"Tim Roll-Pickering" wrote in message
...
Ronnie Clark wrote:

It is sad, but understandable, that the BBC did felt it was a better
used of
resources to tape over old programs in the 1970s. This was when most
of
the
original video tapes of Doctor Who from 1963-1972 were junked (though
in
at least two instances, this was in error).

What errors were these?

1966's "The Tenth Planet" episode 4

Complete myth. The BBC did not have an "archive" until 1978. Before then
its
collection was spread between the Film Library, the Engineering Department
(videotapes) and Enterprises (overseas sales).

And 1974's "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" episode 1

No, this is another myth. The Invasion 1 had already been wiped. And tapes
were not wiped on the basis on onscreen title - the label would have shown
the full title, and it would have also been clear the tape was in colour.
The wiping appears to have been completely in order.

Well... These are both stories from the great Levine, so I should have
guessed that something wasn't right about them


It was the very last (chronologically) episode to be junked, therefore
making series 12 (Tom Baker's first series) the earliest series not to
suffer from junkings.

Not true - the first episode of the following story (Death to the Daleks)
was also wiped, but later copies were returned - first a 525 NTSC copy
from
Canada and then a 625 PAL copy from Dubai.

I understood that "Death To The Daleks" 1 was 'mislaid' by Enterprises (who
to this day, as Worlwide, still haven't 'found' their copy) rather than
wiped. Is this not true?

Well, it's quite surprising just what can show up at times... "The Feast
Of
Steven" was an episode of the 12 part epic "The Daleks' Masterplan".
Because
it was so lengthy, only one copy (IIRC) of the 11 part version (sans
"The
Feast Of Steven") was made... Yet amazingly enough, three episodes from
the
serial have now been returned!

I think more than one - BBC Enterprises would make master film negatives
(1
copy) and strike positives as and when needed - at least one set was made
to
send viewing prints to Australia (who declined to purchase). It's possible
other copies were made for various reasons - the copy of episode 4 that
wound up in the Film Library was probably a print made for internal
reference for one BBC department or another.

It is probably the single positive I'm thinking of. I till find it hard to
believe that supposedly only one positive was made, though. A story with
"Daleks" in the title in 1965/1966?! In between the two Dalek motion
pictures?! Ah well.


--
Ronnie
--
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