YY. The Space Pirates

Season Six - 1968/1969

Script Editor: Derrick Sherwin
Writer: Robert Holmes
Produced by: Peter Bryant
Director: Michael Hart
Designer: Ian Watson
Incidental Music: Dudley Simpson

Synopsis

Space pirates have been destroying navigation beacons in the search for the precious agonite.

The TARDIS materialises on board a navigation beacon in the far future. The beacon is split up into several sections by a group of space pirates in an attempt to steal it, and the Doctor and his companions are separated from the TARDIS..

The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe become caught in a conflict between the International Space Corps, led by General Hermack and Major Warne, and the space pirates led by the murderous Craven.

The ISC believes that the eccentric mining pioneer Milo Clancey is to blame. Craven has a base on the planet Ta, assisted by his ex-partner's, Dom, daughter Madeleine Issigri. Unbeknown to her he is holding Dom captive.

Discovering Craven's treachery, Madeleine helps to bring him to justice. The Doctor and his companions are given a lift back to the TARDIS by Clancey in a rickety spacecraft.

Regular Cast

  • Jamie McCrimmon: Frazer Hines
  • Zoe Heriot: Wendy Padbury

Guest Cast

  • General Nicolai Hermack: Jack May
  • Major Ian Warne: Donald Gee
  • Technician Penn: George Layton
  • Maurice Craven: Dudley Foster (1,3-6)
  • Dervish: Brian Peck
  • Lieutenant Sorba: Nik Zaran (1,4-5)
  • Space Guard: Anthony Donovan (1)
  • Milo Clancey: Gordon Gostelow (2-6)
  • Madeleine Issigri: Lisa Daniely (2-6)
  • Pirate Guard: Steve Peters (4-6)
  • Dom Issigri: Esmond Knight (5-6)
Uncredited:
  • Double for the Doctor: Tom Laird
  • Issigri HQ Secretary: Valerie Stanton
  • Pirate Guards: John Caeser, Edward Cogdell, Leslie Conrad, Bill Richards
  • Space Corps Technicians: Terry Nelson, Tom Segal, Neville Simons
  • Space Corps Guards: Alf Coster, Tony Hutchins, Clive Rogers, Peter Roy, Neville Simons, Ray Turton
  • Walks-Ons and Non-Speaking Artists: Derek Chafer, James Haswell, Paul Kirby

Original broadcast on the BBC

Channel Title Date Viewers Rating
BBC 1 238. Episode 1 Saturday, 8 March 1969 17:15 - 17:40 5.8M 57%
BBC 1 239. Episode 2 Saturday, 15 March 1969 17:15 - 17:40 6.8M 52%
BBC 1 240. Episode 3 Saturday, 22 March 1969 17:15 - 17:40 6.4M 53%
BBC 1 241. Episode 4 Saturday, 29 March 1969 17:15 - 17:40 5.8M 53%
BBC 1 242. Episode 5 Saturday, 5 April 1969 17:15 - 17:40 5.5M 56%
BBC 1 243. Episode 6 Saturday, 12 April 1969 17:15 - 17:40 5.3M 52%

Studios

  • Ealing Television Film Studios
  • Lime Grove Studio D
  • Television Centre Studio 4
  • Television Centre Studio 6

Notes

The story title, etc, is in black on a white caption slide, the inverse to normal.

The incidental music score includes vocals by Mary Thomas.