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{{Infobox Individual|
{{Infobox Individual
individual name= Harrison Chase |
|image = Harrison Chase.jpg
image= [[Image:Harrisonchase.jpg|250px]]|
|species = Human
race= [[Human]] |
|origin = [[Earth]]  
home planet=[[Earth]] |
|only = The Seeds of Doom (TV story) 
home era= [[20th century]]|
|actor = Tony Beckley
appearances= [[The Seeds of Doom]] |
|affiliation = Krynoid}}
actor= [[Tony Beckley]] |}}
'''Harrison Chase''' was an eccentric millionaire whose primary hobby was [[botany]]. In its pursuit, he assembled the world's largest collection of plants and disdained [[human]]ity in favour of plant life. He even composed [[music]] for the plants in his [[greenhouse]].


'''Harrison Chase''' was an eccentric millionaire whose primary hobby was [[botany]]. He was in many ways similar to James Bond villain Karl Stromberg; a madman with a disdainful attitude toward human life, and favoritism over another form of life, in this case, plant life.
== Biography ==
Chase was obsessive about his plant collection. He deemed himself the greatest collector of plant life and considered it the most helpless and beautiful thing in the world. He severely disliked his fellow human beings. Among his other eccentricities, he always wore black leather [[glove]]s.


Through his vast resources, Chase learned that the seed pods of a [[Krynoid]], an intelligent form of [[alien]] [[:Category:Plants|plant]] life, had been found in [[Antarctica]]. As a collector of rare specimens, Chase became obsessed with obtaining them, and managed to successfully acquire one. He allowed the Krynoid to possess one of his henchmen, who began to mutate into a Human-Krynoid hybrid. As the monster grew in size and power, Chase too became possessed by the Krynoid.
Chase learned from a government official, [[Richard Dunbar]], that a [[Krynoid]] pod had been found in [[Antarctica]]. He bribed Dunbar regularly for information. Chase sent his henchman, [[Scorby]], and a scientist, [[Arnold Keeler]], to steal it.


Convinced of a future where Krynoids are the dominant life form on Earth, Chase aided the monster in earnest. By this time, the [[Fourth Doctor]] and [[Sarah Jane Smith]] had become trapped on Chase's property. Chase eventually captured Sarah and attempted to kill her by throwing her into a compost shredder. The Doctor stopped him, and the two fought, until Chase fell into the shredder and perished.
[[File:Plants FTW.jpg|left|thumb|Chase photographs the [[Krynoid]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Seeds of Doom (TV story)|The Seeds of Doom]]'')]]
{{character stub}}
The Krynoid came into his possession and it infected Keeler, who slowly changed into a Krynoid himself. Chase would not allow Keeler to get medical attention. He accelerated the process by feeding it and tried to study the plant's biology.
{{wikipedia|List_of_Doctor_Who_villains#C}}
 
[[Category:Human aristocrats|Chase, Harrison]]
Chase put the [[Fourth Doctor]] in his compost machine, intending it to kill him. He was rescued by [[Sarah Jane Smith]].
[[Category:Fourth Doctor enemies|Chase, Harrison]]
 
[[Category:Human botanists|Chase, Harrison]]
The creature grew bigger and more powerful. Chase began [[photograph]]ing it when it attacked him; he became [[psychic]]ally linked with it, and began to aid it in its plans to destroy animal life and become the dominant lifeform on Earth.
 
Chase captured Sarah Jane and put her in his compost machine; the Doctor freed her and wrestled with Chase. During the struggle, Chase was sucked into the shredder and killed. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Seeds of Doom (TV story)|The Seeds of Doom]]'')
 
== Behind the scenes ==
* Chase's nearly omnipresent black gloves were not in the script. Actor [[Tony Beckley]] added them to his character's wardrobe as a quirk of Chase's, and they're never explained in the story. He's seen bare-handed only twice: when assembling his camera, and when he's meditating inside his greenhouse. [[Philip Hinchcliffe]] wrote the gloves into his [[Doctor Who and the Seeds of Doom (novelisation)|novelisation]] of the story, explaining that Chase wore them in order to limit his physical contact with his fellow humans; he only liked touching plants bare-handed.
* In part four, when Chase writes [[Amelia Ducat]] a cheque as belated payment for the painting he bought from her, the black leather gloves inadvertently caused Tony Beckley to tear two cheques out of the prop cheque book instead of just one — a mistake which remained in the finished programme.
 
{{NameSort}}
[[Category:British aristocrats]]
[[Category:Human botanists]]
[[Category:20th century individuals]]
[[Category:Human murderers]]
[[Category:Millionaires]]
[[Category:Human bribers]]
[[Category:Human gardeners]]

Latest revision as of 23:06, 31 October 2024

Harrison Chase was an eccentric millionaire whose primary hobby was botany. In its pursuit, he assembled the world's largest collection of plants and disdained humanity in favour of plant life. He even composed music for the plants in his greenhouse.

Biography[[edit] | [edit source]]

Chase was obsessive about his plant collection. He deemed himself the greatest collector of plant life and considered it the most helpless and beautiful thing in the world. He severely disliked his fellow human beings. Among his other eccentricities, he always wore black leather gloves.

Chase learned from a government official, Richard Dunbar, that a Krynoid pod had been found in Antarctica. He bribed Dunbar regularly for information. Chase sent his henchman, Scorby, and a scientist, Arnold Keeler, to steal it.

Chase photographs the Krynoid. (TV: The Seeds of Doom)

The Krynoid came into his possession and it infected Keeler, who slowly changed into a Krynoid himself. Chase would not allow Keeler to get medical attention. He accelerated the process by feeding it and tried to study the plant's biology.

Chase put the Fourth Doctor in his compost machine, intending it to kill him. He was rescued by Sarah Jane Smith.

The creature grew bigger and more powerful. Chase began photographing it when it attacked him; he became psychically linked with it, and began to aid it in its plans to destroy animal life and become the dominant lifeform on Earth.

Chase captured Sarah Jane and put her in his compost machine; the Doctor freed her and wrestled with Chase. During the struggle, Chase was sucked into the shredder and killed. (TV: The Seeds of Doom)

Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Chase's nearly omnipresent black gloves were not in the script. Actor Tony Beckley added them to his character's wardrobe as a quirk of Chase's, and they're never explained in the story. He's seen bare-handed only twice: when assembling his camera, and when he's meditating inside his greenhouse. Philip Hinchcliffe wrote the gloves into his novelisation of the story, explaining that Chase wore them in order to limit his physical contact with his fellow humans; he only liked touching plants bare-handed.
  • In part four, when Chase writes Amelia Ducat a cheque as belated payment for the painting he bought from her, the black leather gloves inadvertently caused Tony Beckley to tear two cheques out of the prop cheque book instead of just one — a mistake which remained in the finished programme.