Interview with Louise Jameson

My next post is a real treat, another Doctor Who related interview, this time by one of the Doctor's greatest companions, Louise Jameson!

For those of you who don't know Louise, she is perhaps best remembered for her role as Leela, alongside Tom Baker's 4th Doctor in Doctor Who.



The character was introduced in order to "sex up" the show, even though some people thought a warrior woman dressed in a loin cloth with a hunting knife was taking things too far...



You may also remember her as Rosa di Marco from EastEnders:



Anyway, enough with the introduction, here's the interview:

As a graduate of RADA, and with a successful stint with the Royal Shakespeare Company under your belt, what was it that drove you towards Doctor Who, and to television in general?

Immediate after RADA I got a couple of 'classic' one off TV jobs, and as you rightly say, some prestigious work with the RSC... my then agent and I decided it was time to up the profile and hold out for a TV series. I tried several (got down to the last 10 for Perdy in the Avengers!) and another series called ANGELS - but eventually Dr Who came good - aren't I the lucky one!

When you joined the cast of Doctor Who, the show was experiencing what many have described as its renaissance period. What are some of your fondest memories during your time on the show?

My fondest memories... I think they have to be during the filming of THE SUNMAKERS - such a fabulous script, and fabulous cast, a lot of it filmed on location so the cast bonded more than normal. Also working with Alan Lake on a different story - he was an absolute joy to be around.

One of my favourite Doctor Who stories of all time is Horror Of Fang Rock. How did it feel to not have to wear Leela's classic leather outfit (instead opting for the grey woolen jumper, which looked very nice I might add)?

I wanted a VERY different costume for that story - I thought the clothes should have been absolutely HUGE - why would they have clothes that fitted me? It just wasn't truthful. Also I don't know if you know but that story was originally written for Sarah Jane, so it was hard to haul the character towards Leela - I had to cut several screams!

In 1998 you were cast as Rosa di Marco in EastEnders, who was part of a family which were heralded as the new leads for the show. However, many critics have suggested that the di Marco's failed due to poor script writing for the characters (despite Rosa having some pretty decent story arcs, in my opinion). What are you thoughts on the subject, and of your character of Rosa di Marco?

At the very point where they 'let us go' I thought we were about to fly. In the November before, the then-producer had asked if I was prepared to commit for 5 years as they wanted us to take over the pub and become the lynch pin of the series. I jumped at it. New Producer in February, we are out by May... That's fine, it's the way it works, but I was VERY pissed off that they let the press know before they told us; the BBC has always treated me with such respect and I've had a marvelous career with them over the years, so it was a real shock to be discarded in that way.

As a former Doctor Who companion, you get invited to conventions the world over. Recently, through First Contact Conventions, we have had highly enjoyable visits by Peter Davison, Mark Strickson, and Paul McGann, which have been fantastic opportunities for us fans in Australia to meet the actors from the show. Have you ever thought about visiting Melbourne as part of a convention?

There is the vaguest of possibilities that I may be there this October - my next email. I have had a west end job pending that has just fallen through so I am now available and I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to get to the other side of the world.

Hopefully see you soon,

Love Louise X X X


So there you go. Even though I didn't get her autograph (a traight of this blog sight) I did manage to get a really ripping interview from a remarkable woman.
Thanks Louise!

Sophie Aldred

Now here's a treat, not only do I have another celebrity autograph success to show you, but I also managed to score an interview as well!


Sophie Aldred played Ace in Doctor Who, from Dragonfire in 1987 until Survival in 1989, alongside Sylvester McCoy's 7th Doctor. Many regard her as one of the best companions of all time, she certainly had the best character arc. Since leaving Doctor Who, Sophie has appeared in various childrens shows, on radio and on stage, and is a regular on the convention circuit. But enough from me, here's the interview!

When you joined the cast of Doctor Who in 1987, what impace did you have on the design and character of Ace?

I was one of the lucky one! Having come from a background of fringe and children's theatre, I naturally assumed that I would have a lot of say in my costume. Also the new young script eidtor, Andrew Cartmell, came up to my at the read through and said he really liked the way I was dressed (stripey t-shirt, army shorts, Doc Marten boots) and did I think that was a good sort of look for Ace. It always felt like a collaborative process, including character. Before I did my first season proper, Andrew got me together with the writers for tea so that we could discuss character and they could meet me and suss me out. I thought this was great as it made for a lot more realism I felt.

Looking back, how do you feel about Ace's personal journey throughout her time in the show? Many have argued that Ace had the greatest character arc during the show's run, one that had never been seen before or since.

Well, I would say that certainly before, there was not such a rounded complex character and that was partly due to the generosity of Sylvester as an actor (although he was only too happy to give me the techno jargon lines) and the foresight of Andrew Cartmell. I didn't really think of it - I hadn't watched Dr Who for a long time - but with hindsight it really was rather remarkable, considering there were no other drama roles for young actresses at the time. I would like to think that Rose couldn't have happened without Ace, but then Russell T is an extraordinarily clever man with his finger on the zeitgeist, but to me there were similar elements, especially with "Survival" Ace.

In 2008, the readers of SFX Magazine rated Ace as the 4th Best Doctor Who Companion of all time. How does it feel to still be so highly regarded by the viewers?

I am always delighted that fans have been so taken by the character of Ace, and that she continues to be a force in her own right!

When the show ended in 1989, the character of Ace lived on in various novel and comic books, and there are varied fates which could be attributed to the character, depending on which medium you followed. What future would you have liked to see for Ace?

I must say I did like the idea that she was going to be taken to Gallifrey to train as a Time Lord and put the wind up them! I can't see her having been married off, can you?

With the resurgence in popularity of Doctor Who over the last 5 years, have you ever thought about a return to the show, either as Ace or perhaps even as a new character? If asked, would you like to?

I love the new series with a passion. I am so delighted to see friends who were originally fans of ths how now working on the series and doing such a great job. My 10 year old son has just been allowed to watch his first series live, and his first episode was the first Matt Smith. I had tears in my eyes as I watched his open mouthed wonder and wide eyed excitement. What a great introduction...

I would be honoured to go back, as all of us companions would.

As a former Doctor Who companion, you get invited to conventions the world over. Recently, through First Contact Conventions, we have had highly enjoyable visits by Peter Davison, Mark Strickson, and Paul McGann, which have been fantastic opportunities for the fans in Australia to meet the actors from the show. Have you ever thought about visiting Melbourne as part of a convention?

Funnily enough I have just been invited out in the Autumn, so looking forward so very much to seeing you all!

Many thanks; hope that's all ok for you

Sophie


So there you go! My heartfelt thanks to Sophie for such a great interview. Sophie can be seen at Armegeddon Melbourne, in October 2010.

As an added treat, here is the autograph I obtained, this time through a raffle at a meeting of the Doctor Who Club of Victoria. It's not usually how I get my autographs, but I'm very pleased.




Until next time!

British PM David Cameron

Next on my list of autographs is the new British Prime Minister, David Cameron.


I noticed David on an British News Report a few months ago, and there was a lot of buzz around him as a possible future PM, so (as I have a few British PM autographs in my collection) I decided to ask him beforehand, just in case he did get the job.

It was just a simple email to the Torrie Party HQ. Now I don't really support either the Conservatives or the British Labour Party, but I thought I'd send a supportive email and see where it got me. Well... it got me this:


1. A pre-printed autographed photo of David (I can tell it's pre-printed because the autograph is pixelated).


2. A poorly spelt letter from the Conservative Party (I counted 2 mistakes, the first being no Full Stop in the second paragraph, and the second is the word "their" instead of "they're"). Hmm, makes me wonder if I can get a job at 10 Downing Streeet?

Until next time, be good!

Conan O'Brien

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is acutally one of my first ever successful through-the-mail replies, Conan O'Brien.


For those of you who don't know Conan, he was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 1987-91, and then he was a writer on The Simpsons from 1991-93.


Later that year, he replaced David Letterman as the host of NBC's "Late Night" when Letterman switched to CBS after being denied hosting duties on The Tonight Show (then held by Johnny Carson).


Foxtel's Comedy Channel used to show "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" from Monday's to Friday's, straight after The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Although, as Late Night was beemed off the satellite, Tuesday night would show Monday's episode, Wednesday would show Tuesday's episode, etc, and even worse, Monday night would show Friday's episode.
It was a bit confusing, and the jokes were a bit outdated (especially on Monday nights) but the show itself was terrific, with many awesome sketches, such as:
Triumph The Insult Comic Dog


and, In The Year 2000 (which co-starred O'Brien's side-kick Andy Richter)


Despite initial poor ratings, Late Night soldiered on, and it was this under-dog status that really made O'Brien stand out. Even when Andy Richter left, and the show seemed to be at it's lowest ebb, O'Brien really started to own it, and people started tuning in. Big time.
On a side note, when I visited New York City in 2005, I did the tour of NBC Studios, and stood in the Late Night studio. Unfortunately, O'Brien was on holidays in Norway at the time, so I never got to meet him (that would've been cool).

Late Night was such a hit that O'Brien went on to host The Oscars, whilst in Australia, the Comedy Channel switched The Tonight Show and Late Night (until they were told to switch it back to the normal format).

Then, in 2009, O'Brien got his wish to finally host The Tonight Show (once Jay Leno left). He moved everything from New York to Los Angeles, including the Max Weinberg 7, and he even got Andy Richter back to introduce the show each night.


Sadly, NBC didn't like O'Brien's version of the show, and after only 7 months he was forced out (with a hefty severance package), and replaced by the returning Jay Leno.

Conan O'Brien then started his "Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour" of 30 cities across the USA, and the latest word is that O'Brien has now signed on to host a new late night talk show TBS in November 2010. Hopefully the Comedy Channel picks it up...

Anyway, back to the autograph. Here it is, a nice b&w 8x10 of Conan O'Brien on the set of Late Night.

:D

Kaley Cuoco

Next in my line up of celebrity autographs is American TV star, Kaley Cuoco.


Kaley's first decent role was as Maureen McCormack (the actress who played Marcia Brady) in the biopic "Growing Up Brady". She received some applaud for this role, and having seen it once on Foxtel, I can agree. The film wasn't that bad either. Well, it was definately a lot better then "The Brady Bunch In The White House".

(That's her in the red top in the middle of the stairs)

After this, Cuoco went on to star in the mega-hit sitcom "8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter" which was then shortened to "8 Simple Rules". Unfortunately, during the filming of the show's second season, John Ritter, who played the Dad, died of a congenital heart defect. The producers put the show on hiatis, and when it returned they wrote the death into the storyline. Going into it's third season, the show was never the same again (despite Katey Segal taking a more prominent role, and the casting of James Garner and David Spade), and was cancelled.

Then, Cuoco went on the star in the final 22 episodes of Charmed, as apprentice witch Billie Jenkins. But her biggest role (to date) was just around the corner...

Kaley Cuoco can now be seen as Penny in the sitcom "The Big Bang Theory" on Channel 9, Go!, and Foxtel's Comedy Channel. For those of you who haven't watched the show, it's a delightful romp about two 20-something "nerds" who live aross the hall from Penny, a wanna-be actress. It has some great laughs, and a lot of comic book/movie/pop culture references. In the more recent epsiodes, Penny has hooked up with Leonard. In the past, when the 2 lead roles get together, this has lead to the show's downfall, but in this case it has reinvigorated the dynamic of the show and has lead to better storylines.

Anyway, back to the autograph, when Cuoco was starring in 8 Simple Rules, I sent my usual letter of request (including a self-addressed envelope) and not much longer, I received this charming 3x5 card as a reply. Sa-weet!

Pamela Anderson

Next on my list of celebrity autographs is 1990's sex symbol, Pamela Anderson.


Born in Canada and moving to the USA, the story goes that Anderson initially found fame when, whilst sitting in the crowd at a football match, she appeared on the big screen to the cheers of the crowd. She was then signed up as a model, and eventually moved to LA to appear in Playboy and become an actress.

It didn't take long before she was cast as Lisa, the "Tool Time Girl" on the popular sitcom, Home Improvement. 2 years later, she left the show and starred in what would arguably be her biggest role, as CJ Parker in Baywatch, aka "the most watched TV show in the world".

You can see why the show was so popular.


A year before she left Baywatch, she appeared in her only lead role feature film, Barb Wire. Savaged by critics, the film did very poorly.

After Baywatch, she starred as Valerie Irons in her own TV show, V.I.P. which lasted 4 seasons. A few guest appearances later, it wasn't until the Fox Network aired her sitcom Stacked, set in a coffee/book shop. Co-starring Christopher Lloyd, this show had a few good laughs, for an American show anyway.

Since then she has spoken out for PETA against Kentucky Fried Chicken, appeared in Australia's Big Brother, and had a cameo in the movies Borat, and Superhero Movie.

Hilarious!


Anyway, during her time on V.I.P, I managed to find her fanmail address, and wouldn't you know it, I received a successful reply in the mail. Booya!



Oh yeah, she also married a couple of blokes, and filmed a couple of home-made sex videos... but that was before it was "the cool thing to do".

Julie Newmar - Catwoman

The next autograph I have to show you is actually one of my most recent through-the-mail successes, Julie Newmar, who played Catwoman in the 1960's Batman TV show.

Here she is during a photoshoot in the 1960's.


For those of you who aren't familiar with the Batman TV series, it ran for 3 seasons, from January 1966 until March 1968, and also included a feature film in between the 1st and 2nd seasons. It was a worldwide hit and made stars out of the two leads, Adam West as Batman, and Burt Ward as Robin. The show also had some of the biggest names in showbusiness as villains, such as Cesar Romero as the Joker, Burgess Meredith as The Penguin, and Vincent Price as Egghead.

I was born in 1980, far too late to watch the show during it's original run, but thanks to Foxtel, I can now watch it every Saturday and Sunday morning on Fox Classics. My daughters love it!

Now, Julie Newmar was the first of 3 actresses to play the role of Catwoman during the 60's, the second being Lee Meriwether in the feature film, and Eartha Kitt in Season 3. I always thought Newmar was the best, which is why I wrote to her.

Which Catwoman do YOU prefer?
Julie Newmar


Lee Meriwether


Eartha Kitt


Julie Newmar also had a cameo in the low budget bio-pic Return To The Batcave, which included a cringe-worthy dance-scene between herself and Adam West. The movie is actually very good, and the actors playing Adam West, Burt Ward, etc all did a very good job in the roles. Check it out, it's camp, but it's good (just like Batman, actually).

Anyway, back to the autograph... I wrote a letter to her in 2002, with a self-addressed envelope and an international reply coupon, and I received the autograph 7 years later, making it (to date) my longest wait for a positive reply. But, it's a great autograph...



Although, I would've liked her to have written "To Manuel, Thanks for everything, Julie Newmar" but still, it's great nontheless.