SUTEKH AND MATES SEE THE STATES
On one of my visits to BBC TV CENTRE, I was called in to the office of the merchandise people. They'd seen some of my creations and, impressed by their quality, told me they had an urgent and very top secret project that they would like me to help with!
This turned out to be the USA travelling DOCTOR WHO EXHIBITION, in 1986. They were behind schedule and needed a load of original alien masks and heads smartened up for the display, before the huge trailer left Liverpool docks bound for America- and I had just two weeks to do up 12 props, by myself! 10 minutes later, I was digging through the prop store with them, as they unearthed the remnants of CYBERMEN HEADS, MUTANTS, DAVROS, etc. for me to work on. Within the hour I was sitting in the back of a black cab with SUTEKH (PYRAMIDS OF MARS) staring at me! He was joined by many of his monstrous pals, who were poking out of BBC boxes and bags, as we all journeyed back. Most of these original masks I had only ever seen before when they'd been on TV, but now I was responsible for motorising and making them all look pretty, before they all headed off to America. Another surreal moment! That was a hectic two weeks of work, getting everything done & ready to deliver to ELSTREE STUDIOS, but I did it. Although, it was not a great feeling having to spray paint over the original paintwork with new colours on some of them. I was ordered to commit 'SUTEKH SACRILEGE' by painting over the actual mask which had been untouched since filming PYRAMIDS OF MARS in 1975! A bit like whitewashing over the MONA LISA! (Well, an evil MONA LISA) |
The Doctor Who exhibition trailer
Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant and friends, with the exhibition trailer
The Sutekh mask after Julian's repaint
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