Monday, November 03, 2014

The Twin Dilemma

This would have been so much
better. Pic: Classical Gallifrey
Four episodes (Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four)
First broadcast Mar 22 to 30 1984
Average audience for serial: 7.08m

REGULAR CAST

Colin Baker (The Doctor) Born Jun 8 1943 Click here for Colin Baker's entry on Arc of Infinity

Nicola Bryant (Peri Brown) Born Oct 11 1960 Click here for Nicola Bryant's entry on Planet of Fire

GUEST CAST

Helen Blatch (Fabian) Jan 24 1934 to Dec 31 2015 (cancer)
Doctor Who credits
Played: Matrix voice in The Deadly Assassin (1976)
Played: Fabian in The Twin Dilemma (1984)
Career highlights
Helen first appeared in The Stiffkey Scandals of 1932 (1969), then Peer Gynt (1972), A Doll's House (1973), Within These Walls (1976), Secret Army (1979), Blake's 7 (1980), Sorry! (1982), Tenko (1984), London Embassy (1987), A Doll's House (1992, a different character!), The Buddha of Suburbia (1993), Baddiel's Syndrome (2001), Harry Hill's TV Burp (2002), Wimbledon (2004), Waking the Dead (2007), Kingdom (2008), Frankie (2013) and Casualty (2014).

Dennis Chinnery (Professor Sylvest) May 14 1927 to Feb 29 2012
Doctor Who credits
Played: Albert C Richardson in The Chase (1965)
Played: Gharman in Genesis of the Daleks (1975)
Played: Professor Sylvest in The Twin Dilemma (1984)
Career highlights
Dennis's career began with White Fire (1953), then Great Scott, It's Maynard (1956), Mostly Maynard (1957), Hancock's Half Hour (1957-59), The Plague of the Zombies (1966), The Avengers (1967), Orlando (1966-68), Hadleigh (1969), Harriet's Back in Town (1973), Survivors (1975), Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983), The Bill (1989) and The Right Impression (2005).
Facts
The character of the accident-prone vet in black comedy The League of Gentlemen was named Mr Chinnery after Dennis.

Andrew Conrad (Remus)
Andrew's only other acting work was in Shine On Harvey Moon (1985). Andrew's father was actor Les Conrad (died Jan 27 2024), who had uncredited roles in nine Doctor Who serials between 1966-84 (including as Mestor's guard in this story). His twin brother is Gavin Conrad (see below) and his uncle Ron Conrad, who appeared uncredited in three Doctor Who serials between 1969-70.

Gavin Conrad (Romulus)
Gavin's real name is Paul Conrad but he had to change his name as there was already an actor in Equity with that name. His only other acting work was in Shine On Harvey Moon (1985). Gavin's father was actor Les Conrad (died Jan 27 2024), who had uncredited roles in nine Doctor Who serials between 1966-84 (including as Mestor's guard in this story). Gavin's twin brother is Andrew Conrad (see above) and his uncle is Ron Conrad, who appeared uncredited in three Doctor Who serials between 1969-70.

Maurice Denham (Edgeworth/ Azmael) Dec 23 1909 to Jul 24 2002 (natural causes)
Doctor Who credits
Played: Edgeworth/ Azmael in The Twin Dilemma (1984)
Played: President in The Paradise of Death (1993, radio)
Career highlights
Maurice appeared in over 160 productions in his prolific career, beginning with On the High Road (1938), then Badger's Green (1938), Laburnum Grove (1938), Edna's Fruit Hat (1939), The Smugglers (1947), Jassy (1947), Blanche Fury (1948), Oliver Twist (1948), A Boy, a Girl and a Bike (1949), Terror on a Train (1953), The Purple Plain (1954, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA), Animal Farm (1954), Doctor At Sea (1955), 23 Paces to Baker Street (1956), Night of the Demon (1957), Sink the Bismarck! (1960), HMS Defiant (1962), Paranoiac (1963), Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965), Hysteria (1965), The Heroes of Telemark (1965), The Nanny (1965), Torture Garden (1967), Some Girls Do (1969), Countess Dracula (1971), Sunday Blood Sunday (1971), The Day of the Jackal (1973), The Lotus Eaters (1972-73), Huggy Bear (1976), Porridge (1977), Edward and Mrs Simpson (1978), Schalcken the Painter (1979), The Chinese Detective (1982), The Black Tower (1985), Love Song (1985), 84 Charing Cross Road (1987), Inspector Morse (1991), Peak Practice (1993-94) and The Beggar Bride (1997).
Awards
1992: Officer of the order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama
Facts
Maurice also starred in two of the most popular radio series of the 1940s, Much Binding in the Marsh and ITMA (It's That Man Again). As a youngster he worked for elevator firm Waygood-Otis and helped install the lifts at BBC Broadcasting House and royal residence Clarence House. Maurice's son Christopher was also an actor, and appeared in the Doctor Who story The Savages. Maurice's daughter Virginia is also an actor.
This is Your Life: Maurice was the subject of Thames TV's This is Your Life on November 27th, 1985, surprised by host Eamonn Andrews while watching a preview of his latest film Mr Love in Wardour Street, London.

Seymour Green (Chamberlain) Oct 9 1912 to May 7 1998
Doctor Who credits
Played: Hargreaves in The Seeds of Doom (1976)
Played: Chamberlain in The Twin Dilemma (1984)
Career highlights
Seymour debuted in The Fake (1953), followed by The Grove Family (1954), Sixpenny Corner (1955-56), The Crooked Sky (1957), Maverick (1958), Top Secret (1962), Zero One (1963), The Wild Wild West (1966), Spy Trap (1973), Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973), The Phoenix and the Carpet (1976), Get Some In! (1975/78), The Professionals (1983), Chessgame (1983), Bleak House (1985) and The Bill (1988/89).

Dione Inman (Elena) Born Mar 13 1956
Career highlights
Debuted in Maybury (1981), then Screamtime (1983), The Hello Goodbye Man (1984), The Pickwick Papers (1985), Howards' Way (1985), Health and Efficiency (1995), Silent Witness (1996), Bad Girls (2001), William and Mary (2004), Doctors (2007) and A Kiss from Grandma (2011).
Facts
Dione co-runs acting agency Pelham Associates. Her husband is actor/ agent Peter Cleall.

Kevin McNally (Hugo Lang) Born Apr 27 1956
Doctor Who credits
Played: Hugo Lang in The Twin Dilemma (1984)
Played: Professor Eustacius Jericho in Flux (2021)
Career highlights
Kevin debuted in The Paradise Run (1976), then took roles in I, Claudius (1976), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Poldark (1977), The Long Good Friday (1980), We'll Meet Again (1982), The Hard Word (1983), Diana (1984), Cry Freedom (1987), Dream Baby (1989), The New Statesman (1991), Bottom (1991), Full Stretch (1993), Chiller (1995), Frontiers (1996), Underworld (1997), Dad (1997-99), Spice World: The Movie (1997), Sliding Doors (1998), Entrapment (1999), Shackleton (2002), Spooks (2002), Johnny English (2003), De-Lovely (2004), The Phantom of the Opera (2004), Scoop (2006), Life on Mars (2007), The Murder of Princess Diana (2007), Valkyrie (2008), Wuthering Heights (2009), Big Top (2009), Last Man Standing (2011), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2011), The Raven (2012), Supernatural (2011-12), Downton Abbey (2011-12), Burn Notice (2012), The Mill (2013), 24: Live Another Day (2014), The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015), Power Monkeys (2016), Designated Survivor (2016-17), The Good Fight (2018), Unforgotten (2018), The Outpost (2018), The ABC Murders (2018), Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes (2019), Catherine the Great (2019), Das Boot (2018-20), The Crown (2020), Curse of the Macbeths (2022) and The Wingfeather Saga (2023). He also played Joshamee Gibbs in the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise (2003-17) and wrote two episodes of Lock, Stock... in 2000.
Facts
Kevin is married to actress Phyllis Logan, who appeared in The Battle of Ranskoor av Kolos.
In 2013 Toby Hadoke released his Who's Round interview with Kevin here.

Roger Nott (Prisoner) Nov 23 1943 to Oct 13 2022
Doctor Who credits
Played: UNIT soldier in The Green Death (1973, uncredited)
Played: Prisoner in The Twin Dilemma (1984)
Played: Older man in Attack of the Graske (2005)
Career highlights
Roger's further credits include Design for a Headstone (1962), The Mock Doctor (1968), Dixon of Dock Green (1969), The Regiment (1972), Fall of Eagles (1974), Hawkmoor (1978), The Life and Times of David Lloyd George (1981), The Professionals (1982), Minder (1984), Fighting Back (1986), Ballroom (1988), Making News (1990), We Are Seven (1989-91), Civvies (1992), Darklands (1996), Silent Cry (2002), The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1 (2003) and Hair in the Gate (2012, which he also wrote and produced).
Facts
Roger was co-founder of Cardiff Open Air Theatre. He stood as a Labour councillor in the Treherbert ward of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council in Wales in the 2008 local elections: he polled 813 votes, not enough to secure one of the two seats available.

Edwin Richfield (Mestor) Sep 11 1921 to Aug 2 1990 (cancer)
Doctor Who credits
Played: Captain Hart in The Sea Devils (1972)
Played: Mestor in The Twin Dilemma (1984)
Career highlights
Prolific Edwin debuted in 1949's The Jack of Diamonds and had roles in The Bosun's Mate (1953), The Blue Parrot (1953), Radio Cab Murder (1954), The Brain Machine (1955), The Blue Peter (1955), The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1956), X: The Unknown (1956), Quatermass II (1957), Invisible Man (1959), International Detective (1960), The Strange World of Gurney Slade (1960), The Protectors (1964), R3 (1964-65), The Face of Fu Manchu (1965), Quatermass and the Pit (1967), Adam Adamant Lives! (1967), six episodes of The Avengers (1961-68), Christ Recrucified (1969), The Owl Service (1969), Trial (1971), For the Love of Ada (1971), Crossroads (1975), Crown Court (1974/76), Rooms (1977), Bergerac (1984), Tripper's Day (1984), All Creatures Great and Small (1988) and Tumbledown (1988). Edwin also had regular roles in several series, including Armando in The Buccaneers (1956-57), Inspector Mornay in Interpol Calling (1959-60), Steve Gardiner in The Odd Man (1962-63) and Frank Chapman in Harriet's Back in Town (1972-73). He also wrote the heist thriller Calculated Risk in 1963 and various episodes of Interpol Calling (1959/60), Harriet's Back in Town (1973) and Marked Personal (1973).
Facts
As well as acting, Edwin and his wife, the actress Jan Holden, also ran a business manufacturing portable cabins.

Oliver Smith (Drak) Born May 29 1952
Career highlights
Oliver first appeared in Professional (1973), and then took roles in Couples (1975), Warship (1976), Jesus of Nazareth (1977), Hazell (1979), Shoestring (1980), Juliet Bravo (1983), El CID (1990), Moon and Son (1992), All Quiet on the Preston Front (1994), Chandler and Co. (1995), Monarch of the Glen (2005) and Dark Ditties (2017-18). Oliver had a regular role as Smudger, landlord of The Drum, in Boon (1990-92) and also played the skinless Frank in the films Hellraiser (1987) and Hellraiser II (1988).

Barry Stanton (Noma) Born Feb 18 1940
Career highlights
Barry's career began with The Plane Makers (1963), after which he took roles in The Likely Lads (1966), Witch Hunt (1967), The Caesars (1968), King Lear (1971), Spy Trap (1972), Demons of the Mind (1972), Survivors (1975), Hamlet (1976), The New Avengers (1977), Turtle's Progress (1980), Minder (1982), Something in Disguise (1982), The Old Men at the Zoo (1983), Hart to Hart (1983), Tucker's Luck (1984), The Young Ones (1984), Mann's Best Friends (1985), The Wars of the Roses (1990), Robin Hood (1991), Leon the Pig Farmer (1992), The Madness of King George (1994), Ain't Misbehavin' (1995), The Glam Metal Detectives (1995), Redemption Road (2001), Shanghai Knights (2003) and Holby City (2007). He also had regular parts as Joe Harris in Fallen Hero (1978-79) and Uncle Gordon in Now and Then (1983-84).
Facts
Barry's wife was dancer/ actress Isabelle Mileno.

John Wilson (Jacondan guard)
Career highlights
John's further work includes The Falls (1980), Full Metal Jacket (1987), Band of Gold (1995), No Angels (2005), Life on Mars (2006) and Shameless (2008).

CREW

Anthony Steven (writer) Aug 3 1916 to May 26 1990
Career highlights
Anthony's writing career began with Bernard Miles on Gun Dogs (1949), followed by script duties on Life in Her Hands (1951), Man of Africa (1956), Duty Bound (1958), The Third Man (1959/63), Suspense (1963), Hereward the Wake (1965), The Forsyte Saga (1967), The Three Musketeers (1966-67), Boy Meets Girl (1967), Virgin of the Secret Service (1968), Tom Brown's Schooldays (1971), The Regiment (1972), Woodstock (1973), The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971/73), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1978), Fanny By Gaslight (1981) and All Creatures Great and Small (1978-80 and 1988-89).
Facts
Anthony's writing process for The Twin Dilemma was problematic as he was beset by illness at the time; script editor Eric Saward completed work on the scripts. Anthony worked as a journalist as well as a scriptwriter.

Peter Moffatt (director) Aug 15 1922 to Oct 21 2007
Doctor Who credits
Directed: State of Decay (1980), The Visitation (1982), Mawdryn Undead (1983), The Five Doctors (1983), The Twin Dilemma (1984), The Two Doctors (1985)
Played: Man outside restaurant in The Two Doctors (1985, uncredited)
Played: Tourist in Silver Nemesis (1988, uncredited)
Career highlights
His training to become an actor was disturbed by the outbreak of World War Two, during which he became a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft 3 in Germany. After the war he went back into acting in programmes such as Emil and the Detectives (1952) and Tales from Soho (1956), but then turned to directing, working on Small Time (1960), Tales of Mystery (1961), It Happened Like This (1963), Crane (1963-64), Seven Deadly Sins (1966-67), Sexton Blake (1968), Hadleigh (1969), Big Brother (1970), Crime of Passion (1971-72), New Scotland Yard (1972), Melissa (1974), Rooms (1974-77), The Camerons (1979), The Gentle Touch (1980), Juliet Bravo (1980/82), EastEnders (1986) and All Creatures Great and Small (1978-88).
Facts
He was married to actress/ director/ producer Joan Kemp-Welch.

John Nathan-Turner (producer) Aug 12 1947 to May 1 2002 (liver failure) Click here for John Nathan-Turner's entry on The Leisure Hive

Eric Saward (script editor) Born Dec 9 1944 Click here for Eric Saward's entry on on Castrovalva

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