WWW. Invasion Of The Dinosaurs

  • Script Editor: Terrance Dicks;
  • Writer: Malcolm Hulke;
  • Produced by: Barry Letts;
  • Director: Paddy Russell;
  • Designer: Richard Morris;
  • Incidental Music: Dudley Simpson;

Programme Description

On returning to twentieth century Earth the Doctor and Sarah find that London is deserted. They are both arrested as looters, but are soon back at U.N.I.T. HQ where the Brigadier explains that London has been evacuated after appearances of prehistoric creatures.

The Doctor and Sarah discover that dinosaurs are being brought forward in time by scientist Whitaker and his henchman, Butler. Further investigations are hampered by the army's General Finch, and also Captain Yates.

Sarah visits Government Minister Sir Charles Grover, but when she wakes she finds herself on a spaceship which she later finds out is a mock-up. The conspirators intend to return to a time when Earth was unpolluted and start afresh, re-colonising Earth. Captain Yates has fallen in with the conspirators.

The Doctor and the Brigadier raid the underground headquarters, and Grover activates the machine. The Doctor, however, has altered the settings and it only sends Grover and Whitaker back in time. The Brigadier gives Captain Yates a chance to resign from U.N.I.T.

Regular Cast

  • Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart: Nicholas Courtney;
  • Captain Yates: Richard Franklin;
  • Sarah Jane Smith: Elisabeth Sladen;

Guest Cast

  • General Finch: John Bennett;
  • Private Ogden: George Bryson (1-2);
  • Lieutenant Shears: Ben Aris (1);
  • Corporal Norton: Martin Taylor (1);
  • Sergeant Duffy: Dave Carter (1);
  • R/T Soldier: John Caeser (1);
  • Phillips: Gordon Reid (1);
  • Lodge: Trevor Lawrence (1);
  • First Warehouse Looter: Terry Walsh (1);
  • Charles Grover MP: Noel Johnson (2-6);
  • Professor Whitaker: Peter Miles (2-6);
  • Butler: Martin Jarvis (2-6);
  • Peasant: James Marcus (2);
  • UNIT Corporal: Pat Gorman (2);
  • Mark (John Crichton): Terence Wilton (3-6);
  • Ruth (Lady Cullingford): Carmen Silvera (4-6);
  • Adam (Nigel Castle): Brian Badcoe (4-6);
  • Private Bryson: Colin Bell (5-6);
  • Robinson: Timothy Craven (6);

  • UNCREDITED CAST:
  • Second Warehouse Looter: Alan Bull (1);
  • Dispatch Rider: Ken Tracey (1);
  • UNIT Typist: Richard King (1);
  • Milk Float Looter: Leslie Noyes (1);
  • Reminder Room Voice: Martin Jarvis (4-5);
  • Voice of Grover's secretary: Peter Miles (4-5);
  • Golden Age men and women: (all 6) Geoff Brighty, Lyn Howard, Rory O'Connor, Annette Peters, Judy Rodger, Barry Summerford, Ken Tracey;
  • Army Drivers: ruce Cox, Robin Dixon, Colin Hamilton, Ted Heath;
  • UNIT Soldiers: Leslie Bates, David Billa, John Cash, Ian Elliott, James Muir, Brian Nolan, Dennis Plenty, Louis Sanchez, Geoff Witherick;
  • Army Soldiers: Tim Blackstone, Ian Elliott, Ronald Gough, Steve Ismay, Pat Milnber, Kevin Moran, Roy Pearce, Cy Town, Kelly Varney, Nigel Winder;
  • Army Corporals: Leslie Nates, Mike Stevens;
  • Extra: Peter Dukes;

Transmissions

ChannelEpisodeTitleDateViewersPosition
BBC 1 360 Part One Sat 12 Jan 1974 1217:30 - 17:55 11.0M 24th
BBC 1 361 Part Two Sat 19 Jan 1974 1917:30 - 17:55 10.1M 26th
BBC 1 362 Part Three Sat 26 Jan 1974 2617:30 - 17:55 11.0M 27th
BBC 1 363 Part Four Sat 2 Feb 1974 217:30 - 17:55 9.0M 34th
BBC 1 364 Part Five Sat 9 Feb 1974 917:30 - 17:55 9.0M 23rd
BBC 1 365 Part Six Sat 16 Feb 1974 1617:30 - 17:55 7.8M

Repeat Transmissions

This programme has not been repeated.

Locations

  • Numerous locations withing Central and West London;
  • Wimbledon, Surrey;
  • Southall;

Studios

  • Television Centre Studio 3;
  • Television Centre Studio 6;
  • Television Centre Studio 8;

Bloopers and Mistakes

When Sarah is hit on the head by a beam knocked loose by the dinosaur it hits the back of her head and yet it's her forehead that appears bruised and scratched!

When Mike Yates is about to sabotage the Doctor's gun, he glances down at it in the back of the Brigadier's jeep - and it can be seen that the sabotage device is already on it. (Although we don't see him put it on until on shortly afterwards).

When the UNIT soldiers are shooting at the tyrannosaurus, the CSO is very badly lined up - making it seem like their rifles are aimed at the building beside it.

As the Doctor is being herded through the underground complex, watch the right wall when the second door falls. It wobbles quite badly.

Notes and Trivia

The first episode is just called Invasion Part One to hide the presence of the monsters.

Present Australian transmissions of the story ignore this episode (which only exists as a black and white film print) and start with Part Two of the story, and call it Part One.

Working Titles

This programme has not working titles
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