Dalek One Shoulders - The Walk-In Dalek at Llangollen
Dalek One Shoulders in 2010
The last appearance of Dalek One's skirt
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Dalek One
The Shoulders
Last Screen Use: 1988 - Remembrance of the Daleks
Recent History: The distinctive shoulders with the thin lower collar had the back part cut away in order to become a "walk-in" prop for Doctor Who Exhibitions. These shoulders could be seen at MOMI (The Museum of the Moving image) in the early 90s, and then in later years at Llangollen. The shoulders also technically made one additional "screen appearance" in the opening moments of the 1993 VHS video release entitled Daleks - The Early Years, in which Peter Davison introduced the programme whilst speaking from inside the prop - although his voice was dubbed with a clip of Roy Skelton saying "Exterminate".
Collector Chris Balcombe had possession of the corresponding cut-away piece for about a decade. Then, in 2010 the "walk-in" Exhibition prop came up for auction and it was purchased by collector Jamie Smyth, who was also able to buy the removed back panels and hand it all over to Mike Tucker to reunite the two sections and perform sympathetic restoration on the prop. The result was that the shoulders of the Shawcraft original became once again part of a complete prop, restored to its last television appearance in 1988. In the summer of 2011 Jamie sold the complete Dalek back to Chris Balcombe where it has quickly become one of his most prized possessions.
The Skirt
Last Screen Use: 1967 - Evil of the Daleks
Fate: Unknown. This original Shawcraft skirt had featured in every Dalek story of the 1960s but at some point during the five year hiatus after Evil of the Daleks and before Day of the Daleks was made the BBC had cleared out their prop stores and the skirt was deemed redundant.
However before it finally disappeared
it had a number of public and TV appearances. Firstly in October 1967 it made a visit to the BBC Centre in Cardiff and just a month later it was back in London for a Blue Peter photoshoot to publicise their Design-a-Monster competition.
Its last appearance would be in the New Year of 1968 when it was exhibited at the Boys and Girls Exhibition in London's Olympia hall.
Here it was paired again with the shoulders of Dalek Seven and also appearing were the three winners of the Blue Peter competition.
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Dalek Two's shoulders in 2010
Photo - Jamie Smyth
Dalek Two's shoulders still retain the lifted collar
Photo - Jamie Smyth
Dalek Two's skirt in 1982
Dalek Two's skirt in 2006 |
Dalek Two
The Shoulders
Last Screen Use: 1967 - Evil of the Daleks
Recent History: The shoulders of Dalek Two went through some early changes. Having been part of one of the props originally leant to Barnardos, it had received some rough handling and the gunboxes were in particularly bad condition. The BBC retained Dalek Two after The Dalek Invasion of Earth and at the time of The Chase it was decided that the boxes should be replaced, and as such a set of fibreglass movie boxes were transplanted to the shoulders. The collars were retained and so kept its distinctive lower collar 'lift'.
A few years after their last full appearance in The Evil of the Daleks, they were reportedly thrown out by the BBC. Bernard Wilkie says he rescued these shoulders along with Dalek Eight's thin skirt from this purge, and from that point onward the two mismatched halves were known as the "Wilkie Dalek". He kept the prop in a barn for many years and then allowed it to be displayed in Doctor Who Exhibitions, before being auctioned off in 2010. The prop was bought by Jamie Smyth who carried out some sympathetic restoration, and since these pictures (left) has had the original components of the proper neck restored. Soon after, Jamie sold the prop and it is now part of the collection of Hollywood director Peter Jackson.
The Skirt
Last Screen Use: 1975 - Spike Milligan's 'Q6'
Recent History: The skirt of Dalek Two was last used on television in the mid-seventies but continued to make appearances at conventions and PR events throughout the 1980s.
In the
1990s whilst in private hands it was used in numerous publicity stunts in tandem with a national newspaper and took part in photo-shoots around London's famous landmarks.
For many years it could be hired for private parties and it was promoted as an original TV prop in the adverts.
Despite such a high profile, and even with the paperwork to authenticate its use on screen, its existence was largely overlooked by the Dalek world for years. It was recently sold to a private collector.
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Daleks Three and Four in December 1964
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Dalek Three and Dalek Four
Last Screen Use: 1964 - The Dalek Invasion of Earth
Fate Unknown. After the second Dalek serial was recorded, two props were returned to the children's charity Dr Barnardo's as per their agreement with the BBC. One wasn't the original prop that had been donated and borrowed back, but no doubt the charity had little care as long as they could continue their publicity work and money-raising.
The last available photographs of the two Barnardo's Daleks together were taken at a Christmas party in Hemel Hempstead in 1964. The Pitsea Street home closed in 1967 and there were tales of one prop remaining in the grounds for a short time after the closure. The prop then vanished and it remains unclear whether they were junked, relocated as part of the charity's move, or spirited away by persons unknown. |
Bill Roberts with Dalek Five Shoulders
Dalek Five's skirt in its last screen appearance |
Dalek Five
The Shoulders
Last Screen Use: 1967 - The Evil of the Daleks
Recent History: Two new Daleks were built for The Dalek Invasion of Earth, but pretty rapidly the shoulders and skirts of the new pair started swapping. By the time of Patrick Troughton's first story, they had swapped for good, and the Dalek which was made up of the top half of Dalek Five and the skirt of Dalek Six was kept by Bill Roberts st Shawcraft for promotional work.
It appeared in home movie footage entitled Follow That Dalek before its last screen outing in Evil of the Daleks, and thereafter remained at the Shawcraft workshops. Photos of Bill Roberts with this prop, and further photos from the 1980s show that the gun and the arm were swapped over.
After its time at Shawcraft the prop was then acquired by Stuart Evans, whose extremely accurate models were marketed in the 1990s under the name 'Sevans'.
The Skirt
Last Screen Use: 1985 - Revelation of the Daleks
Whereabouts Unknown: Separated early on from its original shoulder section and paired with the top half of Dalek Six, the skirt of Dalek Five remained in active service until the penultimate Dalek serial of the original TV series, Revelation of the Daleks. This skirt was always easily identifiable via the three bolts on the side panels which appeared in Power of the Daleks, and they can be spotted throughout three decades of television work. Its fate after 1985 is unknown.
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Dalek Six Shoulders in 2010
Photo - Steve Murray
Dalek Six skirt on display at Trowbridge |
Dalek Six
The Shoulders
Last Screen Use: 1985 - Revelation of the Daleks
Recent History: The shoulders of Dalek Six, originally built for The Dalek Invasion of Earth in 1964 underwent considerable refurbishment in the early 70s and gained their distinctive four bolts on the front. Having posed naked with Katy Manning and continuing to be put to use on television, they made their last screen appearance facing Colin Baker's Doctor. The two year gap that followed until the final "classic series" Dalek story saw them removed from the pool of television props and become paired up with the 'oddball' skirt.
The shoulders thereafter stayed paired with the Exhibition skirt and together they were referred to as the 'Tussauds Dalek'. This prop went up for auction for charity in 1986 when it fetched £4,600 and then again in 2005 where it had been returned to its famous Tussauds colours. It was given a second refurbishment restoring the correct oval size and tidying the slats and mesh. It fetched a massive £36,000. Again it was auctioned in 2009 and purchased by Steve Murray. Steve had repainted the prop to its Dalek Supreme look and then to a Seventies grey, although the prop was sold on to Jamie Smyth in 2011 and later to another collector and is now part of the collection of Hollywood director Peter Jackson.
The Skirt
Last Screen Use: 1967 - The Evil of the Daleks
Recent History: The skirt of Dalek Six was swapped back and forth with the shoulders of Dalek Five during the mid-sixties, only for it to be withdrawn from service after Evil of the Daleks. The prop however had an active retirement at the hands of Bill Roberts and ultimately passed into the possession of Stuart Evans.
It was displayed at one time at Trowbridge along with Stuart Evans's original film prop, and the blue hemisphere paint from the Dalek's 1960s could clearly be seen under the black paintwork. |
Dalek Seven's shoulders at the 1991 Bonhams auction
Dalek Seven's skirt in 2010 |
Dalek Seven
The Shoulders
Last Screen Use: 2011 - Four Rooms
Whereabouts Unknown: - This Dalek was originally built in 1965 lacking the normal workings required for TV Daleks. When it was called up for screen use it was very much abused during recording The Chase. It became refurbished and swapped into the pool of TV props.
This set of shoulders with its distinctive movie-mould gunboxes was used throughout the entire run of Doctor Who and included in the final "classic series" Dalek story featuring Sylvester McCoy - Remembrance of the Daleks, during which it was paired with the skirt of Goon v. The complete prop came up for auction in 1991 where it fetched £6400.
In May 2011 the complete Dalek made a surprise reappearance on TV as part of Channel 4's Four Rooms TV series. The show sees four sellers hoping to sell their 'gems' to well-known dealers. The owner, Mark Donoghue, hoped to sell the Dalek for £50,000 but it remained unsold having been unable to persuade the dealers to part with their cash. It was still in good in condition and obviously well cared for over the years since its last appearance.
The Skirt
Last Screen Use: 1988 - Remembrance of the Daleks
Recent History: - This movie-style skirt was built in 1965 but never appeared on the big screen, instead making its debut in The Chase as a "stunt Dalek", before finally being refurbished and kitted-out to appear as a hero prop in The Power of the Daleks.
Its telltale misaligned hemispheres could be tracked easily through three decades of television work and it last appeared was with the Seventh Doctor in 1988, paired up with the shoulders of Dalek One. After its last TV work, its rear panels were cut away as part of an adaptation for a "walk-in" exhibit for a Doctor Who Exhibition. The panels that were removed were retained by Chris Balcolme until the main front part of the skirt came up for auction in 2010, whereupon all the components were bought by Jamie Smyth. Doctor Who FX veteran Mike Tucker performed the reunification of the Dalek and restored it to its last screen appearance. In the summer of 2011 Jamie sold the complete Dalek back to Chris Balcombe where it has quickly become one of his most prized possessions. |
The shoulders of Dalek Eight last seen in 1967
The skirt of Dalek Eight in 2010
Photo - Jamie Smyth
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Dalek Eight
The Shoulders
Last Screen Use: 1967 - Evil of the Daleks
Recent History: - Dalek Eight is an oddity of Dalek prop history. It was was the famously thin prop used in Evil of the Daleks with no real explanation of why it was constructed as it was. As the skirt was made thinner than a regular skirt the shoulders had to be made to fit. The shoulders were presumed junked sometime after Evil of the Daleks was filmed.
The Skirt
Last Screen Use: 1969 - The War Games
Recent History: - The skirt of Dalek Eight has a somewhat more interesting history than its shoulders. After filming it was briefly used in the final episode of The War Games in 1969 as part of the second Doctors defence in his trial. Here it was paired with Dalek Seven's shoulders and Dalek Two's neck with its obvious repair.
It was rescued from junking, along with the shoulders of Dalek Two, by Bernard Wilkie who wanted it as a play thing for his children. It resided in his barn for many years, until he learned of the Doctor Who exhibition to be held at the Museum of Moving Image (Momi) in 1991. He donated the prop to the exhibition where it was displayed as a 'destroyed' Dalek with its top half hanging over the shoulders to disguise the size difference. By this time the original neck had collapsed and a replacement was in place instead.
The prop disappeared again for some years (after the closure of the Momi display) until new exhibitions began to spring up with the arrival of the New Series where it was on near constant display up and down the country. It was finally auctioned in 2010 when it was purchased by Jamie Smyth, who has since carried out some gentle restoration.Soon after, Jamie sold the prop and its now part of the collection of Hollywood director Peter Jackson. In recent years it has become known as The Wilkie Dalek.
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Other notable Daleks and Dalek sections including film and non-Shawcraft Daleks:
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The Exhibition skirt in 2010 reverted to its Supreme look
Photo - Steve Murray
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The Exhibition Skirt
Last Screen Use: 1985 - Revelation of the Daleks
Recent History: - Having been built for exhibition purposes in the late 1970s and being paired with firstly the shoulders of Goon vi for Destiny of the Daleks it then was paired with the shoulders of Dalek Six when it was displayed at Madame Tussauds. Together they have become perhaps the most recognisable of the Dalek props and after its final screen use in Revelation of the Daleks, was auctioned in 1986 in aid of the Red Cross where it has seen some heavy refurbishment.
The prop came up for auction again in 2003 but was withdrawn. Then again in 2005 it came up again but this time it had been returned to its famous Tussauds colours of blue and silver. It was given a second refurbishment restoring the correct oval size and tidying the slats and mesh. It fetched a massive £36,000. Again it was auctioned in 2009 and purchased by Steve Murray. Steve had repainted the prop to its Dalek Supreme look and then to a Seventies grey but in 2011 sold on the complete prop to Jamie Smyth. Soon after Jamie sold on the prop again and it is now part of the collection of Hollywood director Peter Jackson.
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Goon v's skirt last seen in Remembrance of
the Daleks
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Goon v
The Skirt
Last Screen Use: 2011 - Four Rooms
Recent History: - The Goon props were made for Planet of the Daleks with various complete props and sections going on to appear throughout the rest of the show's history. One such section was the skirt of Goon v. Having become separated from its top half it was paired with the shoulders of Dalek 7 from Resurrection of the Daleks until Remembrance of the Daleks. The complete prop was auctioned in 1991.
In May 2011 the complete Dalek made a surprise reappearance on TV as part of Channel 4's Four Rooms TV series. The show sees four sellers hoping to sell their 'gems' to well-known dealers. The owner, Mark Donoghue, hoped to sell the Dalek for £50,000 but it remained unsold having been unable to persuade the dealers to part with their cash. It was still in good in condition and obviously well cared for over the years since its last appearance.
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The Remembrance Supreme Dalek as seen in 'The
Curse of Fatal Death'
The Supreme in August 2011
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The Supreme Dalek/Dalek N2
Last Screen Use: 1999 - The Curse of Fatal Death
Recent History: - The Supreme Dalek from Remembrance of the Daleks was assembled in 1987 by Martin Wilkie (son of veteran visual effects expert Bernard) and Lorne Martin from a mix of Dalek N2 and the Blackpool exhibition Daleks. It was used by BBC Worldwide for promotional work before appearing in the show in 1988, and after it was returned to those sorts of duties.
It was used during promotion of the ultimately aborted 30th anniversary story The Dark Dimension and on the cover of Mike Tucker and Sophie Aldred's book Ace before being painted black and gold and featuring in promotion for the BBC Satellite channel 'BBC Choice' and on 'Red Dwarf' night on the BBC in 1998. The prop was then painted into a grey and black finish and appeared in the Comic Relief skit 'The Curse of Fatal Death' in 1999 along side two Imperial Style Daleks constructed for the Children's Royal Variety Performance in 1994 and some fan built Daleks. At this point it had been given a new neck cage, lights and eye. The prop featured on the cover of DWM in 2000 in its black and gold finish although these pictures were taken during the shoot for the 'BBC Choice' promotion in 1998.
The prop remained in its grey and black finish for some years after its Comic Relief appearance but was recently returned to its 'Remembrance' look. It currently resides in a private collection.
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Dalek N1 in Blackpool
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Dalek N1
Last Screen Use: 1985 - Revelation of the Daleks
Recent History: - This prop only made one screen appearance before being refurbished and sent to the USA as part of the travelling exhibition tour launched in 1986. The refurbishment included a new coat of paint, tidying the shoulder mesh and repairing the prominent chip in the oval. A new unique eye had also been added.
When the tour was over the prop was returned to the UK where it was used in several exhibitions across the country including the Bristol Exploratory and Momi. For these appearances it was refurbished again with lights and an arm from an Imperial Dalek. The slats were also given a gold foil finish and the mesh was removed to complete the Imperial look.
The Dalek eventually found its way to the Blackpool exhibition, via the Dapol exhibition at Llangollen, where it had been repainted black and gold. The prop was auctioned by Bonhams in 2010 and is now back in the USA as part of a private collection. |
Dalek N3-N4 in August 2012
Photo - Jamie Smyth
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Dalek N3-N4
Last Screen Use: 1996 - Turning Points : Verity Lambert
Recent History: - Comprising of a mix of two of the four props constructed Revelation of the Daleks, Dalek N3-N4 was refurbished for use in Remembrance of the Daleks. The BBC retained this prop although it was left and slowly decayed but was saved from junking in 1994. The prop was minus its dome, hemispheres and neck cage.
It was restored by Derek Handley who constructed a Shawcraft style neck cage for the prop, added a new upper collar, mesh and slats, and gave it a smart red and black paint scheme. The new dome came from the Imperial Dalek moulds. After appearing in a short item about Verity Lambert in January 1996 it was retired and was partially returned to a 'Remembrance' look.
In August 2012 it was revealed that Mike Tucker had fully refurbished the Dalek back to its 'Remembrance' look and is now in the collection of Jamie Smyth. |
Dalek N4-N3
Photo - Chris Balcombe
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Dalek N4-N3
Last Screen Use: 1991 - Blue Peter
Recent History: - This Dalek is the inverse mix of Dalek N3-N4. Both props were originally used in Revelation of the Daleks but became mixed during refurbishment for use in Remembrance of the Daleks in 1988.
The prop came up for auction in 1991 at Bonhams with Dalek Seven-v and made a brief appearance on Blue Peter as promotion for the sale. It was sold to a private collector and now resides in London. |
Dalek N5 waiting to be auctioned at Longleat
Photo - Matt Parish
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Dalek N5
Last Screen Use: 1988 - Remembrance of the Daleks
Recent History: - Constructed especially for Remembrance of the Daleks, the shoulder section of this Dalek was noticeably different to the other Necros props built in 1985 due to its narrower boxes. Dalek N5 lost its skirt section when it was donated to the Dalek Emperor prop to save constructing a new one.
The top section came up for auction at the Longleat Doctor Who day in 2000. It came with an original dome, most often associated with Dalek One-7, and showed the large rear chip that was apparent in The Five Doctors. The neck section was the especially constructed FX version used in Remembrance of the Daleks as there is no A-frame or castors on top (or evidence of ever having had them) and the bottom is solid meaning there would be nowhere for the operator to put his head. It also still carries the remains of the flash charge. It now resides in the collection of Matt Parish.
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Imperial Dalek One in 2010
An Imperial Dalek at Bonhams in 2010
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Imperial Daleks
Last Screen Use: 1994 - Children's Royal Variety Performance
Recent History: - Four Imperial Daleks were made for Remembrance of the Daleks. The BBC retained one of these which was marked with a '1' inside the skirt, shoulders and dome. The prop was refurbished in 1994 into a grey and black finish and fitted with smaller hemispheres to appear at the Children's Royal Variety performance in May of the same year alongside two newly created Imperial style props also painted in grey and black. It has recently been returned to its white and gold finish and is retained in a private collection.
The second of the other props was auctioned only two years after Remembrance of the Daleks was shown. It was being sold by Radio 2 for the BBC's Children in Need charity in November 1990 reaching £1700. The same Dalek came up for auction again a few months later in August 1991 when it made a fine return at £3500. Its whereabouts now is unknown.
The final two Imperial props were used as exhibition props and were seen together at the Isle of Wight exhibition which opened in 1992. The lights were replaced with large orange lamps (quite unlike anything seen previously) for the exhibition. When the exhibition closed one of the props was sent to various exhibitions across the UK, including the Dapol exhibition at Llangollen, before finally ending up at the Blackpool. It was auctioned at Bonhams in 2010 as part of a bigger sale of Doctor Who props and fetched a handsome £15,600. This Imperial prop has a '2' marked on the inside of the neck section. It now resides in a collection in the USA. The whereabouts of the fourth prop is unknown.
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The Special Weapons Dalek at Blackpool
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Special Weapons Dalek
Last Screen Use: 2012 - Asylum of the Daleks
Recent History: - Specifically made for use in Remembrance of the Daleks, this prop therefore saw very little screen time. It has however had a busy life since, visiting many exhibitions across the UK including Longleat and Momi. An additional red light was added to the end of the gun at some point for the exhibition use. It has most recently been seen at second Blackpool exhibition, and has now made home at the new Doctor Who Experience mega exhibition and shop.
In 2012 it made a surprise reappearance in the New Series of Doctor Who in an episode called Asylum of the Daleks. It appeared in the asylum itself where it stood static in at least one scene. Mike Tucker had restored the prop to its original screen look and is, at this time, the only complete Dalek prop to feature in both the classic and New Series of Doctor Who.
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The Emperor on display at Blackpool
The holes used for pulling Dalek N5 |
The Emperor Dalek
Last Screen Use: 1988 - Remembrance of the Daleks
Recent History: - The Emperor Dalek's only appearance on-screen was in Remembrance of the Daleks and had been especially constructed for that story. The large spherical top section was fabricated from a left-over prop from the BBC medical show, Bodymatters. The skirt section was that of Dalek N5 having been stripped and repainted into the Imperial livery in the period between location filming and studio taping.
Although only used on-screen
once, the prop has been used prominently at many exhibitions ever since and most recently at the now closed Blackpool Exhibition. A closer inspection of the fender section reveals that the two small holes made for the wires to pull Dalek N5 in its destruction scene (and to pull the Emperor in later scenes) are still apparent. The prop is now retained in storage..
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Mick Hall's film Dalek in 2000
Photo - Mick Hall
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Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 AD Film Dalek
The Shoulders
Last Screen Use: 1968 - Whickers World
Recent History: The props constructed for the second Dalek movie were a mix of new constructions and recycled props from from the stage show Curse of the Daleks. After filming was completed Terry Nation obtained four of the Daleks that he could loan out for events. The upper section of this Dalek was briefly seen in Whickers World in 1968 when Alan Whicker interviewed Terry Nation about his great success. After this time the sections of the four daleks would be mixed and eventually this section became part of the prop known as The Red Top where it was the inspiration for many Dalek images. When Terry Nation moved to the USA in the 1980s he donated his remaining Daleks to a children's hospice. Part of one of these was The Red Top shoulders which was paired with a very interesting skirt...
The Skirt
Last Screen Use: 1973 - Planet of the Daleks
Recent History: The skirt of the prop up until 1973 had followed the same path as The Red Top shoulders having been mixed and matched within Terry Nations collection. However in 1973 it was the lower half of the Supreme Dalek in Planet of the Daleks. After this time it was used in promotion for the stage play Seven Keys to Doomsday and them remixed with the other three props. As with the shoulders it eventually found its way to the children's hospice, and then to auction in 1996. Prominent Doctor Who collector Mick Hall then purchased the prop in 2000 and is one of the star items in his collection. Further details can be found on the Nation's Daleks Page.
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A 'Sugar Puffs' Dalek at Bonhams in 1992
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Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 AD Film Dalek
Last Screen Use: 1980s - Walrus, a BBC Schools programme.
Recent History: - This prop is believed to be one of the props given away by Sugar Puffs in their promotional competition for the second film.
It was featured in a BBC Schools programme called Walrus in the early 1980s, a clip of which has recently been released on the Special Edition DVD version of Resurrection of the Daleks where it was painted to resemble the Dalek Supreme props from the TV series in the Sixties - IE Mainly black with blue hemispheres. It came up for auction in August 1992 at Bonhams where it had been given a repaint. Having changed owners several times its now in a private collection in London. |
A film dummy at Bonhams in 1992 |
Dr Who and the Daleks Film Dalek
Last Screen Use: 1965 - Dr Who and the Daleks
Recent History: - This prop was one of the dummy props constructed for the first Dalek film in 1965. Some of these were given away in a competition run by TV21 comic.
This particular prop is believed to have been won originally by Keith Stark of South Woodford who eventually sold the Dalek to Bedford Round Table. They used the prop for charity purposes and gave it a rather garish paint scheme! It came up for auction in August 1992 at Bonhams although its current location is unknown. |
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