On This Day... 21st February

The Silurians reached its fourth episode today in 1970, as did The Seeds of Doom in 1976.

Whilst those stories had further episodes still to go, The Keeper of Traken's fourth instalment in 1981 was its concluding one. It was significant for its introduction of Anthony Ainley as the new incarnation of the Master. He had already featured in the story as a character called Tremas...

Today we remember two people who were vitally important to the early success of Doctor Who. Their work is still very much part of the series today.

Composer Ron Grainer was the man who created the programme's distinctive theme tune. Though it was physically realised by Delia Derbyshire of the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop, it was Grainer who actually wrote the piece. On hearing Derbyshire's arrangement, he did have to ask if it was his work. 

Other well known works by him include the themes to Steptoe and Son, The Prisoner, and Tales of the Unexpected.

He died on this day in 1981, aged 58.

The other pioneer is Raymond P Cusick, who was the designer on the second story back in 1963. This entailed him coming up with the look of the Daleks. Later production teams have foolishly attempted to better the design, but all fail and they slink back to the original. Today's bronze Daleks are simply an update of Cusick's design. As well as The Daleks, Cusick designed The Edge of Destruction, The Keys of Marinus, The Sensorites, Planet of Giants, The Rescue, The Romans, The Chase and The Daleks' Master Plan. Famously, he was always bitter about the money Terry Nation made from the Daleks, whilst his position as a BBC employee prevented him from benefitting from them financially, save for a one-off ex gratia payment of £100.

He passed away on this day in 2013, aged 85.