current page | The Dalek Supreme
Indeprod has acquired the unique 1970's BBC Television prop 'The Dalek Supreme' aka 'The Tussaud’s Dalek' at a Bonhams auction to benefit Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Significantly, this actual model is the King of all Daleks, having starred for a period – painted in menacing black and silver livery – as The Dalek Supreme.
It has a complex provenance: in 1979, four Daleks were required for the BBC Dr. Who story Destiny of the Daleks‚ starring Tom Baker. The BBC production unit had no budget to build new props and found itself with two 1960's Dalek props and only the top half of another Dalek Goon in useable condition.
The BBC had previously made an exhibition Dalek which was now used to make up the shortfall. The good top half of the Planet of the Daleks Goon was then grafted onto the exhibition Dalek skirt and the Dalek Supreme was born!
An interesting point is that this evil entity was blown up in Destiny of the Daleks by a pyrotechnic fire flash - the scorch marks still remain visible under the prop’s interior seat.
This Dalek also caused quite a stir when it appeared in a national magazine back in the seventies in a photo shoot with naked Dr Who girl Katy Manning.
After Destiny of the Daleks‚ this prop passed to Madame Tussaud’s to accompany the figure of Dr. Who actor, Tom Baker. It was painted in its unique Porsche Riviera Blue, silver and black livery and featured on the front cover of the Radio Times in 1983 for the 20th anniversary.
You can visit the Dalek in Indeprod's reception, but please make an appointment with it first at thedaleksupreme@indeprod.com – all we ask is a small donation to our Children of Mukuru charity.
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