Colin Baker

Posted on by Tony CrawleyCategories:Actors

 

  1. Rick James, Doctor Who #63: The Mutants, TV, 1972.    Shortlisted for the senior soldier called Cotton in the 30th Century Skybase One, opposite Doc3 Jon Pertwee – was the flat-mate of David Troughton, eldest son of Doc2 Patrick Troughton. Colin was also best man at David’s wedding…. which led to him becoming DOoc6.
  2. Alec Linstead, Doctor Who #75: Robot, 1974.    Unavailable for the crooked robotics scientist Jellicoe as Doc3 Jon Pertwee regenerates into a delirious (at first) Doc4 Tom Baker.  By #135: The Caves of Androzani, 1984,Colin was Doc6!
  3. Emrys James, Doctor Who #112: State of Decay, TV, 1980. There were 21 potential Aukons and all – except James – had been this way before, standing at the Whoverse portal, awaiting a callback… Baker, Peter Arne, Steven Berkoff, John Carson, David Collings, Peter Gilmore, Michael Gothard, John Hallam, Donald Houston, Martin Jarvis, Michael Jayston, Ronald Lacey, William Lucas, Ian McKellen, John Normington, Patrick Stewart, Anthony Valentine, Peter Vaughan, David Warner, Peter Wyngarde.
  4. Paul Shelley, Doctor Who #117: Four To Doomsday, TV, 1981.   Baker   was not persuaded to play the Minister of Persuasion. Nor were Michaels Cashman and Cochrane, Tom Chadbon, Jack Galloway, Martin Jarvis, Paul Jerricho, Clive Merrison (BBC Radio 4’s Sherlock Holmes), Martin Potter, Malcolm Tierney and James Warwick. This was Doc5 Peter Davison’s second outing. “And I didn’t know what I was doing!”  
  5. James Warwick, Doctor Who #121: Earthshock, 1982. In Doc5 Peter Davison’s Cybermen encounter, circa 2526, Scott was offered to Baker (to be Doc6 in 1984-1986), Nicholas Ball, Andrew Burt, Peter Firth, Del Henney, Martin Jarvis, Tim Pigott-Smith, Patrick Ryecart, Patrick Stewart, David Warner, Simon Williams. Plus Gareth Hunt (aka Mike Gambit) from TV’s 1976-1977 New Avengers. And the more successful 1977-1983 Professionals: Bodie and Doyle, aka Lewis Collins and Martin Shaw.  
  6. Keith Drinkel, Doctor Who #122: Time Flight, TV, 1982. As many as 25 casting (or dart) board regulars were up for any (or all!) of three characters in Doc4 Peter Davison’s tale about a missing Concorde. Baker, Dallas Adams, Sean Arnold, Andrew Burt, Tom Chadbon, Michael Cochrane, Ian Collier, Forbes Collins, Eric Deacon, Jack Galloway, Richard Heffer, Paul Jerricho, Ian McCulloch, Clive Merrison, Clive Merrison, Terry Molloy (aka Davros), Edward Peel, Martin Potter, Jeff Rawle, Carl Rigg, Patrick Ryecart, Malcolm Stoddard, Donald Sumpter, Robert Swann Malcolm Tierney, Stephen Yardley – they were all up for Flight Engineer Scobie…
  7. Michael Cashman, Doctor Who # 122: Time Flight, TV, 1982. …and for First Officer Bilton…
  8. Michel McDermott   Doctor Who # 122: Time Flight, TV, 1982. … and also for  Sheard – nevet even offered to another Whoverse favourite Michael… Sheard
  9. Paul Jerricho, Doctor Who #123: Arc of Infinity, TV, 1983. In fact, Baker was the first Doc to have previously played another role in the Whoverse. This was it. Commander Maxil opposite Doc5 Peter Davison. However, had first been contacted for Jerricho’s The Castellan. Playing Maxil won Baker his (unpopular) Doc6 in #135: The Caves of Androzani, 1984.
  10. Stuart Blake, Doctor Who #129: The Five Doctors, TV, 1983.   One of the various ideas for the 20th anniversary episode (five Docs, Daleks and Cybermen, etc) was having Colin Baker, Elspeth Gray and Leonard Sacha reprise Commander Maxil, Chancellor Thalia and Lord President Borusa – from #123: Arc of Infinity, None proved available. They were subbed by Stuart Blake as an unnamed Commander, Dinah Sheridan as the thinly disguised Chancellor Flavia and Philip Latham as Borusa. An appropriate six episodes later, Baker was Doc6.
  11. Peter Firth, Lifeforce, 1984.

 Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls:  11