Philip Hinchcliffe
Encyclopedia
Philip Hinchcliffe is a British
television producer
, who brought shows including Private Schulz
and The Charmer
to the screen, probably best known for the overseeing of British television series Doctor Who
from 1974-1977. With the death of Barry Letts
in October 2009, he and Derrick Sherwin
are the only producers of the classic series of Doctor Who who are still alive.
and Pembroke College, Cambridge
, where he studied English Literature
. After a brief period working for a travel company and then as a teacher, he joined Associated Television
in 1968, writing episodes for shows including the soap Crossroads (1970), then script editing the sit-com Alexander the Greatest
(1971-2), children's adventure series The Jensen Code (1973), and children's drama series The Kids from 47A
(1973).
. Although he trailed Letts on Tom Baker
's first story Robot
, he was first credited on The Ark in Space
. Throughout his first year he was mostly producing scripts that had been commissioned by the previous production team prior to their departure and it was not until a year later that Hinchcliffe's full influence came to bear, with Planet of Evil
in late 1975 — Tom Baker
's second season in the title role of the Doctor.
Hinchcliffe, together with script editor Robert Holmes
, ushered in a change in tone for the television series. The series became darker and more adult than previously, with a gothic atmosphere influenced by the horror film
s produced by Hammer Films. This horror influence is especially evident in serials like Planet of Evil
, Pyramids of Mars
, The Brain of Morbius
, The Hand of Fear
and The Talons of Weng-Chiang
, all of which have content which directly recalls well known horror novels and movies.
During Hinchcliffe's tenure the programme achieved a popularity only previously seen during the 'Dalekmania' years of the mid 1960s. However, the BBC
had received complaints from Mary Whitehouse
, chairwoman of the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association, that the series was unduly frightening for children and could traumatise them. The NVALA had been critical of the series ever since the beginning of the 1970s and the complaints reached their height in the Hinchcliffe-produced The Deadly Assassin
, where Chancellor Goth was seen to attempt to drown the Doctor by forcing his head underwater. While the BBC publicly defended the programme, after three seasons Hinchcliffe was moved onto the adult police thriller series Target in 1977, and his replacement Graham Williams
was specifically instructed to lighten the tone of the storylines. The classic series never again achieved such consistently high viewing figures after Hinchcliffe's departure.
Hinchcliffe also wrote several novelisations of Doctor Who serials for Target Books
, adapting The Keys of Marinus
, The Seeds of Doom
, and The Masque of Mandragora
.
Hinchcliffe worked on numerous series, single dramas and films including Target, Private Schulz
, The Charmer
, Take Me Home, Friday on My Mind and many others. He stepped down from the producer role in 1995, after working on the feature films An Awfully Big Adventure
starring Hugh Grant
and Total Eclipse
starring Leonardo di Caprio, but was engaged as an Executive Producer by Scottish Television
from 1998 to 2001, overseeing series including Taggart
and the John Hannah
episodes of Rebus
, and one-off dramas including The Last Musketeer with Robson Green
.
His daughter, Celina Hinchcliffe
, is a television presenter, who fronts news programmes and sporting events for the BBC
.
In recent years, Hinchcliffe has made numerous appearances on DVD releases of Doctor Who
serials made under his producership. His most notable appearance is in Serial Thrillers, a documentary included in the Pyramids of Mars
DVD release, focusing on his three-year reign as producer in some depth, examining what made the show so successful during that period.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
, who brought shows including Private Schulz
Private Schulz (TV series)
Private Schulz was a BBC television comedy drama mini-series starring Michael Elphick in the title role and Ian Richardson playing various parts...
and The Charmer
The Charmer (TV series)
The Charmer was a 1987 British television serial set in the 1930s, and starring Nigel Havers as Ralph Ernest Gorse, a seducing conman and murderer, Rosemary Leach as Joan Plumleigh-Bruce, the smitten victim widow and Bernard Hepton as Donald Stimpson, Plumleigh-Bruce's would-be beau, who vengefully...
to the screen, probably best known for the overseeing of British television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
from 1974-1977. With the death of Barry Letts
Barry Letts
Barry Leopold Letts was a British actor, television director, writer and producer best known for his work on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, and for producing the BBC's Sunday Classic drama serials in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
in October 2009, he and Derrick Sherwin
Derrick Sherwin
Derrick Sherwin is a British television producer, writer, and actor. He is best known as the story editor and later producer of Doctor Who...
are the only producers of the classic series of Doctor Who who are still alive.
Background and early work
Hinchcliffe was educated at Slough Grammar SchoolSlough Grammar School
The school is a Language College, a Science College, a Leading Edge School, an ICT-Focus School, a Training School, an International School under the International Baccalaureate Organization and a participant in the Primary Language Initiative. From September 2004 it has offered some International...
and Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
, where he studied English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
. After a brief period working for a travel company and then as a teacher, he joined Associated Television
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
in 1968, writing episodes for shows including the soap Crossroads (1970), then script editing the sit-com Alexander the Greatest
Alexander the Greatest
Alexander the Greatest was a British sitcom that aired on ITV from 1971 to 1972. Starring Gary Warren, it was written by Bernard Kops and made for the ITV network by ATV.-Cast:*Gary Warren - Alexander Green*Sydney Tafler - Joe Green...
(1971-2), children's adventure series The Jensen Code (1973), and children's drama series The Kids from 47A
The Kids from 47A
The Kids from 47A was a British children's television series produced by ATV Network about four children whose widowed mother is taken into hospital, leaving them to cope on their own...
(1973).
Doctor Who
In Spring 1974, at the age of 29, he was approached by the BBC's head of serials to take over as producer on Doctor Who, his first full production job, initially trailing and then succeeding long-serving producer Barry LettsBarry Letts
Barry Leopold Letts was a British actor, television director, writer and producer best known for his work on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, and for producing the BBC's Sunday Classic drama serials in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
. Although he trailed Letts on Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
's first story Robot
Robot (Doctor Who)
Robot is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 28 December 1974 to 18 January 1975...
, he was first credited on The Ark in Space
The Ark in Space
The Ark in Space is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 25 January to 15 February 1975.-Plot:The TARDIS materialises in a darkened room on board the station...
. Throughout his first year he was mostly producing scripts that had been commissioned by the previous production team prior to their departure and it was not until a year later that Hinchcliffe's full influence came to bear, with Planet of Evil
Planet of Evil
The plot was deliberately conceived by Philip Hinchcliffe, Robert Holmes and Louis Marks as a mixture of the film Forbidden Planet and the novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. In addition, Marks had been reading science magazine articles about antimatter, and decided to write a...
in late 1975 — Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
's second season in the title role of the Doctor.
Hinchcliffe, together with script editor Robert Holmes
Robert Holmes (scriptwriter)
This entry is about the television scriptwriter. For other people with the same name, see Robert Holmes .Robert Colin Holmes was an English television scriptwriter, who for over twenty-five years contributed to some of the most popular programmes screened in the UK...
, ushered in a change in tone for the television series. The series became darker and more adult than previously, with a gothic atmosphere influenced by the horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
s produced by Hammer Films. This horror influence is especially evident in serials like Planet of Evil
Planet of Evil
The plot was deliberately conceived by Philip Hinchcliffe, Robert Holmes and Louis Marks as a mixture of the film Forbidden Planet and the novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. In addition, Marks had been reading science magazine articles about antimatter, and decided to write a...
, Pyramids of Mars
Pyramids of Mars
Pyramids of Mars is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 25 October to 15 November 1975.-Synopsis:...
, The Brain of Morbius
The Brain of Morbius
The Brain of Morbius is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 3 January to 24 January 1976...
, The Hand of Fear
The Hand of Fear
The Hand of Fear is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 2 October to 23 October 1976...
and The Talons of Weng-Chiang
The Talons of Weng-Chiang
The Talons of Weng-Chiang is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from 26 February to 2 April 1977.-Synopsis:...
, all of which have content which directly recalls well known horror novels and movies.
During Hinchcliffe's tenure the programme achieved a popularity only previously seen during the 'Dalekmania' years of the mid 1960s. However, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
had received complaints from Mary Whitehouse
Mary Whitehouse
Mary Whitehouse, CBE was a British campaigner against the permissive society particularly as the media portrayed and reflected it...
, chairwoman of the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association, that the series was unduly frightening for children and could traumatise them. The NVALA had been critical of the series ever since the beginning of the 1970s and the complaints reached their height in the Hinchcliffe-produced The Deadly Assassin
The Deadly Assassin
The Deadly Assassin is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 30 October to 20 November 1976...
, where Chancellor Goth was seen to attempt to drown the Doctor by forcing his head underwater. While the BBC publicly defended the programme, after three seasons Hinchcliffe was moved onto the adult police thriller series Target in 1977, and his replacement Graham Williams
Graham Williams
Graham Williams was a British television producer and script editor, whose best known work was on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who....
was specifically instructed to lighten the tone of the storylines. The classic series never again achieved such consistently high viewing figures after Hinchcliffe's departure.
Hinchcliffe also wrote several novelisations of Doctor Who serials for Target Books
Target Books
Target Books was a British publishing imprint, established in 1973 by Universal-Tandem Publishing Co Ltd, a paperback publishing company. The imprint was established as a children's imprint to complement the adult Tandem imprint, and became well known for their highly successful range of...
, adapting The Keys of Marinus
The Keys of Marinus
The Keys of Marinus is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in 6 weekly parts from April 11 to May 16, 1964...
, The Seeds of Doom
The Seeds of Doom
The Seeds of Doom is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from 31 January to 6 March 1976...
, and The Masque of Mandragora
The Masque of Mandragora
The Masque of Mandragora is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 4 September to 25 September 1976. It opened Season 14 of the series.-Synopsis:...
.
Subsequent career
After Doctor WhoDoctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
Hinchcliffe worked on numerous series, single dramas and films including Target, Private Schulz
Private Schulz (TV series)
Private Schulz was a BBC television comedy drama mini-series starring Michael Elphick in the title role and Ian Richardson playing various parts...
, The Charmer
The Charmer (TV series)
The Charmer was a 1987 British television serial set in the 1930s, and starring Nigel Havers as Ralph Ernest Gorse, a seducing conman and murderer, Rosemary Leach as Joan Plumleigh-Bruce, the smitten victim widow and Bernard Hepton as Donald Stimpson, Plumleigh-Bruce's would-be beau, who vengefully...
, Take Me Home, Friday on My Mind and many others. He stepped down from the producer role in 1995, after working on the feature films An Awfully Big Adventure
An Awfully Big Adventure
An Awfully Big Adventure is a 1995 British coming-of-age film directed by Mike Newell. The story focuses on a teenage girl who joins a seedy theatre troupe in Liverpool...
starring Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant
Hugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
and Total Eclipse
Total Eclipse (film)
Total Eclipse is a 1995 film directed by Agnieszka Holland, based on a 1967 play by Christopher Hampton, who also wrote the screenplay. Based on letters and poems, it presents a historically accurate account of the passionate and violent relationship between the two 19th century French poets Paul...
starring Leonardo di Caprio, but was engaged as an Executive Producer by Scottish Television
Scottish Television
Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
from 1998 to 2001, overseeing series including Taggart
Taggart
Taggart is a Scottish detective television programme, created by Glenn Chandler, who has written many of the episodes, and made by STV Productions for the ITV network...
and the John Hannah
John Hannah
John Hannah may refer to:*John Hannah , Scottish actor*John Hannah , American football player*John Hannah , Scottish RAF radio operator...
episodes of Rebus
Rebus (TV series)
Rebus is the title of the detective drama based on the Inspector Rebus novels by the Scottish author Ian Rankin set in and around Edinburgh produced by STV Productions for the ITV Network....
, and one-off dramas including The Last Musketeer with Robson Green
Robson Green
Robson Green is an English actor, singer–songwriter and presenter.-Biography:Robson Golightly Green was born in Hexham, Northumberland, and baptised in Bethel Chapel, , and named in Northeast tradition as first son after family surnames: Robson is his grandmother's maiden surname, while Golightly...
.
His daughter, Celina Hinchcliffe
Celina Hinchcliffe
Celina Hinchcliffe is a British television sports presenter.-Family and early life:Celina married in May 2009 and they had a son the following year...
, is a television presenter, who fronts news programmes and sporting events for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
In recent years, Hinchcliffe has made numerous appearances on DVD releases of Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
serials made under his producership. His most notable appearance is in Serial Thrillers, a documentary included in the Pyramids of Mars
Pyramids of Mars
Pyramids of Mars is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 25 October to 15 November 1975.-Synopsis:...
DVD release, focusing on his three-year reign as producer in some depth, examining what made the show so successful during that period.