Sir Robert Muir was Chief Constable and Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire in the 1920s.
Biography
Early life
Robert Muir was an intellectually sheltered man who knew the Cranleigh family all his life and was familiar with Cranleigh Hall, although he was unaware of the priest hole. He studied at Eton, where he performed in a play, (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) and went on to become a policeman. By the 1920s, he was a Chief Constable, (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) and had been knighted. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) He had many critics. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"])
The Cranleigh murders
On 11 June 1925, Sir Robert watched the cricket with Madge Cranleigh and was introduced to the Fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan Jovanka. He was impressed by the Doctor's ability and deemed Nyssa's resemblance to Ann Talbot to be uncanny. He afterwards attended the charity ball at Cranleigh Hall, dressed in a Restoration costume, and danced with Tegan (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) until the music got too fast for him. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"])
Charles Cranleigh fetched Sir Robert after James was found dead and Ann briefly went missing. Sir Robert confirmed that James's death was murder and called Sergeant Markham for assistance, later arresting the Doctor on suspicion of murder based on Ann's testimony and Adric, Nyssa and Tegan as accomplices. On the way to the police station, the Doctor showed Sir Robert and Markham the TARDIS to prove his claim of being a time traveller.
He later apologised for his wild accusations after seeing the TARDIS and learning of Lady Cranleigh's deceit.
When Lady Cranleigh's disfigured son George fell off the roof of Cranleigh Hall, Sir Robert hurried to check on him but George was dead; and he could do nothing more except comfort Lady Cranleigh even after her betrayal. (TV: Black Orchid)
Personality
Sir Robert was a courtly and polite gentleman (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) and a cricket enthusiast. Although he did not consider himself a good dancer, Tegan assured him that he was a "beaut" dancer. He enjoyed a Tim Collins. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"])
Appearance
Sir Robert was a distinguished-looking man with a hawk-like nose. He wore a flamboyant Restoration costume to the Cranleighs' ball with a full-bottomed wig. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"])
Behind the scenes
- Robin Bailey, Geoffrey Bayldon, John Carson, William Lucas, Nigel Stock and Peter Vaughan were considered for the role before Moray Watson was cast.[source needed]