Douglas Camfield: Difference between revisions

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'''Douglas Camfield''' ([[8th May]] [[1931]]-[[27th January]] [[1984]]) was an accomplished [[director]] for [[television]] from the [[1960s]] to the [[1980s]]. In addition to ''[[Doctor Who]]'', his programme credits include ''Z Cars'', ''Paul Temple'', ''Van der Valk'', ''The Sweeney'', ''Shoestring'', ''The Professionals'', and the [[BBC]] dramatisation of ''Beau Geste''.
'''Douglas Camfield''' ([[8th May]] [[1931]]-[[27th January]] [[1984]]) was an accomplished [[director]] for [[television]] from the [[1960s]] to the [[1980s]]. In addition to ''[[Doctor Who]]'', his programme credits include ''Z Cars'', ''Paul Temple'', ''Van der Valk'', ''The Sweeney'', ''Shoestring'', ''The Professionals'', and the [[BBC]] dramatisation of ''Beau Geste''.


He was production assistant on ''Doctor Who'''s earliest serials, ''[[The Pilot Episode]]'', ''[[An Unearthly Child]]'' (in which he directed a fight scene a)nd ''[[Marco Polo (TV story)|Marco Polo]]''. Camfield went on to direct many other stories in the series' first thirteen years:
He was a [[production assistant]] on a couple of ''Doctor Who'''s earliest serials, including  ''[[100,000 BC]]'' and ''[[Marco Polo (TV story)|Marco Polo]]''.  In fact, his earliest directorial effort for the programme was on [[9th October]] [[1963]], when he directed some [[16mm]] film inserts for "[[The Cave of Skulls]]", "[[The Forest of Fear]]" and "[[The Firemaker]]".  ([[REF]]: ''[[The First Doctor Handbook]]'').  His first directorial ''credit'' was on the episode "[[Crisis]]" . He then went on to direct a number of other serials, including:  
*''[[Planet of Giants]]'' (Camfield directed half of part 3 but got sole credit);
*''[[The Crusade]]''
*''[[The Crusade]]'' (possibly the most well realised historical tale of the era)
*''[[The Time Meddler]]'' — whose [[location filming]] actually included [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]] and [[Barbara Wright|Barbara]]'s return to [[London]] in the final episode of ''[[The Chase]]''.  Therefore, he was either, as [[William Russell]] claims, the actual [[still photographer]] for the montage at the end of "The Planet of Decision" ([[DCOM]]: "The Planet of Decision") or the director of a now-unknown BBC still photographer, according to [[David J Howe]] and friends. ([[REF]]: ''[[The First Doctor Handbook]]'') The two sources agree, however, that he was present throughout the still session, even if they disagree about who actually opened the shutter.
*''[[The Time Meddler]]'' (notable for its imaginative use of effects to overcome studio confines);
*''[[The Daleks' Master Plan]]''  
*''[[The Daleks' Master Plan]]'' (adding a notable visual inventiveness to this 12 part epic);
*''[[The Web of Fear|The Web of Fear ]]''
*''[[The Web of Fear|The Web of Fear ]]''(in which he creates a particularly strong suspenseful atmosphere);
*''[[The Invasion]]''  
*''[[The Invasion]]'' (which became the most expensive ''Doctor Who'' serial up to that time);
*''[[Inferno]]'' for which he directed all the location film work, but became ill due to a heart condition during the videoing of the studio scenes so the remainder were directed by producer [[Barry Letts]], though Camfield retained sole credit ([[DCOM]]: ''[[Inferno]]'')
*''[[Inferno]]'' (for which he directed all the location film work, but became ill due to a heart condition during the videoing of the studio scenes so the remainder were directed by producer [[Barry Letts]], though Camfield retained sole credit);
*''[[Terror of the Zygons]]''
*''[[Terror of the Zygons]]'';
*''[[The Seeds of Doom]]''
*''[[The Seeds of Doom]]''.


It is reputed that he declined the offer to become producer of ''Doctor Who'' in [[1969]], after the departure of [[Derrick Sherwin]]. The job instead went to [[Barry Letts]]. He also sought to get [[Philip Hinchcliffe]] to commission his script for the programme, which involved aliens, the French Foreign Legion and would have killed off the character of [[Sarah Jane Smith]]. However, this story was not produced, and Sarah left the programme quite alive in ''[[The Hand of Fear]]''.
It is reputed that he declined the offer to become producer of ''Doctor Who'' in [[1969]], after the departure of [[Derrick Sherwin]].{{fact}} The job instead went to [[Barry Letts]]. He also sought to get [[Philip Hinchcliffe]] to commission his script for the programme, which involved aliens, the French Foreign Legion and would have killed off the character of [[Sarah Jane Smith]]. However, this story was not produced, and Sarah left the programme quite alive in ''[[The Hand of Fear]]''.


Douglas Camfield served as an officer in the British Army during his younger years.
Douglas Camfield served as an officer in the British Army during his younger years.
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==External links==
==External links==
*{{imdb name|id=0131769|name=Douglas Camfield}}{{Wikipedia|Douglas_Camfield}}
*{{imdb name|id=0131769|name=Douglas Camfield}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Camfield, D}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Camfield, D}}
[[Category:Doctor Who directors|Camfield, Douglas]]
[[Category:Doctor Who directors|Camfield, Douglas]]

Revision as of 01:28, 15 January 2011

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Douglas Camfield (L) on location for The Seeds of Doom.

Douglas Camfield (8th May 1931-27th January 1984) was an accomplished director for television from the 1960s to the 1980s. In addition to Doctor Who, his programme credits include Z Cars, Paul Temple, Van der Valk, The Sweeney, Shoestring, The Professionals, and the BBC dramatisation of Beau Geste.

He was a production assistant on a couple of Doctor Who's earliest serials, including 100,000 BC and Marco Polo. In fact, his earliest directorial effort for the programme was on 9th October 1963, when he directed some 16mm film inserts for "The Cave of Skulls", "The Forest of Fear" and "The Firemaker". (REF: The First Doctor Handbook). His first directorial credit was on the episode "Crisis" . He then went on to direct a number of other serials, including:

It is reputed that he declined the offer to become producer of Doctor Who in 1969, after the departure of Derrick Sherwin.[source needed] The job instead went to Barry Letts. He also sought to get Philip Hinchcliffe to commission his script for the programme, which involved aliens, the French Foreign Legion and would have killed off the character of Sarah Jane Smith. However, this story was not produced, and Sarah left the programme quite alive in The Hand of Fear.

Douglas Camfield served as an officer in the British Army during his younger years.

In later life he suffered from a heart ailment, and died of a heart attack. He was married to the actress Sheila Dunn, whom he cast in Inferno as Dr. Petra Williams.

External links