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The Smugglers
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Synopsis


Polly Held at Gunpoint
Polly Held at Gunpoint
 When the TARDIS lands on a remote and wild stretch of the Cornish coast, its occupants little realise that they have arrived in the 17th century. The Doctor, Ben and Polly soon discover to their cost, however, that these are far from hospitable times. The local Squire is at the head of a plot to offload contraband, whilst a long-rumoured hoard of stolen treasure has drawn attention to the village church. Inadvertently stumbling upon this web of deception and double-crossing, the time travellers are rapidly propelled into danger.

 The Doctor’s encounter with the ill-fated Joseph Longfoot leaves him with a cryptic clue to the location of Avery’s Treasure. But a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, as the fearsome pirate Samuel Pike (he has a metal hook in place of a hand) is only too willing to prove. To his dismay, The Doctor realises that Pike and his bloodthirsty henchmen will stop at nothing - not even the threat of Avery’s Curse - to find and seize the ill-gotten hoard.

 Ben and Polly, meanwhile, must choose their allies with care. In these duplicitous days no-one is ever sure who to trust, and the stakes are suddenly raised as smugglers and pirates go head to head with the local militia. Can the time travellers help to save an entire village from burning - and still escape to the TARDIS with their lives?

Source: BBC Audio


General Information

Season: Four
Production Code: CC
Story Number: 28
Episode Numbers:127 - 130
Number of Episodes: 4
Number of Incomplete/Missing Episodes:4
Percentage of Episodes Held:0%
Production Dates: June - July 1966
Broadcast Started: 10 September 1966
Broadcast Finished: 01 October 1966
Colour Status: B&W
Studio: Riverside (Studio 1)
Location: Cornwall
Writer:Brian Hayles
Director:Julia Smith
Producer:Innes Lloyd
Story Editor:Gerry Davis
Editor:Colin Eggleston
Production Assistant:John Hobbs
Assistant Floor Managers:John Hansen and Tony Gilbert
Designer:Richard Hunt
Costume Designer:Daphne Dare
Make-Up Designer:Sonia Markham
Cameraman:Jimmy Court
Lighting:Cyril Wilkins
Fights Arranged By:Derek Ware
Special Sounds (SFX Editor):Brian Hodgson
Studio Sounds:Leo Sturges
Title Sequence:Bernard Lodge
Title Music:Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Arranged by Delia Derbyshire
Number of Doctors: 1
The Doctor: William Hartnell (The First Doctor)
Number of Companions: 2The Companions: Anneke Wills (Polly Wright) and Michael Craze (Ben Jackson) Additional Cast: Terence de Marney (Churchwarden), George A. Cooper (Cherub), David Blake Kelly (Jacob Kewper), Mike Lucas (Tom), Paul Whitsun-Jones (Squire), Derek Ware (Spaniard), Michael Godfrey (Captain Pike), Elroy Josephs (Jamaica), John Ringham (Blake), Jack Bligh (Gaptooth)Setting: Cornwall (circa 1660's) Villain:Captain Samuel Pike

The Episodes

No. Episodes Broadcast
(UK)
Duration Viewers
(Millions)
In Archive
127Episode 110 September 196624'36"4.3Missing
128Episode 217 September 196624'27"4.9Missing
129Episode 324 September 196623'55"4.2Missing
130Episode 401 October 196623'37"4.5Missing

Total Duration 1 Hour 37 Minutes


Audience Appreciation

Average Viewers (Millions) 4.5
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (1998)60.15%  (Position = 121 out of 159)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2009)60.06% Lower (Position = 159 out of 200)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2014)60.80% Higher (Position = 194 out of 241)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2023) Position = 24 out of 29


Archives


 All four episodes lost. About 1 minute of footage (from episodes 1, 3 and 4) was recovered, in October 1996, from Australian censor cuts.



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Notes


This is this first story first story to feature major location shooting. All previous location shots had been conducted at locations around London, but substantial portions of this story were filmed in Cornwall.

This story was originally filmed as part of the third season bloc. Along with "The Tenth Planet", these stories were held over to Season Four.

All the scenes set upon the sailing ship were filmed on the Bonny Mary, the ship which doubled for the Black Albatross. The vessel, based in Newlyn Harbour, was anchored off Nanjizal Bay in Cornwall.

During filming on this story, William Hartnell made the decision, due to his deteriorating health, to leave the program. Many months' discussion about replacing William Hartnell had finally came to a head, and Producer Innes Lloyd decided not to renew William Hartnell's contract.

In this story it is revealed that The Doctor has heard of the pirate Avery and he knows a little Tarot. He is also seen to have a moral obligation to stay, since his actions may have caused the deaths of the whole village.

Due to the number and complexity of the fight sequences in this story, Director Julia Smith sought the assistance of stuntman Derek Ware. Ware had worked on Doctor Who since "An Unearthly Child", and had recently formed his own stunt agency, called HAVOC. Ware and his HAVOC team would prove to be an integral part of Julia Smith's production, marking the start of a relationship with Doctor Who which would continue well into the Seventies.

On initial airing, this story posted the lowest audience figures, at an average of 4.48 million viewers per episode, since the show had started. It would remain the least-watched story in Doctor Who history for twenty years, until the 1986 The Trial of a Time Lord story "The Mysterious Planet".

All four episodes of this story are considered missing. The audio soundtrack (recorded by a fan) and telesnaps survive, along with less than a minute of Australian censor footage. These Australian censors clips were recovered in 1996 and were released, alsong with amateur on-location film footage made during production at Trethewey Farm, Trethewey, Cornwall, in the Lost in Time DVD box set released in 2004.



First and Last

The Firsts:

 The first story of Season Four (even though it was recorded as part of Season Three but held back).

 The first trip in the TARDIS for new companion Polly played by Anneke Wills.

 The first trip in the TARDIS for new companion Ben Jackson played by Michael Craze.

 The first Doctor Who story to feature major location shooting. Namely in Cornwall.

 The first Doctor Who story to use members of the stunt agency HAVOC.

 The first Doctor Who story to be directed by Julia Smith.


The Lasts (Subject to Future Stories):

 Sonia Markham last involvement in the show as Makeup Artist.


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The Plot

WARNING: May Contain SpoilersHide Text
The Doctor, Ben and Polly
The Doctor, Ben and Polly

The TARDIS arrives on the coast of seventeenth-century Cornwall - much to the astonishment of The Doctor’s new companions Polly Wright and Ben Jackson.

There they find pirates, from the Black Albatross who are led by the vicious Captain Samuel Pike and his henchman Cherub and who are searching for a hidden treasure. At the same time a smuggling ring is in operation, masterminded by the local Squire, who is trying to offload contraband. They also meet a worried churchwarden, and former pirate, Joseph Longfoot, who lives in fear of the ‘Avery's boys’.

After helping the churchwarden The Doctor becomes the lone witness to the revelation of the location of a buried treasure. Joseph Longfoot gives The Doctor what is known as a ‘Deadman's secret key’ – the cryptic rhyme: ‘Smallwood, Ringwood, Gurney’.

Pirates Land on the Beach
Pirates Land on the Beach

The Doctor catches up with his two companions and they head off to the local inn to find rooms for the night unaware that the churchwarden has another visitor. This time it is Cherub. It seems that Pike is convinced that Longfoot has the treasure or knows where it is hidden. However, when the churchwarden does not co-operate, Cherub kills him – but not before revealing about the three travellers who visited Longfoot earlier.

When the churchwarden’s dead body is discovered the locals immediately suspect the three strangers at the inn. The local Squire, who is called to adjudicate, ends up charging Ben and Polly with the murder. However, they all manage to escape from the inn but in their haste they find themselves split up from each other.

Polly cradles a Wounded Ben
Polly cradles a Wounded Ben

Ben finds himself back at the church but his hiding place is discovered by Josiah Blake - a revenue man tracking the local smugglers. The Doctor though is less fortunate as he ends up being kidnapped by Pike's men and is taken to the Black Albatross. Despite trying to bargain his freedom with Pike, The Doctor finds himself kept aboard ship while the captain goes ashore so as to meet up with the Squire. Pike is hoping that the Squire will give him protection while he searches for Avery’s treasure.

It turns out though that the greedy Squire is the organiser of the local smuggling ring and so offers to cut Pike and his pirates in. However, they are interrupted by Polly, who has come to implore the Squire to help her find The Doctor. She is shocked to see him in the company of the kidnapping pirate Cherub and is forced to return to the church where they discover Ben with Josiah Blake.

So as to put the pirates and the Squire off, Josiah Blake pretends to arrest Ben and Polly – even though he has deduced the truth about the pirates and the Squire but lacks the manpower to arrest them.

Polly Screams
Polly Screams

The Doctor has meanwhile escaped from the ship and meets up with his friends in the churchyard. It is not long though before a vengeful Pike returns with the rest of his pirates and threatens to pillage the entire village in his search for Avery’s treasure. To save the villagers The Doctor reveals that the cryptic rhyme refers to names on tombstones in the church crypt - and so the treasure is uncovered.

At this point an armed patrol of militia arrives - having been summoned by Josiah Blake – and a fight ensues. Aided by the injured Squire - who repents of his sins - Josiah Blake kills Pike, and the pirate force is routed. As the battle dies down, The Doctor and his companions slip away back to the safety of the TARDIS.

 
The Doctor at Knifepoint
The Doctor at Knifepoint
Jamaica and Captain Pike
Jamaica and Captain Pike
Cherub Threatens the Churchwarden
Cherub Threatens the Churchwarden
Jamaica Lies Dead
Jamaica Lies Dead
 
Polly Held at Gunpoint
Polly Held at Gunpoint
Captain Pike
Captain Pike
The Doctor Meets Captain Pike
The Doctor Meets Captain Pike
Ben and Polly
Ben and Polly




Quote of the Story


 'How dare you follow me into the TARDIS! The distractions... I really thought I was going to be alone again.'

The Doctor



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Release Information

FormatTitleRelease Date (UK)Code NumberCover ArtRemarks
Video
VHS
The Missing YearsNovember 1998BBCV 6766Photo-montageA 56 minute documentary presented by Frazer Hines (Jamie McCrimmon) and Deborah Watling (Victoria Waterfield) Includes existing footage from episode 1 Released as part of The Ice Warriors Collection (BBCV 6387)
Audio
CD
The SmugglersMay 2002Photo-montageNarrated by Anneke Wills (Polly Wright) Double CD Release
Video
DVD
Doctor Who: Lost in TimeNovember 2004BBCDVD 1353Photo-montageIncludes the Australian censor clips (from episodes 1, 3 and 4) and silent 16mm colour location film
Audio
CD
The SmugglersAugust 2011Photo-montagePart of the "Doctor Who: The Lost TV Episodes: Collection Three 1966-1967" Box Set Narrated by Anneke Wills (Polly Wright)


In Print

FormatTitleRelease Date (UK)PublisherAuthorCover ArtRemarks
Novel
Novel
The SmugglersNovember 1988Target No. 133Terrance DicksAlister PearsonISBN: 0-426-20328-3
Novel
Novel
The SmugglersFebruary 1993Target No. 133Terrance DicksAlister PearsonVirgin new cover reprint.
ISBN: 0-426-20328-3
CD
CD
The SmugglersAugust 2020Target No. 133Terrance DicksAlister PearsonAudio version of the Target Novel read by Anneke Wills (Polly Wright).
Doctor Who CMS Magazine (An Adventure in Space and Time)Issue 28
Doctor Who Monthly - Article/FeatureIssue 79 (Released: August 1983)
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap ArchiveIssue 217 (Released: September 1994)
Doctor Who Magazine - Time TeamIssue 296 (Released: October 2000)
Doctor Who Magazine - Time TeamIssue 297 (Released: November 2000)
Doctor Who Magazine - ArchiveIssue 321 (Released: September 2002)
Doctor Who Magazine - The Fact of FictionIssue 437 (Released: August 2011)
Doctor Who Magazine - ArticleIssue 568 (Released: October 2021)

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Photo Gallery


The Doctor and Companions

 
William Hartnell
The First Doctor

   

Anneke Wills
Polly Wright
 
Michael Craze
Ben Jackson
   




On Release

Missing Years VHS Video Cover
Missing Years VHS Video Cover

BBC
VIDEO
Soundtrack CD Cover
Soundtrack CD Cover

BBC
AUDIO
Lost In Time DVD Cover
Lost In Time DVD Cover

BBC
VIDEO
The Lost TV Episodes: Collection Three CD Cover
The Lost TV Episodes: Collection Three CD Cover

BBC
AUDIO
   



In Print

Original Target Book Cover
Original Target Book Cover

Target
NOVEL
Reprinted Virgin Book Cover
Reprinted Virgin Book Cover

Virgin
NOVEL
Target Audio CD Cover
Target Audio CD Cover

BBC
CD
   


Magazines

Doctor Who CMS Magazine (An Adventure in Space and Time): Issue 28
Doctor Who CMS Magazine (An Adventure in Space and Time): Issue 28

CMS
Doctor Who Monthly - Article/Feature: Issue 79
Doctor Who Monthly - Article/Feature: Issue 79

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap Archive: Issue 217
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap Archive: Issue 217

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - Time Team: Issue 296
Doctor Who Magazine - Time Team: Issue 296

Marvel Comics
   
Doctor Who Magazine - Time Team: Issue 297
Doctor Who Magazine - Time Team: Issue 297

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - Archive: Issue 321
Doctor Who Magazine - Archive: Issue 321

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - The Fact of Fiction: Issue 437
Doctor Who Magazine - The Fact of Fiction: Issue 437

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - Article: Issue 568
Doctor Who Magazine - Article: Issue 568

Marvel Comics
   


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