@@eddiegaltek I didn't watch him until much later, and I liked him, but what hurt him so much was that he was grounded as a punishment. No more interstellar adventures hurt it for me. The Drs (and Doctors) I love the most is 4, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12. The absolute worst for me is #6 as I still can't stand him. #13 Killed the franchise for me, so the last Doctor is 12 for me and the series passed.
Tom Baker was not self-centered or egotistical. He simply loved his role and the show and didn't like seeing it go downhill after Elisabeth left. There is a huge difference between acting like a diva and caring about a show you're involved in. He wasn't trying to get more for himself. He was trying to get more for the show.
Both things can be true. He didn’t come back for the five doctors because he didn’t want to share screen time as a co-lead with the other doctors. Gotta take your rose tinted glasses off he could be self centred and spikey at times but ain’t we all occasionally?
I've heard that Tom Baker himself admitted that he became withdrawn and moody after Elisabeth Sladen left the show, so he obviously missed her. Louise Jamison did feel as if Baker was treating her badly during her first season, but she would later confront him about it and their working relationship did improve in her next and final season with Baker. But Mary Tamm and Lalla Ward clearly did not have any problems with Baker, as Tamm got along quite well with him and Ward fell in love with him.
@Ravern Noir Reckon that was a stand-in. Note the crosscutting to nude body no face to closeups of Mary's face. In another shot hair covers the face in a nude shot.
Lalla didn't have problems with him at first, but their divorce led to them not being able to be around each other for a good long while. ^^; So not really problems while on the show together, but afterwards... think they've somewhat patched it up now but I'm not 100% sure.
@@L1ttl3J1m Does duck waggling frighten horses? Hm. Then, henceforth, I will advise all the local horses never to approach any waggling ducks . . upon fear that they may fright or offend!
Those that waggle their ducks in mixed company are often compelled to make restitution with substantial monetary remuneration and/or lengthy community service
re-watching this one. Uhm I think its fair enough. His entire life had been a tragedy, so much sadness that he wanted to run away from the past, to make a change. And when he finally got his chance of a life time which was Dr Who, he didn't simply try his best, he gave it his life, everything.
Well they obviously did realise it was a send-up. That's why the deadpan "no don't waggle your ducks" comes back instantly. They know it is a send up and they are having none of it. They even repeat the words to highlight that.
I think we are being a bit critical about a stressful time we were never a part of. I think they're all tired and they're all joking. One of the men even replied 'itll frighten the horses'. And yes they're saying it dead pan, they're British, that's our humour
I think there came a point where Tom Baker knew that character inside and out, and took it VERY seriously. When you've been doing something a long time and you know your business, and then someone comes along and says "do this" You fight for what you believe in. The scripts had a very slow decline after Liz left and then a rapid decline by the time Adric came around. It wore on him.I can say Baker has an ego, but I wouldn't say he was a dick for protecting his art and the character/show.
Same thing happened with Hartnell when William Russell and Jacqueline Hill left. John Wiles and Donald Tosh made life difficult for Maureen O'Brien and Hartnell became protective of his last connection to the early lineup. They fired Maureen for fighting for her character and Hartnell threatened to quit shortly afterwards. He won out because the BBC rightly understood that Hartnell was more important to the show at the time than a director and a script writer that were trying to reinvent the wheel after Verity Lambert had exited. It is very interesting to see the similarities between two of the best doctors and how passionate they were about their character and the show.
Not at all. I'm not condoning all of Toms behaviour but he had some excellent points and was civil and fine in the way he would suggest ideas. Even Lalla admits he was never rude to his fellow co-stars. What seemed to piss Tom off more then anything else was the quality of some of the scripts.
Marc Norton It suits his character perfectly. He always assumes command in every situation that he's in. If the other people are screwing around, he won't mind being a jerk, but he must protect the sanctity of the character above all else.
Your assessment of Tom Baker is accurate I feel. And I agree Tom's not "mean" he's just "different". Elisabeth Sladen loved working with Tom, as she makes clear in her autobiography. Tom adored her, because she was "so nice to him" and she solidly supported him right from the start. That's why he was so devastated when she left WHO. He now admits to becoming "moody and withdrawn" when she left, and that's why he treated poor Louise Jameson so terribly at first.
I think you said it PERFECTLY! Liz, Barry Letts, Dave Maloney, Ian Marter and Philip Hinchcliffe all really loved Tom, knew how talented he was and respected Tom immensely. Then they all started leaving him. Considering how little respect and love Tom received early in life that had to have made him feel appreciated, loved and supported. We all need that. God bless.😀
It was his biting wit and volatility that made his portrayal the best. I know they were probably written but the amount of hilarious quips and asides he says in the dialog, I have to feel a few were improvised.
From the Tom Baker web-site, in his OCT 2009 Newsletter on the death of Barry Letts, Tom says, "I had no idea how to approach the part. I just turned up and did my turn and Elisabeth Sladen was pleased and so was Barry...And I always think of Liz Sladen with such tender memories for the confidence she had in me. We had such a happy time together." Elisabeth Sladen was a star when Tom was an unknown in the long shadow of Jon Pertwee. Her support made him successful.
I think you are correct that Tom can be a bit self-centered. Now, if you carefully watch all the Season 12-14 stories with Tom & Lis Sladen, it is pretty obvious that Tom doesn't get the spotlight most of the time. If anything, Tom & Lis are very much a double act who work superbly well together, & the 2 of them is a main reason that era is so fondly remembered. Tom adored Lis Sladen, and that probably moved him away from being self-centered in those stories with her.
Anyone else ever notice that Tom's "bad" reputation did not start until after Elisabeth Sladen left? And Tom's tantrums began almost immediately after HAND OF FEAR. First, he didn't want a companion, then he didn't like the Leela character, and was constantly rude to Louise Jamison on set. You can see the uncomfortable, almost fearful expression on Lalla Ward's face in these clips. It appears Lis Sladen's influence somehow kept Tom stable for almost 2 1/2 years. Just an observation...
Not that it was Louise Jamison's fault, but she was the '7 of 9' solution to Doctor Who -- brought in a character to sex the show up a bit, and Tom resented it immensely. Wasn't the actress' fault, and he should have realized that (in the same way Kate Mulgrew came to terms with Jeri Ryan) but you went from a plucky independent spirited investigative journalist to a stereotypic primitive in minimal clothing.
@63DW89A “There is no other way of describing it,” he says. “Elisabeth and I, we were intuitive together. She was just marvelous.” At Panopticon in 1993, Tom Baker told fans that he fell deeply in love with Lis, but could never admit his feelings for her because she was married. After Lis left the show, Tom was completely heartbroken. He would sing “I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now” by Perry Como to himself and was harsh towards her replacement, Louise Jameson. “I was cold with her,” he recalls. “It was mean of me. To be cold was terrible; giving into my grief like that.” I’ve heard Louise confronted Tom over his mistreatment of her and now they’re really good friends. However, it’s obvious that Tom’s working relationships on the show were never the same after Elisabeth Sladen left.
The last clip, oddly in black and white (?) showed Tom trying his very best to make a great show! He was suggesting improvements and adding value, as was Mary: this is why you want to hire good actors! He took the role seriously and was utterly superb. Compare him to the trainwreck of the last three years and ...Her....
Early during the commentary on PLANET OF EVIL, as Tom & Lis exit the TARDIS, Tom sighs and says, "I don't think I've ever been as truly happy as I was then...with you Elisabeth.". It is a very revealing and quite touching comment by Tom.
Given recent years, he was right. Since she left the show, he did hit Lucille Ball territory with others even when Barry Letts came back to guide John Nathan-Turner's first year as producer
I suspect he had a genuine crush on her. But she was married and he was a gentleman. There's a clip somewhere recently of him talking about how sad he is that she's gone and I feel like he so isn't acting his tears, the crazy uncle mask slips completely.
I can definetely see where Tom's coming from. Because first of all he was angry about the bad scripts from Dr Who. Second of all he was angry at the directors and how they direct actors is probably in the sense from where he's coming from, because he loved playing the Doctor. Then thirdly, he didn't like how the costume was changed with the burgandy costume, plus the question marks as well, which has pushed Tom to leave the series because he didn't get along with JNT the producer and how they've drastically changed it. Phillip Hinchcliffe, Liz Sladen and a few actors supporting Tom Baker were the only ones who kept him happy for 2/3 years. And it was saddening that Liz passed away about 4 years ago. That definetely caused a great pain in Tom Baker and they were totally a companion pair for the Doctor Who series for 3 years before she left Doctor Who. She was a great actress and a brilliant character of the famous Sarah Jane Smith. Best companion pair ever.
Great assessment. Tom normally was a pretty happy go lucky guy and usually got on with all his fellow actors, made visiting actors feel very welcomed, was generous with screen time and got on, in the first few years, wonderfully well with Hinchcliffe and the Directors and writers. Then his Doctor Who family starting leaving him and he didn't know how to express that pain except thru fustration, drinking and anger at times. In those days to the BBC looked at actors as property and a way to make money. Tom made them money but his human needs were not important to them. Plus the people that he felt closest to were all leaving almost at the same time.
+Gabriela Piechowicz Actually Tom didn't dislike Louise. It was more that Tom loved Liz, was grateful how at ease she made him feel (poor guy was nervous as hell when he joined Doctor Who and Pertwee's cold attitude towards Tom didn't help any) when he started in the role and Tom and Liz had forged a great on set friendship. Tom and Liz had the same sense of humor and shared some of the same interests which they could talk endlessly about. They simply adored one another. Like a kid losing his best friend he didn't want anyone to take her place. Once Louise talked to Tom he realized how he was coming off, told her everything was okay and they became friendly. Now of course Louise says Tom makes her laugh, is someone she feels totally comfortable in confiding with and adores him as he doas her. She said a few years back that she wishes she had stayed longer now. Interesting ☺
Yeah, Tom, like the viewers, probably remembered the way the show used to be, and like us it's logical to assume he would also be fed up of the lousy scripts and directors who don't know what they're doing. The change in costume was also unnecessary, and I didn't like it.
On Tom's website, in the Forum, in "Question Room", Tom answers a SEP-2012 question, "A Companionless Doctor?" from a fan. Tom explains Lis Sladen's mistaken reason for leaving DW, and writes "Anyway I felt the loss terribly and became withdrawn and moody". Tom's answer goes a long way toward explaining his mindset and reasons for his petulant behavior after Lis left in 1976. To Tom's credit, he has expressed much regret for that behavior, and that earns major respect.
The nerve thinking you are going to bully someone into accepting your meaningless apology in the same way you bullied them into putting up with your abuse. All apologies for being an ass THEN are just a self-serving attempt to clean your dirty soul NOW. Easy to say the hollow words "I'm sorry" long after you hurt someone gleefully. It's like a retroactive whiteout with a band-aid for your owie.
@@RedEyed2012 Seems like a very cynical way to live. Isn't this the philosophy of a person who holds grudges? People evolve. We learn and hopefully become better people. We also do not know what is going on with people in their lives. They could be struggling, and having problems, and the observer only sees the moment they crack, not all the stress that led to the cracking. For example did something happen to you? How were you hurt that caused this thought process?
Yes indeed. No disrespect to Lalla, but for me Mary was THE Romana. Her first appearance in the Tardis absolutely captivated me and during that season she helped get me through a very difficult puberty! 😍
I have read to and heard from Tom's own mouth in recent interviews that he and Lalla have patched things up. I also hate to say it but Tom may have been correct in his criticism's of some of the scripts from the last couple of years of his time on the show. I'm not saying he always expressed those criticism's correctly but I think it points out just how much he cared about the quality of the show and integrity of the character. It also seems like Tom has grown and matured a lot in the last couple of decades.Plus Jesus says in the Bible "let him who is without sin cast( throw ) the first stone". In other words no one here on earth is perfect and if they think they are they better go see a psychiatrist. God bless you Tom. You were the best Doctor Who ever!
Linda Taylor i dont belive in jesus do the last part of your comment went over my head howevrr i will say lalla and tom have recantly done some doctor who audio plays (full cast imagine a dvd with no sound) and reprised there roles and they are brilliant, its not awkward and the chemistrys still there with the actors and the characters obviously. they are done by big finnish. great for a long bus ride.
Yes, I know that Ward and Baker eventually got divorced, but that happend AFTER they left the show. And even though Ward won't do DVD commentaries with him, Mary Tamm did do both DVD commentaries as well as audio books with Baker before she passed away, so its apparent that Baker and Tamm got along well.
From ROBOT thru HAND OF FEAR, watch any "Tom & Lis" scene, & what you will notice is lack of domination by either; instead, the two bounce off each other and work together with "hand-in-glove" perfection. Tom broods in the foreground of Part 1, PYRAMIDS OF MARS, while Lis teases his brooding behind his back with flawless, charming perfection. Tom yells at the Time Lords in BRAIN OF MORBIUS, Part 1, & Lis affectionately picks on his grouchiness with such charm, the viewer is pulled right in!
That was the magic of it. The story lines drew you in so much, the cheesy effects could be forgiven and you would watch it purely because you were hooked on the tale being told. Now it's the other way around. You are so impressed by the visual effects that the stories get tolerated because of them...up to a point, that is. I'm afraid the Chris Chibnall era has lost the plot to the point that even I, a devotee from the Troughton days can no longer watch it.
@@lezlezman1843 Well Chinballs and whassername are leaving so who knows, it might improve. Pffffttt hahahaha just kidding!! Sod it, I'm off to watch the Web of Fear.
I wish that some of the newer actors (and hopefully the new actress) would take action against some of the rather subpar writing and direction in the show. Maybe that's why Baker was able to stick around as long as he did.
This is probably one of the BIGGEST Reasons why tom was in the show for that long. He could make his point and prevented the show from turning into crap. He had the right feeling about the role and the show.
Christopher Ecclestone tried to protest against executive meddling and left as a result. I think the BBC had far less corporate involvement in the 1970s. Nowadays they create shows by committee.
Baker stuck around up until the Beginning of the JNT era. JNT didn’t put up with Tom‘s behavior and pretty much ran Tom off the show. After that, Doctor Who went to shit…
Tom's ego definitely got out of hand under Williams, even Hinchcliffe apparently started to have trouble with him a bit, but the man had his share of good ideas to keep the show interesting. Even just that little moment in "The Power of Kroll" is great. He may have derided a lot of the scripts and directors but he definitely cared about the show and his audience. Also, the psittacosis quote is priceless.
a part from his interview. will explain much how he is: “It’s not entirely the money. I do have a sense of choice and I do want to do the best I can, whether I’m doing a commentary about a building site, playing Doctor Who or trying to play something else..." ‘You see, good actors or conscientious actors, that sounds as if I’m defining myself but I am a conscientious actor, conscientious performers who’ve had a bit of experience - and God knows, I’ve been around long enough - want to invest in work. “That’s why you never consciously do shabby work. As a writer, if you’ve got a commission to do a book or a script, and you don’t do the best you can, it goes out and people say it’s feeble and you don’t get another one"
ROBOT is one of my favorites too. The story has the unique charm and feel of a Pertwee UNIT story, while successfully & colorfully introducing the new maniacal 4th Dr! Maybe the best new doctor intro ever. The story actually centers around Sarah Jane, as did PLANET OF THE SPIDERS immediately previous, in a brilliant way that anchors the audience during a Dr regeneration. Closely watch ROBOT part 2, during the questioning of Kettlewell, to see Tom & Lis magically "click" in the scene. I
❤Tom. We writers can be too close to our work. A television show is a shared effort. Tom was the star lead and the success of the show was on his shoulders. Many writers, but only one Tom Baker🙂...
@stephen noonan Maybe I'm missing something since I can't find any information but besides whatever went down with her and tom baker whats the problem with Lalla Ward? I haven't found anything overly negative about her online.
If you can't understand someone because of the way they talk, or can't talk, then trying to do what they want is very hard. I've worked in situations like that too and it's very hard.
I particularly remember watching some footage from a studio recording of The Leisure Hive and seeing Tom losing his cool when as The Doctor, he had a scene where he had throw something and he said "Let's just get on with it!"
I've heard people complain about Tom's behaviour but, while he could have maybe said stuff a little bit nicer, he was just making sure his Doctor had the best lines and delivered them in the best way. There's a reason his Doctor is so successful but went down a notch in his final season with JNT taking a lot more control over the Doctor's character.
Good on Tom for wanting those who directed and wrote his episodes to try harder, and be better than what they were. It's why he lasted 8 seasons over 7 years, cause he gave a shit about what he was doing there, and always put quality over quantity. It's why he's also retained his respect from the fanbase over the last, as of 2017, 43 years. More power to ya, Tom! =)
I think Tom was not only so pleased and joyful to be given the role of Dr Who he felt he had to give 120 % to not only, make it work, but to make sure he left the best impression of the best Doctor....and he did!!
Interesting observation. Evaluated from that perspective makes it appear that Tom Baker feared change and resisted it. I'd say the easiest change for Tom was from Mary Tamm to Lalla Ward. Tom liked Mary and had enjoyed working with Lalla on "The Armageddon Factor". When Mary finally decided to leave, she suggested Lalla to replace her, knowing how much Tom liked her. Tom was devastated by Lis Sladen leaving, became withdrawn and moody, and that's the scene poor Louise Jameson entered!
When I first watched the Louise Jameson serials, I didn't like them. Having just rewatched them all again, I was surprised to find how much I really enjoyed them and even wish she had stayed around for at least one more season. I think initially, my disappointment was due mostly to missing Sarah Jane. For Louise, stepping into Elizabeth Sladen's shoes must have been really tough
It's because of Tom Baker that I know very little about any sports in America. I almost got beat up by my older brothers watching a doctor who marathon on a Sunday in the 80s. And my grandmother would have me watch it in the late 70s in the kitchen. As a child, he was able to get me to watch him. He's a perfect doctor. This was not a kids show, but he had some incredible range. I will always love Tom Baker as Dr Who. And I liked Adric too..He was the proto-wesley crusher..fucking first emo in sci-fi. Badass
I had read that Tom refused to take direction, but he played the Doctor so so well it's hard to call him out for it. Hate being unoriginal, but he really is my favourite.
I think Tom Baker and Christopher Eccleston would have a good chat and hug over their grievances with the BBCs bullshit, honestly. The one who cares for the story and the one who cares for the crew.
as i've learned from other production stories was that Tom baker was notoriously difficult to deal with and as ibegin to look at it from an older perspective i do begin to see more of what was different about that era and how tis could be the start of something different!!
Thank you so much for uploading this clip it is so heartening and revealing to read all the comments from people on Tom Baker and the whole suite of the Doctor Who "family" of actors, and all the psycho-social issues which seem to arise out of such an imaginative and creative art form and story telling..... It just encourages more of our own story telling, and becomes part of our lives and hearts and lives on..... How amazing is that?! 😀 I grew up watching the adventures of Dr Jon Pertwee onwards and regard Doctor Who as my "happy place" to which I always seem to return to and search for... it is a relief to know many out there feel and think the same way, so it seems!
VERY interesting thought, Tom Baker in "Caves.."! It is amazing how often "Robert Holmes" turns up as writer on universally favorite DW stories! I wish that the BBC had allowed Hinchcliffe-Holmes to remain thru Season 16 at least, instead of moving Hinchcliffe at the end of Season 14 and forcing DW to be toned down. I wish Lis Sladen had remained to the end of Season 14, with Ian Marter's "Harry" and UNIT popping in and out of various stories until then too! The BBC cut its own throat!
That is a good point. In looking at DW at its best, which I consider Seasons 7-14, the writing and production is brilliant, appealing across the age spectrum. And this is where the New Series, as good as it is, falls way short of the program's finest era. What the New Series desperately needs is a modern Barry Letts to guide DW again into brilliant writing & production that is multi-level in ability to span the audience age spectrum.
The New Series does "miss the boat" in choosing the Dr's clothing, I think. The first four Dr's hit it right, I think, in choosing clothing heavily influenced by the late Victorian & early Edwardian periods. The men's styles from these periods is functional and practical, doesn't look too far away from the 21st Century, has great class, yet presents a unique, I'm-not-of-this-time look that makes the Dr stand out!
Peter Davidson was 'ok' ...but Sylvester mcoy was the 'Death knell' .....Now its all politically correct propaganda .....basically a slur on the memory of Dr who !!!!!
Tom baker was known as a very abrasive person to work with and it's certainly interesting to see the outtakes after all these years i also had such a crush on Lalla ward back then look forwrd to seeing more IN THE FUTURE Cheers!
The marriage lasted a little over a year. And Tom and Lalla had a number of "lovers spats" on set during their WHO time together. And Tom and Lalla will not do DVD commentaries together. Tom Baker's first 13 stories with Elisabeth Sladen were smooth sailing, no problems. The problems started immediately after she left. Tom has made many revealing comments since her passing, as to why Lis Sladen had such a positive effect on him.
A lot of people have attitudes on set but at least Tom had some talent and wit to back it up. Just like any work place you have a bunch of talentless uninspiring and lazy people in the mix(not everyone) and some of them have a lot of power and influence on the project. Tom just had the guts and spirit to take them on and luckily talent to actually back it up.
Part of the problem with Tom Baker is that he really was quite odd. I don't think he was simply quirky. He seems like a genuinely unstable person. I don't mean that as an insult. It's just that while someone like Baker is fun to watch on screen, they might be hard to be around in real life. I don't know how Lis managed it. He really liked her, I guess.
Although I do seem to remember David Maloney having the measure of him on footage of "Talons.." where Tom repeatedly says 'I think it would be rather good if..' and David saying 'Yes. Yes. And now we move on to this bit..' (Party pooper).
TheMasterNo6, agree totally that quickly setting Tom straight would have been the proper thing to do. Pertwee & Baker are both my favorite Drs, in Seasons 7-14, & both the Letts-Dicks & Hinchcliffe-Holmes eras are superb IMO. And the "Sarah Jane era" that I'm collecting on DVD is the peak of it all, IMO. Also, I really like Doctors 1-thru-4 in Seasons 1-14. Coming from a U.S. fan who was first introduced to DW by Tom Baker's first 3 Seasons, 12,13 &14.
bluejeckett, I agree that you may well have a point about Tom being irritated by a woman stealing his spotlight. I have always given Tom the benefit of the doubt and taken him at his word that it was Leela's violence he objected to. But it is possible that deep down Tom viewed the scantily-clad Leela as a threat to his limelight. In the case of Lis & Tom, Lis Sladen's immediate support and encouragement to Tom allowed total mutual trust to develop into an all-time great screen pairing.
0:36 made me laugh so much, especially as he was in costume when he said it - I've always wanted to see The Doctor swear.......oh gosh i'm so immature....well there's no point in being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes!
even the very worst of that era is better than the best of 'this current era' .....the rubbish programme they make now is NOT fit to bear the Title of Dr who 😡
I grew up with Pertwee and Tom Baker in the role. They were both great. Times have changed, and the new shows had to change too. Remember, the original series was killed off because people were getting fed up of watching it. I imagine that people who grew up with the new series, would look back at the older ones and think how poor some of them were. Personally, I thought the Eccleston, Tennant and Smith series were really well done. They had some great storylines, and worked equally well at both child and adult levels.
