Difference between revisions of "United States"
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| − | The USA was the 34th country to screen '''Doctor Who''', with various commercial, non-commercial, independent, network affiliated and [[wikipedia:PBS|PBS]] stations carrying the series from August 1972. | + | The USA was the 34th country to screen '''Doctor Who''', with various commercial, non-commercial, independent, network affiliated, cable and [[wikipedia:PBS|PBS]] stations carrying the series on and off from August 1972 to the mid-1990s. |
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* '''Jon Pertwee''' (full package) – NJN, [[New Jersey]] (1985) | * '''Jon Pertwee''' (full package) – NJN, [[New Jersey]] (1985) | ||
* '''Colin Baker''' – NJN, [[New Jersey]] (1985) / WNED, Buffalo, [[New York]] (1987) | * '''Colin Baker''' – NJN, [[New Jersey]] (1985) / WNED, Buffalo, [[New York]] (1987) | ||
| − | * '''Sylvester McCoy''' – unknown (1987) | + | * '''Sylvester McCoy''' – unknown (1987) |
| − | |||
| − | == | + | ==DOCTOR WHO IN THE USA - Key Dates and Events== |
| − | + | The following timeline notes the key dates and events in chronological order, from the mid-1960s to the late 1990s. | |
| − | + | ==='''1965-68'''=== | |
| − | + | Having successfully sold '''Doctor Who''' to countries around the world, it was time to exploit the United States of America. It would take a while... | |
| − | * '''1965''': '' | + | * '''3 January 1965''': The ''Chicago Tribune'' carries the article "From Beatleland – It's the Daleks", in which it states: "With Christmas over, Britain is resounding to the footsteps of "things from outer space" – Daleks. And the United States could be next ... The Daleks might also invade the United States because the BBC is offering the series, called Dr. Who, for sale here". |
| − | * ''' | + | * '''July 1965''': In a BBC memo dated 7 July 1965, "U.S.A" is listed as one of several countries to which a package of stories from season ones and two had been offered. But no one took up the offer... (It is thought that this offer may have been to NBC, which broadcast '''The Wonderful World of Disney'''; Disney was at one time interested in making an adaptation of the '''Doctor Who''' serial, [[Marco Polo]].) |
| − | * | + | * '''December 1965''': One of the earliest known exposures of '''Doctor Who''' to American audiences is in issue #36 (cover dated December 1965) of ''Famous Monsters of Filmland'' in the form of a photograph declaring "DR WHO as he appears in the British science-fiction TV series". The only trouble is, it's a photo of an insect-like Menoptra from [[The Web Planet]]! |
| − | + | ====DR WHO AND THE DALEKS==== | |
| − | * | + | * The first of the Peter Cushing Dalek movies is released in the UK. Several US magazines carry reviews: |
| − | * ''' | + | ** '''19 May 1966''': ''Variety'' magazine publishes a review of ''Dr Who and the Daleks''. |
| − | + | * '''XXXXXXXXX''': ''Variety'' magazine publishes a review of '''Daleks Invade Earth 2150AD''' (sic). | |
| − | * ''' | + | * '''April 1966''': ''Famous Monsters of Filmland'' issue #38 (cover date April 1966) carries the feature "THE DALEKS INVADE ENGLAND!", which gives a brief overview of the series, and a report from the set of [[The Web Planet]]. |
| − | * ''' | + | * '''July 1966''': '''Dr Who and the Daleks''' is released on US screens, distributed by the Continental Group. |
| − | + | * '''1966-1967''': During the second half of 1966 and all of 1967, Terry Nation attempts to sell the concept of a Dalek spin-off series to American networks. The series never goes ahead, but a contractual condition during this period of negotiation is that the BBC is not able to sell Dalek stories to overseas broadcasters... | |
| + | |||
| + | * '''November 1966''': Dell Publishing Co Inc releases a comic adaptation of the first Dalek movie. It retails for 12c. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * '''March 1967''': ''Famous Monsters of Filmland'' #44 (cover date May 1967) carries the article "THE DALEKS ARE COMING!", which previews the first Dalek movie. | ||
| + | |||
| + | *'''1967''': In the summer of 1967, the second feature, '''Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 AD''' hits theatres in the USA. | ||
| + | * '''July 1967''': Avon books publishes a US edition of David Whitaker's Target novelisation, '''Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks'''. It retails for 50c. | ||
| − | * | + | * '''December 1968''': '''Dr Who and the Daleks''' is re-released in selected theatres (such as in Chicago, [[Illinois]]), on a double bill with the debut release of George Romero's '''[[wikipedia: Night of the Living Dead|Night of the Living Dead'''. |
| − | |||
| − | + | ==='''1972'''=== | |
| − | * ' | + | *With the expansion of educational and public television services across the country, all hungry for quality material, the BBC strikes a distribution deal with Time Life Films, the film and television distribution division of Ted Turner's media empire, [[Wikipedia: Time Life|Time Life]]. This deal gives Time Life the exclusive rights to sell BBC product throughout the United States and Latin America. The deal includes such fair as '''[[Wikipedia: War & Peace]]''' (a co-production between Time Life and BBC), '''The Ascent of Man''', and '''Doctor Who'''. |
| − | -- | + | * At the time the deal is signed off, the ninth season of the series (starring Jon Pertwee), is drawing to a close. The package offered includes 13 serials, 72 episodes, all in full colour. These episodes are converted from the PAL to NTSC (525-line 2-inch colour video tapes). Pertwee's debut serial, [[Spearhead from Space]] is not included in the package, presumably because it was on colour film. |
====[[Jon Pertwee stories|JON PERTWEE]]==== | ====[[Jon Pertwee stories|JON PERTWEE]]==== | ||
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| − | - | + | - [[Inferno]] is supplied with an early edit of part five, featuring a scene deleted from the UK broadcast. (This highlights that the BBC still held the original colour tapes of these three seasons as late as 1972.) |
| + | |||
| + | - [[Day of the Daleks]] is called "The Daleks" in publicity material, and subsequently appears under that title in many of the TV billings. | ||
| + | |||
| + | - '''ADVERTISING''': Time Life Films promotes the series in several publications: | ||
| − | + | ** '''[http://www.davidgleason.com/Broadcasting_Individual_Issues_Guide.htm BROADCASTING MAGAZINE] – 3 April 1972''' features a full-page promo for several BBC programmes, including '''Doctor Who'''. | |
| + | ** '''TV GUIDE''' - '''20 June 1972''': A two-page feature, '''YOO HOO MONSTERS!''' introducing viewers to "Dr Who", the Sea Devils and the Master. It reveals that the series was coming in "the fall". | ||
| − | * '''21 August 1972''': '''Doctor Who''' makes its USA TV debut on WPHL in Philadelphia, [[Pennsylvania]]. | + | * '''21 August 1972''': '''Doctor Who''' makes its USA TV '''debut''' on WPHL in Philadelphia, [[Pennsylvania]]. |
* '''1972-1974''': '''Doctor Who''' airs in Los Angeles, [[California]]; Chicago [[Illinois]], Boston, [[Massachusetts]], etc. | * '''1972-1974''': '''Doctor Who''' airs in Los Angeles, [[California]]; Chicago [[Illinois]], Boston, [[Massachusetts]], etc. | ||
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| − | + | ==='''1976-1978'''=== | |
| − | + | * '''1976, May''': ''Famous Monsters of Filmland''' (issue 126, cover dated July) features '''"The Funtastic World of Dr Who"''', an overview of the series that was currently "in syndication". (The article liberally pulls its facts and interviews from the 1972 Pan Books / Piccolo edition of ''The Making of Doctor Who''!) | |
| − | * ''' | + | * '''1977''': Off-air home recordings are taken of [[Doctor Who and the Silurians]], [[The Ambassadors of Death]], [[Terror of the Autons]] and [[The Daemons]], which prove their value in later years... |
| − | * | + | * Producer Philip Hinchcliffe has discussions with BBC management about selling the series to the States. Management decree that the earlier sales were not that successful... |
==='''1978'''=== | ==='''1978'''=== | ||
| − | * '''1978''': Screenings of the [[Jon Pertwee stories]] come to an end... Less than 20 stations across the United States (plus [[Guam]]) have aired the | + | * '''1978''': Screenings of the [[Jon Pertwee stories]] come to an end... Less than 20 stations across the United States (plus [[Guam]]) have aired the Jon Pertwee episodes between 1972 and 1978. |
| − | * | + | * The final US station to purchase and air the package of 13 [[Jon Pertwee stories]] is KDIN, [[Iowa]]. |
| − | *'''1978, January''': | + | *'''1978, January''': Following the success of '''Star Wars''', the BBC decides to give '''Doctor Who''' another shot at North America. A new deal is completed with Time Life Television. |
* '''12 February 1978''': Tom Baker and a collection of monsters (including a Dalek, a Sontaran, a Wirrn, and a Voc robot) line up outside the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London, for a publicity photo shoot. | * '''12 February 1978''': Tom Baker and a collection of monsters (including a Dalek, a Sontaran, a Wirrn, and a Voc robot) line up outside the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London, for a publicity photo shoot. | ||
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====[[Tom Baker stories|TOM BAKER]]==== | ====[[Tom Baker stories|TOM BAKER]]==== | ||
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| − | The | + | - The stories are edited slightly, and have narration voiced by actor Howard da Silva. |
| − | + | - Many stations screen the stories out of order, usually based on BBC production codes, as listed above. | |
| + | - The tape of part one of [[The Brain of Morbius]] is missing sound effects and music cues. | ||
| − | * ''' | + | * '''1978, August''': ''Space Wars'' Magazine (Vol 2/4, cover dated August) carries the feature '''"Dr Who comes to America"''', but this focuses mainly on the Pertwee stories that were still airing in some States (with an episode guide, listing the 13 serials in alphabetical order) and does not mention the impending syndication of the Tom Baker series at all. |
| − | * BROADCASTING MAGAZINE | + | * '''ADVERTISING''': '''12 June 1978''': [http://www.davidgleason.com/Broadcasting_Individual_Issues_Guide.htm BROADCASTING MAGAZINE] magazine runs a full page ad for the series: "98 Amazing Half-Hours..." |
| − | * '''28 August 1978''': The [[Tom Baker stories]] make their debut on American television on station | + | * '''28 August 1978''': The [[Tom Baker stories]] make their '''debut''' on American television on station WSBK, in Boston, [[Massachusetts]]. |
| − | * | + | * As the fall television season gets under way, as many as '''75''' stations across America screen the "All New" series... |
| − | * | + | * '''September 1978''': '''Starlog''' magazine (issue 18, cover dated October) reports that '''Doctor Who''' is now in syndication. |
| + | |||
| + | * According to an unknown undated American publication (but reported on page 182 of ''The Key To Time''; Peter Haining; W H Allen; 1984), many of the initial group stations drop the series due to poor ratings. But others pick it up, and within a year the programme is regularly broadcast on '''92''' stations. Time Life respond, saying that "'''Doctor Who's''' success in America is undeniable!" | ||
| + | |||
| + | * VARIETY REVIEW – WOR-TV ///////// REVIEW | ||
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==='''1979'''=== | ==='''1979'''=== | ||
| − | * '''1979 | + | * '''April 1979''': Pinnacle Books publishes the first of the American editions of the Target novelisations. They retail for XXX. (''Famous Monsters of Filmland'' carries adverts for the book range from XXXX.) |
| − | * ''' | + | * '''ADVERTISING''': Many genre magazines promote and support the series: |
** '''Famous Monsters of Filmland''' (issue 155, cover dated XXXX) | ** '''Famous Monsters of Filmland''' (issue 155, cover dated XXXX) | ||
** '''Starlog''' (issue 23, cover dated xxxxx) | ** '''Starlog''' (issue 23, cover dated xxxxx) | ||
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** '''Fantastic Films''' (issue 11, cover dated October | ** '''Fantastic Films''' (issue 11, cover dated October | ||
| − | * | + | * '''1 December 1979''': The first American '''Doctor Who''' convention is held in LA, with Barry Letts, Terrance Dicks, Tom Baker and Graham Williams. |
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==='''1980'''=== | ==='''1980'''=== | ||
| − | *'''March 1980''': Elisabeth Sladen and Ian Marter attend a convention in | + | *'''March 1980''': Elisabeth Sladen and Ian Marter attend a convention in Los Angeles. |
* '''1980''': NBC expresses an interest in purchasing the series, but nothing eventuates. | * '''1980''': NBC expresses an interest in purchasing the series, but nothing eventuates. | ||
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*'''August 1980''': NBC contacts the BBC with a view to purchasing the series, but no deal eventuates. | *'''August 1980''': NBC contacts the BBC with a view to purchasing the series, but no deal eventuates. | ||
| − | * '''1980 | + | * '''November 1980''': US Marvel commences publication of a four-issue comic – '''Marvel Premiere Featuring DOCTOR WHO''' (#57-60), with material previously published in '''Doctor Who Magazine''', now in full colour. The last issue is published in June 1981. |
==='''1981'''=== | ==='''1981'''=== | ||
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* '''18 March 1981''': Time Life's contract expires. The contract is not renewed because the Film and Television division is in the process of being dissolved. | * '''18 March 1981''': Time Life's contract expires. The contract is not renewed because the Film and Television division is in the process of being dissolved. | ||
| − | * '''1981 | + | * '''April 1981''': Despite its contract coming to an end, Time Life purchases and markets the remaining 18 [[Tom Baker stories]] (74 episodes). These do not have added narration. |
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====[[Tom Baker stories|TOM BAKER]] (continued)==== | ====[[Tom Baker stories|TOM BAKER]] (continued)==== | ||
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| − | * '''1981 | + | * '''30 May 1981''': The first station to buy this package is KOED in [[Oklahoma]]. |
| + | |||
| + | * '''July 1981''': Pinnacle ceases publishing its '''Doctor Who''' novelisation range. | ||
| − | * '''1981 | + | * By '''August 1981''', '''Lionheart International Television Inc''' has taken over from Time Life as distributor. Lionheart is co-owned by Western World TV (49%), Public Media Inc (49%), and the BBC (2%). New tapes of the earlier [[Tom Baker stories]] are made available, no longer with the da Silva narrations. Omnibus move-length editions are also made available. (Some stations had made their own in-house 'movie' versions of the earlier serials; Lionheart was the first distributor to offer a choice of format.) |
| − | * '''14-16 August 1981''': Before he has appeared on screen as the Doctor, Peter Davison makes his first US convention appearance, in Tulsa [[Oklahoma]]. | + | * '''14-16 August 1981''': Before he has appeared on screen as the Doctor in the UK, Peter Davison makes his first US convention appearance, in Tulsa [[Oklahoma]]. |
| − | * '''1981 | + | * '''December 1981''': Even though the first season of [[Peter Davison stories]] has yet to screen in the UK, those seven serials are pre-sold to the [[US cable channels|cable station]], The Entertainment Channel. Other stations in the US have to wait until '''1983''' to be able to buy the Davison adventures. |
==='''1982'''=== | ==='''1982'''=== | ||
| − | * | + | * The first season of [[Peter Davison stories]] airs on cable. |
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====[[Peter Davison stories|PETER DAVISON]]==== | ====[[Peter Davison stories|PETER DAVISON]]==== | ||
| − | + | Seven stories, 26 episodes: | |
{| {{small-table}} | {| {{small-table}} | ||
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| − | * '''1982''' | + | |
| + | * By the end of '''1982''', Lionheart announces that '''Doctor Who''' is watched by '''9 million''' viewers in the US. | ||
==='''1983'''=== | ==='''1983'''=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * '''6 March 1983''': The fan-made documentary '''Once Upon a Time Lord''' screens (see [[Colorado]]). | ||
* '''3/4 April 1983''': At the weekend long Longleat festival on 3 and 4 April 1983, Jon Pertwee announced that his stories were going to be made available again: "I'm delighted to hear yesterday from JNT and the American gentleman who's over here [from Lionheart who] distribute '''Doctor Who''' in America... And I gather that my stories are going to be shown in 1985? Is it 1985? (Looks to JNT, who nods). In 1985, after Peter's 26 and another 26, and then they're taking all mine". | * '''3/4 April 1983''': At the weekend long Longleat festival on 3 and 4 April 1983, Jon Pertwee announced that his stories were going to be made available again: "I'm delighted to hear yesterday from JNT and the American gentleman who's over here [from Lionheart who] distribute '''Doctor Who''' in America... And I gather that my stories are going to be shown in 1985? Is it 1985? (Looks to JNT, who nods). In 1985, after Peter's 26 and another 26, and then they're taking all mine". | ||
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====[[Jon Pertwee stories|JON PERTWEE]] (continued)==== | ====[[Jon Pertwee stories|JON PERTWEE]] (continued)==== | ||
| − | * '''1983''': By June, | + | * '''June 1983''': By June, Lionheart releases another package of [[Jon Pertwee stories]]. This package consists of 14 serials, 73 episodes, and features just those serials that exist in their entirely in colour (but only on tape, so [[Spearhead from Space]] is not included). The 14 serials are seven serials that had been available in the early 1970s, and seven 'new' adventures, not previously seen in the States: |
Seven new stories, 34 episodes: | Seven new stories, 34 episodes: | ||
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|} | |} | ||
| − | This package included a re-issue of | + | |
| + | - This package included a re-issue of: [[Inferno]], [[The Claws of Axos]], [[Colony in Space]], [[Day of the Daleks]], [[The Sea Devils]], [[The Mutants]] and [[The Time Monster]], all of which had been recovered only a few years earlier. At the time the deal was signed off, full colour tapes of [[Inferno]] had just been found in [[Canada]], although copies had yet to make their way back to the BBC in London. ([[The Curse of Peladon was not included, presumably on account of the very poor state of the tapes recovered in 1981.) | ||
* Jon Pertwee undertakes a tour of the States to promote this package. | * Jon Pertwee undertakes a tour of the States to promote this package. | ||
| − | * ''' | + | *'''XXX July 1983''': TV GUIDE HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO WHO |
| − | -- | + | * '''23 November 1983''': [[The Five Doctors]] makes its world debut – two days ahead of its UK transmission - via a network link-up of at least '''80''' PBS stations across the country. |
====[[Peter Davison stories|PETER DAVISON]] (continued)==== | ====[[Peter Davison stories|PETER DAVISON]] (continued)==== | ||
| − | One story, | + | One story, 90 minutes: |
{| {{small-table}} | {| {{small-table}} | ||
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| − | * '''26-27 November 1983''': Spirit of Light | + | * '''26-27 November 1983''': Spirit of Light's The Ultimate Convention is held in Chicago. (SEE BACK OF DWM 82) |
| + | |||
| + | * As a result of this special screening, '''Doctor Who''' is sold to many more stations, such as KECT in Los Angeles, [[California]]. | ||
==='''1984'''=== | ==='''1984'''=== | ||
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* '''9 January 1984''': TIME magazine carries a feature on '''Doctor Who''' - '''"Who's Who in Outer Space"''' (Read the article [[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,952321-1,00.html HERE]]). The article declares that the series is seen by '''9.5 million viewers''' in '''112''' markets across the States. | * '''9 January 1984''': TIME magazine carries a feature on '''Doctor Who''' - '''"Who's Who in Outer Space"''' (Read the article [[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,952321-1,00.html HERE]]). The article declares that the series is seen by '''9.5 million viewers''' in '''112''' markets across the States. | ||
| − | * '''1984 | + | * '''February 1984''': TV GUIDE _ Feb 1984 - WHO HAS TWO HEARTS |
| − | * '''1984''': | + | * '''1984''': '''Lyle Stuart Inc''', in Secaucus, New Jersey, becomes the exclusive distributer of Target books in the United States. Target reprints all the available back-titles. They retail for $2.50. |
| − | * '''1984 | + | * '''1984''': By the middle of the year, Lionheart successfully makes a deal to market the existing 17 complete [[William Hartnell stories]] and five [[Patrick Troughton stories], to add to the forthcoming package of 24 Pertwee serials to be made available in 1985. The sale is reported to have earned the BBC £4.5 million. |
| − | * '''1984 | + | * '''June 1984''': TV GUID - June 84 - REVIEW OF DW (Robery MacKenzie) |
| + | |||
| + | * '''July 1984''': Colin Baker makes his US convention debut in [[Ohio]]. | ||
*'''1984''': Plans to film in New Orleans fall through, so the filming of [[The Two Doctors]] is relocated to Spain. | *'''1984''': Plans to film in New Orleans fall through, so the filming of [[The Two Doctors]] is relocated to Spain. | ||
| − | * '''1984 | + | * '''October 1984''': Marvel US commences reprints of '''Doctor Who Magazine'' comic strips. (This comic series runs for 23 issues between October 1984 and August 1986.) |
| − | * '''1984 | + | * '''November 1984''': Seasons 20 and 21 begin screening in the States. Although [[The Twin Dilemma]] has been supplied, stations have been instructed not to air the serial until other [[Colin Baker stories]] are made available in 1985/86. |
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====[[Peter Davison stories|PETER DAVISON]] (continued)==== | ====[[Peter Davison stories|PETER DAVISON]] (continued)==== | ||
| − | 12 stories, equivalent of 44 | + | 12 stories, equivalent of 44 episodes: |
{| {{small-table}} | {| {{small-table}} | ||
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| − | * '''1984 | + | - [[Resurrection of the Daleks]] is supplied in its 4-part format, but Part Two is without sound effects or music. |
| + | |||
| + | * '''December 1984''': The spin-off [[K9 and Company]] airs at Christmas, although it is not as widely sold as its parent series. | ||
==='''1985'''=== | ==='''1985'''=== | ||
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* '''May 1985''': '''146''' stations in the US have purchased the series, exposing '''70%''' of the population the United States to the series. | * '''May 1985''': '''146''' stations in the US have purchased the series, exposing '''70%''' of the population the United States to the series. | ||
| − | + | * '''September 1985''': The [[William Hartnell stories]] and [[Patrick Troughton stories]] go into syndication: | |
====[[William Hartnell stories|WILLIAM HARTNELL]]==== | ====[[William Hartnell stories|WILLIAM HARTNELL]]==== | ||
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Seventeen stories, 76 episodes: | Seventeen stories, 76 episodes: | ||
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====[[Patrick Troughton stories|PATRICK TROUGHTON]]==== | ====[[Patrick Troughton stories|PATRICK TROUGHTON]]==== | ||
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Five stories, 30 episodes: | Five stories, 30 episodes: | ||
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| − | ---- | + | - The stories are edited into compilations, with the story to story cliffhangers often removed, and new title cards and closing credits created, sometimes displaying a 1984 or 1985 copyright date. |
| + | |||
| + | - It has been reported that the Hartnell to Troughton regeneration sequence was edited onto the end of [[The War Machines]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | - In its omnibus form, [[The War Games]] is issued as a two-parter. | ||
| − | + | * '''7 September 1985''': The [[William Hartnell stories]] begin screening on NJN in [[New Jersey]]. | |
| − | + | ====[[Jon Pertwee stories|JON PERTWEE]] (Repackaged)==== | |
| − | * | + | * As had been announced at Longleat back in '''April 1983''', a full package of [[Jon Pertwee stories]] is released for syndication in the US. (The same package had also been sold to [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]].) |
| − | * This package also included four stories that not had been sold to the States before. Since episode three of [[Planet of the Daleks]] was in black and white, the BBC also provided | + | * This package also included four stories that not had been sold to the States before. Since episode three of [[Planet of the Daleks]] was in black and white, the BBC also provided an edited version that re-cut episodes two and four, making the story into a five-part serial. [[Invasion of the Dinosaurs]] was also re-edited because episode one was in black and white, so the opening titles were all re-captioned (e.g. PART TWO was renumbered PART ONE, PART TWO became PART THREE, etc), and the story was issued as a five parter. |
| − | Four stories, 20 | + | Four 'new' stories, equivalent of 20 episodes: |
{| {{small-table}} | {| {{small-table}} | ||
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|QQQ||[[Frontier in Space]]||6 | |QQQ||[[Frontier in Space]]||6 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | |SSS||[[Planet of the Daleks]]||5 | + | |SSS||[[Planet of the Daleks]]||5 |
|- | |- | ||
|WWW||[[Invasion of the Dinosaurs]]||5 | |WWW||[[Invasion of the Dinosaurs]]||5 | ||
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|} | |} | ||
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| − | + | - At the time the 24-story package deal had been signed off in April 1983, [[Frontier in Space]] existed only in black and white. Full colour copies of [[Frontier in Space]] were recovered from [[Australia]] later in 1983. | |
| + | |||
| + | - It wasn't until 1993 that all six episodes of [[Planet of the Daleks]] were made available for US syndication. | ||
| + | |||
| + | - A full account of the edits made to [[Planet of the Daleks]] can be found [http://homepages.bw.edu/~jcurtis/Z1R0_1.htm HERE] | ||
* '''28 September 1985''': NJN in [[New Jersey]] is the first to screen the [[Colin Baker stories]]. Other stations pick up the stories from January 1986: | * '''28 September 1985''': NJN in [[New Jersey]] is the first to screen the [[Colin Baker stories]]. Other stations pick up the stories from January 1986: | ||
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====[[Colin Baker stories|COLIN BAKER]]==== | ====[[Colin Baker stories|COLIN BAKER]]==== | ||
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* '''1986''': The NJN produced documentary '''"Doctor Who's Who's Who"''' screens. | * '''1986''': The NJN produced documentary '''"Doctor Who's Who's Who"''' screens. | ||
| − | * '''1986 | + | * By '''May 1986''', the BBC buys all the shares in Lionheart Television Inc. The BBC had owned only 2%, the other 98% split 50/50 between Western World TV and Public Media Inc. Lionheart was clearing a profit of US$1million per year. |
| − | * '''8 May 1986''': Setting off from [[Washington DC]], with Peter Davison and BBC 1 Controller, Michael Grade in attendance, the | + | * '''8 May 1986''': Setting off from [[Washington DC]], with Peter Davison and BBC 1 Controller, Michael Grade in attendance, the '''Doctor Who USA Tour''' begins its two-year, multi-city tour (two cities per week). It is hoped that all 181 markets where '''Doctor Who''' is screened across America will be visited. |
| − | * ''' | + | * '''DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR ITINERARY''': |
| − | ** May to August 1986: In its first leg, the | + | ** May to August 1986: In its first leg, the tour visits [[New York]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[New Jersey]], [[Maine]], with Peter Davison in attendance. |
| − | ** During September 1986, Tom Baker and Colin Baker visit [[Washington DC]], [[Tennessee]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Georgia]], [[Illinois]], [[Massachusetts]] and | + | ** During September 1986, Tom Baker and Colin Baker visit [[Washington DC]], [[Tennessee]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Georgia]], [[Illinois]], [[Massachusetts]] and [[New York]]. |
| − | **September 1986 to February 1987: The | + | **September 1986 to February 1987: The Tour visits [[New York]], [[New Jersey]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Minnesota]], [[Maryland]], [[Massachusetts]], [[Tennessee]], [[Louisiana]], [[Alabama]], [[Florida]] and DisneyWorld, with Colin Baker, Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison and Patrick Troughton taking part at various legs of the journey. |
**From February 1987, Pertwee is joined by new Doctor Sylvester McCoy, visiting [[Georgia]] and [[Massachusetts]]. McCoy travels on his own until September, when he is due back in London to commence recording of season 24 | **From February 1987, Pertwee is joined by new Doctor Sylvester McCoy, visiting [[Georgia]] and [[Massachusetts]]. McCoy travels on his own until September, when he is due back in London to commence recording of season 24 | ||
| − | **October to December 1987: The | + | **October to December 1987: The Tour travels westwards, calling in at [[Washington]] state, [[California]], [[Arizona]], [[New Mexico]], [[Texas]], [[Oklahoma]] and [[Louisiana]]. Pertwee, McCoy and Janet Fielding attend. |
**May 1988: The tour ends, having visited some 181 locations over two years. | **May 1988: The tour ends, having visited some 181 locations over two years. | ||
| − | '''DOCTOR WHO | + | '''DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR WEB SITES''': |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| + | * [http://www.michaell.org/who/conclips/whotour86.phtml DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR in MINNESOTA 1] | ||
| + | * [http://www.michaell.org/who/conclips/whotour286.phtml DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR in MINNESOTA 2] | ||
| + | * [http://www.drwhoexhibitions.co.uk/usatour.htm DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR OVERVIEW] | ||
| + | * [http://www.richardwho.com/exhibitions/USATour/1986/index.asp DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR, 1986] | ||
| + | * [http://www.richardwho.com/exhibitions/USATour/19870228/index.asp DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR in ALABAMA, February 1987] | ||
| − | * '''1986 | + | * '''July 1986''': By the middle of the year, '''112 '''stations (both commercial and PBS) have purchased the series, with an estimated daily audience of '''10 million''' across the country. |
* '''August 1986''': After 23 issues, the US Marvel comic is cancelled due to falling sales. | * '''August 1986''': After 23 issues, the US Marvel comic is cancelled due to falling sales. | ||
| − | * '''1986''': Ballentine Books | + | * '''1986''': Ballentine Books publishes US editions of the six Make Your Own Adventure books, that had been published by Severn House in the UK. New covers are painted by Gail Bennett. They retail for XXXX. |
*'''1986''': The North American Doctor Who Appreciation Society (NADWAS) winds up. | *'''1986''': The North American Doctor Who Appreciation Society (NADWAS) winds up. | ||
| Line 600: | Line 597: | ||
==='''1987'''=== | ==='''1987'''=== | ||
| − | * '''28 February 1987''': Sylvester McCoy joins John Nathan-Turner and Jon Pertwee on the | + | * '''28 February 1987''': Sylvester McCoy joins John Nathan-Turner and Jon Pertwee on the '''Doctor Who USA Tour''' at Mercer University in Macon, [[Georgia]], his debut public appearance following his casting as the seventh Doctor, three days ahead of his "official" announcement in the UK! |
* '''28 March 1987''': Patrick Troughton dies, while attending a convention in Columbus, [[Georgia]]. | * '''28 March 1987''': Patrick Troughton dies, while attending a convention in Columbus, [[Georgia]]. | ||
| − | * '''1987''': Lionheart | + | * '''1987''': With Lionheart hiking up the prices for '''Doctor Who''', a number of PBS stations drop the series. |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | - | + | * '''April 1987''': WNED, in Buffalo, [[New York]], is the first station to screen season 23, [[The Trial of a Time Lord]], which occurs part-way through their run of [[William Hartnell stories]]: |
====[[Colin Baker stories|COLIN BAKER]] (continued)==== | ====[[Colin Baker stories|COLIN BAKER]] (continued)==== | ||
| − | One | + | One/four stories, 14 episodes: |
{| {{small-table}} | {| {{small-table}} | ||
| Line 625: | Line 620: | ||
*'''1987''': CBS/FOX, under its Playhouse imprint, begins releasing '''Doctor Who''' on home video. | *'''1987''': CBS/FOX, under its Playhouse imprint, begins releasing '''Doctor Who''' on home video. | ||
| − | * | + | * By '''June 1987''', it is reported that '''Doctor Who''' is seen potentially by 74% of the country. By '''September''' it is announced that over '''200''' markets have screened the series. |
*'''1987''': By September, the long-running [[wikipedia:Doctor Who RPG|FASA]] '''Doctor Who''' role-playing game is cancelled. | *'''1987''': By September, the long-running [[wikipedia:Doctor Who RPG|FASA]] '''Doctor Who''' role-playing game is cancelled. | ||
| − | - | + | * To coincide with the mid-year PBS pledge drive season, the first two seasons of McCoy stories begin their syndication run: |
====[[Sylvester McCoy stories|SYLVESTER McCOY]]==== | ====[[Sylvester McCoy stories|SYLVESTER McCOY]]==== | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
8 stories, 28 episodes: | 8 stories, 28 episodes: | ||
| Line 657: | Line 650: | ||
|} | |} | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
==='''1988'''=== | ==='''1988'''=== | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
* '''1988''': By the start of 1988, more PBS stations have dropped the series. Lionheart tries the tactic of forcing stations to buy full runs of older stories – one story per week, which means a commitment to at least '''52 stories'''! - if they want to buy the new seasons - so the station don't buy either! | * '''1988''': By the start of 1988, more PBS stations have dropped the series. Lionheart tries the tactic of forcing stations to buy full runs of older stories – one story per week, which means a commitment to at least '''52 stories'''! - if they want to buy the new seasons - so the station don't buy either! | ||
| − | * '''1988''': Lionheart launches '''The Friends of Doctor Who''', | + | * '''1988''': Lionheart launches '''The Friends of Doctor Who''', the first and only official US '''Doctor Who''' fan club. |
| − | * '''1988''': The BBC announces that sales to America have helped generate £27,500,000, an increase of 14% on 1986-87. | + | * '''1988''': The BBC announces that sales to America have helped generate £27,500,000, an increase of 14% on its 1986-87 income. |
* '''19 November 1988''': '''The Making of [[Silver Nemesis]] screens on the [[New Jersey]] Network. | * '''19 November 1988''': '''The Making of [[Silver Nemesis]] screens on the [[New Jersey]] Network. | ||
| Line 674: | Line 663: | ||
==='''1990'''=== | ==='''1990'''=== | ||
| − | * '''1990''': The final season | + | * '''March 1990''': The final season of '''Doctor Who''' goes into syndication, but only three stations pick it up (including Houston, [[Texas]] and [[New Jersey]] Network), with instructions they are not to air it until 1991. After the stations complain, they are given release to air the stories in 1990: |
| − | |||
| − | |||
====[[Sylvester McCoy stories|SYLVESTER McCOY]] (continued)==== | ====[[Sylvester McCoy stories|SYLVESTER McCOY]] (continued)==== | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
{| {{small-table}} | {| {{small-table}} | ||
| Line 697: | Line 682: | ||
==='''1991-1998'''=== | ==='''1991-1998'''=== | ||
| − | * '''1991''': With | + | * '''1991''': With sales falling, and their contract with PBS expiring in 1992, Lionheart looks at selling to cable and other networks. They succeed in selling to the newly established [[wikipedia:Syfy|SCI-FI Channel]. The contract with SCI-FI is for only the [[William Hartnell stories]], [[Patrick Troughton stories]] and [[Jon Pertwee stories]]... |
| − | * '''24 September 1992''': | + | * '''24 September 1992''': SCI-FI Channel launches. Promising to start with the [[William Hartnell stories]], they instead show [[Tom Baker stories]] – again... |
| − | *'''1994''': | + | *'''1994''': More and more PBS stations do not renew their contracts. [[New Hampshire]]'s WENH in Durham is the last station in New England to still be airing the series, eventually dropping it in June of '''1994'''. |
| − | * '''1998''': By early 1998, only '''five''' PBS stations were still screening the series: Des Moines, [[Iowa]]; Denver, [[Colorado]]; San Jose, [[California]]; Baltimore, [[Maryland]], and Cincinnati, [[Ohio]]. | + | * '''1998''': By early 1998, only '''five''' PBS stations were still regularly screening the series: Des Moines, [[Iowa]]; Denver, [[Colorado]]; San Jose, [[California]]; Baltimore, [[Maryland]], and Cincinnati, [[Ohio]]. |
| − | + | ===Beyond 1998... === | |
| + | * By the turn of the millennium, sales of '''Doctor Who''' had all but dried up, and '''Doctor Who''' had all but faded from television screens in America... | ||
---- | ---- | ||
| − | ''(The above | + | ''(The above timeline of events is taken from reports in '''DWM''', '''DWB''', '''Celestial Toyroom''', '''Data Extract''', '''Fantasy Image''', '''Starlog''', '''Doctor Who Marvel (US)''', '''Famous Monsters of Filmland''', '''Fantastic Films''', '''Fangoria''', '''Enterprise Incidents''', '''Enlightenment''', and various online sites.)'' |
---- | ---- | ||
| Line 748: | Line 734: | ||
* See also [[Guam]] | * See also [[Guam]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
==Media== | ==Media== | ||
Revision as of 22:16, 1 January 2011
The USA was the 34th country to screen Doctor Who, with various commercial, non-commercial, independent, network affiliated, cable and PBS stations carrying the series on and off from August 1972 to the mid-1990s.
Contents
- 1 First Station to screen each Doctor
- 2 DOCTOR WHO IN THE USA - Key Dates and Events
- 3 Index of States
- 4 Media
- 5 Links
First Station to screen each Doctor
- Jon Pertwee – WPHL, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1972)
- Tom Baker – WSBK, Boston, Massachusetts (1978)
- Peter Davison – Entertainment Channel (US Cable Stations) (1982)
- William Hartnell – NJN, New Jersey (1985)
- Patrick Troughton – NJN, New Jersey (1985)
- Jon Pertwee (full package) – NJN, New Jersey (1985)
- Colin Baker – NJN, New Jersey (1985) / WNED, Buffalo, New York (1987)
- Sylvester McCoy – unknown (1987)
DOCTOR WHO IN THE USA - Key Dates and Events
The following timeline notes the key dates and events in chronological order, from the mid-1960s to the late 1990s.
1965-68
Having successfully sold Doctor Who to countries around the world, it was time to exploit the United States of America. It would take a while...
- 3 January 1965: The Chicago Tribune carries the article "From Beatleland – It's the Daleks", in which it states: "With Christmas over, Britain is resounding to the footsteps of "things from outer space" – Daleks. And the United States could be next ... The Daleks might also invade the United States because the BBC is offering the series, called Dr. Who, for sale here".
- July 1965: In a BBC memo dated 7 July 1965, "U.S.A" is listed as one of several countries to which a package of stories from season ones and two had been offered. But no one took up the offer... (It is thought that this offer may have been to NBC, which broadcast The Wonderful World of Disney; Disney was at one time interested in making an adaptation of the Doctor Who serial, Marco Polo.)
- December 1965: One of the earliest known exposures of Doctor Who to American audiences is in issue #36 (cover dated December 1965) of Famous Monsters of Filmland in the form of a photograph declaring "DR WHO as he appears in the British science-fiction TV series". The only trouble is, it's a photo of an insect-like Menoptra from The Web Planet!
DR WHO AND THE DALEKS
- The first of the Peter Cushing Dalek movies is released in the UK. Several US magazines carry reviews:
- 19 May 1966: Variety magazine publishes a review of Dr Who and the Daleks.
- XXXXXXXXX: Variety magazine publishes a review of Daleks Invade Earth 2150AD (sic).
- April 1966: Famous Monsters of Filmland issue #38 (cover date April 1966) carries the feature "THE DALEKS INVADE ENGLAND!", which gives a brief overview of the series, and a report from the set of The Web Planet.
- July 1966: Dr Who and the Daleks is released on US screens, distributed by the Continental Group.
- 1966-1967: During the second half of 1966 and all of 1967, Terry Nation attempts to sell the concept of a Dalek spin-off series to American networks. The series never goes ahead, but a contractual condition during this period of negotiation is that the BBC is not able to sell Dalek stories to overseas broadcasters...
- November 1966: Dell Publishing Co Inc releases a comic adaptation of the first Dalek movie. It retails for 12c.
- March 1967: Famous Monsters of Filmland #44 (cover date May 1967) carries the article "THE DALEKS ARE COMING!", which previews the first Dalek movie.
- 1967: In the summer of 1967, the second feature, Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 AD hits theatres in the USA.
- July 1967: Avon books publishes a US edition of David Whitaker's Target novelisation, Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks. It retails for 50c.
- December 1968: Dr Who and the Daleks is re-released in selected theatres (such as in Chicago, Illinois), on a double bill with the debut release of George Romero's [[wikipedia: Night of the Living Dead|Night of the Living Dead.
1972
- With the expansion of educational and public television services across the country, all hungry for quality material, the BBC strikes a distribution deal with Time Life Films, the film and television distribution division of Ted Turner's media empire, Time Life. This deal gives Time Life the exclusive rights to sell BBC product throughout the United States and Latin America. The deal includes such fair as Wikipedia: War & Peace (a co-production between Time Life and BBC), The Ascent of Man, and Doctor Who.
- At the time the deal is signed off, the ninth season of the series (starring Jon Pertwee), is drawing to a close. The package offered includes 13 serials, 72 episodes, all in full colour. These episodes are converted from the PAL to NTSC (525-line 2-inch colour video tapes). Pertwee's debut serial, Spearhead from Space is not included in the package, presumably because it was on colour film.
JON PERTWEE
13 stories, 72 episodes:
| BBB | Doctor Who and the Silurians | 7 |
| CCC | The Ambassadors of Death | 7 |
| DDD | Inferno | 7 |
| EEE | Terror of the Autons | 4 |
| FFF | The Mind of Evil | 6 |
| GGG | The Claws of Axos | 4 |
| HHH | Colony in Space | 6 |
| JJJ | The Daemons | 5 |
| KKK | Day of the Daleks | 4 |
| MMM | The Curse of Peladon | 4 |
| LLL | The Sea Devils | 6 |
| NNN | The Mutants | 6 |
| OOO | The Time Monster | 6 |
- Inferno is supplied with an early edit of part five, featuring a scene deleted from the UK broadcast. (This highlights that the BBC still held the original colour tapes of these three seasons as late as 1972.)
- Day of the Daleks is called "The Daleks" in publicity material, and subsequently appears under that title in many of the TV billings.
- ADVERTISING: Time Life Films promotes the series in several publications:
- BROADCASTING MAGAZINE – 3 April 1972 features a full-page promo for several BBC programmes, including Doctor Who.
- TV GUIDE - 20 June 1972: A two-page feature, YOO HOO MONSTERS! introducing viewers to "Dr Who", the Sea Devils and the Master. It reveals that the series was coming in "the fall".
- 21 August 1972: Doctor Who makes its USA TV debut on WPHL in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 1972-1974: Doctor Who airs in Los Angeles, California; Chicago Illinois, Boston, Massachusetts, etc.
1976-1978
- 1976, May': Famous Monsters of Filmland (issue 126, cover dated July) features "The Funtastic World of Dr Who", an overview of the series that was currently "in syndication". (The article liberally pulls its facts and interviews from the 1972 Pan Books / Piccolo edition of The Making of Doctor Who!)
- 1977: Off-air home recordings are taken of Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Ambassadors of Death, Terror of the Autons and The Daemons, which prove their value in later years...
- Producer Philip Hinchcliffe has discussions with BBC management about selling the series to the States. Management decree that the earlier sales were not that successful...
1978
- 1978: Screenings of the Jon Pertwee stories come to an end... Less than 20 stations across the United States (plus Guam) have aired the Jon Pertwee episodes between 1972 and 1978.
- The final US station to purchase and air the package of 13 Jon Pertwee stories is KDIN, Iowa.
- 1978, January: Following the success of Star Wars, the BBC decides to give Doctor Who another shot at North America. A new deal is completed with Time Life Television.
- 12 February 1978: Tom Baker and a collection of monsters (including a Dalek, a Sontaran, a Wirrn, and a Voc robot) line up outside the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London, for a publicity photo shoot.
TOM BAKER
The package consists of 23 stories, 98 episodes:
| 4A | Robot | 4 |
| 4B | The Sontaran Experiment | 2 |
| 4C | The Ark in Space | 4 |
| 4D | Revenge of the Cybermen | 4 |
| 4E | Genesis of the Daleks | 6 |
| 4F | Terror of the Zygons | 4 |
| 4G | Pyramids of Mars | 4 |
| 4H | Planet of Evil | 4 |
| 4J | The Android Invasion | 4 |
| 4K | The Brain of Morbius | 4 |
| 4L | The Seeds of Doom | 6 |
| 4M | The Masque of Mandragora | 4 |
| 4N | The Hand of Fear | 4 |
| 4P | The Deadly Assassin | 4 |
| 4Q | The Face of Evil | 4 |
| 4R | The Robots of Death | 4 |
| 4S | The Talons of Weng-Chiang | 6 |
| 4V | Horror of Fang Rock | 4 |
| 4T | The Invisible Enemy | 4 |
| 4X | Image of the Fendahl | 4 |
| 4W | The Sun Makers | 4 |
| 4Y | Underworld | 4 |
| 4Z | The Invasion of Time | 6 |
- The stories are edited slightly, and have narration voiced by actor Howard da Silva.
- Many stations screen the stories out of order, usually based on BBC production codes, as listed above. - The tape of part one of The Brain of Morbius is missing sound effects and music cues.
- 1978, August: Space Wars Magazine (Vol 2/4, cover dated August) carries the feature "Dr Who comes to America", but this focuses mainly on the Pertwee stories that were still airing in some States (with an episode guide, listing the 13 serials in alphabetical order) and does not mention the impending syndication of the Tom Baker series at all.
- ADVERTISING: 12 June 1978: BROADCASTING MAGAZINE magazine runs a full page ad for the series: "98 Amazing Half-Hours..."
- 28 August 1978: The Tom Baker stories make their debut on American television on station WSBK, in Boston, Massachusetts.
- As the fall television season gets under way, as many as 75 stations across America screen the "All New" series...
- September 1978: Starlog magazine (issue 18, cover dated October) reports that Doctor Who is now in syndication.
- According to an unknown undated American publication (but reported on page 182 of The Key To Time; Peter Haining; W H Allen; 1984), many of the initial group stations drop the series due to poor ratings. But others pick it up, and within a year the programme is regularly broadcast on 92 stations. Time Life respond, saying that "Doctor Who's success in America is undeniable!"
- VARIETY REVIEW – WOR-TV ///////// REVIEW
1979
- April 1979: Pinnacle Books publishes the first of the American editions of the Target novelisations. They retail for XXX. (Famous Monsters of Filmland carries adverts for the book range from XXXX.)
- ADVERTISING: Many genre magazines promote and support the series:
- Famous Monsters of Filmland (issue 155, cover dated XXXX)
- Starlog (issue 23, cover dated xxxxx)
- Fangoria (issue 2, cover dated September)
- SuperStar Heroes (issue 10, cover dated October)
- Fantastic Films (issue 11, cover dated October
- 1 December 1979: The first American Doctor Who convention is held in LA, with Barry Letts, Terrance Dicks, Tom Baker and Graham Williams.
1980
- March 1980: Elisabeth Sladen and Ian Marter attend a convention in Los Angeles.
- 1980: NBC expresses an interest in purchasing the series, but nothing eventuates.
- 1980: By the middle of the year, 97 stations have purchased the series.
- August 1980: NBC contacts the BBC with a view to purchasing the series, but no deal eventuates.
- November 1980: US Marvel commences publication of a four-issue comic – Marvel Premiere Featuring DOCTOR WHO (#57-60), with material previously published in Doctor Who Magazine, now in full colour. The last issue is published in June 1981.
1981
- 18 March 1981: Time Life's contract expires. The contract is not renewed because the Film and Television division is in the process of being dissolved.
- April 1981: Despite its contract coming to an end, Time Life purchases and markets the remaining 18 Tom Baker stories (74 episodes). These do not have added narration.
TOM BAKER (continued)
| 5A | The Ribos Operation | 4 |
| 5B | The Pirate Planet | 4 |
| 5C | The Stones of Blood | 4 |
| 5D | The Androids of Tara | 4 |
| 5E | The Power of Kroll | 4 |
| 5F | The Armageddon Factor | 6 |
| 5J | Destiny of the Daleks | 4 |
| 5H | City of Death | 4 |
| 5G | The Creature from the Pit | 4 |
| 5K | Nightmare of Eden | 4 |
| 5L | The Horns of Nimon | 4 |
| 5N | The Leisure Hive | 4 |
| 5Q | Meglos | 4 |
| 5R | Full Circle | 4 |
| 5P | State of Decay | 4 |
| 5S | Warriors' Gate | 4 |
| 5T | The Keeper of Traken | 4 |
| 5V | Logopolis | 4 |
- 30 May 1981: The first station to buy this package is KOED in Oklahoma.
- July 1981: Pinnacle ceases publishing its Doctor Who novelisation range.
- By August 1981, Lionheart International Television Inc has taken over from Time Life as distributor. Lionheart is co-owned by Western World TV (49%), Public Media Inc (49%), and the BBC (2%). New tapes of the earlier Tom Baker stories are made available, no longer with the da Silva narrations. Omnibus move-length editions are also made available. (Some stations had made their own in-house 'movie' versions of the earlier serials; Lionheart was the first distributor to offer a choice of format.)
- 14-16 August 1981: Before he has appeared on screen as the Doctor in the UK, Peter Davison makes his first US convention appearance, in Tulsa Oklahoma.
- December 1981: Even though the first season of Peter Davison stories has yet to screen in the UK, those seven serials are pre-sold to the cable station, The Entertainment Channel. Other stations in the US have to wait until 1983 to be able to buy the Davison adventures.
1982
- The first season of Peter Davison stories airs on cable.
PETER DAVISON
Seven stories, 26 episodes:
| 5Z | Castrovalva | 4 |
| 5W | Four to Doomsday | 4 |
| 5Y | Kinda | 4 |
| 5X | The Visitation | 4 |
| 6A | Black Orchid | 2 |
| 6B | Earthshock | 4 |
| 6C | Time-Flight | 4 |
- By the end of 1982, Lionheart announces that Doctor Who is watched by 9 million viewers in the US.
1983
- 6 March 1983: The fan-made documentary Once Upon a Time Lord screens (see Colorado).
- 3/4 April 1983: At the weekend long Longleat festival on 3 and 4 April 1983, Jon Pertwee announced that his stories were going to be made available again: "I'm delighted to hear yesterday from JNT and the American gentleman who's over here [from Lionheart who] distribute Doctor Who in America... And I gather that my stories are going to be shown in 1985? Is it 1985? (Looks to JNT, who nods). In 1985, after Peter's 26 and another 26, and then they're taking all mine".
JON PERTWEE (continued)
- June 1983: By June, Lionheart releases another package of Jon Pertwee stories. This package consists of 14 serials, 73 episodes, and features just those serials that exist in their entirely in colour (but only on tape, so Spearhead from Space is not included). The 14 serials are seven serials that had been available in the early 1970s, and seven 'new' adventures, not previously seen in the States:
Seven new stories, 34 episodes:
| RRR | The Three Doctors | 4 |
| PPP | Carnival of Monsters | 4 |
| TTT | The Green Death | 6 |
| UUU | The Time Warrior | 4 |
| XXX | Death to the Daleks | 4 |
| YYY | The Monster of Peladon | 6 |
| ZZZ | Planet of the Spiders | 6 |
- This package included a re-issue of: Inferno, The Claws of Axos, Colony in Space, Day of the Daleks, The Sea Devils, The Mutants and The Time Monster, all of which had been recovered only a few years earlier. At the time the deal was signed off, full colour tapes of Inferno had just been found in Canada, although copies had yet to make their way back to the BBC in London. ([[The Curse of Peladon was not included, presumably on account of the very poor state of the tapes recovered in 1981.)
- Jon Pertwee undertakes a tour of the States to promote this package.
- XXX July 1983: TV GUIDE HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO WHO
- 23 November 1983: The Five Doctors makes its world debut – two days ahead of its UK transmission - via a network link-up of at least 80 PBS stations across the country.
PETER DAVISON (continued)
One story, 90 minutes:
| 6K | The Five Doctors | 1 |
- 26-27 November 1983: Spirit of Light's The Ultimate Convention is held in Chicago. (SEE BACK OF DWM 82)
- As a result of this special screening, Doctor Who is sold to many more stations, such as KECT in Los Angeles, California.
1984
- 9 January 1984: TIME magazine carries a feature on Doctor Who - "Who's Who in Outer Space" (Read the article [HERE]). The article declares that the series is seen by 9.5 million viewers in 112 markets across the States.
- February 1984: TV GUIDE _ Feb 1984 - WHO HAS TWO HEARTS
- 1984: Lyle Stuart Inc, in Secaucus, New Jersey, becomes the exclusive distributer of Target books in the United States. Target reprints all the available back-titles. They retail for $2.50.
- 1984: By the middle of the year, Lionheart successfully makes a deal to market the existing 17 complete William Hartnell stories and five [[Patrick Troughton stories], to add to the forthcoming package of 24 Pertwee serials to be made available in 1985. The sale is reported to have earned the BBC £4.5 million.
- June 1984: TV GUID - June 84 - REVIEW OF DW (Robery MacKenzie)
- July 1984: Colin Baker makes his US convention debut in Ohio.
- 1984: Plans to film in New Orleans fall through, so the filming of The Two Doctors is relocated to Spain.
- October 1984': Marvel US commences reprints of Doctor Who Magazine comic strips. (This comic series runs for 23 issues between October 1984 and August 1986.)
- November 1984: Seasons 20 and 21 begin screening in the States. Although The Twin Dilemma has been supplied, stations have been instructed not to air the serial until other Colin Baker stories are made available in 1985/86.
PETER DAVISON (continued)
12 stories, equivalent of 44 episodes:
| 6E | Arc of Infinity | 4 |
| 6D | Snakedance | 4 |
| 6F | Mawdryn Undead | 4 |
| 6G | Terminus | 4 |
| 6H | Enlightenment | 4 |
| 6J | The King's Demons | 2 |
| 6L | Warriors of the Deep | 4 |
| 6M | The Awakening | 2 |
| 6N | Frontios | 4 |
| 6P | Resurrection of the Daleks | (2/4) |
| 6Q | Planet of Fire | 4 |
| 6R | The Caves of Androzani | 4 |
- Resurrection of the Daleks is supplied in its 4-part format, but Part Two is without sound effects or music.
- December 1984: The spin-off K9 and Company airs at Christmas, although it is not as widely sold as its parent series.
1985
- May 1985: 146 stations in the US have purchased the series, exposing 70% of the population the United States to the series.
- September 1985: The William Hartnell stories and Patrick Troughton stories go into syndication:
WILLIAM HARTNELL
Seventeen stories, 76 episodes:
| A | An Unearthly Child | 4 |
| B | The Daleks | 7 |
| C | Inside the Spaceship | 2 |
| E | The Keys of Marinus | 6 |
| F | The Aztecs | 4 |
| G | The Sensorites | 6 |
| J | Planet of Giants | 3 |
| K | The Dalek Invasion of Earth | 6 |
| L | The Rescue | 2 |
| M | The Romans | 4 |
| N | The Web Planet | 6 |
| Q | The Space Museum | 4 |
| R | The Chase | 6 |
| S | The Time Meddler | 4 |
| X | The Ark | 4 |
| Z | The Gunfighters | 4 |
| BB | The War Machines | 4 |
PATRICK TROUGHTON
Five stories, 30 episodes:
| TT | The Dominators | 5 |
| UU | The Mind Robber | 5 |
| WW | The Krotons | 4 |
| XX | The Seeds of Death | 6 |
| ZZ | The War Games | 10 |
- The stories are edited into compilations, with the story to story cliffhangers often removed, and new title cards and closing credits created, sometimes displaying a 1984 or 1985 copyright date.
- It has been reported that the Hartnell to Troughton regeneration sequence was edited onto the end of The War Machines.
- In its omnibus form, The War Games is issued as a two-parter.
- 7 September 1985: The William Hartnell stories begin screening on NJN in New Jersey.
JON PERTWEE (Repackaged)
- As had been announced at Longleat back in April 1983, a full package of Jon Pertwee stories is released for syndication in the US. (The same package had also been sold to Australia and New Zealand.)
- This package also included four stories that not had been sold to the States before. Since episode three of Planet of the Daleks was in black and white, the BBC also provided an edited version that re-cut episodes two and four, making the story into a five-part serial. Invasion of the Dinosaurs was also re-edited because episode one was in black and white, so the opening titles were all re-captioned (e.g. PART TWO was renumbered PART ONE, PART TWO became PART THREE, etc), and the story was issued as a five parter.
Four 'new' stories, equivalent of 20 episodes:
| AAA | Spearhead from Space | 4 |
| QQQ | Frontier in Space | 6 |
| SSS | Planet of the Daleks | 5 |
| WWW | Invasion of the Dinosaurs | 5 |
- At the time the 24-story package deal had been signed off in April 1983, Frontier in Space existed only in black and white. Full colour copies of Frontier in Space were recovered from Australia later in 1983.
- It wasn't until 1993 that all six episodes of Planet of the Daleks were made available for US syndication.
- A full account of the edits made to Planet of the Daleks can be found HERE
- 28 September 1985: NJN in New Jersey is the first to screen the Colin Baker stories. Other stations pick up the stories from January 1986:
COLIN BAKER
Seven stories, equivalent of 30 half hour episodes:
| 6S | The Twin Dilemma | 4 |
| 6T | Attack of the Cybermen | 2/4 |
| 6V | Vengeance on Varos | 2/4 |
| 6X | The Mark of the Rani | 2/4 |
| 6W | The Two Doctors | 3/6 |
| 6Y | Timelash | 2/4 |
| 6Z | Revelation of the Daleks | 2/4 |
1986
- 1986: The NJN produced documentary "Doctor Who's Who's Who" screens.
- By May 1986, the BBC buys all the shares in Lionheart Television Inc. The BBC had owned only 2%, the other 98% split 50/50 between Western World TV and Public Media Inc. Lionheart was clearing a profit of US$1million per year.
- 8 May 1986: Setting off from Washington DC, with Peter Davison and BBC 1 Controller, Michael Grade in attendance, the Doctor Who USA Tour begins its two-year, multi-city tour (two cities per week). It is hoped that all 181 markets where Doctor Who is screened across America will be visited.
- DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR ITINERARY:
- May to August 1986: In its first leg, the tour visits New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maine, with Peter Davison in attendance.
- During September 1986, Tom Baker and Colin Baker visit Washington DC, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York.
- September 1986 to February 1987: The Tour visits New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Maryland, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and DisneyWorld, with Colin Baker, Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison and Patrick Troughton taking part at various legs of the journey.
- From February 1987, Pertwee is joined by new Doctor Sylvester McCoy, visiting Georgia and Massachusetts. McCoy travels on his own until September, when he is due back in London to commence recording of season 24
- October to December 1987: The Tour travels westwards, calling in at Washington state, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Pertwee, McCoy and Janet Fielding attend.
- May 1988: The tour ends, having visited some 181 locations over two years.
DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR WEB SITES:
- DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR in MINNESOTA 1
- DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR in MINNESOTA 2
- DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR OVERVIEW
- DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR, 1986
- DOCTOR WHO USA TOUR in ALABAMA, February 1987
- July 1986: By the middle of the year, 112 stations (both commercial and PBS) have purchased the series, with an estimated daily audience of 10 million across the country.
- August 1986: After 23 issues, the US Marvel comic is cancelled due to falling sales.
- 1986: Ballentine Books publishes US editions of the six Make Your Own Adventure books, that had been published by Severn House in the UK. New covers are painted by Gail Bennett. They retail for XXXX.
- 1986: The North American Doctor Who Appreciation Society (NADWAS) winds up.
1987
- 28 February 1987: Sylvester McCoy joins John Nathan-Turner and Jon Pertwee on the Doctor Who USA Tour at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, his debut public appearance following his casting as the seventh Doctor, three days ahead of his "official" announcement in the UK!
- 28 March 1987: Patrick Troughton dies, while attending a convention in Columbus, Georgia.
- 1987: With Lionheart hiking up the prices for Doctor Who, a number of PBS stations drop the series.
- April 1987: WNED, in Buffalo, New York, is the first station to screen season 23, The Trial of a Time Lord, which occurs part-way through their run of William Hartnell stories:
COLIN BAKER (continued)
One/four stories, 14 episodes:
| 7A | The Trial of a Time Lord | 14 |
- 16 May 1987: Sylvester McCoy makes his first convention appearance in Boston, Massachusetts, with coverage shown on WGBH.
- 1987: CBS/FOX, under its Playhouse imprint, begins releasing Doctor Who on home video.
- By June 1987, it is reported that Doctor Who is seen potentially by 74% of the country. By September it is announced that over 200 markets have screened the series.
- 1987: By September, the long-running FASA Doctor Who role-playing game is cancelled.
- To coincide with the mid-year PBS pledge drive season, the first two seasons of McCoy stories begin their syndication run:
SYLVESTER McCOY
8 stories, 28 episodes:
| 7D | Time and the Rani | 4 |
| 7E | Paradise Towers | 4 |
| 7F | Delta and the Bannermen | 3 |
| 7G | Dragonfire | 3 |
| 7H | Remembrance of the Daleks | 4 |
| 7L | The Happiness Patrol | 3 |
| 7K | Silver Nemesis | 3 |
| 7J | The Greatest Show in the Galaxy | 4 |
1988
- 1988: By the start of 1988, more PBS stations have dropped the series. Lionheart tries the tactic of forcing stations to buy full runs of older stories – one story per week, which means a commitment to at least 52 stories! - if they want to buy the new seasons - so the station don't buy either!
- 1988: Lionheart launches The Friends of Doctor Who, the first and only official US Doctor Who fan club.
- 1988: The BBC announces that sales to America have helped generate £27,500,000, an increase of 14% on its 1986-87 income.
- 19 November 1988: The Making of Silver Nemesis screens on the New Jersey Network.
1990
- March 1990: The final season of Doctor Who goes into syndication, but only three stations pick it up (including Houston, Texas and New Jersey Network), with instructions they are not to air it until 1991. After the stations complain, they are given release to air the stories in 1990:
SYLVESTER McCOY (continued)
| 7N | Battlefield | 4 |
| 7Q | Ghost Light | 3 |
| 7M | The Curse of Fenric | 4 |
| 7P | Survival | 3 |
1991-1998
- 1991: With sales falling, and their contract with PBS expiring in 1992, Lionheart looks at selling to cable and other networks. They succeed in selling to the newly established [[wikipedia:Syfy|SCI-FI Channel]. The contract with SCI-FI is for only the William Hartnell stories, Patrick Troughton stories and Jon Pertwee stories...
- 24 September 1992: SCI-FI Channel launches. Promising to start with the William Hartnell stories, they instead show Tom Baker stories – again...
- 1994: More and more PBS stations do not renew their contracts. New Hampshire's WENH in Durham is the last station in New England to still be airing the series, eventually dropping it in June of 1994.
- 1998: By early 1998, only five PBS stations were still regularly screening the series: Des Moines, Iowa; Denver, Colorado; San Jose, California; Baltimore, Maryland, and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Beyond 1998...
- By the turn of the millennium, sales of Doctor Who had all but dried up, and Doctor Who had all but faded from television screens in America...
(The above timeline of events is taken from reports in DWM, DWB, Celestial Toyroom, Data Extract, Fantasy Image, Starlog, Doctor Who Marvel (US), Famous Monsters of Filmland, Fantastic Films, Fangoria, Enterprise Incidents, Enlightenment, and various online sites.)
Index of States
Most – if not all – States aired Doctor Who at some point between 1972 and the late 1990s. Click on each State for the list of known stations that screened the series:
- See also Guam
Media
- PLEDGE DRIVES and PROMOS: DOCTOR WHO Pledge Drives and other Promos
- PLEDGE DRIVE and PROMOS: PBS and other Pledge Drives and Promos
