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UNIT (audio Drama Series)
''UNIT'' is a science fiction audio series produced by Big Finish Productions focused on the fictional military organisation of the same name, who investigate extra terrestrial threat. Members of UNIT include Kate Stewart, Sam Bishop and Josh Carter Cast Notable guests *Katy Manning as Jo Grant *John Levene as John Benton * Richard Franklin as Mike Yates *Pik-Sen Lim as Chin Lee *Alex Kingston as River Song *Tom Baker as The Curator ''The Original Series'' Series 1 (2004–05) Special (2012) ''Brave New World'' (2022) ''The New Series'' ''UNIT'' was relaunched in 2015 as ''UNIT: The New Series''. Each series is principally led by Jemma Redgrave and Ingrid Oliver Ingrid Oliver (born 25 February 1977) is a British actress and comedian, and one half of the comic double act '' Watson & Oliver''. She is known for playing Petronella Osgood, a supporting character in the BBC television series '' Doctor Who'' ... reprising their roles of Kate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays (released straight to compact disc and for download in MP3 and m4b format) based, primarily, on cult science fiction properties. These include '' Doctor Who'', the characters Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog from '' 2000 AD'', '' Blake's 7'', ''Dark Shadows'', '' Dracula'', ''Terrahawks'', '' Sapphire & Steel'', ''Sherlock Holmes'', ''Stargate'', '' The Avengers'', '' The Prisoner'', ''Timeslip'' and '' Torchwood''. History Founded in 1996, Big Finish in late 1998 began releasing audio plays adapted from the New Adventures, a series of novels from Virgin Books which had originally been licensed ''Doctor Who'' stories, but by then had become officially independent from the show and were based around the character of Bernice "Benny" Summerfield. In 1999, Big Finish obtained a non-exclusive licence to produce official ''Doctor Who'' plays, beginning with the multi-Doctor story ''The Sirens of Time''. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ingrid Oliver
Ingrid Oliver (born 25 February 1977) is a British actress and comedian, and one half of the comic double act '' Watson & Oliver''. She is known for playing Petronella Osgood, a supporting character in the BBC television series '' Doctor Who''. Career Oliver and her comedy partner Lorna Watson met at Tiffin Girls' School in Kingston upon Thames. In September 2005, Watson and Oliver performed their first show together at the Canal Cafe Theatre in London. Since then they have taken sell-out shows to Edinburgh Festival Fringe, in both 2006 and 2007. Oliver has performed in various radio and television programmes, including ''Doc Martin'' starring Martin Clunes, ''The Penny Dreadfuls radio series '' The Penny Dreadfuls Present... The Brothers Faversham'' and the radio series ''Another Case of Milton Jones''. She played the part of Natalie in ''Peep Show'' on Channel 4. She appears in the film '' Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging'' as Miss Stamp, and in early 2009 could be se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Yates
Captain Mike Yates is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', played by Richard Franklin. He was adjutant of the British contingent of UNIT, an international organization that defends Earth from alien threats. Character history Yates first appeared in the Third Doctor serial '' Terror of the Autons'', the latest in a line of Captains assisting Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, although the Doctor implies that he was around for previous stories. He proved more durable than his predecessors, appearing semi-regularly on the programme from 1971 to 1974 alongside the Brigadier and Sergeant Benton. Together with the Doctor and his companions, Yates fought off alien invasions, the machinations of the renegade Time Lord known as the Master, rogue computers and mutated maggots. Little is known of him outside of his time with UNIT. He was cool under fire, efficient, and both gave and carried out his orders with a minimum of fuss. He appeared ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Franklin (actor)
Richard Kimber Franklin (born 15 January 1936) is an English actor, writer, director and political activist. Principally a stage actor, he has also appeared as a regular character in several high-profile British television programmes, including ''Crossroads'' and '' Emmerdale Farm'', and he portrayed Captain Mike Yates of UNIT in ''Doctor Who'' from 1971 until 1974, returning to the role on a number of occasions both on television and in ''Doctor Who'' spin-off media. Franklin is a dramatist and the author of the book ''Forest Wisdom: Radical Reform of Democracy and the Welfare State'', which reflects his political views and activism, and has written novels based in the Whoniverse. He has stood as a candidate for the UK Parliament for several parties and founded the Silent Majority Party. Early life and career Franklin was educated at Westminster School, and read PPE before going on to complete an MA in Modern History at Christ Church, Oxford. During National Service he wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sergeant Benton
Sergeant John Benton is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', played by John Levene. He was the senior non-commissioned officer, NCO of the British contingent of UNIT, an international organisation that defends Earth from extraterrestrial life, alien threats. He appeared semi-regularly on the programme from 1968 to 1975, and was eventually promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer, Warrant Officer Class 1, holding the post of Regimental Sergeant Major. Character history Benton first appeared in the Second Doctor serial ''The Invasion (Doctor Who), The Invasion'' (1968), when he was just a corporal in UNIT. By the time of his next appearance in ''The Ambassadors of Death'' (1970) he had been promoted to Sergeant and quickly formed a close relationship with Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor, Mike Yates, Captain Mike Yates and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, the latter usually calling first for Benton when an order needed to be carried out ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Levene
John Levene (born John Anthony Woods; 24 December 1941) is an English actor, producer, entertainer and singer. Although he has appeared in a large number of films and television series, Levene's best-known role is that of Sergeant Benton, of UNIT in the science-fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', a role he played from 1968 to 1975. Early life Levene was born as John Anthony Woods in Salisbury, Wiltshire on Christmas Eve 1941, the eldest child of Austin and Vera Woods (née Blake); he has a younger brother called Michael. Levene was born breeched, jaundiced and was dead for the first couple of minutes of his life after he suffocated from a piece of afterbirth being stuck in his airways and his heart stopped beating for two minutes until the doctor removed the blockage. Levene's father was a sergeant in the army and was on board the SS Empire Baffin; upon his return he was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal by King George VI. Shortly after being temporarily blinded in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jo Grant
Josephine "Jo" Grant, later Jo Jones, is a fictional character played by Katy Manning in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Jo was introduced by Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks in the first episode of ''Doctor Who''s eighth season (1971) as a new companion of series protagonist the Doctor, in his third incarnation (Jon Pertwee). After the Doctor's previous companion Liz Shaw ( Caroline John), a scientist and intellectual, the production team looked to introduce a less experienced companion to act as an audience surrogate. Jo appeared in 15 stories (77 episodes). Within the series narrative, Jo is a junior civilian operative for United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, an international organisation that defends the Earth from alien threats, assigned as an assistant to the Doctor, who is initially stranded on earth. Once he regains use of his time machine, the TARDIS, she accompanies him in travels across time and space. Jo departs the Do ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Katy Manning
Catherine Ann "Katy" Manning (born 14 October 1946) is an English- Australian actress, television presenter, voice artist and former model. Although she has made many appearances on both screen and stage, Manning is best known for her part as the companion Jo Grant in the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Manning initially played the role regularly from 1971 to 1973 but also reprised the role in the ''Doctor Who'' spin-off '' The Sarah Jane Adventures'' in 2010. She is also well known for voicing Iris Wildthyme in the audio series ''Iris Wildthyme'' for Big Finish Productions since 2005. Moving to Australia in 1982, Manning continued her career before moving to Los Angeles, U.S. in the 1990s and then returning to Australia. She has also made many theatre appearances, including two one-woman shows and playing Mary Smith in the first run of the play '' Run for Your Wife'' and Rita in '' Educating Rita'' at the Sydney Opera House. Since 1990, Manning has b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harry Sullivan (Doctor Who)
Harry Sullivan is a fictional character from the British science-fiction television series '' Doctor Who'' and is a companion of the Fourth Doctor. Played by Ian Marter, the character appears as a regular during the programme's twelfth season in 1974–1975. Character history Doctor Sullivan is a commissioned Surgeon-Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, who is attached as medical officer to the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, the military organisation to which the Doctor acts as scientific advisor. He is first mentioned (though not seen) in ''Planet of the Spiders'', when the Brigadier thinks the Third Doctor has gone into a coma. The Brigadier calls for Doctor Sullivan and asks him to come to the Doctor's laboratory, but tells him not to bother when Sergeant Benton wakes the Doctor by offering him a cup of coffee. In the next serial, ''Robot'', after the Doctor's third regeneration, Sullivan is called in to attend him, and ends up travelling aboard the TARDIS with the F ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christopher Naylor (actor)
Christopher Naylor is a British actor and artist. He trained at LAMDA. His television work includes ''Warriors'' for director Peter Kosminsky (1999), '' Bugs'' (1999), ''Plastic Man'' opposite John Thaw (1999), '' Sweet Revenge'' (2001), '' In Love with Barbara'' (2008), ''The Alienist (2018)'' and ''The Crown'' (2018). On film he has appeared in ''Benediction'' (2021) for director Terence Davies. His theatre work includes ''Dangerous Corner'' (1999) and '' Hard Times'' (2000) at the Watermill Theatre, tour of '' Hay Fever'' (2007), ''Song of the Western Men'' by Christopher William Hill at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester (2002), Jack Worthing in ''The Importance of Being Earnest'' at York Theatre Royal (2005), '' Blue/Orange'' at the New Victoria Theatre, Stoke (2007), the world premiere of ''Leaving'' (2008) by Vaclav Havel and the ''Middlemarch'' trilogy (2014) at the Orange Tree Theatre. In 2009 he starred in the West End stage production of '' The Woman in Black'' at th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mark Bonnar
Richard Mark Bonnar (born 19 November 1968) is a Scottish actor. He is known for his roles as Max in ''Guilt'', Duncan Hunter in '' Shetland'', Bruno Jenkins in ''Casualty'', Detective Finney in ''Psychoville'', DCC Mike Dryden in '' Line of Duty'', Colin Osborne in ''Unforgotten'', Townsend in '' Battlefield 1 and '' Field in '' Summer of Rockets''. Career On television, Bonnar has appeared as Peter Mayhew in BBC One's '' New Blood'' and Chris in the Channel 4 comedy '' Catastrophe'', a role which he reprised in the following series. He also portrays the Rev. Adam Collingbourne in ITV's '' Home Fires'', John Halliday in ''Undercover'', as well as regular Duncan Hunter in '' Shetland'' for BBC One. Other television credits include '' Vera'', ''Grantchester'', '' Case Histories'', '' The Paradise'', '' Doctor Who'', ''Psychoville'', ''Taggart'', '' Phoneshop'' and ''Paradox''. In 2005, he portrayed regular Bruno Jenkins in the BBC One series ''Casualty''. In 2018, he portrayed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tracy Wiles
Tracy Wiles (born c. 1970) is an English actress, who has worked on radio, stage and TV, and in film. She has appeared in '' McCallum'' (1997), ''Sea of Souls'' (2004), '' Doctors'' (2005-2023), '' The Line of Beauty'' (2006), ''Britz'' (2007), ''Holby City'' (2007–2017), '' Ashes to Ashes'' (2008), ''EastEnders'' (2011), ''Le Donne'' (2015), ''Manhunt'', ''Shetland'' and ''Top Boy'' (all 2019), and '' The Catch'' in 2023. Biography Wiles was born in Lincolnshire but raised on the Island of Islay. She graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 1995. Film appearances include ''Samaria Intrigo'', '' Wild Rose'', '' Bronson'', ''Swinging with the Finkels'' and the short film ''Awakening'', which won Best Drama at the New York Short Film Festival 2015. Her television work includes ''Shetland'', ''Top Boy'', ''Manhunt'', '' Outnumbered'', ''Law & Order'', '' Siblings'', ''EastEnders'', ''Holby City'', '' Ashes to Ashes'' and ''Britz''. She has won the Carleton Hobbs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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