John Wiles

John Wiles (died April 5 1999) was the second producer of the popular science fiction serial "Doctor Who", succeeding Verity Lambert. He was credited as producer on four serials between 1965 and 1966, namely "The Myth Makers", "The Daleks' Master Plan" (which lasted for twelve episodes), "The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve", and "The Ark". Only "The Ark", and three episodes of "The Daleks' Master Plan", still survive in the BBC's archives. Along with director Michael Imison he managed to create a brand of entertainment that has outlived and outclassed many, if not all, of its contemporaries. As Wiles chose not to employ John Cura and his telesnaps service, there is sadly very little visual record left of his time on "Doctor Who".

Wiles found his time as producer difficult and frustrating. Although he had a good working relationship with story editor Donald Tosh, Wiles found that he was unable to make many changes to the format of the programme. Attempts to make the series darker led to clashes with actor William Hartnell, who as the sole remaining member of the original team saw himself as the guardian of the show's original values. An attempt to give new companion Dodo Chaplet a cockney accent was vetoed by Wiles' superiors who ordered that the regulars must speak "BBC English". With Hartnell increasingly in poor health and hostile to Wiles, the latter sought a way to replace the actor. However this was again opposed by Wiles' superiors. Wiles also disliked the lengthy "The Daleks' Master Plan" story which had been commissioned by the previous production team and which proved difficult to realise. One of his few changes that lasted even a short time was to limit nearly all stories to just four episodes. In early 1966 Wiles opted to resign in frustration with his inability to steer the show in the direction he wished, with Tosh resigning in sympathy. Ironically the tenure of the next producer, Innes Lloyd, coincided with a change in superiors and so consequently Lloyd was now able to both introduce a character with a cockney accent (Ben Jackson) and replace Hartnell.

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