The stage play Doctor Who and the Daleks in Seven Keys to Doomsday opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London's West End today in 1974. The show opened with the Doctor regenerating from Jon Pertwee (on screen only) into Trevor Martin. A couple of members of the audience got up to help him - one of whom was Wendy Padbury, who had previously played TV companion Zoe. There then followed an adventure with the titular Doctor out to stop the titular Daleks from obtaining the titular Keys, and thus prevent the titular doomsday. A lot of the action took place on the planet Karn, where there were creatures with a single giant crab-like claw - elements which writer Terrance Dicks used later for The Brain of Morbius. TV's Arthur Dent - Simon Jones - was also in the cast, playing the Master of Karn, who looked like Dan Dare's Mekon on stilts. James Acheson, future Oscar winner, and creator of iconic costumes for the Time Lords and Zygons amongst many others was also involved with this.
The show ran for only a few weeks over the Christmas period, but was injured by low audience numbers due to IRA bomb alerts in the city. Critics had actually been quite positive. It never went on tour. The play was referenced not long ago in Night Terrors, where the Doctor mentions a bedtime story called "Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday".
On TV, meanwhile, this day in 1967 saw the sixth and final instalment of The Ice Warriors.
Then, in 1978, The Androids of Tara concluded with its fourth episode.
Christmas 2009 saw David Tennant practically take over the BBC as he neared his departure from the series. One of his extramural activities was to host a Doctor Who Special of music quiz Never Mind The Buzzcocks on this date.
On this day in 1929 "Nicholas Courtney" who played "Brigadier Alastair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart" opposite several incarnations of "The Doctor" was born.
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