Doctor Who---McGann and Cushing

[Abdulmajid]

Is Paul McGann an "official" Doctor Who like Tom Baker or Patrick Troughton or is he a mere superfluous extra one like Peter Cushing??

And why is Peter Cushing not an "official" one??

Thank you.

[Postdog]

OK, second part first.

Cushing is NOT official as the cinema versions were (a) produced by another company with no connection to the BBC series and (b) because both films were actually stories already transmitted as part of the series. The idea was simply to put the daleks on the big screen and in colour, though empty daleks on furniture coasters (as could be seen) was a little iffy....

As for Paul Mcgann he IS official. That production was a co production with the BBC, and actually featured Sylvester McCoy (the last doctor before it stopped) before he regenerated. Furthermore, I read this week Paul Mcgann is actually going to feature in the new shows, in flashback sequences, when they go more into the "time war" sory

[Abdulmajid]

Very thorough answer there Mr. Postdog. Thank you.

[andy-hughes]

I could never accept Peter Cushing as a real Doctor because in the film, he actually said "I am Doctor Who ..." which has never been said to my knowledge.

The title came from the second or third episode of the first series when Ian asked the rhetorical question about the Doctor's identity - "Who is he ... Doctor who?"

[tonymclark]

You need to remember that the two 1960's Peter Cushing feature films were made with an eye to selling the films worldwide (not least to America). At the time they were made America wasn't showing the TV series. Therefore a box-office draw for the American audience was needed and Cushing fitted the bill.
It was not uncommon for films to be made of TV shows. Quatermass being another film(s) made from the TV scripts. As postdog says, the Dalek films were re-makes of the first two TV Dalek stories, and should be reguarded as merchandise that fit into the history of the TV series in the same way as a toy Dalek does.
So Cushing is playing the first Doctor (at that time the idea of the Doctor being able to regenerate wasn't thought of).

McGann was and is Doctor number 8, the American made TV movie was to launch a new TV series, but it didn't gain a big enough audience in the Sates, so the Americans wouldn't co-finance a follow-up series. The co-production deal signed by the BBC prevented the BBC from doing much with Doctor Who until the agreement expired.

[Gromit]

Here is a list of the official Doctors, and a list of actors who have played the part.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_actors_wh o_have_played_the_Doctor