Mark Gatiss: Difference between revisions

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[[File:C_28437914.jpg|thumb|Mark Gatiss]]
{{real world}}[[File:C_28437914.jpg|thumb|Mark Gatiss]]
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'''Mark Gatiss''' (born [[17th October]] [[1966]], in [[Sedgefield]], [[Durham]], [[England]], [[UK]]) has been a major creative force in the production of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' fiction since the [[1990s]].  Given his accomplishments as a ''Doctor Who'' author, screenwriter, audio writer, audio actor, screen actor, documentary narrator, and documentary subject, no other individual truly comes close to Gatiss in terms of the breadth of his contributions to the ''Doctor Who'' franchise.
'''Mark Gatiss''' (born [[17th October]] [[1966]], in [[Sedgefield]], [[Durham]], [[England]], [[UK]]) is a British actor probably best known for his role in ''The League of Gentlemen''. However he also has a longstanding tie to ''[[Doctor Who]]'', having done some of his earliest acting work for the [[BBV Productions]] spinoff films, while at the same time writing several BBV films and ''Doctor Who'' novels. He also appeared in the 2001 documentary series, [http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0280310/ "SF:UK"] in which he talked about DW (amongst other things).
 
Just in terms of televised ''Doctor Who'', he has contributed three scripts to the [[BBC Wales]] version of ''Doctor Who'', made two guest appearance, and been the sometimes-narrator, sometimes-subject of ''[[Doctor Who Confidential]]''.  Although other writers had previously enjoyed small roles in the [[1963]] version of ''Doctor Who'', he was the first to have had a large speaking role — much less a part the size of Professor [[Richard Lazarus]], who was the titular villain of ''[[The Lazarus Experiment]]''.  He also made a brief appearance in ''[[Victory of the Daleks]]'' as a spitfire pilot, which made him the only person to have written and starred in the same episode of ''Doctor Who''. He claimed that the small role also made him "the first and only person so far to write for the series and be in it ''twice''".<ref name=SFX>[http://www.sfx.co.uk/2010/04/11/mark-gatiss-on-victory-of-the-daleks/ "Mark Gatiss on Victory of the Daleks".  sfx.co.uk.  11 April 2010.]</ref>
 
Outside the programme proper, he has written various officially licensed novels, televised spoofs and audio plays, and has sometimes lent his voice to [[Big Finish Productions]].  Counting BBC-made spoofs and these audios, he is alone with Sir [[Derek Jacobi]] in having played both [[the Doctor]] and [[the Master]].
 
Gatiss also has significant relationships with ''Doctor Who'' luminaries that extend beyond the programme itself. 
 
For instance, he is a sometimes-partner of [[Steven Moffat]], with whom he created and produced ''[[Wikipedia:Sherlock (TV series)|Sherlock]]'', a TV series that was in production at BBC Wales at the same time as [[series 5 (Doctor Who)|Moffat's first series as]] [[head writer]] of ''Doctor Who''.  He also played [[wikipedia:Robert Louis Stevenson|Robert Louis Stevenson]] in  Moffat's ''[[wikipedia:Jekyll (TV series)|Jekyll]]''.
 
He has had some form of professional or semi-professional contact with every actor to have played [[the Doctor]] except [[William Hartnell]] and [[Patrick Troughton]]. [[David Tennant]] is his most common acting partner amongst people who've played the Doctor.  They've been on screen together on several occasions — most prominently in ''[[wikipedia:The Quatermass Experiment (2005)|The Quatermass Experiment]]'' and the episode "Drop Dead" of ''[[wikipedia:Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)|Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)]]'', which also featured [[Jessica Hynes]].  He's also been alongside Tennant in ''[[wikipedia:Bright Young Things|Bright Young Things]]'', which also co-starred [[Fenella Woolgar]], [[Stephen Fry]], [[Bill Paterson]], [[Richard E. Grant]], and [[Jim Broadbent]]; and the English-language cast of the Norwegian animated adventure ''[[wikipedia:Free Jimmy|Free Jimmy]]'', with [[Simon Pegg]], [[Jim Broadbent]] and [[Steve Pemberton]].  He and [[Tom Baker]] have occasionally crossed paths, through their mutual connection to [[wikipedia:Matt Lucas|Matt Lucas]].  Gatiss [[script editor|script edited]] several episodes of ''[[wikipedia:Little Britain|Little Britain]]'', on which Baker was the regular narrator, and fellow ''Doctor Who Confidential'' narrator, [[Anthony Head]], played a leading role.  Later, Baker and he both appeared as actors in Lucas' ''[[wikipedia:The Wind in the Willows (2006 film)|The Wind in the Willows]]''.  [[Christopher Eccleston]] once appeared on an episode of Gatiss' show, ''[[wikipedia:The League of Gentlemen|The League of Gentlemen]]''.  [[Peter Davison]] and he were in several BBV productions at the start of Gatiss' career, but they have not, as of [[2010]], acted together in a fully professional production.  By virtue of his participation in ''[[The Zero Imperative]]'', he's acted alongisde [[Caroline John]], [[Jon Pertwee]], [[Sylvester McCoy]], [[Colin Baker]], [[Louise Jameson]], and [[Sophie Aldred]], which means that he has appeared professionally or semi-professionally with every actor to have played the Doctor.


He has contributed three scripts to the [[BBC Wales]] version of ''Doctor Who'', guest starred in it, and narrated several episodes of [[Doctor Who Confidential]].  Although other writers had previously enjoyed small roles in the [[1963]] version of ''Doctor Who'', he was the first to have had a large speaking role — much less a part the size of Professor [[Richard Lazarus]], who was the titular villain of ''[[The Lazarus Experiment]]''.  He also made a brief appearance in ''[[Victory of the Daleks]]'' as a spitfire pilot, which made him the only person to have written and starred in the same episode of ''Doctor Who''.  He claimed that the small role also made him "the first and only person so far to write for the series and be in it ''twice''".<ref name=SFX>[http://www.sfx.co.uk/2010/04/11/mark-gatiss-on-victory-of-the-daleks/ "Mark Gatiss on Victory of the Daleks".  sfx.co.uk.  11 April 2010.]</ref>
==Doctor Who-related acting credits==
==Doctor Who-related acting credits==



Revision as of 15:22, 18 April 2010

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Mark Gatiss (born 17th October 1966, in Sedgefield, Durham, England, UK) has been a major creative force in the production of Doctor Who fiction since the 1990s. Given his accomplishments as a Doctor Who author, screenwriter, audio writer, audio actor, screen actor, documentary narrator, and documentary subject, no other individual truly comes close to Gatiss in terms of the breadth of his contributions to the Doctor Who franchise.

Just in terms of televised Doctor Who, he has contributed three scripts to the BBC Wales version of Doctor Who, made two guest appearance, and been the sometimes-narrator, sometimes-subject of Doctor Who Confidential. Although other writers had previously enjoyed small roles in the 1963 version of Doctor Who, he was the first to have had a large speaking role — much less a part the size of Professor Richard Lazarus, who was the titular villain of The Lazarus Experiment. He also made a brief appearance in Victory of the Daleks as a spitfire pilot, which made him the only person to have written and starred in the same episode of Doctor Who. He claimed that the small role also made him "the first and only person so far to write for the series and be in it twice".[1]

Outside the programme proper, he has written various officially licensed novels, televised spoofs and audio plays, and has sometimes lent his voice to Big Finish Productions. Counting BBC-made spoofs and these audios, he is alone with Sir Derek Jacobi in having played both the Doctor and the Master.

Gatiss also has significant relationships with Doctor Who luminaries that extend beyond the programme itself.

For instance, he is a sometimes-partner of Steven Moffat, with whom he created and produced Sherlock, a TV series that was in production at BBC Wales at the same time as Moffat's first series as head writer of Doctor Who. He also played Robert Louis Stevenson in Moffat's Jekyll.

He has had some form of professional or semi-professional contact with every actor to have played the Doctor except William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton. David Tennant is his most common acting partner amongst people who've played the Doctor. They've been on screen together on several occasions — most prominently in The Quatermass Experiment and the episode "Drop Dead" of Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased), which also featured Jessica Hynes. He's also been alongside Tennant in Bright Young Things, which also co-starred Fenella Woolgar, Stephen Fry, Bill Paterson, Richard E. Grant, and Jim Broadbent; and the English-language cast of the Norwegian animated adventure Free Jimmy, with Simon Pegg, Jim Broadbent and Steve Pemberton. He and Tom Baker have occasionally crossed paths, through their mutual connection to Matt Lucas. Gatiss script edited several episodes of Little Britain, on which Baker was the regular narrator, and fellow Doctor Who Confidential narrator, Anthony Head, played a leading role. Later, Baker and he both appeared as actors in Lucas' The Wind in the Willows. Christopher Eccleston once appeared on an episode of Gatiss' show, The League of Gentlemen. Peter Davison and he were in several BBV productions at the start of Gatiss' career, but they have not, as of 2010, acted together in a fully professional production. By virtue of his participation in The Zero Imperative, he's acted alongisde Caroline John, Jon Pertwee, Sylvester McCoy, Colin Baker, Louise Jameson, and Sophie Aldred, which means that he has appeared professionally or semi-professionally with every actor to have played the Doctor.

Doctor Who-related acting credits

Doctor Who

Big Finish Doctor Who Audio Dramas

Doctor Who spin-offs

Doctor Who DVDs

Doctor Who-related writing credits

Doctor Who TV Stories

Doctor Who spin-offs

Doctor Who DVDs

Bibliography

Doctor Who Novels

Virgin New Adventures

BBC Past Doctor Adventures

Big Finish Audios

External links

References

Mark Gatiss