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56) THE MIND OF EVIL

30 January - 6 March 1971

Average Viewing Figure: 7.6M

Plot

The Master plans to use an alien mind parasite to trigger a world war which could destroy the planet

Cast

Jon Pertwee (The Doctor), Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Roger Delgado (The Master), Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart)

Richard Franklin (Captain Yates), John Levene (Sergeant Benton), William Marlowe (Mailer), Haydn Jones (Vosper)

Pik-Sen Lim (Captain Chin Lee), Kristopher Kum (Fu Peng), Raymond Westwell (Prison Governor), Michael Sheard (Dr Summers)

Patrick Godfrey (Major Cosworth), Simon Lack (Professor Kettering), Neil McCarthy (Barnham), Tommy Duggan (Senator Alcott)

Fernanda Marlowe (Corporal Bell), Clive Scott (Linwood), Roy Purcell (Chief Prison Officer Powers)

Eric Mason (Senior Prison Officer Green), Bill Matthews, Barry Wade, Dave Carter, Martin Gordon (Prison Officers)

David Calderisi (Charlie), Johnny Barrs (Fuller), Matthew Walters (Main Gates Prisoner)

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Uncredited Cast

Leslie Weekes, Tony Jenkins (Prison Officers), Desmond Verini, Dennis Balcombe, Phillip Webb, George Ballantine, Francis Batsoni

Leonard Kingston, Ned Hood, Cy Town, Alistair McFarlane, Paul Blomley, Roger Marsden, Wolfgang van Jergen, Richard Atherton

Val Musetti, Michael Carter, Les Conrad, Les Clark, Derek Martin, Max Diamond, Bob Blaine, Derek Chafer, Ricky Lancing

Johnny Clump, Pat Donahue, Michael Ely, Timothy Combe (Prisoners), Desmond Verini, Dennis Balcombe, Phillip Webb

George Ballantine, Francis Batsoni, Leonard Kingston, Ned Hood, Cy Town, Alistair McFarlane, Paul Blomley (Audience)

Maureen Race (Female Student), Charless Pickless, Charles Finch (Medical Orderlies), Francis Batsoni (Corpse of Cheng Teik)

Francis Williams (Master's Chauffeur), Paul Tann (Chinese Aide), Nick Hobbs (American Aide) 

Crew

Don Houghton (Writer), Ron Grainer (Title Music), Dudley Simpson (Incidental Music), Max Sarnett, Fred Hamilton (Film Cameramen)

Howard Billingham (Film Editor), HAVOC (Fight Arranger), HAVOC (Action), James Ward (Visual Effects)

Sam Upton, Roger Harvey (Videotape Editors), Bobi Bartlett (Costumes), Jan Harrison (Make-Up), Eric Monk (Studio Lighting)

Chick Anthony (Sound), Brian Hodgson (Special Sound), Terrance Dicks (Script Editor), Ray London (Designer)

Barry Letts (Producer), Timothy Combe (Director)

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Uncredited Cast

Dave Havard (Effects Assistants), Gerry Burrows (Grams Operator), John O'Shaunessy (Floor Assistant), Graham Southcote (Technical Manager)

Mike Catherwood (Vision Mixer)​

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Dover Castle, Dover, Kent

  • Archer's Court Road, Whitfield, Kent

  • Alland Grange, RAF Manston, Kent

  • RAF Swingate Dover, Kent

  • Pineham Road, Pineham, Kent

  • Cornwall Gardens, Kensington, Lodnon

  • Cornwall Walk Gardens, Kensington, London

  • Commonwealth Institute, Kensington, London

  • Television Centre: Studio 3

  • Television Centre: Studio 6

Deaths

  • Mailer [shot and killed by the Brigadier]

  • Vosper [killed by the Keller Machine]

  • Prison Governor [shot and killed by Mailer]

  • Professor Kettering [killed by the Keller Machine]

  • Barnham [run over by The Master]

  • Linwood [killed by the Keller Machine]

  • Senior Prison Officer Green [shot and killed]

  • Charlie [killed by the Keller Machine]

  • Prison Officers [killed in many ways]

  • Prisoners [killed in many ways]

Production Days

  • 15 Days between Monday 26 October - Saturday 19 December 1970

Production Errors

  1. A female sneeze can be heard coming from somewhere in the studio during the office scene in episode four

  2. When thrown into the cell by The Master's thugs, the wall visibly shakes 

  3. During a fight sequence where water is spilled, The Master visibly slips twice ​​​

Working Titles

  • Pandora Machine

Verdict

The Mind of Evil is one of those serials which tries so desperately hard to be a fan favourite by throwing everything at the screen but ends up falling flat on its face. Don Houghton has written a stronger script with a much more focused story and a better threat for The Doctor to face and defeat, although he still needs to learn a thing or two about writing cliffhangers. There is a rare moment where The Doctor is genuinely scared and appears to be in a situation where there is no escape. A peace conference, nuclear missile and a prison setting are thrown to create a gripping thriller adventure. The prison is utilised quite well allowing for some fancy filming location work, a poorly yet enjoyable heist scene and some haunting imagery whenever the Keller Machine appears. The cast is remarkable strong although a few of the Prisoners are weak and sleazy and only serve as your generic tough-guy villain cliché. Despite some repetition and flimsy production values it still remains as gripping storytelling. ***​

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