Peter Purves, the Doctor Who actor who played the First Doctor’s companion Steven Taylor, has shared his thoughts on the show’s missing episodes – many of which he appeared in.
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A total of 97 episodes from the show’s first six years are currently missing because the BBC erased or reused tapes in the 1960s and 1970s to save space and money. Purves was in 46 episodes of Doctor Who, and 30 of those are still missing.
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In this month’s Doctor Who Magazine, Purves was asked if he still hoped any would be recovered, and he admitted he “gave up long ago”.
The closest thing I feel is anger. I’m furious the BBC were so profligate and unthinking. They didn’t even archive the telecine copies. How stupid is that?! It’s a great shame The Massacre has gone. I’d like to see The Myth Makers again. I think the fans want The Daleks’ Master Plan. Not a chance! I doubt it’ll ever turn up.
he said, later on When asked which stories he thought fans were missing out on the most, Purves suggested
Purves also looked back on the show’s 1965 Christmas special The Feast of Steven, which partly took place on a Hollywood silent film set.
It was all the things I love about cinema. I love silent movies – good ones. Laurel and Hardy, obviously. Chaplin never did it for me – too soppy, too sentimental. But Buster Keaton was the king. Absolute genius. He’s my all-time hero. I adore excellent slapstick – proper slapstick, done brilliantly. And the stupidity of the Keystone Cops? Still makes me laugh today. Now, we’ve got all that in The Feast of Steven.
Speaking earlier this year, Sue Malden – the BBC’s first archive selector who has worked to recover Doctor Who’s missing episodes over the years – gave fans some hope.
Every one has been recorded. They’ve got to be there somewhere. And we now think we know a few places where they might be.
she said
Source: Radiotimes