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Doctor Who
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An Unearthly Child

  • Episode aired Sep 7, 1985
  • TV-GTV-G
  • 23m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
William Hartnell in An Unearthly Child (1963)
AdventureDramaFamily
Two schoolteachers investigate the personal life of one of their brilliant students and her mysterious grandfather.Two schoolteachers investigate the personal life of one of their brilliant students and her mysterious grandfather.Two schoolteachers investigate the personal life of one of their brilliant students and her mysterious grandfather.
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Directors
      • Waris Hussein
      • Douglas Camfield(film inserts)
    • Writers
      • Anthony Coburn
      • David Whitaker(story editor)
      • Sydney Newman(uncredited)
    • Stars
      • William Hartnell
      • William Russell
      • Jacqueline Hill
    Top credits
    • Directors
      • Waris Hussein
      • Douglas Camfield(film inserts)
    • Writers
      • Anthony Coburn
      • David Whitaker(story editor)
      • Sydney Newman(uncredited)
    • Stars
      • William Hartnell
      • William Russell
      • Jacqueline Hill
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 30User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos11

    William Hartnell in An Unearthly Child (1963)
    Doctor Who (1963)
    Doctor Who (1963)
    William Hartnell in Doctor Who (1963)
    Doctor Who (1963)
    Doctor Who (1963)
    William Russell, Carole Ann Ford, William Hartnell, and Jacqueline Hill in Doctor Who (1963)
    William Hartnell in Doctor Who (1963)
    William Russell, Carole Ann Ford, and Jacqueline Hill in Doctor Who (1963)
    Carole Ann Ford and William Hartnell in Doctor Who (1963)

    Top cast

    Edit
    William Hartnell
    William Hartnell
    • Dr. Who
    William Russell
    William Russell
    • Ian Chesterton
    Jacqueline Hill
    Jacqueline Hill
    • Barbara Wright
    Carole Ann Ford
    Carole Ann Ford
    • Susan Foreman
    Leslie Bates
    • Shadow
    • (uncredited)
    Francesca Bertorelli
    • Schoolgirl
    • (uncredited)
    Reg Cranfield
    • Policeman
    • (uncredited)
    Heather Lyons
    • Schoolgirl
    • (uncredited)
    Mavis Ranson
    • Schoolgirl
    • (uncredited)
    Frederick Rawlings
    • Policeman
    • (uncredited)
    Brian Thomas
    • Schoolboy
    • (uncredited)
    • Directors
      • Waris Hussein
      • Douglas Camfield(film inserts) (uncredited)
    • Writers
      • Anthony Coburn
      • David Whitaker(story editor)
      • Sydney Newman(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When this episode was first aired, parts of Britain were suffering a power failure. It was also the day after President Kennedy was assassinated. Both of these factors meant the program was only seen by a disappointing 4.4 million people. When repeated a week later, it was watched by 6 million.
    • Goofs
      After entering the TARDIS the top of the set is visible above and behind Ian as he says "you can't keep us here."
    • Quotes

      The Doctor: We are not of this race. We are not of this earth. Susan and I are wanderers in the fourth dimension of space and time, cut off from our own people by distances beyond the reach of your most advanced science.

    • Alternate versions
      Four versions of this episode exist. Besides the final broadcast version there was also a trial pilot run-through that was not broadcast initially due to technical problems. The 2006 DVD release "Doctor Who: The Beginning" contains an unedited version of this pilot, with several different takes of the TARDIS sequence. A specially made re-edited version of the pilot is included for the first time in this set, using the best takes and digitally manipulating others to remove errors. Previously, an alternate edit of the pilot -- which included dialogue and prop errors -- was broadcast on the BBC and released on VHS.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Lively Arts: Whose Dr. Who (1977)
    • Soundtracks
      Three Guitars Mood 2
      (uncredited)

      Composed by Derek Nelson and Arthur Raymond

      Performed by The Arthur Nelson Group

      (playing on Susan's radio)

    User reviews30

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Intriguing Beginning to a Beloved Sci-Fi Classic
    Review for "Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child", Episode One (of four).

    The beginning to this long-running sci-fi phenomenon showcases the capabilities of the BBC's excellent choice of staff, almost 60 years ago, who worked together ingeniously to create a subtle yet intriguing opening to a fiction. Schoolteachers Ian Chesterton (William Russell) and Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) investigate their curiously intelligent, yet somewhat hopelessly uninformed student, Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford). Their curiosity leads them to the discovery of what is as much a marvel of science fiction now as it was when this episode aired in 1963. Without giving away spoilers, I'll say that the dialogue was quite well done and the acting was not only realistic, but enjoyable to watch. The story played out neatly and the actors all deserved their praise. William Hartnell steps in as a mysterious and authoritative first Doctor; Ian is portrayed by Russell as the firm, protective man we'll all come to love; Hill plays Barbara as a caring, sympathetic and insightful character; Ford is the excitable, intelligent and altogether lovable unearthly child herself, Susan, the Doctor's granddaughter.

    The picture and sound quality are obviously only to the standards to 1963 and it is something one gets used to quite easily when watching these old episodes.

    My rating: 8.1/10.
    helpful•0
    0
    • ScreenRanker2
    • Feb 16, 2022

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 7, 1985 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official site
      • BBC (United Kingdom)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • An Unearthly Child (Pilot)
    • Filming locations
      • Lime Grove Studios, Lime Grove, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK
    • Production company
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      23 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1
      • 4:3

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