Peter Grimwade
Encyclopedia
Peter Grimwade was a British
television
writer and director, best known for his work on the BBC
science fiction
television series Doctor Who
.
Grimwade's talent as a director was evident during his time at Truro Cathedral School: in his final year there he was responsible for an effective production of The Monkey's Paw.
After joining the BBC in the late 1960s, he first worked on Doctor Who as a Production Assistant on Jon Pertwee's
first serial, Spearhead from Space
(1970). He would occupy this position on a further five serials. In 1977 he got his first chance to direct, being asked to film some model shots for the serial The Robots of Death
while the serial's actual director, Michael E. Briant
, directed the rest of the serial in the studio. Tom Baker
, meanwhile, used Grimwade's name to replace the scripted "Grimwold's Syndrome" illness mentioned in the script. The serial's Production Unit Manager, George Gallaccio
, would later allow him to make his full directorial debut on the episode "Out of Body, Out of Mind" in the series The Omega Factor
(1979). Grimwade was also at this time Production Assistant on the BBC's serialised dramatisation of John le Carré's
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979).
Grimwade next directed some episodes of the drama series All Creatures Great and Small
(1978) (which coincidentally featured Peter Davison
, who Grimwade would direct twice and write for three times on Doctor Who) before returning to Doctor Who as a director. After directing the serial Full Circle
(1980) Grimwade was given the task of directing Tom Baker
's final serial, Logopolis
. When Peter Davison became the Doctor, Grimwade first directed him in the serial Kinda
(1982) and then directed Earthshock
, featuring the return of the Cybermen
to the show after eight years and the death of the character Adric
.
Earthshock would prove to be the last time he was a director on the series. A year later, Grimwade was scheduled to direct the serial The Return (which would ultimately become Resurrection of the Daleks
). Industrial action initially prevented the serial from being filmed. Prior to this, Grimwade had written two serials - Time-Flight
and Mawdryn Undead
(1983). Afterwards, Grimwade was asked to write Davison's penultimate story, which would become Planet of Fire
. Because the story's requirements were in constant flux, mainly due to uncertaintly over the filming location and cast changes, he eventually became frustrated and allowed script editor Eric Saward
to finish the serial.
Outside of Doctor Who, Grimwade wrote and directed The Come-Uppance of Captain Katt for the ITV
children's drama series Dramarama. The play was about events behind-the-scenes on a low-budget television science fiction series, which Grimwade openly acknowledged was inspired by his experience working on Doctor Who.
When the BBC gave the publisher W. H. Allen the rights to use Vislor Turlough
in the novel Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma, W. H. Allen offered Grimwade a chance to publish an original novel. The result was Robot (ISBN 0-352-32036-2), a book filled with Doctor Who references.
Afterwards, Grimwade left the BBC and mainly worked in producing industrial training videos. He died in 1990 of leukemia
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
writer and director, best known for his work on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
.
Grimwade's talent as a director was evident during his time at Truro Cathedral School: in his final year there he was responsible for an effective production of The Monkey's Paw.
After joining the BBC in the late 1960s, he first worked on Doctor Who as a Production Assistant on Jon Pertwee's
Jon Pertwee
John Devon Roland Pertwee , was an English actor. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge...
first serial, Spearhead from Space
Spearhead from Space
Spearhead from Space is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 3 January to 24 January 1970. The serial opened Series 7 of the show and was the first to be produced in colour. The serial introduced Jon Pertwee as the...
(1970). He would occupy this position on a further five serials. In 1977 he got his first chance to direct, being asked to film some model shots for the serial The Robots of Death
The Robots of Death
The Robots of Death is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 29 January to 19 February 1977.-Synopsis:...
while the serial's actual director, Michael E. Briant
Michael E. Briant
Michael E. Briant is best known as a British television director, but he is also a producer and actor....
, directed the rest of the serial in the studio. Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
, meanwhile, used Grimwade's name to replace the scripted "Grimwold's Syndrome" illness mentioned in the script. The serial's Production Unit Manager, George Gallaccio
George Gallaccio
George Gallaccio is a British television producer, whose most prominent work was as producer of the BBC programme Miss Marple, based on the novels by Agatha Christie....
, would later allow him to make his full directorial debut on the episode "Out of Body, Out of Mind" in the series The Omega Factor
The Omega Factor
The Omega Factor is a British television series produced by BBC Scotland in 1979...
(1979). Grimwade was also at this time Production Assistant on the BBC's serialised dramatisation of John le Carré's
John le Carré
David John Moore Cornwell , who writes under the name John le Carré, is an author of espionage novels. During the 1950s and the 1960s, Cornwell worked for MI5 and MI6, and began writing novels under the pseudonym "John le Carré"...
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979).
Grimwade next directed some episodes of the drama series All Creatures Great and Small
All Creatures Great and Small (TV serial)
All Creatures Great and Small is a popular British television series, based on the books of the British veterinary surgeon Alf Wight, who wrote under the pseudonym James Herriot.-Background:...
(1978) (which coincidentally featured Peter Davison
Peter Davison
Peter Davison is a British actor, best known for his roles as Tristan Farnon in the television version of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small and the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, which he played from 1982 to 1984.-Early life:Davison was born Peter Moffett in Streatham,...
, who Grimwade would direct twice and write for three times on Doctor Who) before returning to Doctor Who as a director. After directing the serial Full Circle
Full Circle (Doctor Who)
Full Circle is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 25 October to 15 November 1980...
(1980) Grimwade was given the task of directing Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
's final serial, Logopolis
Logopolis
Logopolis is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 28 February to 21 March 1981. It was Tom Baker's last story as the Doctor and marks the first appearance of Peter Davison in the role...
. When Peter Davison became the Doctor, Grimwade first directed him in the serial Kinda
Kinda (Doctor Who)
Kinda is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 1 February to 9 February 1982.-Synopsis:...
(1982) and then directed Earthshock
Earthshock
Earthshock is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 8 March to 16 March 1982...
, featuring the return of the Cybermen
Cyberman
The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs who are amongst the most persistent enemies of the Doctor in the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. Cybermen were originally a wholly organic species of humanoids originating on Earth's twin planet Mondas that began to implant more...
to the show after eight years and the death of the character Adric
Adric
Adric is a fictional character played by Matthew Waterhouse in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was a young native of the planet Alzarius, which exists in the parallel universe of E-Space. A companion of the Fourth and Fifth Doctors, he was a regular in the...
.
Earthshock would prove to be the last time he was a director on the series. A year later, Grimwade was scheduled to direct the serial The Return (which would ultimately become Resurrection of the Daleks
Resurrection of the Daleks
Resurrection of the Daleks is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in two weekly parts between 8 February and 15 February 1984...
). Industrial action initially prevented the serial from being filmed. Prior to this, Grimwade had written two serials - Time-Flight
Time-Flight
Time-Flight is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 22 March to 30 March 1982...
and Mawdryn Undead
Mawdryn Undead
Mawdryn Undead is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was originally broadcast in four twice weekly parts from 1 February to 9 February 1983...
(1983). Afterwards, Grimwade was asked to write Davison's penultimate story, which would become Planet of Fire
Planet of Fire
Planet of Fire is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 23 February to 2 March 1984...
. Because the story's requirements were in constant flux, mainly due to uncertaintly over the filming location and cast changes, he eventually became frustrated and allowed script editor Eric Saward
Eric Saward
Eric Saward was born on 9 December 1944 and became a scriptwriter and script editor for the BBC, resigning from the latter post on the TV programme Doctor Who in 1986....
to finish the serial.
Outside of Doctor Who, Grimwade wrote and directed The Come-Uppance of Captain Katt for the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
children's drama series Dramarama. The play was about events behind-the-scenes on a low-budget television science fiction series, which Grimwade openly acknowledged was inspired by his experience working on Doctor Who.
When the BBC gave the publisher W. H. Allen the rights to use Vislor Turlough
Vislor Turlough
Vislor Turlough is a fictional character played by Mark Strickson in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was a companion of the Fifth Doctor, being a regular in the programme from 1983 to 1984.-Character history:...
in the novel Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma, W. H. Allen offered Grimwade a chance to publish an original novel. The result was Robot (ISBN 0-352-32036-2), a book filled with Doctor Who references.
Afterwards, Grimwade left the BBC and mainly worked in producing industrial training videos. He died in 1990 of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
.