Terrance Dicks Passes On

Terrance Dicks, an author, television writer, script editor, and producer who worked extensively on the classic TV show Doctor Who, died on August 29 2019 at the age of 84.

Terrance Dicks was born on April 14 1935 in East Ham, Essex. He studied English at Downing College, Cambridge. He later served two years in the British Army. After he was discharged from the Army, Mr. Dicks worked several years as an advertising copywriter. He also wrote radio plays for the BBC on the side.

His first work in television came about when friend and television writer Malcolm Hulke asked for assistance in writing the episode "The Mauritius Penny" for the brand new ITV programme The Avengers. Terrance Dicks wrote or co-wrote three more episodes of The Avengers: "Intercrime" in 1963; "Concerto" in 1964; and "Homicide and Old Lace" in 1969. It was in 1968 that he first began writing for Doctor Who. That same year he began a long stint as the show's script editor. He would continue writing for Doctor Who until 1983 and served as its script editor until 1974. He would also write or co-write many Doctor Who novels from the Seventies into the Eighties.

In the Seventies Terrance Dicks continued writing episodes of Doctor Who. He also wrote episodes of Moonbase 3 and Space: 1999. He continued to serve as script editor on Doctor Who until 1974 and served as a script editor on Moonbase 3. In the Eighties Mr. Dicks continued writing on Doctor Who. He served as scenario editor on Beau Geste. He served as script editor on the mini-series Great Expectations, Stalky & Co.; The Hound of the Baskervilles; Jane Eyre; Goodbye, Mr. Chips; The Invisible Man; and The Pickwick Papers. He served as a producer on the mini-series Oliver Twist, Alice in Wonderland, Brat Farrar, David Copperfield, and The Diary of Anne Frank. He also served as a producer on the programmes Vanity Fair, and The Franchise Affair.

Throughout his career Terrance Dicks also wrote several children's books in addition to his many Doctor Who novels.