Terrance Dicks: Difference between revisions

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{{real world}}
{{real world}}
{{Infobox Person
{{Infobox Person
| image          = Terrance Dicks.jpg
|image          = Terrance Dicks.jpg
| birth date    = [[14 April (people)|14 April]] [[1935 (people)|1935]]
|birth date    = [[14 April (people)|14 April]] [[1935 (people)|1935]]
| death date    = [[29 August (people)|29 August]] [[2019 (people)|2019]]
|death date    = [[29 August (people)|29 August]] [[2019 (people)|2019]]
| job title      = [[Writer]], [[script editor]]
|job title      = [[Writer]], [[script editor]]
| time          = {{il|[[1968 (production)|1968]]-[[1977 (production)|1977]] (television)|[[1974 (production)|1974]]-[[2008 (production)|2008]] (prose)}}
|time          = {{il|[[1968 (production)|1968]]-[[1977 (production)|1977]], [[1981 (production)|1981]], [[1983 (production)|1983]] (television)|[[1974 (production)|1974]]-[[2008 (production)|2008]], [[2019 (production)|2019]] (prose)}}
| non dwu        = ''[[The Avengers]]'', ''Crossroads'', ''Moonbase 3'', ''Space: 1999'', ''BBC Classic Serial''
|non dwu        = ''[[The Avengers]]'', ''Crossroads'', ''Moonbase 3'', ''Space: 1999'', ''BBC Classic Serial''
| imdb          = 0225605
|imdb          = 0225605
| clip          = Exclusive First Look - A great working relationship - Doctor Who The Deamons - BBC
|clip          = Exclusive First Look - A great working relationship - Doctor Who The Deamons - BBC
}}
}}
'''Terrance Dicks''' (born Terrance William Dicks on [[14 April (people)|14 April]] [[1935 (people)|1935]] in East Ham, [[Essex]]<ref>[[TCH 14]]</ref>, died [[29 August (people)|29 August]] [[2019 (people)|2019]]<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/03/terrance-dicks-obituary The Guardian]</ref>) whom fans have long affectionately called "Uncle Terrance", [[script editor|script edited]] the [[Patrick Troughton]] and [[Jon Pertwee]] eras of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' and wrote many ''Doctor Who'' episodes, novels and novelisations, becoming one of the most prolific authors and scriptwriters.
{{you may|Terrance Dicks (in-universe)|n1=his DWU counterpart}}
'''Terrance William Dicks''' ([[14 April (people)|14 April]] [[1935 (people)|1935]]-[[29 August (people)|29 August]] [[2019 (people)|2019]]),<ref>[[TCH 14]]{{which}}</ref><ref>[[Toby Hadoke]]. "[https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/03/terrance-dicks-obituary Terrance Dicks obituary]". ''The Guardian''. 3 September 2019. Accessed 30 January 2023.</ref> whom fans have long affectionately called "Uncle Terrance",{{fact}} [[script editor|script edited]] the [[Patrick Troughton]] and [[Jon Pertwee]] eras of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' and wrote many ''Doctor Who'' episodes, novels and novelisations, becoming one of the most prolific authors and scriptwriters.


== Profile ==
== Profile ==
=== Overview ===
=== Overview ===
Terrance Dicks began his long association with ''[[Doctor Who]]'' in [[1968 (production)|1968]], when he joined the production team during the [[Second Doctor]] story ''[[The Invasion (TV story)|The Invasion]]''. He soon began writing scripts for the series. His first notable work was ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]'', an epic, ten-episode collaboration with [[Malcolm Hulke]].
Terrance Dicks began his long association with ''[[Doctor Who]]'' in [[1968 (production)|1968]], when he joined the production team during the [[Second Doctor]] story ''[[The Web of Fear (TV story)|The Web of Fear]]''. He eventually became full time script editor, during the next season, beginning with the story ''[[The Invasion (TV story)|The Invasion]]''. His first notable writing for the show was ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]'', an epic, ten-episode collaboration with [[Malcolm Hulke]].


Dicks served as script editor through the [[Jon Pertwee]] era. He handed the reins to [[Robert Holmes]] with the coming of [[Tom Baker]]. Dicks continued to supply scripts for the series under his name and pseudonyms, specifically "Robin Bland" which was used when too many changes were made to his script for ''[[The Brain of Morbius (TV story)|The Brain of Morbius]]''.
Dicks served as script editor through the whole [[Jon Pertwee]] era, alongside [[Producer]] and life-long friend [[Barry Letts]] they both crafted a hugely successful era of the show. He handed the reins to [[Robert Holmes]] with the coming of [[Tom Baker]]. Dicks continued to supply scripts for the series under his name and pseudonyms, specifically "Robin Bland" which was used when too many changes were made to his script for ''[[The Brain of Morbius (TV story)|The Brain of Morbius]]''.


Between [[season 13|seasons 13]] and [[season 14|14]], he unsuccessfully attempted to sell a version of ''Doctor Who'' to [[BBC Radio]], which would have starred Tom Baker and [[Elisabeth Sladen]]. ([[INFO]]: ''[[The Seeds of Doom (TV story)|The Seeds of Doom]]'')
Between [[season 13 (Doctor Who 1963)|seasons 13]] and [[season 14 (Doctor Who 1963)|14]], he unsuccessfully attempted to sell a version of ''Doctor Who'' to [[BBC Radio]], which would have starred Tom Baker and [[Elisabeth Sladen]]. ([[INFO]]: ''[[The Seeds of Doom (TV story)|The Seeds of Doom]]'')


At roughly the same time, he submitted what would become ''[[State of Decay (TV story)|State of Decay]]'' to the ''Doctor Who'' production office. It remained unproduced for several years as the BBC had recently produced {{w|Count Dracula (1977 film)|a new version}} of ''[[Dracula]]''. His final script for televised ''Doctor Who'' was for the twentieth anniversary story ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]''.
At roughly the same time, he submitted what would become ''[[State of Decay (TV story)|State of Decay]]'' to the ''Doctor Who'' production office. It remained unproduced for several years as the BBC had recently produced {{w|Count Dracula (1977 film)|a new version}} of ''[[Dracula]]''. His final script for televised ''Doctor Who'' was for the twentieth anniversary story ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]''.
Line 24: Line 25:
In 1973, Dicks, along with other writers from the TV series, were commissioned by [[Target Books]] to write novelisations adapting TV episodes. Over the next two decades, Dicks became the most prolific author of the line. He was editor of the range at one point. In later years, when Target adopted the policy of commissioning the original teleplay writers to novelise their works, Dicks became the "go-to guy" when the original teleplay writer was deceased, unable or unwilling to adapt their work in book form.
In 1973, Dicks, along with other writers from the TV series, were commissioned by [[Target Books]] to write novelisations adapting TV episodes. Over the next two decades, Dicks became the most prolific author of the line. He was editor of the range at one point. In later years, when Target adopted the policy of commissioning the original teleplay writers to novelise their works, Dicks became the "go-to guy" when the original teleplay writer was deceased, unable or unwilling to adapt their work in book form.


The Target Books line was [[retire]]d in the early 1990s. Dicks wrote original novels for virtually every line of Doctor Who fiction, with notable exceptions being [[Virgin Missing Adventures]], [[Telos Publishing]], [[Big Finish Productions]]' [[Bernice Summerfield]] series of books and the current hardcover series of [[BBC Books]] novels, although he wrote two entries in the [[Quick Reads]] novella series, most notably ''[[Made of Steel (novel)|Made of Steel]]'', which introduced fans to [[Martha Jones]] a full month before her TV debut. He is one of only a handful of Classic Era TV writers to have written licenced Modern Era stories (others include [[Andrew Cartmel]], who has written for the ''[[Doctor Who Adventures]]'' comic strip, and [[Rona Munro]], who contributed a script to [[Series 10 (Doctor Who)|Series 10]]).
The Target Books line went on a 24-year hiatus after 1994, with Dicks' last novelisation for ''Doctor Who'' being 1990's ''[[The Space Pirates (novelisation)|The Space Pirates]]''. Dicks wrote original novels for the [[Virgin New Adventures]], [[BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures]], [[BBC Past Doctor Adventures]], and [[Quick Reads]] lines.-. He is one of only a handful of Classic Era TV writers to have written licenced Modern Era stories (others include [[Andrew Cartmel]], who has written for the ''[[Doctor Who Adventures]]'' comic strip, and [[Rona Munro]], who contributed a script to [[Series 10 (Doctor Who 2005)|Series 10]]).


He also co-wrote ''[[The Making of Doctor Who]]'', the first non-fiction book about the series.
He also co-wrote ''[[The Making of Doctor Who]]'', the first non-fiction book about the series.


In 2007, after a hiatus of seventeen years, Dicks returned to writing episode novelisations by adapting ''[[Invasion of the Bane (novelisation)|Invasion of the Bane]]'' for a new series of novelisations based upon ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'', published by [[Penguin Character Books]].
In 2007, Dicks returned to writing episode novelisations by adapting ''[[Invasion of the Bane (novelisation)|Invasion of the Bane]]'' for a new series of novelisations based upon ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'', published by [[Penguin Character Books]].


Although most closely associated with ''Doctor Who'', Dicks has also worked on other projects, such as a mid-1970s series of novels featuring the adventures of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Although most closely associated with ''Doctor Who'', Dicks has also worked on other projects, such as a mid-1970s series of novels featuring the adventures of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.


Of the first twelve incarnations of the Doctor, Dicks wrote novels and novelisations featuring all of them except the [[Ninth Doctor]] and [[Twelfth Doctor]]. In terms of novelisations, discounting the Modern Era Doctors, for whom novelisations have not been commissioned, along with the [[Eighth Doctor]], the only Doctor era not receiving the Dicks treatment at some point was the [[Seventh Doctor]] (discounting the special case of ''[[Shakedown]]'', a partial novelisation of the independent film ''[[Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans]]'', which Dicks adapted for the [[Virgin New Adventures]], expanding the story to include the Seventh Doctor).
Of the first ten incarnations of the Doctor, Dicks wrote novels and novelisations featuring all of them except the [[Ninth Doctor|Ninth]].


He also contributed to the charity reference book ''[[Behind the Sofa: Celebrity Memories of Doctor Who]]''.
He also contributed to the charity reference book ''[[Behind the Sofa: Celebrity Memories of Doctor Who]]''.


=== Contributions to the ''Doctor Who'' universe ===
=== Contributions to the ''Doctor Who'' universe ===
Major characters and concepts created in a Terrance Dicks script or substantially developed by him as [[script editor]] include the [[Time Lord]]s (in ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]'', co-written with [[Malcolm Hulke]]), as well as {{Delgado}} played by [[Roger Delgado]]. More minor creations include the [[Rutan]]s, the [[War Lord]], the [[Death Zone]] and [[Morbius]].
Characters and concepts created in a Terrance Dicks script or substantially developed by him as [[script editor]] include the [[Time Lord]]s, {{Delgado}} played by [[Roger Delgado]], the [[Rutan]]s, the [[War Lord]], the [[Death Zone]], and [[Morbius]].
 
In-universe his name is given to a library at [[St Luke's University]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Lost Dimension (comic story)|The Lost Dimension]]'')
 
The first part of ''[[Spyfall (TV story)|Spyfall]]'' was dedicated to his 'Masterful' talents.


== Television credits ==
== Television credits ==
===As writer===
=== As writer ===
==== ''Doctor Who'' ====
==== ''Doctor Who'' ====
* ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]'' (with [[Malcolm Hulke]])
* ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]'' (with [[Malcolm Hulke]])
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* ''[[Mindgame Trilogy]]'': ''[[Battlefield (home video)|Battlefield]]''
* ''[[Mindgame Trilogy]]'': ''[[Battlefield (home video)|Battlefield]]''


===As script editor===
=== As script editor ===
==== ''Doctor Who'' ====
==== ''Doctor Who'' ====
{|
|-
| valign="top" |
*''[[The Invasion (TV story)|The Invasion]]''
*''[[The Invasion (TV story)|The Invasion]]''
*''[[The Krotons (TV story)|The Krotons]]''
*''[[The Krotons (TV story)|The Krotons]]''
*''[[The Seeds of Death (TV story)|The Seeds of Death]]''
*''[[The Seeds of Death (TV story)|The Seeds of Death]]''
| valign="top" |
*''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]''
*''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]''
*''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]''
*''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]''
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*''[[The Monster of Peladon (TV story)|The Monster of Peladon]]''
*''[[The Monster of Peladon (TV story)|The Monster of Peladon]]''
*''[[Planet of the Spiders (TV story)|Planet of the Spiders]]''
*''[[Planet of the Spiders (TV story)|Planet of the Spiders]]''
|}


===Dedications===
=== Dedications ===
[[File:SpyfallDedication.jpg|thumb|right|''[[Spyfall (TV story)|Spyfall]]'' "Masterful" dedication.]]
[[File:SpyfallDedication.jpg|thumb|right|''[[Spyfall (TV story)|Spyfall]]'' "Masterful" dedication.]]
*''[[Spyfall (TV story)|Spyfall: Part One]]''
* ''[[Spyfall (TV story)|Spyfall: Part One]]''


== Prose ==
== Prose ==
=== Novels ===
=== Novels ===
==== Virgin New Adventures ====
==== Target Novelisations ====
* ''[[Timewyrm: Exodus (novel)|Timewyrm: Exodus]]''
* ''[[Blood Harvest (novel)|Blood Harvest]]''
* ''[[Shakedown (novel)|Shakedown]]'' - (technically an expanded upon novelisation of his ''[[Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans]]'')
 
==== BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures ====
* ''[[The Eight Doctors (novel)|The Eight Doctors]]''
* ''[[Endgame (novel)|Endgame]]''
 
==== BBC Past Doctor Adventures ====
* ''[[Catastrophea (novel)|Catastrophea]]''
* ''[[Players (novel)|Players]]''
* ''[[Warmonger (novel)|Warmonger]]''
* ''[[Deadly Reunion (novel)|Deadly Reunion]]'' (with [[Barry Letts]])
* ''[[World Game (novel)|World Game]]''
 
==== BBC Quick Reads ====
* ''[[Made of Steel (novel)|Made of Steel]]''
* ''[[Revenge of the Judoon (novel)|Revenge of the Judoon]]''
 
==== Virgin Bernice Summerfield New Adventures ====
* ''[[Mean Streets (novel)|Mean Streets]]''
 
=== Novelisations ===
==== Target novelisations ====
{|
|-
| valign="top" |
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks]]''
Line 137: Line 102:
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks]]''
* ''[[The Revenge of the Cybermen (novelisation)|The Revenge of the Cybermen]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Revenge of the Cybermen (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Revenge of the Cybermen]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Web of Fear (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Web of Fear]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Web of Fear (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Web of Fear]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Planet of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Planet of the Daleks]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Planet of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Planet of the Daleks]]''
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* ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Underworld (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Underworld]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Underworld (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Underworld]]''
| valign="top" |
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood]]''
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* ''[[Planet of Giants (novelisation)|Planet of Giants]]''
* ''[[Planet of Giants (novelisation)|Planet of Giants]]''
* ''[[The Space Pirates (novelisation)|The Space Pirates]]''
* ''[[The Space Pirates (novelisation)|The Space Pirates]]''
|}
* ''[[The Ultimate Adventure (unproduced novelisation)|The Ultimate Adventure]]'' (unproduced)<ref>{{cite book
|first=David
|last=J Howe
|date=20 October 2007
|publisher=[[Telos Publishing]]
|title=[[The Target Book]]
|accessdate=8 May 2024
|pages=131
|coauthors=Neal, Tim}}</ref>


==== Junior Doctor Who ====
==== Junior Doctor Who ====
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* ''[[Junior Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius (novelisation)|Junior Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius]]''
* ''[[Junior Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius (novelisation)|Junior Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius]]''


==== The Sarah Jane Adventures novelisations ====
==== Target Books ====
* ''[[The Doctor Who Dinosaur Book (novel)|The Doctor Who Dinosaur Book]]''
 
==== Virgin New Adventures ====
* ''[[Timewyrm: Exodus (novel)|Timewyrm: Exodus]]''
* ''[[Blood Harvest (novel)|Blood Harvest]]''
* ''[[Shakedown (novel)|Shakedown]]'' - (technically an expanded upon novelisation of his ''[[Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans]]'')
 
==== BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures ====
* ''[[The Eight Doctors (novel)|The Eight Doctors]]''
* ''[[Endgame (novel)|Endgame]]''
 
==== BBC Past Doctor Adventures ====
* ''[[Catastrophea (novel)|Catastrophea]]''
* ''[[Players (novel)|Players]]''
* ''[[Warmonger (novel)|Warmonger]]''
* ''[[Deadly Reunion (novel)|Deadly Reunion]]'' (with [[Barry Letts]])
* ''[[World Game (novel)|World Game]]''
 
==== BBC Quick Reads ====
* ''[[Made of Steel (novel)|Made of Steel]]''
* ''[[Revenge of the Judoon (novel)|Revenge of the Judoon]]''
 
==== Virgin Bernice Summerfield New Adventures ====
* ''[[Mean Streets (novel)|Mean Streets]]''
 
==== The Sarah Jane Adventures Novelisations ====
* ''[[Invasion of the Bane (novelisation)|Invasion of the Bane]]''
* ''[[Invasion of the Bane (novelisation)|Invasion of the Bane]]''


=== Short stories ===
=== Short Stories ===
==== Brief Encounters ====
==== Brief Encounters ====
* ''[[Farewells (short story)|Farewells]]''
* ''[[Farewells (short story)|Farewells]]''


==== The Target Storybook ====
==== The Target Storybook ====
* ''[[Save Yourself (short story)|Save Yourself]]''
* ''[[Save Yourself (short story)|Save Yourself]]'' (released posthumous)


==== Dalek ====
==== Dalek ====
Line 221: Line 219:
* ''[[The Making of Doctor Who]]'' (first edition co-written with [[Malcolm Hulke]]; second edition updated and revised by Terrance Dicks alone)
* ''[[The Making of Doctor Who]]'' (first edition co-written with [[Malcolm Hulke]]; second edition updated and revised by Terrance Dicks alone)
* ''[[The Doctor Who Monster Book]]''
* ''[[The Doctor Who Monster Book]]''
* ''[[The Doctor Who Dinosaur Book]]''
* ''[[The Second Doctor Who Monster Book]]''
* ''[[The Second Doctor Who Monster Book]]''


== Stage plays ==
== Stage plays ==
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Daleks in Seven Keys to Doomsday]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Daleks in Seven Keys to Doomsday (stage play)|Doctor Who and the Daleks in Seven Keys to Doomsday]]''
* ''[[The Ultimate Adventure]]''
* ''[[The Ultimate Adventure (stage play)|The Ultimate Adventure]]''


== Audio ==
== Audio ==
=== Big Finish ''Doctor Who'' stage plays ===
=== Big Finish ''Doctor Who'' stage plays ===
* ''[[Seven Keys to Doomsday (audio story)|Seven Keys to Doomsday]]''
* ''[[Seven Keys to Doomsday (audio story)|Seven Keys to Doomsday]]''
Line 240: Line 236:
* ''[[Beyond the Ultimate Adventure (audio story)|Beyond the Ultimate Adventure]]''
* ''[[Beyond the Ultimate Adventure (audio story)|Beyond the Ultimate Adventure]]''


== Video Game ==
== Video game ==
* ''[[Destiny of the Doctors (video game)|Destiny of the Doctors]]''
* ''[[Destiny of the Doctors (video game)|Destiny of the Doctors]]'' (with Hannah Redler, [[Gary Russell]] and [[Andy Russell]])


== Contributions to the mythos ==
== Contributions to the mythos ==
Line 260: Line 256:
* [[Time Scoop]]
* [[Time Scoop]]
* [[Eye of Orion]]
* [[Eye of Orion]]
== Documentary appearances ==
* ''[[IMC Needs You! (documentary)|IMC Needs You]]''
* [[Beginning the End (documentary)|''Beginning the End'']]
* ''[[Life on Earth (documentary)|Life on Earth]]''
* ''[[The Military Mind (documentary)|The Military Mind]]''
* ''[[Axon Stations! (documentary)|Axon Stations!]]''
''to be completed''


== External links ==
== External links ==
{{imdb name|id=0225605}}
{{imdb name|id=0225605}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060314193942/http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2004/01/01/13706.shtml BBC.co.uk website interview with Terrance Dicks, 01 January 2004]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060314193942/http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2004/01/01/13706.shtml BBC.co.uk website interview with Terrance Dicks, 01 January 2004]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20041104221312/http://gallifreyone.com/interview.php?id=dicks Outpost Gallifrey - Interview: '''Terrance Dicks''' (archived)]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20041104221312/http://gallifreyone.com/interview.php?id=dicks Outpost Gallifrey - Interview: '''Terrance Dicks''' (archived)]


== Footnotes ==
== Footnotes ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
{{NameSort}}


{{NameSort}}


[[fr:Terrance Dicks]]
[[fr:Terrance Dicks]]
Line 291: Line 296:
[[Category:Behind the Sofa contributors]]
[[Category:Behind the Sofa contributors]]
[[Category:Doctor Who short story writers]]
[[Category:Doctor Who short story writers]]
[[Category:Video game production staff]]

Revision as of 11:44, 8 May 2024

RealWorld.png

You may be looking for his DWU counterpart.

Terrance William Dicks (14 April 1935-29 August 2019),[1][2] whom fans have long affectionately called "Uncle Terrance",[source needed] script edited the Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee eras of Doctor Who and wrote many Doctor Who episodes, novels and novelisations, becoming one of the most prolific authors and scriptwriters.

Profile

Overview

Terrance Dicks began his long association with Doctor Who in 1968, when he joined the production team during the Second Doctor story The Web of Fear. He eventually became full time script editor, during the next season, beginning with the story The Invasion. His first notable writing for the show was The War Games, an epic, ten-episode collaboration with Malcolm Hulke.

Dicks served as script editor through the whole Jon Pertwee era, alongside Producer and life-long friend Barry Letts they both crafted a hugely successful era of the show. He handed the reins to Robert Holmes with the coming of Tom Baker. Dicks continued to supply scripts for the series under his name and pseudonyms, specifically "Robin Bland" which was used when too many changes were made to his script for The Brain of Morbius.

Between seasons 13 and 14, he unsuccessfully attempted to sell a version of Doctor Who to BBC Radio, which would have starred Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen. (INFO: The Seeds of Doom)

At roughly the same time, he submitted what would become State of Decay to the Doctor Who production office. It remained unproduced for several years as the BBC had recently produced a new version of Dracula. His final script for televised Doctor Who was for the twentieth anniversary story The Five Doctors.

In 1973, Dicks, along with other writers from the TV series, were commissioned by Target Books to write novelisations adapting TV episodes. Over the next two decades, Dicks became the most prolific author of the line. He was editor of the range at one point. In later years, when Target adopted the policy of commissioning the original teleplay writers to novelise their works, Dicks became the "go-to guy" when the original teleplay writer was deceased, unable or unwilling to adapt their work in book form.

The Target Books line went on a 24-year hiatus after 1994, with Dicks' last novelisation for Doctor Who being 1990's The Space Pirates. Dicks wrote original novels for the Virgin New Adventures, BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures, BBC Past Doctor Adventures, and Quick Reads lines.-. He is one of only a handful of Classic Era TV writers to have written licenced Modern Era stories (others include Andrew Cartmel, who has written for the Doctor Who Adventures comic strip, and Rona Munro, who contributed a script to Series 10).

He also co-wrote The Making of Doctor Who, the first non-fiction book about the series.

In 2007, Dicks returned to writing episode novelisations by adapting Invasion of the Bane for a new series of novelisations based upon The Sarah Jane Adventures, published by Penguin Character Books.

Although most closely associated with Doctor Who, Dicks has also worked on other projects, such as a mid-1970s series of novels featuring the adventures of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Of the first ten incarnations of the Doctor, Dicks wrote novels and novelisations featuring all of them except the Ninth.

He also contributed to the charity reference book Behind the Sofa: Celebrity Memories of Doctor Who.

Contributions to the Doctor Who universe

Characters and concepts created in a Terrance Dicks script or substantially developed by him as script editor include the Time Lords, the Master played by Roger Delgado, the Rutans, the War Lord, the Death Zone, and Morbius.

Television credits

As writer

Doctor Who

Direct-to-video

As script editor

Doctor Who

Dedications

Spyfall "Masterful" dedication.

Prose

Novels

Target Novelisations

Junior Doctor Who

Target Books

Virgin New Adventures

BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures

BBC Past Doctor Adventures

BBC Quick Reads

Virgin Bernice Summerfield New Adventures

The Sarah Jane Adventures Novelisations

Short Stories

Brief Encounters

The Target Storybook

Dalek

Daily Mirror

Bernice Summerfield short stores

Non-fiction

Stage plays

Audio

Big Finish Doctor Who stage plays

Sarah Jane Smith

Companion Chronicles

Video game

Contributions to the mythos

Major characters and concepts created for or debuting in a Terrance Dicks script include:

Documentary appearances

to be completed

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ TCH 14[which?]
  2. ↑ Toby Hadoke. "Terrance Dicks obituary". The Guardian. 3 September 2019. Accessed 30 January 2023.
  3. ↑ J Howe, David; Neal, Tim (20 October 2007). The Target Book pp. 131. Telos Publishing. Retrieved on 8 May 2024.
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