Whomobile: Difference between revisions

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(→‎Behind the scenes: rewrite of behind the scenes section; put a flag up on the audio play where "Whomobile" is used. Can anyone name that play?)
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==Behind the scenes==
==Behind the scenes==
The Whomobile was never named in the show, and its name almost certainly would not be "the Whomobile" if it had been.  The name clearly violates the fourth wall.
===The name===
The vehicle was not created for ''Doctor Who'', but was personally commissioned by [[Jon Pertwee]], who retained possession of it after his stint as the Doctor.  Pertwee gave it the name "Whomobile" during press interviews, but it was also known — again, offscreen — as  "Alien".  Had the vehicle been named in ''Doctor Who'', it almost certainly would ''not'' have been called "the Whomobile", as this violated [[producer]] [[Barry Letts]]' strong conviction against making plays on the programme's title.  


The Whomobile was personally commissioned by [[Jon Pertwee]], who retained possession of it after his stint as the Doctor. It was capable of a speed of 105 mph.
However, the name was uttered in an audio drama featuring Pertwee and [[Elisabeth Sladen]] recorded for [[Glorious Goodwood]], but which was never released until it appeared one of the ''[[Doctor Who at the BBC]]'' CDs in the mid-2000s.{{fact}}
===As a real-life vehicle===
The Whomobile was one of Jon Pertwee's personal vehicles.  He retained possession of it until nearly the end of his life.


When Pertwee demonstrated the vehicle on an episode of [[Blue Peter]] during his tenure, he revealed that the vehicle was road worthy and legal, though he mentioned that the BBC forbade him or any of the crew from removing it from the studios except for outside shoots.
When Pertwee demonstrated the vehicle on an episode of ''[[Blue Peter]]'' during his tenure, he revealed that the vehicle was road worthy and legal, though he mentioned that the BBC forbade him or any of the crew from removing it from the studios except for outside shoots. It was capable of a top speed of 105 mph.
 
===As documentary subject===
The vehicle, which was also known as "Alien", was never given a name on screen; the name Whomobile was applied to it by Pertwee in interviews. It did not appear at all in the first story's original script or novelisation, both in which the Doctor used a motorbike. As the name is never uttered on screen, it doesn't violate the standard practice of never referring to the Doctor as "Doctor Who". However, the name was uttered in an audio drama featuring Pertwee and [[Elisabeth Sladen]] recorded for [[Glorious Goodwood]], but which was never released until it appeared one of the [[Doctor Who at the BBC]] CD releases in the mid-2000s.
Pertwee presented the Whomobile in the documentary ''[[Thirty Years in the TARDIS]]''.
 
Pertwee later presented the Whomobile in the documentary ''[[Thirty Years in the TARDIS]]''.


==External Links==
==External Links==

Revision as of 22:41, 7 February 2010

"Whomobile" is a title based upon conjecture.

Check the behind the scenes section, the revision history and discussion page for additional comments on this article's title.

The Whomobile was a futuristic-looking vehicle designed by the Doctor, which was similar to a hovercraft and also capable of flight.

The Doctor first used the vehicle to search for the secret base of Operation Golden Age. (DW: Invasion of the Dinosaurs) It was later used to chase after Lupton when he stole the Doctor's Metebelis Crystal. (DW: Planet of the Spiders)

Behind the scenes

The name

The vehicle was not created for Doctor Who, but was personally commissioned by Jon Pertwee, who retained possession of it after his stint as the Doctor. Pertwee gave it the name "Whomobile" during press interviews, but it was also known — again, offscreen — as "Alien". Had the vehicle been named in Doctor Who, it almost certainly would not have been called "the Whomobile", as this violated producer Barry Letts' strong conviction against making plays on the programme's title.

However, the name was uttered in an audio drama featuring Pertwee and Elisabeth Sladen recorded for Glorious Goodwood, but which was never released until it appeared one of the Doctor Who at the BBC CDs in the mid-2000s.[source needed]

As a real-life vehicle

The Whomobile was one of Jon Pertwee's personal vehicles. He retained possession of it until nearly the end of his life.

When Pertwee demonstrated the vehicle on an episode of Blue Peter during his tenure, he revealed that the vehicle was road worthy and legal, though he mentioned that the BBC forbade him or any of the crew from removing it from the studios except for outside shoots. It was capable of a top speed of 105 mph.

As documentary subject

Pertwee presented the Whomobile in the documentary Thirty Years in the TARDIS.

External Links