This week, The Four Faces of Delusion become Six as we welcome two new hosts to the Diddly Dum Podcast – friends of the show (now merely “of the show”) Mark John and Allan Lear. By way of introducing them and their backgrounds, we look at how each of us got involved in Doctor Who fandom.
Along the way, Allan covers holograms on the Liverpool waterfront, Mark tells how he once nearly ruined a theatre performance by Jan Chappell (Cally from Blake’s 7), Hayden recalls his seminal “Gallifrey Galaxy Globetrotters” work for Celestial Toyroom and Doc asks why, if monkeys are so smart, they’ve never produced anything like Northern Soul.
This time, Hayden is joined by film director Simon Dymond and collector John Galantini as they delve into shark infested waters, play conkers with gas tankers and comment on a mild case of pink eye for a youthful Benicio Del Toro. Oh, and in the middle of that, they also dive into “Licence to Kill”, Timothy Dalton’s second outing as 007, which redefined the word “gritty” for the children of the late 1980s. Bond does Miami Vice? Or a prelude to the realism of the Daniel Craig er
We’re joined this week by Mark John to talk about the whole subject of the Missing Episodes, triggered by the mysterious animated clip from “Power of the Daleks”.
Along the way, Hayden gives tips on haggling for annuals, we discover Pamela Nash’s real name, Mark relates how he trained himself to hold his pen like Mavic Chen and the scales finally fall from Doc’s eyes about the true nature of The Restoration Team.
In preparation for any discussion which might touch on the Troughton era, the Whoseum bar has been well stocked with Bloody Victorias – cherry brandy, tomato juice and sticks of celery.
Our guest at The Whoseum this week is Allan Lear, one of the eminences grises of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society. Allan brings along a stolen library hardback copy of The Deadly Assassin, a newspaper clipping of Mrs Lear with a Dalek and a collection of haemovore nail clippings.
Along the way, we encounter “the worst first draft of a Lewis Carroll novel ever”, we debate the ideal size of bathroom towelling (from face flannel to bathsheet) to be clutching when opening a hotel door to unexpectedly find Dominic Glynn on the threshold, we discuss the colour of the Second Doctor’s eyes, we hail the histrionic apotheosis of Nicholas Parsons and we eviscerate the Ontological Argument.
This episode, Hayden is joined by podcasters Steven Schapansky and J R Southall as they discuss arguably one of the most divisive entries in the 007 f*****ise – 1969’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”. Hear the guys on George Lazenby, Kojak on skis, the many faces of Campbell, the blondest man in the film and JR telling off Hayden for using a modern term for the word ‘womaniser.’ They are even abruptly pod-bombed by a Bond girl…
(Music used: Sondre Lerche – Like Lazenby. John Barry – We Have All the Time in the World and theme from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service)
We’re joined in the marble halls of The Whoseum this week by Marc (for it is he) Atkinson of the Progtor Who Podcast.
Marc arrived driving a forklift as it was the only way he could transport his item for exhibition and discussion – the “Doctor Who: The Vault” book from the 50th anniversary.
We also look at Ed Stradling’s trilogy of musical blockbusters, “The Doctor Who Years” tapes.
Along the way, Hayden and Marc chat about music while the Whoseum computer translates for a confused and unmusical Doc. We remember the taste of Dalek Death Ray ice lollies from the 1970s. And Hayden relates yet another jammy anecdote from his life.
(00:51:22) “The Doctor Who Years” was a streaming video, charting the history of Doctor Who, which was broadcast on BBCi’s official Doctor Who website to coincide with the return of the series to BBC Television screens in 2005, and was intended to present a potted history of the original Doctor Who series, broadcast between 1963–1989. The video was presented in three parts, The Sixties, The Seventies and The Eighties, and featured material from every Doctor Who serial, presented chronologically and accompanied by narrative text and pop music that had featured in the UK Singles Chart at the time the clips were originally broadcast. The Sixties was produced by SVS, The Seventies and The Eighties were produced by Ed Stradling. The videos were commissioned by James Goss, then editor of the BBCi’s Doctor Who website.
If you want any advice or where these videos can be found online, email us at diddlydumpodcast@yahoo.co.uk.
This month, Hayden is joined by Paul Taylor-Greaves (of The Time Vault Podcast) and Miles Northcott (of the Doctor Who’s Line is it? Anyway Podcast) as they discuss Roger Moore’s second outing as 007. From powerful weapons to Nick Nack’s and bikinis, ninjas to JW Pepper and the ‘darker’ side of Bond, it’s all here. Even that bloody slide whistle sound effect gets talked about!
The Diddly Dumbers are joined this week at The Whoseum by long-time listener Mark John.
His exhibits for presentation at The Whoseum include the 1977 Denys Fisher Giant Robot doll, instances of the Doctor Who world invading Marvel comics and a curious papier maché Dalek tableau with a unique link to Bagpuss.
Along the way, we pay tribute to the late Gordon Murray, Mark tells us of his unusual way of striking up a conversation with Brian Croucher by finding an experience in common, and we run down Hayden’s Top 15 jammy anecdotes.
(00:14:20) “Rogue Trooper” is a science fiction strip in the British comic 2000 AD, created by Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons. It follows the adventures of Rogue, a “Genetic Infantryman”, a genetically created, blue-skinned, manufactured super soldier and his three comrades’ search for the Traitor General. His comrades are in the form of biochips – onto which a G.I.’s entire personality is downloaded at the time of death for later retrieval – and are named Gunnar (mounted on Rogue’s rifle), Bagman (on his backpack) and Helm (on his helmet). He is genetically engineered to be immune to almost all known toxins, can submerge in strong acid unaffected, and is able to withstand a vacuum in his bare skin. A photo of the Rogue Trooper cosplayer can be found on our Tumbr page here.
Rob Irwin of The Doctor Who Show Podcast traverses the globe to visit The Diddly Dum Whoseum and to present three treasured memories of Doctor Who for exhibition.
We take a look at Rob’s 25mm miniatures, his appearance on a TV quiz cosplaying the Fifth Doctor and the “A Celebration” book by Peter Haining.
Along the way, the conversation veers off down the side-roads of Alfred Hitchcock’s Three Investigators, the musical links between The Young Ones and The All New Pink Panther Show and between Juliet Bravo and Mork & Mindy, the jingles of ITV regional franchises and cosplaying.
(01:00:02) “Sound & Vision” can be found on Phonic FM on the fourth Monday evening of each month in which wonderful collections of music are put together by Dan, Richard and Lee. The upcoming show will be called “Robotopia”, looking at the music of robots, androics and cyborgs of film and TV. “Sound & Vision’s” back catalogue can be found here. Their tribute to the music of Ennio Morricone can be found here and their wistful salute to the music of the dear departed Thames TV can be found here. On a more Doctor Whoish note, their show dedicated to the BBC radiophonic workshop can be found here, and to the music of classic Doctor Who here.
(01:12:03) Rob’s second exhibit for The Whoseum is the missing-presumed-wiped episode of ABC’s “The Afternoon Show” in 1988 where he took part in a 25th anniversary Doctor Who quiz. The glitzier quiz from the following year survives here.
This week’s visitor to the Diddly Dum Whoseum is Mark Cockram of the Blue Box Podcast and the Nerdology podcast. Mark becomes only the second guest to enter those hallowed portals for the third time.
Mark brings along The Special Edition DVD of “Inferno” and we celebrate the world of Doctor Who DVD extras. Hayden presents his prized collection of Anniversary Postage Stamps signed by Tom Baker and we hear about the day he met the great man. Doc’s exhibit is the page of the Radio Times covering Saturday 26 February 1972. On that evening, episode one of The “Sea Devils” was broadcast, the first story Doc can remember. We use this as an excuse to look at how BBC1 Saturday evening scheduling has changed down the years. Can you recognise some of the 70s and 80s theme tunes Doc plays before the boys guess them?
Finally, never one to miss relating a jammy experience, Hayden tells us about the day Tamsin Grieg asked if she could join him at his coffee shop table.
