|
|
 |
Nicholas Courtney interview - April 2008 |
|
|
|
 |
|
So Unit is back in Doctor Who, but what of its former commanding officer, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, fondly remembered from the 1970s? Patrick Mulkern caught up with actor Nicholas Courtney, now 78, near his home in north London.
PM: How does it feel to be so strongly associated with one character for 40 years?
NC: Incredible, isn't it? The Brig's a great character and he's still going strong. When I look back on my career, I think I might have done more classical work, but I jolly well don't mind. A friend who's done a lot of that said, "Yes, but look, you're rich." Which is kind of true.
I've done OK because of all the royalties from sales of Doctor Who abroad. They've helped my pension enormously. Thanks to the DVDs and Big Finish (who do audio versions), the Brig's still alive. Whether he's kicking or not, I don't know.
How did you see the Doctor and the Brigadier's relationship?
They had terrific rapport. They respected each other, despite disagreeing on solutions to problems. The Doctor's humane, interested in all forms of life, whereas the Brig had a job to do - making sure people didn't get killed. So of course he favoured the military solution. But the Brig was always on the side of the angels.
I've worked with eight Doctors, one way or another. The first time the Brig saw one change to another he was nonplussed, but after a while he got used to it. At least that's how I played it. I developed the Brig's incredulity. Like when he first goes inside the Tardis and says, "So this is what you've been spending all Unit's funds on." Horrified!
And you go right back to Bill Hartnell's Doctor in 1965, when you played a space agent.
Yes, The Daleks' Master Plan. I was Bret Vyon, who was killed off after four episodes. Bill approved of me because he thought I was very English and posh. He was quite nationalist-minded, a bit intolerant of other races, I think. And he advised me to change my agent to his - then I didn't work for a whole year!
That story was directed by Douglas Camfield, who was really responsible for the Brigadier coming to the fore. When Unit came into Doctor Who, he said, "You're made for this part." Extraordinary! When I was doing my National Service, I was only a private, not even made lance corporal.
So in 1968 you came in as Lethbridge-Stewart, then a colonel.
I was down to play Captain Knight, who was killed by the Yeti, but at the last moment David Langton, who'd been cast as the colonel, couldn't do it, so Douglas asked my agent if I'd mind playing the part. I said, "Of course not. It's promotion!" The money was the same: it's the BBC. Had David Langton played that part, the whole of my life since would've been a very different story.
Now I know you're always being asked the banal question: who was your favourite Doctor? And you won't be drawn on that. But which actor did you form the strongest bond with? Who was the most fun to work with?
Pat Troughton I found a delightful man. Very easy to get along with. When Jon joined, he took a while finding how to play his Doctor. We were sussing each other out for a long time, but when we did Inferno [1970] I said to myself, "I've got to get Jon to trust me." I worked very hard at that and once he did, it was absolutely fine.
So I suppose I knew Jon better than any of the others because I worked with him longest. I knew how to help him, what things fazed him. I was a good foil for him.
And the Brig came back in the 80s, during Peter Davison's time, as a teacher.
A lot of ex-Army men go into teaching. And the Brig was teaching mathematics, which the Doctor finds extraordinary. I had a line: "I know how many beans make five."
It's great you still remember so many lines.
Well, when I was established, they used to let me write the odd funny line, delivered seriously of course. In The Three Doctors, when Unit HQ ended up on a sandy alien planet, I said, "No, I'm pretty sure that's Cromer."
"Chap with wings, five rounds rapid" wasn't one of mine, sadly.
Tom Baker often says he loves being adored. What's it like getting waves of adulation from fans?
Oh, very pleasant, I must say. I don't know about "adored" but I love it. When I was doing Doctor Who in the 70s, I never dreamed all this would happen. Then we started going to conventions in the 80s, flying to America where everyone went potty. In 1985 I went across 13 times.
Do you stay in touch with your fellow actors from your Who days?
I do. I'm in touch with Tom [Baker] and I see [writer] Terrance Dicks and [producer] Barry Letts, generally at conventions. My sergeant [Benton] John Levene lives in Hollywood. Dear John; he's gone very American. Always on the cusp of doing a deal.
There's an unusually high number of actors living in this part of north London.
Yes, there are. I've lived around here since the 60s. You know, apparently David Tennant says on the commentary for The Five Doctors DVD, "Ah, Nick Courtney. I believe he lives near me. I often see him in Woolworth's." Well, he doesn't see me in Woolworth's, as I don't go in there. Ha-ha. Maybe once, but I've never seen him out shopping.
Have you seen any of the series since it's come back? Are you enjoying it?
Yes, though I haven't watched all of them. The technology's wonderful - they've a damn sight bigger budget than we had. There are some good performances. Great ideas. But I think where it loses out is in doing a whole story in 45 minutes. It appears too rushed and has what I call the "restless camera".
They're doing three two-part stories this year.
Ah. That's better. But you see, it's evolved. It's a series that can always evolve.
Long-term fans would love to see the Brig back in the show. Would you be up for it?
Well, I don't know Russell T [Davies] at all. Never met him. So the answer is, I don't know. Put it this way: he probably would have approached me by now if it were on the cards. If the script were right, I'd love to do one story. It'd be great fun. And they've brought back Sarah - of course, Lis Sladen is still very pretty.
So where is the Brig now in your own mind? What's he doing?
He's in limbo. Ha-ha. Having written his memoirs - leaving out the classified information - he's probably tending his garden and waiting for the call to arms from the Doctor. Which may never come. I've an idea for a story where he's been given a peerage. Lord Lethbridge-Stewart. He makes a speech in the House of Lords that the government doesn't like very much, and there's an attempt on his life. I want a story where they kill me off.
**
Now take a look at our full Doctor Who guide.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| EMAIL A FRIEND |
|
| Want to share this page with a friend? It's quick and easy! |
| Email a friend |
|
|
|
|
|
