Doctor Who (1963) - Season 1

Note: Yes I am still going through and fixing up older articles, and splitting them apart into 'new' articles. After Doctor Who (which I really want to be done with!), it will be Lexx and Babylon 5 next. After that, I promise any articles will be entirely new ones! Apologies if it seems like I'm going around in circles...

The original Doctor Who was a daunting task for any costume designer assigned to it, both for the ambitious demands of the scripts, and the reality of the show's low budget.

Another difficult was that quite often, the assigned costume designers had to design whatever 'monsters' required for a serial, if it was an actor in a suit. The costume designer would design the monster, but it varied as to if they outsourced the construction to a freelancer or not.

And then there's the further complication as to where the non-monster costumes were made as well! While many costumes were constructed in the BBC Wardrobe Department, there was many cases of costumes being made by freelance costumiers and tailors instead.

Generally, 'futuristic' costumes in Doctor Who were always custom-made for the show, 'period' costumes were *usually* wardrobe hires (either from the BBC Wardrobe Department, or costume houses like Bermans & Nathans), and 'contemporary' costumes were bought clothes, or the actor's own!

However in some serials, certain period costumes or companion's 'contemporary' costumes were indeed custom-made for the show, and not wardrobe hires or bought items. These were generally the exception, not the rule, but are noted whenever it is the case.

In the show's first few years where William Hartnell played the mysterious 'Doctor', his costume was actually cobbled together from wardrobe stock, and was not actually tailored for him.

The series first ever costume designer, Maureen Heneghan, came up with Hartnell's 'look' in the serial 'An Unearthy Child' which was mostly set in prehistoric times. I don't know if any of the caveman costumes in that serial were custom-made or wardrobe hires though.

'The Daleks'

Costume Design by Daphne Dare

The first futuristic costumes in the series' history were the work of Daphne Dare. Dare had never designed any science-fiction productions before, but approached the series as a way to be creative with designing.

According to fellow costume designer Colin Lavers, in an interview printed in Doctor Who Magazine #582, 'From the disparaging press coverage, Doctor Who seemed a very small kiddies’ programme. We were surprised that Daphne, who normally did more straightforward dramas, was doing it. But for a designer it was creative. Daphne was quite happy, while some designers seemed frightened to touch it because it was ‘children’s’. Perhaps they took it too seriously.'

Dare used Doctor Who's futuristic settings as a chance to explore making costumes with unusual materials and patterns, as seen with the Thal costumes in 'The Daleks'. The male Thal performers wear leather or leatherette leggings with hexagonal patterns cut on the sides and v-shaped blue vests.

The vests and leggings are worn with wristguards and belts. A futuristic plastic 'crown' was made for Alan Wheatley as the Thal leader Temmosus.

A futuristic cape, made of segmented hexagonal panels of synthetic fabric, was made for John Lee as the Thal Alydon. The cape was designed to totally obscure Lee, and look like a tree in certain shots.

The female Thal performers wear blue dresses cut of a stiff material, with hexagons similarly cut into them.

A striped blue cape was also made the female performers, and notice the little futuristic 'headdresses' as well.

'Marco Polo'

Costume Design by Daphne Dare

Generally, most costumes in Doctor Who's various 'historical' serials were wardrobe hires, often from Bermans & Nathans. This serial was notable in that it marked the first collaboration between Daphne Dare and freelance propmaker Jack Lovell, as Lovell supplied armor pieces he had already made for earlier film productions.

According to Colin Lavers in the aforementioned DWM interview, some costumes for this historical serial were custom-made, with the bulk being supplied from Bermans & Nathans. 'Daphne had some lovely things made, then filled in from us (at Bermans & Nathans) to save on her no doubt minuscule budget'.

Unfortunately, Lavers did not specify which costumes were made for the serial. However, I think Dare made the Chinese robe worn by Mark Eden as the titular explorer. This robe would appear again in Doctor Who, worn by Michael Gough as the title villain of 'The Celestial Toymaker' a few years later.

The photos of Gough in the costume expose that it clearly was made in the BBC's Costume Department, judging by the slightly 'naive' cut of the fabrics, especially when compared to costumes made by Bermans & Nathans. The only addition was the collar and hat, which possibly were also made for 'Marco Polo'?

'The Keys of Marinus'

Costume Design by Daphne Dare

In contrast to 'The Daleks', most costumes in this serial were wardrobe hires. I feel the tabards, collars and capes worn by the 'Ice Soldiers' were custom-made and not wardrobe hires, due to their odd fabric and construction. The helmets were definitely stock, like most costumes in the serial.

The futuristic dress worn by Fiona Walker as Kala had to have been custom-made for the production though. The dress has a triangular panel of synthetic material on the chest.

As said above, most of the costumes in 'The Keys of Marinus' were wardrobe hires. The judges seen in the serial's trial sequences are wearing stock monk habits, but worn with custom-made futuristic headdresses

Costume Reuse Note: The overalls worn by the male jury extras in the serial's trial sequences seem to be the Outer Party overalls originally seen in the 1954 BBC adaptation of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.

The 'Voord' aliens were perhaps some of the first 'monster' costumes in the series. The only custom-made parts of the Voord costumes were the masks and gloves; the rest of the outfit was bought scuba gear.

Thw Voord masks were constructed by freelance costume and prop maker Jack Lovell. Several variant of the Voord masks were made; the design is remniscient of Ancient Egyptian crowns.

'The Aztecs'

Costume Design by Daphne Dare

Unlike most 'historical' Doctor Who serials, a good few of the costumes in 'The Aztecs' had to be custom-made. There was no readily available source of stock Aztec garments.

Dare designed a feathered cape and headdress for Jacqueline Hill to wear as Barbara in her turn as the Aztec goddess Yetaxa. Only production photos give an idea of how colourful this costume actually was.

Underneath the feathered cape is a traditional 'quechquemitl' top and 'cueitl' skirt. Similar ones were made for the serial's other actresses.

Dare took some liberties when it came to the Aztec men's costuming; John Ringham's costume as Tlotoxl has a black spandex onesie underneath the red robe. I do wonder who made the 'hard parts' of this serial's Aztec costumes.

A headdress and robe was made for Keith Pyott as the Aztec elder Autloc, with a similar gown made for one of his deputies.

Further historical liberies were taken with the costumes made for the other male Aztec cast members, with quilted vests and trousers being worn with the headdresses and loinclothes. I suspect the vests were some kind of fencing gear or sportswear! The trousers no doubt were bought items.

A ceremonial eagle headdress was made for William Russell for Ian Chesterton's Aztec warrior guise, with a patterned cape and loincloth.

A similar costume - right down to the ahistorical quilted fencing vest - was made for Ian Cullen as the warrior Ixta. The jaguar mask still exists, and is currently owned here.

The quilted fencing jackets were used for the other Aztex perfomers, but the various conical headdresses and sashes were made I feel. I do wonder what sort of fabrics Daphne Dare used for this serial!

'The Sensorites'

Costume Design by Daphne Dare

Dare designed a set of futuristic uniforms for the Earth spaceship's cast members. These uniforms consisted of dark blue leggings and jackets. The jackets could only be zipped up from the back.

Costume Reuse Note: One of these uniforms was worn by Peter Purves in the later serial 'The Chase', with the rocket insignia removed.

Dare also designed the uniforms of the titular Sensorites; custom onesides with high collars that covered the performer's hands and feet. The feer were designed to imply the Sensorites had an alien foot shape.