The Celestial Toymaker


Starring William Hartnell
Episodes 1-4
1966
100 minutes
2 CD's





 

 


Production Notes
Doctor Who
William Hartnell

Steven Taylor
Peter Purves

Dodo Chaplet
Jackie Lane
Written by
Brian Hayles

Directed by
Bill Sellars

Produced by
John Wiles
Original Airdate
April 2 - April 23, 1966

UK Release Date
April 2001

BBC Radio Collection
ISBN 0563 478551




 

Cover Blurb

First Doctor William Hartnell faces one of the most powerful enemies he's ever encountered in this exclusive recording of a celebrated "lost" story, with linking narration by Peter Purves.

"You will become my perpetual opponent.  We shall play endless games together - your brain against mine." -- The Toymaker

In the domain of the Toymaker nothing is quite as it seems - as becomes apparent when the TARDIS materializes inside.  The Doctor seems well-acquainted with the mysterious mandarin's penchant for deadly distractions, but now with companions Steven and Dodo in tow the stakes are even higher.  Failure to triumph in a series of games will result in them being trapped for eternity in a strange realm where innocuous seeming nursery characters reveal lethal intent.

Steven and Dodo's desperation to regain the TARDIS increases with every round of blind man's bluff and musical chairs they play.  In each game they are faced by dangerous opponents and deadly allies - the clowns Joey and Clara, the King and Queen of Hearts, a mischievous schoolboy and a legion of silent, walking dolls...

The Doctor, rendered invisible and challenged to complete the fiendishly difficult Trilogic Game, can only watch his friends' plight from afar.  Who will be the first to make a false move in this battle of wits, and will the TARDIS ever escape the Toymaker's snare?

 

 


Additional Notes
  • The Celestial Toymaker has one existing episode (Episode Four: The Final Test).  This episode was released on "The Hartnell Years" tape.
     
  • A much better looking restored version of episode 4 is included in the DVD boxset, Lost in Time.
     
  • William Hartnell is absent from much of this story as he was on an extended vacation during filming.  He was "written out" by having the Toymaker first making him invisible, and then later unable to speak.
     
  • The audio recording of this story was done separately by David Holman and Richard Landen using home audio equipment.
     
  • Mark Ayres, of the Doctor Who Restoration Team, did extensive work on this audio release by digitally remastering these recordings.