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THE BATTLE FOR THE NEW DOCTOR, Dreamwatch Bulletin, summer issue, 1998



The idea of replacing David Burton as the Doctor appears as early as Paul Saltzman’s exploratory memos brainstorming ideas for the prospective project.

It was surprising, since it had been Burton had brought the project to Saltzman, and since Burton had already played the character in two series. But by the time he met Saltzman, Burton was desperate to flog a project that was all but dead, and was acting as a producer. On that basis, Saltzman believed, and Burton had led him to believe, that everything was on the table.... without restrictions.

Saltzman took that at it’s word, and openly discussed a number of ideas, including recasting the part. Something that Burton vehemently objected to. It created the first rift between the men, and might have ended the project, if not for the intercession and participation by Terry Nation.

Nation was able to act as a bridge, both pushing Saltzman towards Burton in the role, while at the same time trying to get Burton to tolerate the idea of the role being recast.

This proved difficult, Burton’s outbursts had soured the relationship with Saltzman, resulting in the notion of recasting moving from an idea to a mild preference. Still, Saltzman was more or less prepared to live with Burton as a Doctor, less thrilled with him as a producer.

For his part, Nation persuaded Burton that, much as he wanted the part, if push came to shove, he should at least consider giving it up, if it was the only way to move the project.

While matters were still up in the air, the compromise was that Burton would remain the choice, or at least the placeholder for the role of the Doctor. Who could tell what the future would bring? In the meantime, there was an uneasy truce and mutual distrust.

The meeting with the Australians, Armquist Productions, blew the truce apart.

Saltzman’s absolute priority was to get the Australians into a deal. Without that last component of financing, things could fall apart completely. Faced with that risk, he was prepared to open the position up to auditions.

To be fair, Saltzman didn’t throw Burton under the bus, as it were. And he didn’t accept Jackman outright. His response was the safest thing he could do under the circumstances.

If his relationship with Burton had been in better shape at that time, with less suspicion and hostility, he might have opted to fight for Burton. But he wasn’t going to bend over backward on behalf of a man he was finding increasingly difficult.

Burton on the other hand, saw this as an outright betrayal, possibly even a conspiracy, arranged to embarrass and humiliate him.

It didn’t help that Jackman was clearly younger, taller, more athletic, better looking and more charismatic. Jackman was a classic leading man with a future ahead of him, whereas Burton looked in the mirror and saw a gangly, balding, middle aged character actor with diminishing prospects. The comparison was traumatic, particularly given Burton’s prior insecurities.

Burton managed to hold it together until the deal with the Australians went through.

But on the night before the flight back to North America, he finally broke. The result was a truly epic tantrum, a melt down that of impressive proportions, as Burton accused both Nation and Saltzman of trying to push him out of a project that he had brought to them. Harsh words were said.

This convinced both Nation and Saltzman that Burton was too unstable, both as an actor and as a producer, and that perhaps they’d be better off without him. The audition became a real process, not a sop for the Australians, and Saltzman actively began looking for other candidates.

Nation cultivated Ian Levine as an unofficial advisor, and Millennium representative.

Ironically, Burton’s fears and insecurity had, ironically brought about the situation he feared most, and very nearly ended his participation.

Burton quickly realized his mistake, and thereafter worked hard at restoring his relationship with both Saltzman and Nation, and building a relationship with Armquist and Roarch. This was somewhat successful. The budding friendship with Nation was renewed, and he was able to reassure Saltzman of his professionalism.

An undercurrent of wariness remained on all sides.

David Burton would fluctuate between periods of despondency and depression, and fits of rage. But in between those, he struggled to come to terms with the idea that he might be replaced as lead actor but that he could find some other meaningful position in the project. He did his best to learn the ins and outs of the production process. At the very least, he could try to see what money or leverage he might procure.

There were still episodes. At one point, he met with lawyers and former members of Millennium, to explore prospects to bring the entire project down. A samson option, destroying the project if he couldn’t have the lead role. This was never disclosed, and he abandoned this. No harm was done.

More damagingly, was the tantrum at the auditions.

The parties had agreed on an independent audition process through a casting agency. This was to ensure fair treatment without preference to Canadian and Australian candidates. But Burton was required to participate in the audition process, the same as other candidates.

Initially he accepted this, particularly based on Terry Nation’s assurance that his incumbency would count for him on the back end.

But on the date of the audition, Burton got set off. In the middle of the script, he lost his temper, went off on a rant and walked out, accusing the casting agency of bias.

It took a certain amount of pleading and apologizing by Burton, and intercession of Terry Nation with Salzman, for Burton to be allowed a second attempt at an audition the next day.

This audition went poorly, the casting agent was visibly hostile, despite Burton’s best efforts. In the end, Burton did not make the final list of six candidates, three from each country. Nevertheless, he was added to the list.

By agreement, no other roles would be cast until the Doctor was finalized. These included at least one, possibly two companions - male or female, the role(s) of Vise, and potentially a secondary recurring villain, and guest stars for each serial. The national allocation would shake out depending on who the Doctor was.

In Australia, there was a fair amount of media interest in the casting process. Doctor Who was far better known and more popular there than in Canada, having run in primetime on the major network, ABC. In Canada, the show was barely known, and then only as a cult item. The idea of Australia’s first Doctor caught on.

A number of Candidates were touted, among them Paul Hogan (declined - insufficient money, wasn’t comfortable with the producers), Yahoo Serious (put himself forward and was even auditioned but did not make the short list), Brian Brown, Hugh Jackman, and others. Most Australian candidates fell into the leading man category.

In Canada, the process was more low key, but candidates considered included Wayne Robson, Geraint Wyn-Davies, Nigel Bennet, Chas Lawther, Don Francks, Christopher Plummer and Maurice LaMarche reflecting a diversity of approaches to the character, from leading man type, senior wise man, quirky trickster and so on.

Ultimately the various candidates were winnowed down to a core group of three from each country, recommended by the Casting agency, plus Burton.

Each side was then invited to select two of their three for offering. One of these two would then be selected by the other country, with the other being dismissed.

That left two candidates, Hugh Jackman for Australia, Nigel Bennett for Canada, plus David Burton.

A special meeting was convened in Toronto to determine the final vote for the Doctor. In attendance were David Salzman, Terry Nation, Ken Roarch and Ian Levine representing Millennium Productions, since Burton could not be a candidate and vote....