.jpg "Doctor Who: 'The Gunfighters' BBCDVD8830(A)")
- Broadcast:
- 30th April - 21st May 1966
- Doctor:
- William Hartnell
- Companions:
- Steven, Dodo
- Adversary:
- The Clanton Brothers
- Written by:
- Donald Cotton
- Director:
- Rex Tucker
- Music:
- Tristram Cary
- Script Editor:
- Gerry Davis
- Producer:
- Innes Lloyd
- Average Viewers:
- 6.25m (6.5, 6.6, 6.2, 5.7)
The Gunfighters represents some interesting points in Doctor Who's history. It is the last commissioned by the team of Wiles and Tosh, and therefore the last that Lloyd and Davis had to wrangle to fit their own style. Related to this is the fact that it is the last story to feature individual episode titles. As an historical adventure focusing on specific events, it is the first to contain serious misrepresentation of the facts (aside from the travellers' presence of course) and the last to focus on real events. It infamously received the lowest Audience Appreciation Index (though later figures were calculated differently and may not be comparable), the final episode in particular which also had one of the lowest number of viewers. On a brighter note, Anthony Jabobs who plays Doc Holliday, is the father of Matthew Jacobs who visited him on set and went on to write the TV Movie (where the Doctor returns to America and dons a Wyatt Earp costume!)
Around the world at the time, various political and military struggles continued. US troops in America reached a quarter million, while tens of thousands picketed the White House in protest. Mao Zedong issued the 'May 16 Notice' beginning the Cultural Revolution in the People's Republic Of China and intending to enforce communism by removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society. It would last ten years and cripple the country politically, economically and socially.
In the UK, the Moors Murders trial ended with Ian Brady being found guilty of three murders, each carrying a life sentence, while Myra Hindley was found guilty of two murders and an accessory to the third. It would be almost twenty years before they were officially connected with their other two victims. A two month strike began by seamen, Liverpool won the First Division title while Everton won the FA Cup by scoring three goals in the last 16 minutes to overcome Sheffield Wednesday's 2-0 lead.
Musically, The Beach Boys released their "Pet Sounds" album, Bob Dylan released "Blonde On Blonde" and the British charts were topped by Manfred Mann's "Pretty Flamingo" and the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black". Meanwhile cinemas were showing Elvis Presley's Frankie And Johnny, Othello which featuring future Master actor Derek Jacobi, and most fittingly Westerns Ride Beyond Vengeance and Gunpoint. But how would the Doctor, Seven and Dodo cope when faced by pistol swinging, Stetson wearing, liquor swigging cowboys on a tight TV budget...?
Around the world at the time, various political and military struggles continued. US troops in America reached a quarter million, while tens of thousands picketed the White House in protest. Mao Zedong issued the 'May 16 Notice' beginning the Cultural Revolution in the People's Republic Of China and intending to enforce communism by removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society. It would last ten years and cripple the country politically, economically and socially.
In the UK, the Moors Murders trial ended with Ian Brady being found guilty of three murders, each carrying a life sentence, while Myra Hindley was found guilty of two murders and an accessory to the third. It would be almost twenty years before they were officially connected with their other two victims. A two month strike began by seamen, Liverpool won the First Division title while Everton won the FA Cup by scoring three goals in the last 16 minutes to overcome Sheffield Wednesday's 2-0 lead.
Musically, The Beach Boys released their "Pet Sounds" album, Bob Dylan released "Blonde On Blonde" and the British charts were topped by Manfred Mann's "Pretty Flamingo" and the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black". Meanwhile cinemas were showing Elvis Presley's Frankie And Johnny, Othello which featuring future Master actor Derek Jacobi, and most fittingly Westerns Ride Beyond Vengeance and Gunpoint. But how would the Doctor, Seven and Dodo cope when faced by pistol swinging, Stetson wearing, liquor swigging cowboys on a tight TV budget...?
