Dudley-based Aston’s Auctioneers is offering incredibly exciting star lot for their 3rd May Film & Music Memorabilia Auction – William Hartnell‘s original copy of the script for the first ever episode of Doctor Who.

Thrown out by the actor who played the First Doctor when he moved, a builder gave it to his grandson, and it was featured alongside a photograph of Hartnell on a set used in story widely known as The Web Planet on a special BBC Antiques Roadshow screened last December.

Image: BBC

This original script, as used and owned by William Hartnell, is for the very first Doctor Who episode, “An Unearthly Child” from the four-part story widely known as Doctor Who and the Tribe of Gum by Anthony Coburn.

The four episodes, all shown at 5.15pm on consecutive Saturdays, were titled “An Unearthly Child”, “The Cave of Skulls”, “The Forest of Fear” and “The Firemaker”.

First broadcast on BBC on 23rd November 1963, the episode introduces William Hartnell as the Doctor along with companions Carole Ann Ford as his grand daughter, Susan, and Jaqueline Hill as Barbara and William Russell as Ian, two school teachers who discover the Doctor and his time-space ship “TARDIS” in a junkyard in contemporary London.

The script is 43 pages long complete with blue pencil annotations by William Hartnell.

It’s estimated the script might sell for between £5000 – £7000 and there are further details here on the Aston’s Auctioneers web site.

• Lots from this auction can be viewed Wednesday 2nd May 12 noon to 4.00pm, Thursday 3rd May 8.00am to 10.00am at Baylies Hall, Tower Street, Dudley, DY1 1NB. The auction starts at 10.00am Thursday 3rd May 2018 | View the auction catalogue here

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

Categories: Auctions, Doctor Who, downthetubes News, Other Worlds, Television

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