The Barry Newbery Signature CollectionBookmark and Share

Monday, 12 November 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
A book celebrating the work of Doctor Who set designer Barry Newbery has been brought out by Telos Publishing.

Newbery was one of the show's longest-serving designers, working on a large number of stories from the very beginning in 1963, with a pedigree that started with uncredited contributions to versions 1 and 2 of the pilot episode, followed by him becoming the credited designer on The Cave of Skulls, The Forest of Fear, and The Firemaker - episodes 2, 3, and 4 of the programme's first story - having taken over from Peter Brachacki. Newbery then worked on another 12 stories for five of the Doctors during the classic era, finishing with The Awakening, broadcast in 1984.

Designed by Paul Smith, who last year brought out The Wonderful Book of Doctor Who - 1965, The Barry Newbery Signature Collection is a 96-page, full-colour, coffee-table publication featuring many of Newbery's own photographs of his sets and designs. It is annotated with his descriptions and memories of his work on the series, and includes some set designs and sketches as well as many never-before-seen black-and-white and colour photographs, all of which have been cleaned up and colour-corrected.

David J Howe, of Telos Publishing, said:
Barry Newbery is one of the true unsung heroes of Doctor Who. Without him, the stories he worked on would not be so rich and memorable, and it was his role as designer on the original Sixties stories which helped to establish the show as a visual feast.

Back then, the designer did everything from the sets to the props to the monsters, and Barry's visual flair brought us the lavishness of Marco Polo, The Aztecs, and The Crusade, as well as the science-fiction stylings of The Dominators and The Invisible Enemy, and the gothic splendour of The Brain of Morbius and The Masque of Mandragora.

It's been an enormous pleasure to have worked with Barry and Paul to bring this book to fruition. We hope it's a fitting tribute to both the show and to one of its most significant contributors.


Two editions of the book are available. The standard paperback one can be bought here, and Telos Publishing has also brought out a deluxe, limited-edition hardback that comes with a limitation signature sticker signed by Newbery.




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