Five Rounds Rapid!: The Autobiography of Nicholas Courtney, Doctor Who's Brigadier

by Nicholas Courtney, John Nathan-Turner (Editor)

The world of Doctor Who would not be the same without Nicholas Courtney -- the only actor to play alongside every incarnation of the famous Time Lord. Courtney captured the hearts of the show's legions of fans as Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, the uncompromising stiff-upper-lipped quintessential British soldier. A stalwart of Doctor Who throughout the 70's and the 80's, the phlegmatic character of Brigadier character of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart provided the perfect balance for the erratic and ever-changing Doctor. As the British commander of the Unit Nations Intelligence Taskforce the Brigadier did battle with Daleks, Yeti -- in fact every noteworthy alien race that the Doctor ever encountered.This unique volume explores all aspects of a fascinating man. From his remarkable youth to the heights of television stardom come anecdotes and revelations in his own words, lavishly illustrated with over a hundred never-before-seen photos focusing on his years in Doctor Who. Beautifully put together, this is the ultimate tribute to a much-beloved fan favorite.

Genres: Doctor Who, Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir

128 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1998

About the author

William Nicholas Stone Courtney (16 December 1929 – 22 February 2011) was a British television actor, most famous for playing Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who.

Reviews

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

どういう感じでブリゲディアがいろんなドクターと共演することができたのかずっと不思議だったけれども読んだらものすごく納得だった。

イギリスの劇場事情とTVドラマ界となんだか皆が知り合いという感じで、モンスターの中の人たちともかつて劇場で一緒に働いたことあるとかその後一緒になるとか。すごくつながっていて納得。

あとジョン・パートウィーとの関係も面白かった。最初はちょっとなじまなかったのが後に車に一緒に乗るシーンの撮影のリハーサル後に不意に「今まで一緒に仕事したなかで1番いいヤツだな」と言われて感極まってしまった話とか、コンベンションでみんなで回った話しとか、こうやってドクター・フーファミリーが形成されていったんだなぁと。

ジョン・パートウィーの訃報をきいたのはコンベンションで一緒にすごした数週間後のことって話しもすごく悲しいんだけれどそうやって何かしら接点があって一緒に過ごした時間があったっていうのを知れて嬉しかった。

ブリゲディアのこと余計に好きになったし、オーディオドラマとか他の作品も機会があれば見てみたいなぁと。

[Richie The Collector · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evokes fond memories of Nicholas Courtney, both on screen and in real life. He very kindly signed this book for me at convention in 1999. Only now have I finally got round to reading the whole thing!

[Susan Brand · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting read, and the photos are wonderful. A nice insight into an actors life and a must read for anyone interested in the classic era of Doctor Who!

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans will learn a lot about the life of Nicholas Courtney, before his debut in Doctor Who as Bret Vyon and later in the role that gained him international fame. His hard childhood in Egypt, his days in the theatre as a struggling actor, and his views on his fellow actors, many of whom ended up in one Who story. Told with modest humility, one can see what personality Courtney had. His viewpoints on the UNIT stories he was in are revealing. Truly a book to read.

[Kristina Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

You get the sense from this book that Nicholas Courtney could have provided a wealth of anecdotes to fills several books. There was far more to Doctor Who's Brigadier than I'd realised.