Monday 6 February 2017

B is for... Benik


The sadistic henchman of Salamander, the Mexican entrepreneur who wanted to become ruler of the world. Theodore Benik was Salamander's deputy, and was based at his Kanowa research centre in Australia. Benik took charge of his leader's personal security guards, and used them to eliminate his enemies. He took great pleasure in doing so. When Jamie and Victoria were captured, it was clear that Benik would employ torture to make them talk - specifically targeting Victoria. Despite his lofty position, he had no idea of the full extent of Salamander's schemes. He knew of the assassinations and blackmailing, but was quite unaware of the secret chamber built deep below the research centre, where a group of people had been duped into causing natural disasters in the belief that they were attacking enemies following a nuclear war. Neither did he know that Salamander's rival Giles Kent was really a co-founder of this scheme.
Once Salamander had been exposed, Benik was captured by the Security Chief, Donald Bruce, and was last seen pleading for a fair trial - something he never gave to any of his own victims. The implication is that he won't get one.

Played by: Milton Johns. Appearances: The Enemy of the World (1967/8).

  • This is the first of three villainous roles for Johns in the series. All three are quite different characters. Benik is downright nasty. Guy Crayford (The Android Invasion) is a bit of a dupe, manipulated by the Kraals. Castellan Kelner (The Invasion of Time), meanwhile, is an obsequious politician who will side with whoever he thinks is ahead - even if they are aliens invading his homeworld.
  • Johns is one of that select group of Doctor Who actors who has also played an Imperial Officer in the Star Wars Universe. He is Captain Bewil, seen reporting to Darth Vader in the Carbonite chamber in The Empire Strikes Back.
  • He has also appeared in the X-Files - in the first movie Fight The Future.

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