Newspaper and Magazine Cuttings: 1963-1969

Doctor Who first appeared on UK television sets in 1963 and consequently this was the era when the series first hit the pages of the nations press and it has never really left them since!

The first really big stories concerned the amazing success of the Daleks and the ensuing merchandising craze that became known as "Dalekmania", yes, in 1965 and 1966 the press just loved to have a Doctor Who feature in their pages.

Interest was even greater with the release of the first Amicus Dalek movie, Dr. Who and the Daleks, in June 1965 which starred Peter Cushing as a very different Doctor Who to Hartnell's erasable TV Doctor. Although there was little sign of the Daleks popularity waning when plans were made for a second film, Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D., by the time of it's release in June 1966 the bubble had burst and the film did not do as well as it's predecessor.

Doctor Who was recognised by many at the time as an exciting and popular series but it was only as the series developed that it became obvious just how groundbreaking it was.

From the strange electronic music and images of the opening titles to the shock of the first regeneration of the lead character, from William Hartnell (First Doctor) to Patrick Troughton (Second Doctor). The series attracted publicity and press interest because it was a unique phenomenon and even when the craze for the Daleks had died down there was still interest in the series.

However, by the late 1960's it was clear that the programme was less newsworthy and fewer column inches were devoted to it. Perhaps this was a combination of the publicity shy Patrick Troughton, and his determination not to be too identified with the part, and a post Dalekmania loss of interest on the part of the press.

It was not until the early 1970's, and the Jon Pertwee (Third Doctor) era, that the press would take as much interest in the programme as they had in the early to mid 1960's.