Dittar Latoni
Deter Latoni, also spelt Dittar Latoni, was the leader of the Utubi Indians and a friend of George Cranleigh, whom his people rescued from torture. He took George back to his family in England and cared for him in secret.
Biography
Deter[source needed] or Dittar Latoni was the leader of the Utubi Indian tribe in either Venezuela (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) or Brazil. In 1923, his tribe saved George Cranleigh (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) after a week of torture at the hands of the Butiu (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) or Kojabe Indians. Latoni befriended him and returned him to England where he chose to stay, caring for George in Cranleigh Hall with the knowledge of only Madge and Charles. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"])
By 1925, Latoni had begun to fall ill because of the stresses of caring for George and Lady Cranleigh hired Raymond Digby to assist him. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) On 11 June 1925, Latoni was attacked by George and informed Lady Cranleigh during the Cranleighs' ball of his escape and Digby's disappearance, which they learnt was the result of him being murdered by George when the Fifth Doctor found the body. Latoni and Lady Cranleigh rescued Ann Talbot after George kidnapped her and Latoni again stood guard.
When George attacked him again, Latoni pushed his key between the floorboards to prevent his escape. George proceeded to strangle him and set fire to the locked door to make his escape. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) According to one account, George carried the unconscious Latoni out of the room, saving him from suffocation. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) Another depicted him leaving Latoni inside the room. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"])
Appearance
Latoni had shoulder-length black hair and a protuberant lower lip. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"])
Behind the scenes
Whilst Latoni survives in the novelisation [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)","the novelisation"] of Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"], his fate in the TV story is less clear and he is not seen after George's attack.
