Friday 12 June 2015

Series One costume index

I urgently needed to do some research into the The Doctor’s costumes during the Hartnell era, and the quickest way to collate the information I required was to effectively produce a costume index.

So to kick off my new blog, over the next few weeks I thought I’d share what I gathered.

Researching Series One has chucked up a few interesting things I hadn’t immediately spotted, such as the subtle changes from the un-aired pilot to the broadcast episodes. I never thought a wing collar shirt and a silk cravat could make all the difference!

It also came to dawn on me one of the biggest misconceptions about his costume - Hartnell never wore a Frock Coat or Morning Coat!

It was simply a fitted double-breasted lounge jacket to a Capaldi length, with very cut-away fronts, making it look a bit like a Morning Coat.
If you look at this picture, you can see there is no tell-tale waistline seam, which is fundamental to Frock Coats and Morning Coats.

I think the problem has been the picture quality of the 1960s recordings. His jacket just reads as a big black shape, and we all assume it is a Frock Coat when it plainly is not.

The myth was perpetuated in the The Five Doctors when Richard Hurndall was dressed in a proper Morning Coat (a close relation to the Frock Coat) very similar to Patrick Troughton.
Notice how it is knee-length compared to Hartnell’s jacket which is thigh-length.

So, let the Costume index commence!

An Unearthly Child
Un-aired pilot

TARDIS scenes
Coat Three-quarter length black double breasted coat

Waistcoat Cream vertically striped tapestry, with four pockets

Shirt Plain white dress shirt

Tie Black conventional modern style

Trousers High waisted, bold grey windowpane hound’s-tooth design wool

Shoes Brown brogues

Hat Black Astrakhan Ambassadors style

Junk yard scene
As above, plus:

Cloak Black calf-length with velvet collar and chain fastening at neck

Scarf Narrow striped wool

Broadcast version
As above, with these substitutions:

Shirt White wing-collar design

Tie Mid blue silk cravat, tied in a large bow
Episodes: 2 - The Cave of Skulls,
3 - The Forest of Fear, 4 - The Firemaker

Coat Three-quarter length black double breasted coat

Waistcoat Cream vertically striped tapestry, with four pockets

Shirt White wing-collar design

Tie Navy blue silk cravat, tied in a large bow

Trousers High waisted, bold grey windowpane hound’s-tooth design wool

Shoes Brown brogues
The Daleks
Coat Three-quarter length black double breasted coat

Waistcoat Cream vertically striped tapestry, with four pockets

Shirt White wing-collar design

Tie Navy blue silk cravat, tied in a large bow

Trousers High waisted, bold grey windowpane hound’s-tooth design wool

Shoes Black spats shoes
Episode: 1 - The Dead Planet
The Doctor carries a Panama hat

Episodes :
2 -The Survivors,
3 - The Escape
The Doctor does not wear the coat for large parts of these episodes, giving good view of his waistcoat and the usually unseen waistband of his trousers

Episode:
4 - The Ambush
The Doctor use his glasses

The Edge of Destruction
Coat Three-quarter length black double breasted coat

Waistcoat Cream vertically striped tapestry, with four pockets

Shirt White wing-collar design

Tie Navy blue silk cravat, tied in a large bow

Trousers High waisted, bold grey windowpane hound’s-tooth design wool

Shoes Black spats shoes
Marco Polo
Coat Three-quarter length black double breasted coat

Waistcoat Cream vertically striped tapestry, with four pockets

Shirt White wing-collar design

Tie Navy blue silk cravat, tied in a large bow

Trousers High waisted, bold grey windowpane hound’s-tooth design wool

Shoes Black spats shoes
NB. The Doctor briefly wears glasses, previously used in a photocall for An Unearthly Child
The Keys of Marinus
Coat Three-quarter length black double breasted coat

Waistcoat Cream vertically striped tapestry, with four pockets

Shirt White wing-collar design

Tie Navy blue silk cravat, tied in a large bow

Trousers High waisted, bold grey windowpane hound’s-tooth design wool

Shoes Black spats shoes
Episodes: 3 - The Screaming Jungle,
4 - The Snows of Terror
The Doctor does not appear due to William Hartnell being on holiday

NB: Aside from the episodes William Hartnell does not appear in, The Doctor carries his walking stick throughout the story

The Aztecs
Coat Three-quarter length black double breasted coat

Waistcoat Cream vertically striped tapestry, with four pockets

Shirt White wing-collar design

Tie Navy blue silk cravat, tied in a large bow

Trousers High waisted, bold grey windowpane hound’s-tooth design wool

Shoes Black spats shoes

NB: Aside from a couple of minor scenes, The Doctor carries his walking stick throughout the story
The Sensorites
Coat Three-quarter length black double breasted coat

Waistcoat Cream vertically striped tapestry, with four pockets

Shirt White wing-collar design

Tie Navy blue silk cravat, tied in a large bow

Trousers High waisted, bold grey windowpane hound’s-tooth design wool

Shoes Black spats shoes

NB: The Doctor wears a monocle on a black silk ribbon around his neck

Episode:
4 - A Race Against Death
The Doctor briefly wears glasses, previously used in a photocall for An Unearthly Child
Episodes:
5 - Kidnap,
6 - A Desperate Venture
The Doctor wears his calf-length cloak, first seen in An Unearthly Child. It is now clasped with a rope
The Reign of Terror
Coat Three-quarter length black double breasted coat

Waistcoat Cream vertically striped tapestry, with four pockets

Shirt White wing-collar design

Tie Navy blue silk cravat, tied in a large bow

Trousers High waisted, bold grey windowpane hound’s-tooth design wool

Shoes Black spats shoes
Episodes: 1 - A Land of Fear, 2 - Guests of Madame Guillotine, 3 - A Change of Identity
The Doctor carries his walking stick and wears a monocle on a black silk ribbon around his neck



Episodes: 3 - A Change of Identity,
4 - The Tyrant of France, 5 - A Bargain of Necessity, 6 - Prisoners of Conciergerie
The Doctor assumes the disguise of a Regional Officer of the Provinces, including an ankle-length cloak with large collar, clasped with a chain. This cloak crops up in futures adventures.

9 comments:

  1. Thanks for pointing out the lack of a waist seam on the coat. I knew it wasn't a traditional frock coat or morning coat, but I thought it was probably based on a frock coat. Guess not.

    I have recently watched An Unearthly Child, and the shoes he wears are definitely either two-tone button boots or shoes worn with spats. I can't quite tell which.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He wore spats, It is most noticeable when you watch an adventure in space and time. Towards the start when he walks down the hallway you can see he is wearing black shoes with brown spats.

      Delete
    2. David Bradley does indeed wear brown spats in "An Adventure in Space and Time", but I think that's due to either oversight or convenience on the part of the BBC.

      Since first posting here, I've studied almost all the available Hartnell era episodes and lots of photos, and I'm confident that Bill Hartnell wore two-tone button boots (also known as spat shoes or high button shoes) in every story. Based on color photos from "The Daleks" and "Marco Polo", I believe the tops of the boots were gray rather than brown.

      Delete
  2. FINALLY!!! I was wondering when you'd get to Hartnell. I know you'll do a bang up job replicating his coat unlike the DW Experience exhibit which went the Hurndall route with it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The shoulder seams on the coat are more typical of a frock coat than a lounge coat, aren't they?

    Saw this picture today and it got me wondering.
    http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2013/10/07/1226733/900042-william-hartnell-doctor-who.jpg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I totally get you, but this style of shoulder seam is more typical of tailoring up to the early 20th century.
      I have cutters guides from 1910s with lounge jackets with shoulder seams that angle back like this.
      It is designed so the shoulder seam is less visible from the front, something that has become phased out in the modern tailored suit. Some Savile Row designers still use it, for the very reason it pushes the seam over the shoulder and out of view.
      For me it is an indication of either an older design or a quality cut.

      Delete
    2. Good to know. Thank you, sir!

      Delete
  4. What material is the coat made of?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. From the look and drape, my view is that it's a lightweight coating fabric as opposed to suiting.
      I don't think it is as heavy as a Melton, but is something that borders on it.

      Delete

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