for anyone who took comfort in a world of books.Which I did from an early age, dreaming of living in my very own book tower.
That well known pic of Michael Gough as the title character is embedded on the memory of so many Doctor Who fans off a certain age and beyond.I met Michael Gough one night in a pub. The Crown Bar, which was just the perfect back drop for this charming man. A man with a very interesting presence, and a gentle man to boot. My friend Jim Mc Kevitthad said he thought his casting as Alfred in the Tim Burton movie was one of the best things about that movie. And he was quite right. An inspired choice given his respectful contributions to genre cinema.Will me see a return for the character later this year in the anniversary specials?
Only time, as always will tell. Russel T Davis could answer that question...
But he is not telling.
