The 2nd Doctors Hankie - Update

Patrick Troughton  - The 2nd Doctor

Well, here's a blog I didn't expect to be writing, but research can be a funny old thing... it can lead to twists & turns or even send you up a blind alley as you spend years tracking down one particular item. The trouble is, depending on the path you decide upon, you may become a bit blinkered and overlook something that could have helped in adding a link to find clues a lot quicker in your quest. Yep, it can sit there staring you in the face waiting to be to be looked at again with fresh eyes after years of being ignored. Such a thing has just happened to me, hence my reason for returning to the topic of the 2nd Doctor's Hankie. 

As mentioned in my last  blog entry (what do you mean you haven't read it, go there 1st & then come back. Done it now? Good!) I spent a number of years trying to track down, and succeeding in finding, the actual design of hankie Troughton used during Season 5 & 6. It's getting to the point now where I can instantly spot it from the smallest of images. The pattern is burned into my brain so much so that in July 2019 I found myself another one. 

I always like an 'heir & spare' in any collection & now I'm the lucky owner of two 2nd Doctor hankies. This 2nd one is slightly faded due to regular washes, but as you can see in the photo below, its the same design. It was purchased from America, so I have no idea of its back story, but its a find I'm really pleased with.

My two 2nd Doctor season 5&6 hankies. The latest purchase on the right.

Now, as I've previously stated, I was only ever researching the season 5 & 6 hankie, so haven't really paid much attention to the others Pat wore for his return appearances. Anything after his original run doesn't really interest me.  Perhaps it's because in the JNT years  they were always a bad approximation of his costume. So, looking at photos after 1969 is something I don't do often and probably why I overlooked something that actually ties in nicely to the 2nd Doctors original Hankie. It's a shame I didn't notice before posting up my last blog. But hey, not to worry... as it now has a separate entry all to itself. This section concentrates on...


THE 2ND DOCTORS RADIO TIMES HANDKERCHIEF.

One of the publicity photos from The Radio Times Photo-shoot

As we know, in 1972 several publicity photos were taken of Troughton, Pertwee & Hartnell for The Radio Times, in celebration of 10 years(ish) of Doctor Who (see above). Interestingly, Troughton is the only Doctor who's costume in the photos wasn't wholly used with what was finally seen on screen. 

Another RT Publicity Photo.  - Note Pat's  Hankie & Trousers

The trousers in the photos were changed to a smaller houndstooth check, similar to the pairs he originally wore during his original run and very much like to the ones worn by Hartnell in the Radio Times publicity photos (perhaps even the same trousers as the two actors were never 'live' on screen together). Apparently the reason for the change was the detailed orange pattern caused a strobing effect on the screen. But more on those trousers later!

As seen in the above and opposite photos The 2nd Doctors hankie was of a green paisley pattern. However, this hankie also didn't appear in  The Three Doctors, as it was substituted for a red & white patterned one. At the time of writing, there seems to be no reason given for the change of hankie. Perhaps Troughton preferred one with red in it, similar to the ones he originally used? Or perhaps it was decided by the Costume Department to match the colour's in with his new braces? Who knows? Whatever the reason it's a real shame. Why? Well, looking at the hankie in the Radio Times photos only the other day, I sudden saw that it had a major connection to the original ones Troughton had in 1967-69. 

I've  previously mentioned (see last blog) that the design of his original red hankie was commercially available at the time after I'd discovered another with the red & yellow colours reversed... Well now it appears that there was yet another colour variant. Look closely at the green hankie used in the Radio Times shoot and you can see the same Paisley shapes in this version as detailed in the original red one. ‎The background is now green but the border is back to yellow, as in the original. The reds have now moved position again and sit alongside the blues within the paisley patterns and flower shapes. See the pictures comparing my red hankie alongside the green version and then an one used in the story Invasion.

My red hankie,  RT hankie, RT hankie in B&W & hankie worn in Invasion

Its a match! I can't believe I didn't see this before, especially as I have a clear photo in my own Radio Times 10th Anniversary Special. Mind you, I have not looked at those publicity pictures for years and didn't think to do so in my original search, but the pattern (now I know it so well) is unmistakable. Of course, it makes perfect sense that if there was a yellow variant, then of course there would also be a green and, one supposes, a blue version too! Each of the 4 colours rotating to take primary position over the same pattern. 

So there we have it, another costume mystery solved... and quite by accident!

Trevor Martin as The Doctor -1974

So, what about those those orange checked trouser? (see, I said I'd come back to them). Well, to end this chapter I thought I would throw in a bit of trivia as their story didn't end with the Radio Times Photos shoot, oh no. They re-surfaced twice more. 

The 1st time they were seen again was when there was another publicity photo shoot. This time they were worn by Trevor Martin in 1974 when he played The Doctor in Terrance Dick's stage play Doctor Who & The Daleks - The Seven Keys to Doomsday. This would not be unusual to see them again as most costumes for TV, Film & Stage were hired from Bermans, a big costume hire company in London. (still trading today as Bermans & Angels, also known as Angels)  It is however, a coincidence that they were chosen for another Doctor to wear. (The picture opposite was originally a black and white photo. The excellent colourisation is the work of Clayton Hickman) 

But that wasn't the last time they would be seen in public as they popped up one final time 33 year later...

In 2007 the trousers were teamed up with some replica costume items that had been doing the rounds in a few exhibitions. They were not original items or even replacement items like the trousers. They were just a collection of bits & bobs representing the 'Cosmic Hobo' look of the 2nd Doctor. (Note the 'straps' or button flap as seen in the picture with Trevor Martin).

The trousers as seen in the auction catalogue.

This collection of non connection miss-matched bits of costume, were auctioned off by Bonhams‎, and sold for a staggering £9,600! (see the Photo left, as published in the auction catalogue). The figure paid was of course hugely inflated, just because of that Radio Times photo shoot... Oh, I'm forgetting of course, knowing that you would be owning a pair of trousers that Mr. Troughton had actually worn, all but briefly would add to the value (there must be a bit of his DNA mixed into the fibers surely?). That said, they certainly looked better than the costumes JNT's designers cobbled together for the 5 and 2 Doctor stories. Even so, £9,600 for a pair of trousers. Ouch!

Information on the 2nd Doctor costume auction

Well, that the trousers all sorted, but this blog is really about that hankie sported by the 2nd Doctor  in the Radio Times  photo shoot, so let me turn back to that... What happened to it?  Was the hankie chucked away in some prop-box after the shoot, or just lost for ever? Or could it, by some miracle, have stayed with the trousers throughout the stage show, then the auction and is now in the possession of the new owner? Who knows, and to be honest I didn't really think much about its whereabouts at all while putting all of this together. However, I now have to admit I do favour the latter theory. I think the hankie it IS with the trousers, and there's a very good reason why I think that.

My sole purpose for digging out all this info on the Bonham's auction, was just to add a fun side note about the trousers, nothing more. I just wanted a copy of the photo to illustrate that section of this post. So as I was compiling this section I happened to read over the blurb and then I saw something their in the description... Have a look yourself. Read the info on the costume bid, and take note of the highlighted section.

Sounds familiar doesn't it? 

Now, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the buyer has unknowingly purchased for his £9,600 the very same hankie from the photo shoot, along with the original trousers. If anyone knows the owner do let them know about this blog as they could have a second original item in their possession. Oh, & please do let me know too. I'm curious!

Thanks for reading!

The 2nd Doctor's Handkerchief

You know, it's funny... there's always a bitter/sweet feeling after you spend time hunting and researching an item, or completing a project. After my success in tracking down the correct War Games Sonic Screwdriver was concluded, I began to miss the thrill of the chase. I felt the need to fill the void. Another challenge, another item to identify. So, I turned my attentions once again to 'My Doctor', this time focusing on his costume.

The Doctor, Jamie & Zoe try to flee from The Time Lords in episode 10 of  'The War Games'.

At 1st glance, the 2nd Doctor has probably the least complicated costumes of all his regenerations. Spotted bow-tie, tail coat, braces, check trousers and hanky. Simple eh? Well, not really to be honest. With hardly any colour reference photos after Power of the Dalek's, finding out in detail what he actually wore and visualising it in colour is tricky. How many variations of bow-tie? Brown or grey houndstooth trousers? Tail coat, morning coat, or cut-a-way jacket? What type of pocket handkerchief? Quite a few questions you see, but no easy answers. The only constant seemed to be the braces. With a keen eye for detail thanks to good reference photos from Power of The Daleks, screen grabs from Wheel in Space & Seeds of Death, I had a bash at creating my own. With care, they were easy to replicate but only after first sourcing the correct vintage button braces (see my completed version below).

My replica 2nd Doctor braces

Now I have seen some shocking versions of the 2nd Doctor's Costume over the years, either in print, or via the BBC themselves (yes Five & Two Doctors stories I am talking about you!), none more so than at the Doctor Who Experience. It was a complete mess. Nothing was right, or even a halfway attempt to get it right, just a 'that will do' attitude but if its not done right, it looks wrong. Case in point, the costume isn't a straightforward as it seems. For me out of all the items used to create the 'Cosmic Hobo' look, one of the most elusive parts of the costume has to be the hanky (which was strangely lacking at the DWE). 

So, that was my next mission decided then... to identify and purchase the correct hanky (or hankies) used during the 2nd Doctor's original '66-'69 run. Not as easy task, as clean reference photos were scarce and episodes missing. It wasn't added to Troughton's costume until a few stories into season 4 and even then it was shyly poking out of his top pocket. Full exposure wasn't until mid-way through The Ice Warriors when it was displayed hanging in the loose and casual manner we think of today as Troughton began to relax into, and developed, his characterisation. 

So where to start?‎ It was a minefield quite frankly. What were the Hankies? Were they silk or cotton? Hankies, cravats, bandannas, or pocket squares? I was getting nowhere fast for about a year... until I stumbled across some great reference photos of the screen used hanky by Julian Knott, who had not only logged the stories they were seen in but also enhanced the pictures.

 

Photos captured & enhanced by Julian Knott

The photos were all from Season 6 and I could clearly see that it was the same design of hanky used. I also went back to my DVD collection and freeze-framed certain scenes it featured in. Now I knew what I was looking at, I could identify the shapes better. I could confirm that this style of hanky also appeared in Season 5's Enemy of The World and Web of Fear. Whether different designs were used in season 4 and the missing episodes, I couldn't tell. Sadly reference material hasn't been available to date for each story, but all in all what I had was a great jumping off point for my hunt for a hanky that was certainly used by The 2nd Doctor. 

Photos from Invasion & War Games showing the colour of the hankerchief

So, onwards... Cross referencing this new information alongside the colour photos from Invasion & War Games (see left) I now knew I was looking for paisley and petals shapes on a red hanky. Not that it made it any easier! After all, I was looking for an item that had been made way back in the mid 1960's! So, that's where I focused... Gentleman's accessories ‎of 1960's.

The box of 1960's Gentleman's handkerchiefs 

After comparing what seemed like every single variation of paisley designs (and believe me there are many) against the photos Julian had posted, it took me another year before, my eagle-eyes finally spotted what I was looking for. Unbelievably, to my surprise and delight, I had found the hanky in a box of three! The link took me to ebay but there my luck ran out. The pack of three had been snatched up only a matter of weeks before. To make matters worse, I could see it was one bid and sold for a song at only £8!!! After all that time looking I couldn't believe I had narrowly missed out on owning these. (see right)

Another photo of  the 1960's Gentleman's handkerchiefs 

Once over my shock, I started to look closely at the items. I noticed that this box of hankies contained only two matching designs that in turn matched the 2nd Doctor's handkerchief. The 3rd handkerchief in the set was of a different design, but all 3 were produced in the same colours of red, green, yellow and blue. I had found the correct hankie, but I wanted one myself. So near, but so far. Still, ‎from the description compiled on the eBay listing I found out the size... and more importantly the material. Cotton! At least I had another two piece to the jigsaw that would help with my research. 

So, it was back to the drawing board. My search to that point had taken me the best part of 2 years to find a match. I knew I wouldn't be lucky finding another hanky for sale so soon. Lightning doesn't strike twice, especially after all the time I had been looking. I even tried to persuade the seller to pass on information so I could contact the buyer to ask them to sell me one. Despite even buying an unwanted item from the seller in exchange for information, he didn't want to play ball! I was demoralized but undefeated. I kept on searching... Then just 4 months later (and after spending money having a replica pattern drawn up to print my own) Bingo! I found another. I honestly couldn't believe it. I was in, quick as a flash as it was bid or 'best offer'. I'd snagged one at last.

 

My 2nd Doctor hankie with my original Eveready (Sonic Screwdriver) Penlight

This hanky had never been used and has been in the possession of the sellers grandfather. Also, just to add to a tentative Doctor Who connection (well from the 2005 series onwards), it came from Cardiff. It certainly was a match of the previous ones I had seen on ebay and, more importantly, the reference photographs that I had been using. This can be seen below in both a black & white and a colour photo of my hanky in a side by side replicated pose against one of Julian Knott's clearest reference photos.‎ 

Mine either side of the original costume hankie used by the 2nd Doctor

From the photo, I'm sure you'll agree I have, without a doubt, found THE hanky. The paisley and petal pattern match perfectly. This is 100% the design of hanky that was used by Troughton for his version of The Doctor. Job done! Mission over... Ah, yes, but as is always the way with these things, when you think you have reached the end point something else springs up, and guess what, it did! 

Another box of 1960's gentleman's hankie in a different colour combination

With the hanky still being flagged up on my eBay listings, I came across another pack of 3 in March 2019. The colours used were the same, but they had reversed the positioning of the red and the yellow in the design. The other colours and pattern however, remained the same with no variation at all. Not only that, but the design of  the two other hankies in this box also matched the 3rd one in the previous pack (above). 

The two patterns were obviously quite popular at the time and must have been produced in a variety of colours and package combinations. As for what brand this hankies were remains unknown, as both boxes were devoid of any manufacturer's name and the single one I bought had no branding either. I conclude that as the boxes are different, it seemed to be that the two common patterns were copied, or were available to use by many companies. 

The two hankies side by side. The red & yellow sections have been reversed

The only question I need an answer to now is, could the other patterned hanky design that makes up the the set in the 1st box found, have also been used by the 2nd Dr in an earlier season? As with the way of filming, duplicates of costumes are always required. S,o if the if the BBC props department bought them in bulk, would they have bought them in packs of 3 (as seen above), or as a number of single hankies? If it is the latter would they also have been of the same design?Remember, at the time these hankies, now long gone from our High Street stores, would have been an common and popular item back in the 1960's, especially with the Mod and Dandy explosion of the era. I'm sure time will tell... it usually does (as a certain Time Lord once said).

My 2nd Doctor costume, complete with hankie

I will leave this section of my blog with one final photograph. It's of the hanky now firmly in place with the rest of my 2nd Doctor costume. I'm sure you'll agree, it certainly looks 'right', especially when the photo is switched on to black & white  (go on... have a go!) 

Forgive my indulgence in including this photo, but I'm rather pleased with my replica costume and I can't think of where else to showcase it. All items you see (apart from the bobble hat) are vintage. I decided to collect pieces from between 1960-70's for an authentic look. I certainly didn't set myself an easy task. I'm not one for collecting costumes, this is the one and only time I shall do it. I suppose I've the DWE to thank for getting me started, as I knew with a bit of care their version of the 2nd Doctors costume could be bettered. As Troughton is 'my Doctor', I just wanted to do him justice. As I said at the start, this costume appears to be a simple enough design, but if a few wrong things are added, it just throws it off kilter slightly. 

That's it for this entry. Any questions, comments or additional information, are welcome, please contact me below. Feel free to post a link to this blog onto anyone you think will find it interesting, especially those who collect costumes or who are involved in the cosplay circuit.

 Many thanks!

Photos and video stills used on this site are © BBC Worldwide Ltd. The Doctor Who brand is a trademark of the BBC. No infringement is intended or implied.

WAR GAMES Sonic Screwdriver - Prop Replica

For this entry, its a slight change to the norm, but a Sonic connection never-the-less.  As I want to return to The War Games version of The Sonic Screwdriver, the one that most people associate with the 2nd Doctor, and shine a spotlight on replica of this iconic little prop.

For those that don't know, a replica of the prop has been produced by Dark Energy Creations and to this date are still the only company making versions of this early design of  The Sonic Screwdriver. 

It all started a few years ago when Brian Terranova got together with Dave at Dark Energy Creations to work on crafting a detailed version of the prop. This was produced using exact measurements obtained from an original and existing Eveready penlight. Brian tells me the results were remarkable from the off. When he 1st saw Dave's prototype at a convention, the only suggestion made was to replace the stainless steel body! Admittedly, stainless steel is a vast improvement on the aluminium originally used, but not correct in materials. The aim was to replicate it for collectors as close to the original products as possible. It was a minor hiccup. Dave substituted the metal and with that, the penlights were ready to roll. Everything had been copied from the source material apart from one minor detail... the brand name on the clip.  This was sensibly omitted for copyright reasons. So, apart from that everyone who then purchased DEC's replica had, as thought at the time, the next best thing to the real deal. 

However, all changed in January 2019 when my blog exclusively revealed the correct and updated information on this Eveready penlight. Cruelly demoted by a few swift clicks of the computer keys to just a wee gadget used by the 3rd Doctor in The Time Monster to tap out a Samba beat in-order to de-hypnotize a group of captured scientist (full details in my 1st blog entry), those replicas were no longer correct. They were now just Mark 2's. Sonic's no more... but not for long! 

News travels fast via the web and upon hearing about my research, Dave started working swiftly behind the scenes. He replicated a new activation clicker to transform the Mark 2's to the correct Mark 1's for all his previous customers... and the results are in! Not only has he delivered excellent customer service by shipping them out for free, but he has also produced an upgraded, quality product. The results are truly astounding! How do I know? Well, Dave kindly sent me the updated end cap and I have to say, since he has never actually held an original in his hands, this piece of work is impressive. Very impressive. It would still be impressive if he had  had access to an original! In all honesty, I cannot praise this enough. 

Anyway, enough chat... let the results speak for themselves via side to side comparison pictures of the DEC replica activation clicker against my original Eveready. So Ladies and Gents, it's time to play... 'Spot the difference!'

Not bad eh? With just a slight tweak by myself to the internal threading only of the DEC end cap, you can see that their replica fits perfectly onto the body of my original Eveready penlight Mark 2. Thus turning it instantly into the correct Mark 1 version penlight, or Sonic Screwdriver as seen in The War Games  (Please note - 'In the flesh' the colour of the DEC end cap is darker than it appears in my photos)

Now, for those of you who missed out on this excellent replica and now wishing that you had jumped on board, don't panic! Start saving your cash as I bring you good news.  There will be a 2nd run of these penlights sometime in the very near future. Don't miss out a second time, as this is the only way you'll be able to come anywhere close to owning this version of the Sonic. Remember, Eveready only produced the white clicker variation of the penlight for just two years, so they are as scarce as Gallifrian Hen's teeth. 

So, if you want a chance to purchase a replica of this rare prop, don't delay! Go visit the Dark Energy Creations site  via this handy link...

http://darkenergycreations.com/sonicpenlight.aspx

There you can subscribe to the newsletter to be updated on not only this, but the other Sci-Fi film and TV related products coming up in the foreseeable future. 

Oh, and while you're there, have a look around to see what else they've produced. It's all good stuff. You wont be disappointed at the craftsmanship of the work, or the excellent customer service.

Until next time!

Photos and video stills used on this site are © BBC Worldwide Ltd. The Doctor Who brand is a trademark of the BBC. No infringement is intended or implied.

The TV MOVIE Sonic Prop

THE SONIC SCREWDRIVER PROP HISTORY (part 2)  

Right, next up…

The 8th Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver. Based heavily on the design of the Pertwee-Davison prop, this version had a sharper bullet tip, a shorter 'magnet' end (both painted red), a brass ring in the lower section, and a flat bottom. It also, with a twist, could be shorted as a section sunk in on itself. But hey, you know all that... and the point of this blog is to reveal what you don't  know!

I really like this Sonic. All in all, it’s a good riff on the original, adding something new but keeping the flavour of what has gone before. ‎Some of the high end metal prop replicas you can buy are superb, the craftsmanship exceptional in some cases. So, here;s a few pictures of screen accurate replicas of the TV MOVIE Sonic, right?

Replica 8th Doctor Sonic Screwdrivers

Another TV MOVIE Sonic Screwdriver replica & TARDIS key

WRONG! 

Yep that right, those replicas are wrong and not screen accurate. Once again, like the 2nd Doctors WAR GAMES Sonic, we are only seeing what we want to see. It's not helped that each replica was copied off another copy and not from the original and that's why all the replicas ever produced of this version have got it wrong. How? Well, more of that later (ah, I do like a good cliffhanger), as what I want to do 1st is have a quick look at the history of the prop and once again blow some more of those fan myths away. Not only that, but I'll also reveal a bit of shenanigans that was at work a few years ago that started me off on this particular quest.‎ So let's kick off and bust a few 'facts' along the way. 

The 8th Doctors Sonic Screwdriver at the DWE

Back in 2012 I went to the original Doctor Who Experience in London and there, in a display case, was a set of Sonic Screwdriver replicas as used by Doctor's 3, 4, 5 & 8. Each of them were labelled as 'replicas'. All fine and dandy… until The Exhibition moved to Cardiff a few months later. 

Yes, it appeared that some Time Lord magic had been at work as during their trip from London to Cardiff all the Sonic Screwdriver replicas mysteriously bore the label 'original'. Obviously smelling something wasn't right about that and the multiple versions of the Sonic prop. I contacted the Brand Protection Team, who to be honest were at first dismissive and certainly not very forthcoming with information regarding the change of the labeling (but more details on that and my correspondence with them re the 3-5th Doctor's Sonic Screwdrivers 's in a future blog). 

NIGHT OF THE DOCTOR

Whatever the reason, whatever the story, it was all about to change for the 8th Doctors Sonic Screwdriver prop… In 2013 Paul McGann's incarnation of the Time Lord was seen in publicity photos and of course in THE NIGHT OF THE DOCTOR, brandishing a sonic screwdriver that looked very much like the one he was given to use in the TV MOVIE. 

Publicity Photo of McGann as the 8th Doctor

I doubted the one seen in THE NIGHT OF THE DOCTOR was the original Sonic Screwdriver, as used in the TV MOVIE. I personally suspected it was the replica seen at the DWE, the one that had been mysteriously upgraded to 'original'. That said, if the replica had of been used in the minisode then it, like the 10^th Doctor MFX Sonic Screwdriver replica in DAY OF THE DOCTOR, could now claim the 'Original Prop' status by de-fault. This was finally confirmed by The Brand Protection Team in 2013 when I contacted them once again re the legitimacy of their Sonic props. However, despite repeatedly asking, an explanation was never given of how that 8th Doctors Sonic Screwdriver became labelled as ‘original’ a whole year before the actual minisode was filmed. A mystery and quite impossible, unless someone had 2^nd sight, or a Time Machine! I wasn't satisfied and so my investigations continued. Slowly, as I researched the history of the prop, information would fall into place that would confirm that the Sonic Screwdriver showcased at the DWE could never claim to be one used in the TV MOVIE...

Paul replying re the 8th Doctor Sonic prop

The following year I discovered that Paul Salamoff owned an original TV MOVIE Sonic. If that was the case had he sold it on and the new owner lent it to the DWE to be used in THE NIGHT OF THE DOCTOR? Or, had he himself granted the loan? I found out Paul was on twitter so, I decided to ask him direct. (see correspondence opposite)

Paul also confirmed that he still had the prop and that it was safely with him in America. All was good so far, but after sitting on it for a while, and still hearing various myths about the TV MOVIE Sonic's, I decided I should find out more, especially as he said he owned 'one' of the props. I re-read the tweet and of course, he also mentioned that he was sure there were a number made for the shoot. Hmm, how many I wondered and was one of them wooden as popular myth would have it? Realising that my question had now raised a few more that I now wanted answered, there was only one thing to do. I needed to find out how many were made. The next step, of course was to contact Philip Segal, the producer of the TV MOVIE. If anyone was going to know it would be him. So, it was back on twitter again...

Philip was equally as helpful and gave me the answer I was looking for (see below). ‎It was also interesting that he corrected another 'fan fact', without prompting. For years the accepted knowledge was that the TV MOVIE production company styled their version of the Sonic on a model advertised in the Trekker 800 magazine. Not so then, as Philip said it was an actual bought item from Trekker 800, modified ‎to suit the production companies requirements. Another popular rumour was the production company had one a metal hero and a wooden 'stunt' prop. Again, thanks to Philips answer, another 'fact' blown out of the water. Its strange how things become fan-fact but never questioned. 

So, there you have it… Only two Sonic Screwdriver props were made/adapted for the production and both still in the US. One owned by producer Philip Segal, the other by Paul Salamoff and contrary to fan belief there was ‎no wooden stunt prop made at all. SORTED! 

Well, sort of… because as there were only two metal ones made and both of them were still in America, what was the one at the Cardiff DWE? Well, putting it bluntly, it had been a fake and someone was up to no good claiming it was original before 2013, when it clearly wasn’t. It didn't help matters that the labeling after the minisode was misleading. Its should have read 'Original - as seen in Night Of The Doctor''. That said, it still didn't clear up the mystery as to why the Cardiff DWE decided to change its labeling. It makes me wonder what false documentation were they willing to swallow? Why hadn't they checked the legitimacy of the prop as I had. It is so easy, but laziness, or at worse dishonesty, prevailed.

And that seemed to be that, two original props in the USA from the TV MOVIE, and one non-related-replica-turned-original in the UK. All my questions (apart from why the prop at the DWE was labelled original before the minisode had been filmed) had been answered. There seemed to be nothing else to know about this particular prop... until that is in July 2016, when the 8th Doctor's Sonic revealed a secret. A secret had been sitting there, just waiting to be discovered and, as with the 2nd Dr's WAR GAMES Sonic Screwdriver, it was hidden in plain sight. 

Let me explain....

In 2016, while watching the TV MOVIE, another member of a props group I used to be in, John Paul Gervais, noticed a detail not picked up before. This can be seen very briefly in the scene where Lee examines the contents of the bag he stole from the hospital. Before I say what it is, have a look at the picture right. This is an actual still grab from the TV MOVIE. Found it yet? No? Then look again. If you've spotted it, I bet you are asking yourself why, like everyone else, did you not spot it before? It's odd isn't it as once its seen it cannot be unseen. For all those still none the wiser, look at the side of the prop, and there it is, a greenish button or switch. 

To check that this was not a trick of the light, or a half-eaten jelly baby that had attached itself to the prop, I decided once again to contact producer Philip Segal about it. (see below) 

Yep, its true and straight from the Producers mouth, or should I say fingers! The 8th Doctor's TV MOVIE Sonic Screwdriver had a switch that had gone undetected and un-mentioned for 20 years. Incredible! Now this means that all the superbly detailed metal replicas, the plastic CO toys, even that infamous replica at the DWE (as used in NIGHT OF THE DOCTOR) are all inaccurate. They are certainly not screen accurate because they are all without the activation switch that was used, and can be seen, in THE TV MOVIE. For me, it is also the final 100% proof I was looking for that the DWE 8th Doctors Sonic Screwdriver was not the Movie prop that it was originally claiming to be.

The DWE 8th Doctor Sonic. Note the absence of the pop-up switch

But what about the other Sonic Screwdriver props featured at The Experience that also claimed that they were 'original'? Have no fear, as mentioned earlier, I will be covering those in a future blog.

Once again, thanks for reading. Please feel free to tweet, email or post a link to this blog to those you think will be interested. Also don't forget to message me with any questions or leave feedback below. 

Until next time...