Jon Pertwee
Season Seven

Sergeant John Benton: John Levene

CCC. The Ambassadors of Death

Writers: David Whitaker and Malcolm Hulke (uncredited rewrites)
Director: Michael Ferguson
Designer: David Mysercough-Jones
Incidental Music by: Dudley Simpson
Action by: Havoc (1-5,7)

TRANSMISSION DETAILS:

265. Episode One                   21.03.1970   5.15pm - 5.40pm   7.1M/60th/60%
266. Episode Two                   28.03.1970   5.15pm - 5.40pm   7.6M/59th/61%
267. Episode Three                 04.04.1970   5.20pm - 5.45pm   8.0M/60th/59%
268. Episode Four                  11.04.1970   5.45pm - 6.10pm  ~9.3M/46th/60%
269. Episode Five                  18.04.1970   5.15pm - 5.40pm   7.1M/57th/---
270. Episode Six                   25.04.1970   5.15pm - 5.40pm   6.9M/70th/61%
271. Episode Seven                 02.05.1970   5.15pm - 5.40pm   5.4M/80th/62%

     ~ - scheduled for 5.15pm - 5.40pm

CAST:

PROFESSOR RALPH CORNISH: Ronald Allen; GENERAL CARRINGTON: John Abineri; CHARLES VAN LYDEN: Ric Felgate (1,2,reprise3,6), DR BRUNO TALTALIAN: Robert Cawdron (1-2,4); JOHN WAKEFIELD: Michael Wisher (1-2,7); GREY: Ray Armstrony (1-2); MISS RUTHERFORD: Cheryl Molineaux (1-2); COLLINSON: Robert Robertson (1-2); SIR JAMES QUINLAN: Dallas Cavell (2-4, reprise 5); CONTROL ROOM ASSISTANTS: Bernard Martin (2), Joanna Ross (5-7), Carl Conway (5-6); DOBSON: Juan Moren (2); CORPORAL CHAMPION: James Haswell (2); UNIT SERGEANT: Derek Ware (2); REEGAN: William Dysart (3-7); DR LENNOX: Cyril Shaps (3-5); ALIEN ASTRONAUTS: (all 3-7 - uncredited 6) Ric Felgate, Steve Peters, Neville Simons; PROFESSOR HELDORF: Gordon Sterne (3); MASTERS: John Lord (4); UNIT SOLDIER ON MAINGATE: Max Faulkner (3-7 - uncredited 6); SGT BENTON: John Levene (5,7); JOHNNY FLYNN: Tony Harwood (5); PRIVATE PARKER: James Clayton (5); TECHNICIAN (PETERSEN): Roy Scammel (5); ALIEN SPACE CAPTAIN: Peter Noel Cook (6-7); ALIENS' VOICES: Peter Halliday (6-7); JOE LEFEE: Steve Peters (6); FRANK MICHAELS: Neville Simons (6); PRIVATE JOHNSON: Geoffrey Beevers (5,7 - uncredited 5). UNCREDITED: ASSISTANT: Sue Bourne (3,5); MILITARY POLICEMAN: Royston Farrell (7), Tom O'Leary (7); CAMERAMEN: Roy Reeves (7), Les Shannon (7); HEAVIES Alf Joint, Barry Kennington, Dinny Powell, Gordon Stothard; CONTROL ROOM ASSISTANTS: Sally Avory, Roy Brent, Derek Chafer, Les Conrad,Stella Conway, Barbara Faye, Paul Gilman, David J Graham, Dennis Haywood, Dianna Holt, Tony Laing, Roger Minnis, Caroline Mylon, Wilma Oswald, Rod Peers, Clive Rogers, Lindsey Scott, Keith Simon, Sheila Vivian; SOLDIERS: David Aldridge, Roy Brent, Geoff Brighty, Derek Chafer, Alan Chuntz, Les Conrad, Ron Conrad, Ron Gregory, Steve Kelly, Tom Laird, Stewart Myers, Rod Peers, David Pike, Doug Rae, Clive Rogers, Jo Sentos, Keith Simons, Steve Smart, Terry Walsh; TECHNICIANS: Max Diamond, Pat Gorman, Nick Hobbs, David Joyce

STORY:

U.N.I.T., along with the Doctor, have been called into to investigate the mystery of the Mars Probe 7. Space Control has heard nothing from the probe since it left Mars seven months ago. A rescue mission has been started in Recovery 7, but that has also run into difficulties. When Recovery 7 does land on Earth the occupants are kidnapped. Liz Shaw notices that a Gieger counter is registering maximum. That amount of radiation would have killed any human, and the Doctor begins to think that whatever arrived on Earth was not human. The Doctor travels solo into orbit where he finds the Mars 7 probe. Whilst he is there the probe is taken on board a larger ship. The Doctoor finds the original astronauts are all okay, but the ship's Captain threatens to destroy Earth if his ambassadors are not returned. Investigations on Earth lead to General Carrington, an ex-astronaut. He planned to discredit the aliens and provoke a war against them. The three aliens are sucessfully exchanged for the human astronauts.

BLOOPERS:

Episode 1: Watch the scene where Van Lyden is sitting in the spaceship, as viewed on the monitor screen at space control. Van Lyden says something like "beginning rotation now", and the image on the screen rotates. Assuming this image comes from a camera inside the shuttle, surely this would mean the ship rotated but the camera didn't, unless the camera was outside in space (not a very satisfactory explanation!). Surely if the camera was in the spaceship, the ship could do a loop-the-loop and the image the camera sent wouldn't change, as the camera was effectively attached to the spaceship? Episodes 1 & 7: In episode 1, we see a shot of the launch control room, which has a high ceiling. At the very end of episode 7, we see another such shot, only they used the wrong backdrop this time. Suddenly the room has the same roof as the rocket launch site seen in episode 5. Episode ?: When the Doctor goes up in the rocket to dock with the Mars probe, he tells the space station controller that he can withstand more G force than normal people, so they can use more M3 fuel to make the trip faster. The controller declines saying the risk of the rocket exploding is too great. However, later when the aliens are working with the Doctor and he is sending them back to their ship on board a rocket, the Doctor suggests using pure M3 fuel as the ambassadors will not be affected by G force. Why was there no concern any more about the second rocket exploding? Episode 4: When Reegan goes into the cell to help the dying Ambassador, one of them touches him and he flies against the wall. But when the Ambassadors touch anyone else, they are killed! Episode 4: Listen out for Taltalian's amazing changing accent in his car when he confronts Liz! Episodes 4 & 6: The same guard (stuntman Max Faulkner) who is killed by the Ambassador whilst at the main gate in episode 4 is alive and well in episode 6. Episode ?: When Lennox is being chased up the stairs by the Alien, Reegan is knocked away. The Alien starts to collapse and Reegan jumps to get out of his way, hitting a brick wall that shakes quite a bit.

STUDIOS:

Television Centre Studio 1, Television Centre Studio 3, Television Centre Studio 4

LOCATIONS:

Wycombe RDC Sewage Purification Works, Little Marlow, Bucks; Spade Oak Quarries, nr. Little Marlow, Bucks; North Thomas Gas Works, Southall; Marlow Wier, Mill Road, Marlow

WORKING TITLES:

The Invaders from Mars, Carriers of Death, The Ambassadors

NOTES:

This story has a unique way of handling the titles; the story title, writer credit and episode number come up in a separate title sequence after the recap
Episodes Two to Seven are held only as film prints and NTSC recordings (a fault on the colour cop has prevented successful restoration as with Doctor Who and The Silurians)

NOVELISATION:

The Ambassadors of Death Terrance Dicks

VIDEO:

The Ambassadors of Death

Jon Pertwee Season Seven