mary's time as romana
PLEASE VISIT MY NEW PAGE- BOOK TOUR
NEWSFLASH 
THE KEY TO TIME WAS RE-RELEASED IN NOVEMBER 2009 follow these links for more info......
http://merchandise.thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/the-key-to-time-the-complete-adventure/
in the meantime, here is a link to YouTube compilation.......
Visit my "reviews and interviews " page for more info, too 
2009
Mary is pleased to announce that her autobiography, entitiled First Generation, was published on September 14th 2009 .
MARY TAMM
FIRST GENERATION
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY - VOL.1
FOREWORD BY COLIN BAKER
SYNOPSIS
In the 1970s, she travelled the universe aboard the TARDIS… 30 years on, actress Mary Tamm now recounts the story of her own, earthbound, adventures.
Born to Estonian parents in 1950s Bradford, her rise to fame took her from a Northern childhood to life in the fast lane: via TV appearances in Coronation Street and Girls of Slender Means to leading roles in feature films - including the cult Tales that Witness Madness, and The Odessa File which pitched her career into the international arena.
In 1978, Mary became part of essential Saturday night television as she joined the cast of Doctor Who alongside Tom Baker, as the superlative Time Lady, Romana!
Packed with recollections and exclusive photographs, this autobiography follows Mary on a journey of self-discovery to her parents' homeland of Estonia, where she finally comes to terms with her true identity…
'First Generation' will be released in September 2009 and published in two versions: a standard paperback (£10.99) and a special hardback edition (£24.99). The hardback edition will only be available direct from Fantom Films - limited to 200 copies, individually numbered, with extra photographs and signed by Mary.
MESSAGE FROM MARY
"I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE BOUGHT THE BOOK AND HOPE YOU ENJOY IT! I AM NOW PENNING VOLUME TWO - WATCH THIS SPACE........."
Please visit
http://fantomfilms.co.uk/books/mary_tamm.htm
for further details of Mary's book, and click below for review
and more Who news........
The interview below is from Outpost Skaro
THE MARY TAMM INTERVIEW
in conversation with Eddie
Mary Tamm is Whovian Royalty. In 1978 Season 16 took an unusual step away from the Gothic excesses of the Hinchcliffe/Holmes era with a series of linking stories known collectively as The Key To Time. Given to the Doctor as a bona fide "assistant" - as apposed to "companions" Sarah and Leela, by The White Guardian, Time Lady Romanadvoratrelunar was haughty, clever, brave and naïve, and, it seemed, more than a match for the reluctant Doctor, and, of course played by the spectacular Mary Tamm who first appeared on screen in a sleek one piece white dress and feather boa raising more than the temperature for a thousand pre-pubescent fanboys and dads alike. But Romana was more than glamour and looks and Mary Tamm's one season in the TARDIS has stayed in the memory and is thought of, for the most part, with great affection.
This slightly palpitating fanboy managed to spend a little time in her company and spoke of Brookie, Dirty Gertie and of course, something called Doctor Who… what follows was mostly a blur…
You're a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art… what made you want to be an actor? Is it in your family?
Well, to be honest, I have no idea why I wanted to become an actor. I was playing in the street with a little girl and she announced that she was going to be an actress when she grew up, and I thought, wow, maybe I could be one too, and that was that! I was about six at the time......mind you; my mother was an opera singer, so she influenced me in all things cultural, as you will find out when you read my book!
You began in rep in Birmingham, is this correct? How scary is that first step out onto stage? Do you prefer stage to tv work?
Yeah, I did, but I was more excited than scared, as I was fulfilling a lifelong ambition, remember. Stage was my passion, and I only fell into films and TV by accident. I still love it, but now prefer working between the two mediums of theatre and celluloid.
You've appeared in a few seminal tv programmes over your career - Coronation Street, The Likely Lads, The Odessa File, Brookside… the list is huge… with regards to joining an established cast, which you sort of did with Doctor Who too, is it a different approach than say starting from the beginning of a series?
Hmmmm, vastly different- it is terrifying, frankly, to join a British Institution, whereas when you start a series from the beginning, you have a role in its creation. With something like Who, or Corrie, you are confronted with rigid parameters which you have to fit into.
I understand when you were first offered the role of Doctor Who you turned it down, not wanting to be another "damsel in distress"… how did the producers convince you?
It was not so much the producers as the director and my agent- there is a long story about this question which is answered in the book.
Quick word on the genius of Mr Tom Baker - what's he like to work with? I get reports of everything from genius to infuriating and perhaps everything in between.
You said it! Tom and I got on very well, eventually, after a rocky start - I still meet him from time to time, and we always have a great laugh together.
How did you approach the role of Romana? Again we hear that time wasn't particularly of the essence. Some others have said "simply say the lines and turn up", but your Romana always seemed to have a keen wit behind her.
I guess with my classical training and theatre experience, I was able to approach the role intelligently. I was the first companion to have an established career behind her, apart from Louise (Jamieson, aka Leela - ed), who also trained at RADA; some people say we stand out for this reason.
You were of course put in some wonderful costumes in the role. Did you have a favourite? The striking white robes for The Ribos Operation spring to mind. I'm not sure why…
I helped to design the costume for The Androids of Tara, so this one is my favourite. Over the years I have received more compliments about this costume than any other, although the white dress is copied most by fans that turn up in various versions of it at conventions!
As a serious, proper and established actor, how different is Doctor Who to work in? Some suggest its melodrama, but Tom says that if you don't take it seriously you lose the audience. Did you take his lead?
Tom took the part very seriously, as did I - he is a consummate professional, and you cannot be anything else to make the part, and therefore the series work - to not take your work seriously is a complete disaster for an actor. Tom was being flippant when he said that, I am sure!
I love the relationship between Romana and the Doctor. First he's reluctant, then sometimes he's almost teacher-ish, but there's a mutual respect, he allows you to go off and have your own adventure, and, maybe, did I sense a little chemistry?
Oh very much so, we got on like a house on fire, as we both share a wicked sense of humour!
How was your other co-star, the fabulous K9, to work with?
Fabulous is the word - John Leeson was a star!
And you had some varied locations, from beautiful countryside to difficult swamps…?
Yes, some locations were very cold, damp and uncomfortable to be in, to be sure, but it is all part of the actor's life! You learn to live with it, and the nicer locations make up for it.
And at the end of that season you decided to leave? Was that a difficult decision? Romana was popular, had a great rapport with the Doctor, were you asked to stay? There's an apocryphal story that you were pregnant…
NOT TRUE! The story of my being pregnant is a myth, and I have recently edited my Wikipedia page to amend the falsehood. John Nathan Turner started it, and I was very cross with him about it, the naughty man! My daughter was born in November 1979! I decided to leave because the part was not up to what had been promised, and there was nowhere left to go with character.
Did you ever regret leaving? Romana MkII went on to great success with Lalla.
No, I had done my time, and had some very exciting film work soon after which left me with no regrets, or looking back.
You've returned to the role of Romana in the Big Finish Audios along with Lalla. How was that, working with "another" Romana. Famously, the Doctors were known for getting together during anniversaries etc, but never a companion…
Yes, well, it was weird, at first, and I felt strongly proprietorial about Romana, so it was strange to hear Lalla doing" my" part. She is so good in it, however, and we are such good pals that I soon got over it!
And of course now we have Elisabeth Sladen returning to Doctor Who and having her own spin-off show! With K9! Would you ever appear in the programme again?
Yes, I would love to appear in the programme again, I love the new show and Liz is great in the new spin off series. I could come back as Romana, or play a juicy villainess part!
What do you think of the new programme in general and its choice of Doctors… there's a lot more, um, kissing now…
Yes, I find that a little shocking - my view of Time Lords (and ladies) is that they are above that sort of thing, so it is a shame that any hanky panky is going on, in my view - as I said above, I love the new series - Sky TV approached me to do a news interview when the new doc was announced, and I had a few minutes to expand on my ideas as to how a Time Lord should behave, which was fun to do. I think David Tennant is incredible, and am looking forward to Matt's performance now.
A lot of actors complain of typecasting, especially the companions. Did you have any trouble with the direction casting directors wanted to take you after Who? Did you ever consider doing something radical, like Katy Manning did (she posed nude with a Dalek), to try and "break the mould" of a "Who Girl"? Perhaps a gritty drama or something far removed from the very glamorous image you have?
I had a varied and extensively character driven career before DW so was not really affected by any typecasting as such. A lot of people did not even know I had been in the programme, so I had a previous reputation to fall back on. I think, apart from Louise, that Who was the first and only claim to fame for many companions, which means that typecasting was more prevalent for them. I have broken the glamour mould in many stage productions, notably playing Mari Hoff in The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice, a drunken , over the hill mother from hell- about as far removed from Romana as you could imagine!
When looking at your body of work, both before and after Doctor Who, it strikes me as constant and very diverse… is this a conscious effort to remain "moving" as it were? It looks like there's hardly an established programme you haven't appeared in…
Yes, well I am a workaholic, and accept any job that come along, as opposed to choosing roles to fit in with a plan or image - I have no false ideas about stardom or how I am perceived - in other words, I am pretty down to earth and just consider myself as a jobbing actor - I am always grateful for work, no matter what it is!
What has been the highlight of your acting career?
I suppose Brookside was one, although I feel I have had many.....Brookie was good for me because the character was developed to become a highly dramatic part and the writers wrote very much for the actors, observing them in the studio and getting ideas for storylines from their (the actors') own lives and circumstances.
Do you ever get fed up with people constantly harking back to that one year of Who you did?
Sometimes, but only a little - I am used to it now and accept , quite happily that DW is one of the great British institutions- so really, I am very proud to be a part of it, and always will be.
Did you know at the time you were joining a very loyal family?
No, I did not realise the extent of the fan's loyalty, but soon did when I visited the first few fan cons in the States, which I go into in great depth in the second book - i.e. volume two of my autobiography.
Is there any role you haven't yet taken and what like to? (Personally, I'd love to see you as Gertrude in Hamlet. It's made for you!)
Yes, Dirty Gertie is a great role, as is the Scottish queen and Jocasta- all parts I would love to do one day, plus Medea- I love the Greek plays- the women's parts are superb!
Do you have a message for all your fans out there in the world of Doctor Who?
Hi to all the loyal fans who have kept the show going and, more importantly, moving forward into a new millennium! Buy my book!
Mary has completed an audio cd for Big Finish, in which she reprises her character as Romana, where she and the Doctor visit the South of France.http://www.bigfinish.com/312-Doctor-Who-The-Companion-Chronicles-The-Stealers-from-Saiph
for info on Lies and Warfare, the two Gallifrey stories Mary has recorded, visit
Mary appeared at Time quest, with Tom Baker and Louise Jameson, on March 7th, see link below for Youtube interview.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAOvbVhsaoA
2008
In the pipeline........
Mary presented a DVD for the BBC entitled Tomorrow's Times, which is about the early days of Dr Who - release details to be announced asap.
2007
The Key To Time dvd box set
Related articles on the reviews and interviews page; links below to interviews.......
MESSAGE FROM MARY
Thanks to all of you who have left such wonderfully positive feedback on the Key To Time box set - your comments are greatly appreciated.
http://dwscifi.com/articles/816-unlocking-the-key-to-time 
http://dwscifi.com/articles/915-unlocking-the-key-to-timepart-2
When the late Graham Williams was producing DW he decided that a new type of assistant was called for. Someone who was on an equal par with the doctor, and who could challenge him more than the previous companions. The character of Romana was created for this reason. Rumour has it that 600 actresses were seen for the part, and screen tests were run with 6, of whom Mary was one. She had to perform a short scene with Tom Baker, who was playing the title role at the time, and succesfully won the part. Obviously the chemistry was right, and as Graham told her later, the BBC wanted a more high profile actress than previously, a fact which was reflected in the casting of "name" guest roles in the new series, which was named The Key to Time- a great title for the first "umbrella " series of DW, and one of the most popular to date. As fans know, the six stories, all four episodes each, except the last, which was six, formed the theme of the search for the key, and the stories were also complete in themselves. One of Mary's favourites was the Pirate Planet, which was written by the wonderful and sadly, late Douglas Adams. She also enjoyed The Androids of Tara, which was filmed at Leeds Castle in Kent, making a change from the usually wet and uncomfortable conditions of DW locations. The sun shone every day, and a good time was had by all! The costume Mary wore for this story was one which many fans write in about to say it is their favourite. Mary helped to design it, and chose the colours. The character started off well, and was loved by audiences. However, because of the half hour format, the writers soon realised that Romana could not always be the stronger, as someone had to do the asking of questions for the audience to know what was going on, and she soon reverted to the usual Who companion, ie, the sounding board for the doctor,a fact which Mary recognised as inevitable. Many fans ask why she left after only one series. Well, it is because of the above- really, the character had nowhere else to go, and she wanted to avoid repetition, and move on to other work,. Mary loved her time on DW, and enjoyed working with Tom Baker, and John Leeson, who played K9, as well as wonderful guest artists like Philip Madoc, Susan Engel, Beatrix Lehman and many more. She is a great fan of the new series, and feels rather envious of the superior production values! However, her time on the programme had a very important part to play in the cult success of this show, a fact which she will always be grateful for, and proud of. She attends conventions all over the world, and will have more news and trivia on these, when the site is updated.
rehearsal pics from The key To Time below........
 |