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Second Generations: The Autobiography of Mary Tamm
Bradford-born Mary Tamm was already a successful actress on stage, TV and the big screen when, in 1978, she joined the cast of Doctor Who as the Time Lady, Romana, in the company of Tom Baker’s incarnation of the Doctor.
In 2009, her book First Generation recounted the story of her life before Who and her journey of self-discovery to her parents’ homeland of Estonia. Tantalisingly for Who fans, the book came to an end half way through Mary’s year on board the TARDIS. This new volume (written before her tragic death from cancer in 2012) picks up where First Generation ends, with the inside story of the filming of her final three Doctor Who adventures; and continues with tales of her subsequent TV work, her return to the stage, her ventures into the world of Who fandom, and the personal joy and fulfilment brought to her by the birth of her own ‘second generation’ – her daughter, Lauren.
Packed with incidents and anecdotes recounted with Mary’s trademark no-nonsense
Northern wit, Second Generation is rounded out with tributes and reflections from some of her closest friends and colleagues, including Miriam Margolyes, Carol Royle and Steven Berkoff.
PRAISE FOR 'FIRST GENERATION'
"An excellent read in its own right, this book deserves to find an audience beyond the Doctor Who faithful. There’s definitely something about Mary…"
Jonathan Wilkins - Total Scifi
In 2009, her book First Generation recounted the story of her life before Who and her journey of self-discovery to her parents’ homeland of Estonia. Tantalisingly for Who fans, the book came to an end half way through Mary’s year on board the TARDIS. This new volume (written before her tragic death from cancer in 2012) picks up where First Generation ends, with the inside story of the filming of her final three Doctor Who adventures; and continues with tales of her subsequent TV work, her return to the stage, her ventures into the world of Who fandom, and the personal joy and fulfilment brought to her by the birth of her own ‘second generation’ – her daughter, Lauren.
Packed with incidents and anecdotes recounted with Mary’s trademark no-nonsense
Northern wit, Second Generation is rounded out with tributes and reflections from some of her closest friends and colleagues, including Miriam Margolyes, Carol Royle and Steven Berkoff.
PRAISE FOR 'FIRST GENERATION'
"An excellent read in its own right, this book deserves to find an audience beyond the Doctor Who faithful. There’s definitely something about Mary…"
Jonathan Wilkins - Total Scifi
- GenresDoctor Who
163 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
1 person is currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Mary Tamm
26 books2 followersMary Tamm (born 22 March 1950 in Dewsbury, Yorkshire; died 24 July 2012) was a graduate and an associate member of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. She was the first actress to play Romana in Doctor Who, appearing opposite Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor.
Tamm began her acting career on the stage with the Birmingham Repertory Company in 1971, moved to London in 1972 and appeared in the musical Mother Earth. Before her association with Doctor Who, Tamm acted in several motion pictures, most notably Sigi in The Odessa File (1974) and The Likely Lads (1976).
Tamm was not initially interested in playing a companion to the Doctor. She believed the role was merely that of the "damsel in distress." She changed her mind when assured by the producers and her agent that Romana would be different. While Romana was supposed to be a Time Lady, a member of the Doctor's own people and therefore as capable as the Doctor, the character eventually took on the characteristics that Tamm was concerned about; as a result of this, she left the programme after only one season.
Tamm returned to the role of Romana in the second series of Gallifrey audio plays produced by Big Finish Productions. In 2007 she added "interviewer" to her CV when she hosted and conducted interviews for a brief documentary entitled "Stones Free" for the DVD release of The Key to Time, in which she talked to historians about one of the locations for the serial, The Stones of Blood. The 2|entertain documentary There's Something About Mary... saw Tamm recount her time on the show and the means by which she ascertained and later left the role.
Most recently, she performed in the Big Finish production The Stealers from Saiph (released June 2009), again playing Romana, as well as reading the voice of the Fourth Doctor.
Also in 2009, she read an audio book version of the Time Hunter novella The Tunnel at the End of the Light.
In 2012, Tamm recorded a series of Big Finish audios as Romana alongside Tom Baker; these will be released in 2013.
On 24 July 2012, Tamm died at the age of 62. The BBC confirmed that Tamm died in hospital following a battle against cancer. Tom Baker said in a statement: "She was a darling companion and wonderfully witty and kind. I'm so sorry to hear of her death." There was some initial confusion in the media regarding the actual date of her death, with the Radio Times later confirming that she died the morning on 24 July.
Tamm began her acting career on the stage with the Birmingham Repertory Company in 1971, moved to London in 1972 and appeared in the musical Mother Earth. Before her association with Doctor Who, Tamm acted in several motion pictures, most notably Sigi in The Odessa File (1974) and The Likely Lads (1976).
Tamm was not initially interested in playing a companion to the Doctor. She believed the role was merely that of the "damsel in distress." She changed her mind when assured by the producers and her agent that Romana would be different. While Romana was supposed to be a Time Lady, a member of the Doctor's own people and therefore as capable as the Doctor, the character eventually took on the characteristics that Tamm was concerned about; as a result of this, she left the programme after only one season.
Tamm returned to the role of Romana in the second series of Gallifrey audio plays produced by Big Finish Productions. In 2007 she added "interviewer" to her CV when she hosted and conducted interviews for a brief documentary entitled "Stones Free" for the DVD release of The Key to Time, in which she talked to historians about one of the locations for the serial, The Stones of Blood. The 2|entertain documentary There's Something About Mary... saw Tamm recount her time on the show and the means by which she ascertained and later left the role.
Most recently, she performed in the Big Finish production The Stealers from Saiph (released June 2009), again playing Romana, as well as reading the voice of the Fourth Doctor.
Also in 2009, she read an audio book version of the Time Hunter novella The Tunnel at the End of the Light.
In 2012, Tamm recorded a series of Big Finish audios as Romana alongside Tom Baker; these will be released in 2013.
On 24 July 2012, Tamm died at the age of 62. The BBC confirmed that Tamm died in hospital following a battle against cancer. Tom Baker said in a statement: "She was a darling companion and wonderfully witty and kind. I'm so sorry to hear of her death." There was some initial confusion in the media regarding the actual date of her death, with the Radio Times later confirming that she died the morning on 24 July.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 10, 2015
An insight into the life of a wonderful, down to earth woman who, despite being an excellent actress, never lost touch with the real world. This book tells of her Doctor Who years, how she juggled motherhood with working on location, and gives a flavour of how unglamorous life in rep theatre can be.
Mary died before her memoir could be completed and the second part of the book is a collection of memories from those who knew her.
"I think I was more in awe of Mary than I was in love with her, and I loved her completely" her husband told mourners at her funeral in 2012. Tragically, Marcus died a few hours later.
Mary died before her memoir could be completed and the second part of the book is a collection of memories from those who knew her.
"I think I was more in awe of Mary than I was in love with her, and I loved her completely" her husband told mourners at her funeral in 2012. Tragically, Marcus died a few hours later.
September 1, 2019
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3249736.html
After reading First Generation, billed as Mary Tamm's autobiography, I wondered why she had stopped writing when she reached the middle of her time on Doctor Who; a friend pointed out to me that there is in fact a second volume, published in 2014 after her death in 2012, so I went and got it.
It starts very strongly, with The Androids of Tara, which Tamm identifies as her favourite of the six Who stories she was in, challenging her to act in four different roles (and as I noted in 2008, gorgeous in all of them). And she takes us through the higlights of her later career, in particular two linked series called The Treachery Game and The Assassination Run, which I must look out for. But then she goes oddly silent on her subsequent career; maybe she simply ran out of time, but it's a shame not to find out about her Blanche Ingram in the 1983 Jane Eyre, or her time on Brookside.
She does cover her experiences of motherhood, and of travel (mainly to Doctor Who conventions). It was very interesting to learn that she used the local National Childbirth Trust meetings to get source material for future performances by observing the other new mothers, the experience of pregnancy and birth being a great social leveller in its way. But unfortunately the book was never finished, and ends with a series of warm tributes to her from friends and colleagues (some referring to things we have not previously come across in the book). Still, it fills some of the gap left from the first volume.
After reading First Generation, billed as Mary Tamm's autobiography, I wondered why she had stopped writing when she reached the middle of her time on Doctor Who; a friend pointed out to me that there is in fact a second volume, published in 2014 after her death in 2012, so I went and got it.
It starts very strongly, with The Androids of Tara, which Tamm identifies as her favourite of the six Who stories she was in, challenging her to act in four different roles (and as I noted in 2008, gorgeous in all of them). And she takes us through the higlights of her later career, in particular two linked series called The Treachery Game and The Assassination Run, which I must look out for. But then she goes oddly silent on her subsequent career; maybe she simply ran out of time, but it's a shame not to find out about her Blanche Ingram in the 1983 Jane Eyre, or her time on Brookside.
She does cover her experiences of motherhood, and of travel (mainly to Doctor Who conventions). It was very interesting to learn that she used the local National Childbirth Trust meetings to get source material for future performances by observing the other new mothers, the experience of pregnancy and birth being a great social leveller in its way. But unfortunately the book was never finished, and ends with a series of warm tributes to her from friends and colleagues (some referring to things we have not previously come across in the book). Still, it fills some of the gap left from the first volume.
March 13, 2020
This is one of the books I bought in a Fantom Publishing Sale. Therefore I have read this, the second volume, without having read the first. It starts with 'The Androids of Tara' and it ends with her death.
Indeed, the book is split into two sections. The first is Tamm's story and the second a series of tributes from friends and family. It's part autobiography, part eulogy.
She seems to have been a fun person to know. Her book clearly reflects a lack of pomposity and pretentiousness. It also reflects her love for her daughter, Lauren and her husband, Marcus without over-egging the pudding. (Indeed, one of the great sadnesses of the book is discovering that Marcus, after delivering a eulogy to Mary at her funeral died shortly afterward.)
The stories are interesting - and as a Doctor Who fan I'm obviously most fascinated to hear about her season as Romana (although I assume her casting and first experiences are in Volume One.) - and she also tells stories from various conventions she's attended, which seem to have been a little shock to her in the first instance.
In the end, though this is a celebration of a life lived well, but cut tragically short.
Indeed, the book is split into two sections. The first is Tamm's story and the second a series of tributes from friends and family. It's part autobiography, part eulogy.
She seems to have been a fun person to know. Her book clearly reflects a lack of pomposity and pretentiousness. It also reflects her love for her daughter, Lauren and her husband, Marcus without over-egging the pudding. (Indeed, one of the great sadnesses of the book is discovering that Marcus, after delivering a eulogy to Mary at her funeral died shortly afterward.)
The stories are interesting - and as a Doctor Who fan I'm obviously most fascinated to hear about her season as Romana (although I assume her casting and first experiences are in Volume One.) - and she also tells stories from various conventions she's attended, which seem to have been a little shock to her in the first instance.
In the end, though this is a celebration of a life lived well, but cut tragically short.
March 26, 2017
Romana 1 made Mary Tamm a name known to me. She made Romana my favorite Who companion. First and Second Generation made Mary a favorite person of mine. Her's was a life well lived, I'm richer for having shared it with her in the pages of her autobiographies.
February 17, 2017
This was my grandmother's book.
I really want to read it but unfortunately she passed before it was published.
I really want to read it but unfortunately she passed before it was published.
April 7, 2025
Very enjoyable read, tinged with sadness . Highly recommended 👌
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews