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Deborah Watling 1948 - 2017
"Victoria Waterfield" 1967 - 1968
Second Doctor's Companion
Deborah Watling 1948 - 2017
"Victoria Waterfield" 1967 - 1968
Second Doctor's Companion
Deborah Watling has passed away from lung cancer, diagnosed just months before her death at the age of 69. She starred alongside Frazer Hines (Jamie McCrimmon) and Patrick Troughton (the Second Doctor), commencing in Season 4's last story, before featuring in almost all of "Monster / Base Under Siege" Season 5.
Before 1992, there were no complete stories of Victoria's to enjoy, such was the destruction of the "wiping" of Doctor Who's archive material (in fact, out of the entire Second Doctor's run, nothing from his first 2 seasons was complete; even now nothing is complete from his first season). Thankfully Tomb of the Cybermen was found intact in Hong Kong in 1992, and the BBC also released The Ice Warriors (first with its 2 missing episodes re-created using still frames, and later using CGI). The biggest celebration however came in 2013 when 2 of her stories - Enemy of the World and Web of Fear - were recovered from Nigeria - and Deborah was present when the news was revealed, taking great delight knowing that more of her stories could be enjoyed.
I know it's silly to lament the loss of a person I never met, and never probably would have met, but I do note her passing with sadness, as I remember taking absolute delight in watching Tomb of the Cybermen when it was found, and getting to know this b&w companion that I'd never had the joy to witness. It is said that Victoria arrived in Doctor Who screaming through Evil of the Daleks, and then kept screaming all the way to her final story, where in fact her screams saved the day, defeating the enemy. I think it's short sighted to view her role that way however, as Tomb proved how - despite the era - she could still add complexity to an otherwise simple character.
Farewell, Deborah.
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As an addendum.... the following key actors have now passed on:
William Hartnell .....1908-75 (the Doctor, 1963-66, 73)
Jacqueline Hill .......1929-93 (Barbara, 63-66, Lexa, 80)
Adrienne Hill .........1937-97 (Katarina, 65)
Michael Craze ........1942-98 (Ben, 66-67)
Patrick Troughton ...1920-87 (the Doctor, 66-69, 73,83,85)
Deborah Watling ....1948-2017 (Victoria, 67-68)
Nicholas Courtney ...1929-2011 (the Brigadier, 68..87)
Jon Pertwee ...........1919-96 (the Doctor, 70-74, 83)
Caroline John .........1940-2012 (Liz Shaw, 70)
Roger Delgado ........1918-73 (the Master, 71-73)
Elisabeth Sladen .....1946-2011 (Sarah-Jane, 73-76, 83, 2006..11)
Ian Marter ..............1944-86 (Harry, 74-75)
Mary Tamm ............1950-2012 (Romana, 78-79)
Anthony Ainley ........1932-2004 (the Master, 81..89)
Kate O'Mara ............1939-2014 (the Rani, 85..87)
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John Hurt ................1940-2017 (shoe-horn, 2013)
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