LEAGUE OF THEMSELVES - PETER CUSHING IN THE WHONIVERSE

I'm not sure if the TV cliche of having celebrities appear as themselves in fictional TV shows is as prevalent in the UK as it is in the USA, but I think it's only started to catch on in the last ten years or so.  And that means a lot of great British actors in the past may have played roles on TV over there, but appearing as themselves?  Maybe in the variety programs, but in sitcoms and dramas... not so much.

I was curious about the acknowledgement of horror icon Peter Cushing as existing within the reality of Toobworld.  But he never did appear in any fictional reality of Toobworld.  Nor does it appear that he was ever cited by a fictional character in a case of name-dropping.  The best I could find was his appearances, about six in all, on the 'Morecambe & Wise' shows.  Over a ten year span, Cushing kept popping up on the show in hopes of finally getting paid for his first appearance on the variety show in which he appeared in a Camelot sketch.

The Morecambe & Wise Show
Episode: The Catbush and Ludicrous Show (1969)
Peter Cushing stars as King Arthur in Ernie's play "King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table".

The Morecambe & Wise Show
Episode: Episode #2.4 (1969)
Peter Cushing makes a cameo asking for his payment for his last appearance.

The Morecambe & Wise Show
Episode: 1970 Christmas Show (1970)
Peter Cushing arrives wanting payment for a previous appearance on the show.

The Morecambe & Wise Show
Episode: Episode #7.12 (1973)
'Peter Cushing Comes Back For His Money',
Peter Cushing turns up wanting to be paid for a show he did four years ago.

The Morecambe & Wise Show
Episode: The First Thames Special (1978)
Morecambe and Wise get thrown out of a BBC van and start their first special at Thames television. Peter Cushing comes looking for his money from when they worked at the BBC,

The Morecambe & Wise Show
Episode: 1980 Christmas Show (1980)
Sketches include a number of Christmas carol jokes outside 10 Downing Street, which ends with Peter Cushing finally getting his money back, after 10 years.

And at least that show is acknowledged as having a "televersion" within Toobworld, even if it did happen within the coma dreams of Sam Tyler in 'Life On Mars' and Alex Drake in the sequel series 'Ashes To Ashes'.

Life on Mars:
Episode #2.1 (2007)
The Keep Britain Tidy poster featuring Eric Morcambe and Ernie Wise is seen on a wall near the murder scene. Throughout the episode, Tony Crane whistles "Bring Me Sunshine", the signature tune of "The Morecambe & Wise Show".

Ashes to Ashes:
Episode #3.7 (2010)
Hunt says him and Alex are as different as Eric and Ernie.

But no matter how you interpret those settings - either as coma dreams or Limbo - they are based on the memories of Sam and Alex and therefore 'Morecambe & Wise' does exist in Toobworld.

I bring this up because in Toobworld Peter Cushing was hired by the shell companies in the entertainment business set up by the shadowy organization I call UNReel.  They hired him to play the Doctor in a couple of movies so that those movies could be used to dismiss claims from the general public that the Doctor actually existed.  

Those movies are:

• "DOCTOR WHO AND THE DALEKS"
• "DALEKS' INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D."

I have seen no evidence yet that the fictional TV version of Mr. Cushing knew who really financed those movies nor that he was ever aware that the character he played actually existed in his world.

Of course, none of this has any bearing on the real world and Mr. Cushing''s involvement in the real versions of those movies.

Within the greater 'Doctor Who' universe, Peter Cushing does exist, at least in the franchise's contributions to BookWorld.  He is mentioned in the novels "From Wildthyme With Love", "Mission Impractical", and "Salvation".  But that has no bearing on Toobworld.

BCnU!