Doctor Who: The Aztecs [1964]

Date(s) of Broadcast: 23 May 1964 - 13 June 1964
Number of Episodes: 4
Average Episode Running Times: 25 mins
Format: black and white
Sound: mono

PRODUCTION
Production Company: BBC
Production: Verity Lambert
Associate Producer: Mervyn Pinfield

SCRIPT
Script: John Lucarotti
Story Editor: David Whitaker

DIRECTION
Director: John Crocket

PHOTOGRAPHY
Studio Lighting: Howard King

MUSIC
Title Music: Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
Title Music Arranged By: Delia Derbyshire
Incidental Music: Richard Rodney Bennet
Conductor: Marcus Dods

SOUND
Studio Sound: Jack Brummitt, John Staple
Special Sound: Brian Hodgson

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Jill Summers
Costumes: Daphne Dare, Tony Pearce

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Designer: Barry Newbery

MISCELLANEOUS
Production Assistant: Ron Craddock
Assistant Floor Manager: Ken Howard

CAST
EPISODE 1: The Temple of Evil
William Hartnell [Dr Who]
Carole Ann Ford [Susan Foreman]
William Russell [Ian Chesterton]
Jacqueline Hill [Barbara Wright]
Keith Pyott [Autloc]
John Ringham [Tlotoxl]
Ian Cullen [Ixta]
Margot van der Burgh [Cameca]
Tom Booth [1st victim]
David Anderson [Aztec captain]

EPISODE 2: The Warriors of Death
William Hartnell [Dr Who]
Carole Ann Ford [Susan Foreman]
William Russell [Ian Chesterton]
Jacqueline Hill [Barbara Wright]
Keith Pyott [Autloc]
John Ringham [Tlotoxl]
Ian Cullen [Ixta]
Margot van der Burgh [Cameca]
David Anderson [Aztec captain]
Walter Randall [Tonila]
André Boulay [perfect victim]

EPISODE 3: The Bride of Sacrifice
William Hartnell [Dr Who]
Carole Ann Ford [Susan Foreman]
William Russell [Ian Chesterton]
Jacqueline Hill [Barbara Wright]
Keith Pyott [Autloc]
John Ringham [Tlotoxl]
Ian Cullen [Ixta]
Margot van der Burgh [Cameca]
David Anderson [Aztec captain]
Walter Randall [Tonila]
André Boulay [perfect victim]

EPISODE 4: The Day of Darkness
William Hartnell [Dr Who]
Carole Ann Ford [Susan Foreman]
William Russell [Ian Chesterton]
Jacqueline Hill [Barbara Wright]
Keith Pyott [Autloc]
John Ringham [Tlotoxl]
Ian Cullen [Ixta]
Margot van der Burgh [Cameca]
David Anderson [Aztec captain]
Walter Randall [Tonila]
André Boulay [perfect victim]

Uncredited Performers
Brian Baker, John Beavis, James Duval, James Fitzgerald, Andrew Jacks, Alan Viccars [Aztec warriors - uncredited]
Eileen Brady, Lionel Gadsen, Alice Greenwood, John Moore, Bill Raynor, Stella Wilkinson [Aztec citizens - uncredited]
David Anderson [double for Ian]
Billy Cornelius [double for Ixta]

1. The Temple of Evil [23 May 1964]
2. The Warriors of Death [30 May 1964]
3. The Bride of Sacrifice [6 June 1964]
4. The Day of Darkness [13 June 1964]

The TARDIS returns to Earth and lands in Mexico during the latter days of the Aztec empire. Barbara is mistaken for the reincarnation of the High Priest Yetaxa and angers factions that oppose her plea for an end to human sacrifice. As the 'Day of Darkness' dawns, Ian prepares to fight an Aztec warrior and the TARDIS is still trapped inside Yetaxa's tomb....

An excellent example of the way that Doctor Who handled purely historical stories in its early years. Lucarotti's scripts are excellent, painting a persuasive depiction of Aztec culture, a portrait of a civilisation in decline. The downbeat ending suggests for the first time that The Doctor is, after all, fallible. An early classic.

UK
Television Distributor: BBC
Video Distributor: BBC Video

1964
April
13: UK - filming begins at Ealing Studios
14: UK - filming ends at Ealing Studios

May
1: UK - filming at BBC Lime Grove, Studio D
8: UK - filming at BBC Lime Grove, Studio TC3
25: UK - filming at BBC Lime Grove, Studio TC3
22: UK - filming at BBC Lime Grove, Studio D
23: UK - The Temple of Evil television broadcast [on BBC1]
30: UK - The Warriors of Death television broadcast [on BBC1]

June
6: UK - The Bride of Sacrifice television broadcast [on BBC1]
13: UK - The Day of Darkness television broadcast [on BBC1]

MAGAZINES

Doctor Who Monthly no.115 p.36
review

Doctor Who Monthly Autumn Special 1987 p.40
review

BOOKS

Doctor Who Programme Guide pp.24-25
credits, synopsis [by Jean-Marc Lofficier]

Doctor Who The Discontinuity Guide pp.20-21
credits, trivia, review [by Paul Cornell, Martin Day and Keith Topping]

Doctor Who: The Handbook: The First Doctor pp.72-74
credits, synopsis, review [by David J. Howe, Mark Stammers, Stephen James Walker]

Doctor Who: The Television Companion pp.24-27
credits, synopsis, review [by David J. Howe and Stephen James Walker]

Pocket Essentials: Doctor Who pp.13-14
credits, review [by Mark Campbell]

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

KEYWORDS

aliens, aztecs, high priests, human sacrifices, time travel, tombs

Last Updated: 21 April, 2008