Help us find and improve next week's Connection Finder profiles: Doctor Who

Question

Since time and space can be wibbly wobbly, it's always a good time to feature The Doctor and companions in the Connection Finder, which is what we're going to do, starting with the first Doctor, William Hartnell and his tenth and fourteenth incarnation, David Tennant. Will you help us find and improve other Doctors, companions, and villains to feature in the Connection Finder?

Here is who we're starting on:

• Peter Butterworth, "The Monk" in the Time Meddler serial
• Ncuti Gatwa, the 15th Doctor (but sadly unconnected; can you help?)
• Jodie Whittaker, the 13th Doctor

Who else should we feature? We have room for 12 individuals. We can't feature everyone who is nominated, but if we don't feature a profile you work on, we may use it sometime in the future. And, of course, all contributions help improve our shared tree.

Our choice of features will depend partly on the notable person's CC7, i.e. their connection count within seven degrees. The more connections they have, the more likely it is for all WikiTree members to find a close and interesting connection to them. So, if you nominate someone, please help grow their CC7.

Suggestions are more likely to be considered if you provide a link to the person on WikiTree, some information about who they were or why you're nominating them, and if their profile is in good condition with a connection, image, and well-written and well-sourced biography.

We'll make a final decision on which ones to feature early next week.

Please reply here with what you're working on so that we don't duplicate our efforts. Thank you!

Take note that this is not the place to discuss why you think we shouldn't feature someone if those reasons are due to politics, actions, or opinions of those being suggested. Mentioning things like their not being connected, their biography still needing work, erroneous information, etc. are all suitable for discussion here and an opportunity to correct those situations.

Help us choose themes for 2024 Connection Finder themes here. 

Comments

The only thing I could contribute to Ncuti was a guess on his father's profile. I found his mother's name, but not even enough really to make a profile. His family is too challenging at the moment for me at least.

Answer 1

Delia Derbyshire, who created the original arrangement of the Doctor Who theme. She has a CC7 of 30, and her bio could use a little work.

Comments

I just added Australian composer Ron Grainer (his dad already had a profile here, conveniently).  He was the composer of the same theme tune (and many other memorable British theme tunes - remember Tales of the Unexpected?).  It turns out he has a 784 CC7.  He might be late to the party but he's a strong candidate!

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Stephen, the Wikidata item and the AdoB link should be beneath the Sources header, under a "See also".
I added the Notables Sticker, per the Aus Project guidelines for Australian notables.

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If the Aus Project wants him the Aus Project can have him and put things wherever they want!

I have no personal connection to him at all, I just thought he should have a profile.

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Thanks, Erin and Stephen.

Answer 2

• Jean Marsh England, played Sarah Kingdom 1965–66; CC7 609, short biography, image
• Adrienne Hill (1937–1997) England, played Katarina for 5 episodes 1965–66; CC7 53, short biography, image
• Jacqueline Joyce Lane (1941–2021) England, played Dodo Chaplet 1965–66; CC7 30, good biography, image.

Comments

• Lalla Ward England, played Romana 1979–81; CC7 754, short biography, image
• Kylie Minogue Australia, played Astrid Peth 2007; CC7 259, short biography, image
• Bonita Langford England, played Ace 1986–87 and Mel Bush 2022–24; CC7 174, short biography, image
• Elisabeth Sladen (1946–2011) England, played Sarah Jane Smith 1973–77, 1983, 2006, 2008–10; CC7 22, short biography, image.

Source at Wikipedia.

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Clearly Doctor Who is going to be a UK-centric project, but if you need some token Americans these are probably the most prominent:

Eric Roberts - played the Master in the TV movie

Daphne Ashbrook - played Dr Grace Holloway in same

Neil Patrick Harris - played The Toymaker in the 60th anniversary special "The Giggle"

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I’m an American, of long distant British descent, and my 13 year old son and I are extreme fans of Doctor Who. We’re working on watching Classic Doctor Who and are currently watching Tom Baker. We’ve also watched all episodes of the reboot from Eccleston to Gatwa.

So, while the characters maybe UK-centric, there are those of us across the pond who adore the show and would love to help with this Connection Finder.

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Thanks, Jim and Stephen.

Answer 3

Peter Cushing played Dr. Who in the 1965 movie Dr. Who and the Daleks.

Comments

What about his co-star Bernard Cribbins?

He's deceased, he's connected, he has nearly 700 CC7, and as well as being in the 1966 movie (Daleks -Invasion Earth: 2150 AD), he was a companion in the Tennant/Tate era and appeared (briefly) in the recent 60th anniversary specials!  Perfect!

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Thanks, Joke and Stephen.

Answer 4

There are lots of good choices from the Doctor Who project, a bit of a mini-project that links to many of the Doctors, their Companions, and even the Adversaries. Maybe it can help find those companions you're seeking.

My favorite Doctor was Tom Baker. Although he operated in the "trash bag monsters" era, he'll always be the one I think of when I think of Doctor Who. - CC7 300

My favorite companion was Sarah Jane Smith, played by the late Elisabeth Sladen. - CC7 22 44

And my favorite Master was Roger Delgado, who sadly is not connected, so I would nominate Anthony Ainley, who was a great Master as well. - CC7 616

Comments

I both love you and dislike you right now. Love because you suggested my favorites. Dislike because you beat me to them. 

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Donna - anyone who loves Tom Baker is OK in my book. Thanks!

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Grr... Elisabeth Sladen's tree is wrong, but I'm in the process of fixing it. Figured rather than just pulling the parents out, I'm sort of phasing them out. There's two Thomas Sladen's and two Gladys Trainer's and somehow we managed to pick both of the wrong ones. They "do" exist, just don't appear to be her parents. (And "I" was one of those involved in messing it up... grr).

So I hope to have it cleaned up tomorrow. I want to try to fix it so that she doesn't lose any CC7. So don't be too surprised that it will go up, then drop back down.

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OK - that took longer than I expected, but in the end, it was the same great-great-grandfather, but a different Sladen line. But she's still connected and might have expanded her CC7 as a result. We'll see tomorrow.

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Thanks, Scott!

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nice work, Scott!

Answer 5

John Hurt played the War Doctor. (8 1/2 Doctor)

Comments

Thanks, Russell.

Answer 6

Co-creators/producers

Sidney Newman - not at all suitable for this, he's connected by only one single long windy path, and his CC7 only 20 at the time of writing.  But his name should at least be mentioned!  Perhaps we can boost his CC7?

Verity Lambert - connected and at 128.

Sidney and Verity were given as the names of the Doctor's fake parents in the Tennant-era episode "Human Nature."

Comments

Verity Lambert isn't Nudulman-1

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lambert-3638

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I'll edit.  Still getting the hang of putting links in G2G pages, it's like learning a new language!

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It is definitely like that!  
If you're having difficulty getting it to link over words, just don't.  Add the url the way I did.  That way it is less likely there will be an issue.  

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* Terry Nation, screenwriter and the original creator of the Daleks.  Again, I'm just mentioning him for the sake of mentioning hm, he's connected but only just by one dangling branch which everyone would have to go down.  His CC7 is 36 and needs building up.

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Thanks, Stephen.

Answer 7

I found the profile for Noel Clarke who played Mickey. His profile and tree needs work considering he was on the British version of "Who do you think you are"

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Clarke-11070

Comments

Thanks, Chris. Maybe next time!

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I've been working on him this afternoon, adding a filmography and list of awards.

Answer 8

#3 - [[Pertwee-1|John Devon Roland Pertwee (1919-1996)]]

Can’t leave out Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, [[Courtney-770|William Nicholas Stone Courtney (1929-2011)]] even though his CC7 is 28.

Monty Python favorite, [[Cleese-3|John Cleese]], had a cameo role.

Behind the scenes is the esteemed Douglas Adams as a writer and script editor, [[Adams-32825|Douglas Noel Adams (1952-2001)]]

Comments

Thanks, Donna.

Answer 9

Oh, so many worthies.

Jacqueline Hill who was companion Barbara Write for the first  Doctor and spoke the first words in the opening scene of the first episode. She had another role in 1980 as the priestess Lexa.

Comments

Thanks, Doug.

Answer 10

Derek Jacobi played The Master in 2007 - but not (yet) connected

.Jemma Redgrave plays Kate Stewart, leader of UNIT (and 220 connections)

Edited to add another suggestion

Comments

Jacobi-290 now connected.  A nice easy one this, I only had to build one profile!

Strange coincidence (or nominative determinism?) that his mother's maiden name was... Masters!

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Thanks, Ruth.

Answer 11

My favorite companion has always been K-9 who was voiced (mainly) by John Francis Christopher Ducker, AKA John Leeson.  I guess he is ineligible since he is still living.

Comments

Well, not exactly. Living persons are eligible, but they would have to be visible (minimum 3 Wikipedia pages in different languages in his name, minimum 2 Wikipedia pages naming specific nuclear family members by name), they would need to be connected, and they would need a profile created. I did create a profile, but I have been unable to identify parents, and so far I've not found enough nuclear family members to open his page. If someone wants to research him and can find parents, let me know and I'll add them to the profile and we can try to connect him in time for the challenge, but I suspect it would be a long shot.

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And here's the link to his currently "private" profile:

John (Ducker) Leeson - WikiTree Profile

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Eric M Ducker married Barbara M G Payne in Market Boswell, Leicestershire in 1932.  I think I can probably find and connect one of them, give me a few hours!

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Works for me - I'll see if I can find a way to get it at least visible. If you get parent profiles created, let me know their WikiTree ID's and I'll connect them to him.

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Eric Neilson Ducker (Ducker-437) and Barbara Mary Gilbert Payne (Payne-22415).

Feel free to check my working and verify my (ie Familysearch's) sources.  Someone with an Ancestry or Findmypast subscription might be able to confirm/improve.

If anyone else wants to jump in and start filling out the family that would be great too!

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I'm getting a second opinion, as this one's very "gray" as it relates towards opening privacy. I "think" I've found a way, but just waiting on a confirmation that I'm right.

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Oh - and parents are connected now. thanks.

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I wouldn't worry too much about it, with only one long spindly connection thread he won't be suitable for Featured Connections anyway.  If you do make him public perhaps he could make an appearance in a future Notables Project challenge - Sci Fi Sidekicks or something - where his CC7 can be built up?

Whether he's public or not, it's always better to be connected!

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There we go - wife mentioned in two languages is sufficient to open privacy. At least we can see him now. We can definitely work on the connection.

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Stephen, Connected is Connected, no matter how "long and spindly" the trail may be.

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Oh, and I need to remind myself to pop back into this thread and collect all those names and links to go back to the project page for Doctor Who. I think we've seen a few key new ones pop up here and I hate to lose them.

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My suggestions are mostly recycled from a previous categorisation drive for people associated with the British Broadcasting Corporation (I think it was empty when I started). Somehow I overlooked the first three Doctors when I was doing that, I was focusing on writers and producers.

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Thanks, everyone!

Answer 12

John (Jon) Pertwee was the third doctor, I think, and he is connected.

Patrick Troughton was the second Doctor and his son David was also on a Doctor Who episode. Connected.

Peter Moffett (Davison) was also a Doctor, and his daughter Georgia is married to another Doctor, David Tennant. Connected.

Comments

And Georgia appeared in an episode as "The Doctor's Daughter" but not her dad's Doctor's daughter, her husband's Doctor's daughter.

I'm so confused!

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I remember watching a You Tube of Tennant on a talk show, being asked about his wife. He seemed reluctant to say too much, and when he was asked specifically to tell them about how he met his wife, he stammered, paused, stammered some more, and finally said something along the lines of "I don't think she'd want me telling you that." and they moved on.

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Thanks, Susanna. Links to their profiles on WikiTree helps a ton, if you can find them!

Answer 13

well apart from the obvious young ones, (what's not to love about David tennant, Amy pond etc..)  there are 2 x glaring profiles which need created.. 

Iain Cuthbertson (a notable) is a son of a notable David Cuthbertson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iain_Cuthbertson)

and then there's Alex Kingston (River Song, Amy Ponds mum, and alleged wife of a Doctor) she was in an out of prison as it suited, or just popped up (time space continuum and all that jazz!) and never gave away the Doctor's secret as to whether they were married or not.. but her name River Song was the clue as to Amy Ponds (a Dr Who Assistant! played by Karen Gillan, married to Rory) birth

anyway Alex has been a consistent Dr Who character and is marred to Ralph Fiennes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Fiennes)
 

Comments

Thanks, ClaireSuzy.

Answer 14

Just added Beryl Reid who appeared in one Peter Davison serial, "Earthshock"

I imagine right now her CC7 is in the region of about 7, but everyone has to start somewhere..!

Comments

Thanks, Stephen.

Answer 15

Would love to see the great Catherine Tate in this lineup. Unfortunately, she's not connected.

Comments

You know, she started out as one of my least favorite companions, but Donna ended up being one of my favorites by the end of her arc (though I haven't watch the newest episodes). She's married to an American, so maybe I can get her connected by the next time we feature The Doctor. Thanks, Isabelle.