| John Scott Martin | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 April 1926 Toxteth, Liverpool, UK |
| Died | 6 January 2009 (aged 82) Great Maplestead, Essex |
| Occupation | Actor |
John Scott Martin (1 April 1926 – 6 January 2009)[1] was an English actor born in Toxteth, Liverpool. He made many film, stage and television appearances, but one of his most famous, though unseen, roles was as a Dalek operator in the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who.
Martin operated Daleks from 1965's The Chase through to 1988's Remembrance of the Daleks making him the longest-running Dalek operator. He worked with eight different actors in the title role of Doctor Who from William Hartnell to Sylvester McCoy, and also Richard Hurndall, who took on the role of the First Doctor in The Five Doctors. Typically, Martin would operate the first Dalek when a group of three entered a scene, due largely to his long tenure on the programme.[2] He also operated other Doctor Who monster costumes including the insectoid Zarbi in The Web Planet, and the robotic Mechanoids in The Chase. In the episode Robot Martin made his first on screen appearance, he appeared as a guard in the first episode. Martin also had a cameo in the BBC series The Tripods.
Some of his other television appearances include I, Claudius, Z-Cars, Quatermass and the Pit, Softly, Softly and the comedy Mine All Mine, written by Russell T Davies.
His film credits include a dancing instructor in a brief scene in Alan Parker's film of Pink Floyd's The Wall, and small roles in Ali G Indahouse, Little Shop of Horrors and the Monty Python films Erik the Viking and The Meaning of Life.
He appeared on the West End stage in shows like Kismet, Oliver! and The Streets of London. In the Manchester Opera House production of Fiddler on the Roof featuring Topol in the starring role, he played the Rabbi.[1]
Martin also appeared in the music video for the Catatonia single "Dead from the Waist Down". His daughter, Catriona Martin is also an actress.
Martin suffered from Parkinson's disease in later life.[1] When Doctor Who was revived in 2005, he said he would have been happy to play a Dalek again if asked. He died on 6 January 2009. He was survived by his wife and daughter.