Tuesday, 23 December 2014

Great Unreleased Doctor Who Merchandise of the 20th Century - part eight

Doctor Who Slipback - Viewmaster Reels 

GAF - 1986 - Price £1.99 (Woolworths exclusive)

Back when Michael Grade put 'Doctor Who' on hiatus in the mid-eighties, the production team filled in their time by making a radio special that was allegedly broadcast on BBC Radio Four UK. (Few people actually heard it due to the fact it appeared within a kids radio programme that no-one listened to.) 

Having sold two successful sets of 3D reels of Doctor Who for their popular Viewmaster viewing thing, the people at GAF signed up for another set. Alas, the aforementioned 18 month hiatus set in. 

Needing something for the ever approaching Christmas market, GAF sent their photographer to the next best thing... the recording of the radio show. 

Pictures were taken in glorious 3D of the cast and crew at work, play and, in the case of veteran actor, Valentine Dyall, asleep in a large moth-eaten armchair.

The subsequent reels were released in time for Christmas as a Woolworths exclusive. 

In 2008, Woolworths went into administration...

A lesson had been learnt!


Suggested by reader Clayton Hickman - £5 Woolworths Gift Token STAR LETTER