Malcolm Hulke
Malcolm Hulke | |
---|---|
Born | Malcolm Ainsworth Hulke 21 November 1924 Hampstead, London, England |
Died | 6 July 1979 Cambridgeshire, England | (aged 54)
Occupation(s) | Writer, author |
Malcolm Ainsworth Hulke (21 November 1924 – 6 July 1979) was a British television writer and author of the industry "bible" Writing for Television in the 70s.[1] He is remembered chiefly for his work on the science fiction series Doctor Who although he contributed to many popular television series of the era.
Early life
Known as "Mac" throughout his life, Hulke was born out of
In January 2015, Five Leaves Press published a short study of his work, Doctor Who and the Communist: Malcolm Hulke and his career in television, written by Michael Herbert. In January 2023 Michael Herbert contributed a chapter on Malcolm Hulke to an anthology of writing on television series in the 1970s, Survival TV, edited by Rodney Marshall.[4] Michael Herbert is working on a full length biography of Hulke.
Career
Hulke was involved with the socialist
In 1960, Newman commissioned Hulke and Paice to write a children's science fiction serials for ABC –
Newman went on to hire Hulke to write a total of nine episodes of The Avengers, four of which he co-wrote with Terrance Dicks, a friend and lodger at the rooming house Hulke managed and whom Hulke recruited as a co-writer when he learned of his desire to break into television.[2]
Newman moved to BBC Television to become its Head of Drama and, in 1964, asked Hulke to write a six part story for a new series Newman had created, Doctor Who.[2] The story, "The Hidden Planet", was about a twin planet of Earth that was hidden on the other side of the Sun. Hulke's story was not produced but he went on to write for the series, beginning in 1967.[2][6]
In addition to the Pathfinders series,.
His scripts for Doctor Who were known for avoiding black-and-white characterisation and simplistic plotting. Military figures are usually presented unfavourably – Invasion of the Dinosaurs and The Ambassadors of Death both have a general as the ultimate villain. One of his best-known contributions to the series is Doctor Who and the Silurians. This story depicts an encounter between the human race and the remnants of a technological reptilian race that ruled Earth in prehistoric times. Hulke avoids casting either side as heroes or monsters.
He was a friend and mentor to Terrance Dicks, with whom he collaborated in 1962 on The Avengers episode "The Mauritius Penny", which was Dicks' first television credit; The War Games, Dicks' first Doctor Who script, and on the non-fiction book The Making of Doctor Who.[11]
He also contributed to Target Books' range of Doctor Who novelisations, adapting many of his scripts before his death, as well as 1973's The Green Death. Hulke's novelisations were noted for providing a wealth of additional background detail and character depth. He wrote an influential screenwriting manual, Writing for television in the 70s[12] in 1974, and an updated version, Writing for Television, which was released posthumously in 1981.
Death
Hulke died of cancer on 6 July 1979, aged 54.[13]
The proposed stories written for Doctor Who
The Hidden Planet
Hulke had submitted this story in January 1964 as a six-part adventure story,[14] and would see the Doctor and his companions land on a parallel planet like Earth, but has clover leaves looking all the same. Women were the dominant race of the planet, whereas men struggle for their own rights.[14] The story was rejected by story editor David Whitaker on 2 February 1964.[14]
The story was resubmitted for Season 2 of the program, as a five-part serial.[14] It was also rejected again by script editor Dennis Spooner in April 1965.[14]
Britain 408 A.D.
This story was submitted for Season Two,[14] but was replaced by The Romans.[14][15]
The People Who Couldn't Remember
Co-written with David Ellis,[14] According to some fan theories, this story was to be a six-part serial. Not much is known about it.[14][15] This was rejected by script editor Gerry Davis on 15 June 1966.[14]
The Big Store
Co-written with David Ellis,[14] this four-part serial[14] was submitted in November 1966.[15][14] Only drafts for Episode One were completed. The story would be set in a shopping mall in 1973.[14] Gerry Davis preferred an airport setting.[14] The story was replaced by The Faceless Ones.[14][15]
Doctor Who stories written by Malcolm Hulke
Television
Starring Patrick Troughton:
- David Ellis, 1967)[6]
- The War Games[16] (with Terrance Dicks, 1969)[6]
Starring Jon Pertwee:
- Doctor Who and the Silurians (1970)[17]
- The Ambassadors of Death (with David Whitaker, Terrance Dicks and Trevor Ray, 1970)[18]
- Colony in Space (1971)[19]
- The Sea Devils (1972)[20]
- Frontier in Space (1973)[16]
- Invasion of the Dinosaurs (1974)[16]
Novelisations
- Doctor Who and the Cave Monsters (1974) (adapted from Doctor Who and the Silurians)[21]
- Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon (1974) (adapted from Colony in Space)[22]
- Doctor Who and the Sea Devils (1974)
- Doctor Who and the Green Death (1975) (adapted from The Green Death, written by Robert Sloman)
- Doctor Who and the Dinosaur Invasion (1976) (adapted from Invasion of the Dinosaurs)
- Doctor Who and the Space War (1976) (adapted from Frontier in Space)[23]
- Doctor Who and the War Games (1979)
Radio
Hulke also wrote a pilot for a planned radio series starring Peter Cushing as Dr. Who in the late 1960s. Titled Journey into Time, it was produced but the recording was never broadcast and the tapes are now lost.[24] After the script was re-discovered, a fan-made recording was released in 2020.[25]
References
- ^ "A Beginner's Guide to Book Collecting". ffbooks.co.uk. Retrieved 26 March 2015.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Michael Herbert Dr Who and the Communist: the politics and work of Malcolm Hulke Archived 4 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Fantasies of Possibility
- ^ Ben Aaronovitch Remembrance of the Daleks, London: WH Allen, 1990 [2013], p.iv
- , edited by Rodney Marshall (2023)
- ^ Malcolm Hulke. Here is Drama: Behind the Scenes at Unity Theatre (1963)
- ^ a b c d "Malcolm Hulke". randomhouse.co.uk. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
- ^ "The Danger Man Website".
- ^ "Malcolm Hulke". IMDb.
- ^ "United! (TV Series 1965–1967)". IMDb.
- ^ "CTVA UK – "Gideon's Way" (ITC)(1964-65) John Gregson, Alexander Davion, Daphne Anderson".
- ^ Mark Gatiss. "Mark Gatiss on his earliest Doctor Who memories and writing about the show's origins in An Adventure in Space and Time". Radio Times. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
- ^ "Malcolm Hulke obituary – the Doctor Who Cuttings Archive".
- ^ "Malcolm Hulke obituary". The Stage and Television Today. 12 July 1979. p. 17. Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via Doctor Who Cuttings Archive.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p A brief history of Doctor Who stories- The Lost Stories- Patrick Sullivan, Shannon
- ^ a b c d See List of unmade Doctor Who serials and films
- ^ a b c "Malcolm Hulke (1970's) – Doctor Who Interview Archive". Doctor Who Interview Archive. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
- ^ "BBC One – Doctor Who, Season 7, Doctor Who and the Silurians, Part 7". BBC. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
- ^ "BBC One – Doctor Who".
- ^ "BBC One – Doctor Who".
- ^ "BBC One – Doctor Who".
- ^ "Title: Doctor Who and the Cave-Monsters". isfdb.org.
- ^ Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon by Malcolm Hulke.
- ^ Doctor Who and the Space War by Malcolm Hulke.
- Doctor Who News Page.
- ^ Journey into Time, retrieved 29 November 2020
External links
- Malcolm Hulke at IMDb
- Malcolm Hulke at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- "Doctor Who and the Communist: The Work and Politics of Malcolm Hulke" Archived 4 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine, essay by Michael Herbert
- "Red Hulke", article by John Williams originally published in Doctor Who Magazine Issue 489