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Sometimes, interviews come along and they are easy to sort out – a quick phone call, a beer, an email and Bob’s yir K9 creator. Some you think are going to be a nightmare organizing – a Doctor for instance – and they go so smoothly it’s almost surreal. Sometimes you do an interview and it gets embargoed – oh yes, you would squee if you knew who we can’t print because, apparently, we’re not “legitimate media” – and sometimes you think, right, this time, and it goes pear shaped for a variety of reasons.
Richard Franklin – Captain Mike Yates to you and me – has almost been interviewed by me three times, Jaded once and now Ping. We’ve chatted on the phone, emailed, organized meetings and something has always cropped up, either from Skaro Towers or Richard’s busy schedule. Thinking it almost dead an email out the blue made it happen again and then, low and behold, I got an urgent last minute thing I couldn’t get out of and it looked like it was gone again. But good ol’ Ping stepped into my breeches at the last minute and, armed with questions, a knowledge of ol’ Yatesy and half an hour to spare saved my bacon. So handing Ping the Mind Probe – and spare batteries – we set off.
Richard Franklin is everything you’d imagine he is. Charming, urbane, courteous and quick, with a keen mind and an undying enthusiasm and love for the series he was so much a part of. As one of, arguable, the first characters to have a proper beginning-to-end arc, it was thrilling that he got to make a return, older, wiser but no less exasperated as UNIT’s older brother in the Family that never dies.
To quote Jack Bauer, the following takes place between 10am and 11am… the words are Ping’s and mine, the answers are Richard’s… the effort, it has to be said, is our Chief Admin's.
What made you want to change career to be an actor…?
Well a flash of light! A career path I decided I would like to follow, a road that led me to places I well just feel that I wanted to go ,things I wanted to do.
And what about Doctor Who? How did that come along?
Well it was fabulous and of course I was very grateful that a) it was an acting job b) it was television and of course in one of the most popular series of its day and we were lucky that we became very much a family of actors all with that goal in mind to do the best we could with the opportunity we had presented to us and to enjoy doing it.
The “family” atmosphere of the Pertwee-era is legendary… what was it like being part of that?
Great fun as I say it did feel like a family - all committed to the best we could make it.
What are your memories of your time on Who? You joined at the same time as Roger Delgado and Katy Manning, with who’s Jo Grant Mike was supposed to be romantically evolved.
Well, again - I feel that Who back then dealt with contemporary issues at the time like ecology, healthy eating etc but subtly trying not to be preaching a message. The romance was never allowed to be more than a friendship and much of that was to do with the BBC or the programmes own sense of not portraying an out and out relationship as such.
What did you think of Jon’s portrayal of the Doctor?
Excellent, of course, and very much a part of the audience’s willingness to accept an older, grey haired actor in the role unlike maybe today with its youth orientated culture… I dunno if that would be as accepted today. The series then was of its age maybe.
Was there an “actor” hierarchy similar to the military one you were in… i.e., was Nicholas Courtney the boss, then you, then John Levene…? Nicholas recounts a tale of real soldiers being a little cautious around his Brigadier. Did you find that too?
Oh yes! Any two actors in any roles do feel that as part of the portrayal that reverence should be paid to the structure required by the script and as I say we were an ensemble and we did very much feel that we had a duty to fans and to ourselves to make it believable, and portray that realism as best we could - the army ranking system is clearly laid out and yes it does help to bear that in mind when acting etc
Terrance Dicks talks of the “natural end” to the UNIT era with Roger sadly dying, and Jon and Katy moving on, Barry and he too decided to call it a day.Were the UNIT boys part of that, was it an ensemble, mass decision?
Yes indeed - end of an era - and UNIT was part of that - Doctors and fans move on ... and it wouldn’t be quite the same so maybe yes a natural progression.
Have you seen any of the new UNIT officers in the new series? What do you think of them?
Can’t really comment – haven’t seen much of them. But it’s nice that they are still there I suppose.
I suggested that they were a lot more militaristic - but was that maybe in fitting with the day,the times we live in? Again haven’t seen it much but an interesting point.
You went on to be a director of note after Who… which do you prefer, acting or directing?
Oh the opportunities are there to take. Directing is great but the REP theaters are not as widespread as the once were, sadly. They’re very much the bread and butter of theatre work etc, but whatever comes you strive to do the best you can. Each is different and has different challenges.
You always seem enthusiastic with fans and satellite projects like Reeltime and Big Finish; did you realise at the time that your own UNIT triumvirate would be so fondly regarded? How do you find “fandom” and the enthusiasm of the people around the programme?
Oh very much so! Fans are committed to the series are always pleasant and extremely knowledgeable. We loved doing the show, they loved watching it. It’s very much a case of what an actor strives to do - please the viewers, the fans who make the programme live on. There’s always a few that can turn nasty but they are far outweighed by the positives, we all have a part to play in making it what we want it to be.
And now you’re starring in the new Hornet’s Nest series… how did that come about?
Oh a call offering the part and I didn’t hesitate.
Have you approached Mike differently now? How has he evolved? I described you in my review of The Stuff of Nightmares as Watson to Tom’s Holmes…
How was it working with the legend that is Tom Baker?
Oh fantastic - Tom is such a character and very amusing, and great fun to work with. As for how to approach Mike, well, the script does denote the direction but it did feel like a continuation. Great fun.
Now you’ve got a taste for Mike again, would you reprise him again? Maybe on the new series?
Oh yes I would love to if offered, who wouldn’t? (I told him fans do like to see older characters in cameos - the Brig in SJA for instance)
Well, you know, I was not actually in The Five Doctors at first. They hadn’t written me a part. But due to fans from Darlington and their persistence writing to the show and pleading for Mike to appear they wrote him into it. So there’s always hope.
What do you think of the series now, compared with your time? And the choice of Doctors? The Eleventh Doctor is very young compared with Jon or Tom.
Cant really comment on the new chap --haven’t seen him - but loved Christopher Eccleston. Sad he only did the one series, I would have liked to see how his lonely Doctor character had evolved.
I added that twelve months isn’t perhaps really long enough to maybe establish a role - and each actor must put some of his own stamp on that. Did he agree?
Oh yes indeed, all different aspects of one character... all unique etc
What do you have coming up in the future?
Nothing at the moment but looking forward to a quiet Christmas - you never know what comes along and I’d jump at the chance to do something else in Who.
Do you have a message for the members of Outpost Skaro?
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year - thanks for the support and a chance to give something back.
So, Richard Franklin, UNIT’s big brother, Whovian Royalty and thoroughly decent egg, we salute you Skaro! On your feet! Attenshuun!
With thanks to Richard, Janet and Ping!
Hornet’s Nest is complete and available now
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