July 31, 2012

Terry George, who writes for the Huddersfield Examiner, is the only journalist I've ever found to write that David was in a foul mood when thy met.

"But he couldn't have seemed ant more stressed out when he turned up to push the big red button. He was totally on edge when I sauntered onto the bus he was using as a mobile dressing room.

''Who's this?!'' he boomed to his people. ''I'm Terry George,'' I said. I explained I only wanted to take a picture for my Examiner column and he grudgingly calmed down and granted me a few snaps.

It must be difficult for him - literally everyone wanted to talk to him, get an autograph, say a few words to him. Security had to form a big circle to give him a big of breathing space."

He also ran into David one year later backstage at The Friday Night Project and had this to say:

"David kept looking at me in the green room, and I could see he was trying to work out where we had met before. I reminded him it was at last year’s switch on of the Illuminations in Blackpool.

He confessed he was scared to come out of his trailer that night as he attracts such a strange group of fans, and I witnessed this first hand as we left the studios at the same time. Hundred’s of the weirdest people were hanging around waiting for David outside. Most of them could have passed for characters straight out of the show."

I have never, ever heard David call his fans strange, in fact he is quick to correct anyone who even calls them nerds!  I think there was a little creative paraphrasing going on here! 

July 30, 2012

This caricature of David appeared along with Patrick Marimon's first night review of Love's Labour's Lost in The Daily Mail, October 8, 2008.  

                                 

In a longer article by him in the same paper he stated "Only a rare man could wear these ridiculous pants and still look fetching. But David Tennant is just such a chap."

  

July 29, 2012

David portrays a timid driving instructor called Chris in Learners but he was the learner drive back in February of 2006.  Pictured here in The Daily Star taking motorbike lessons so that he could drive the blue vespa in The Idiot's Lantern episode of Doctor Who.

I am sorry to report that he did not pass and he and Billie had to be pushed around!

July 28, 2012

In honor of the opening ceremonies of the Olympics I thought I'd post a few facts from the Doctor Who episode Fear Her.  The episode was watched by 7.14 million viewers on June 24 2006, six years and a month before the actual opening ceremonies of the Olympics.

The scene of The Doctor running up the Olympic steps to the torch was filmed on January 27, 2006 at the steps of the Cardiff Millennium Stadium.

The filming date of The Doctor lighting the Olympic torch was February 6, 2006 and was filmed at St Alban's Rugby Club, Tremorfa Park, Cardiff.

The Olympic logo that is used in the episode is the one Great Britain used during the bidding for the Olympic Games, the Thames running through the words 2012 and not the logo that ended up being used for the games.

Russell used the announcer Huw Edwards as the announcer of the Olympic Games in London and he must have used his TARDIS to make that choice because on December 2, 2011 he was named as the main commentator.

The street that the TARDIS turns up on Dame Kelly Holmes Close, is named after one of Britain's great Olympians.  At the 2004 games Kelly became She thus became only the third woman in history to do the 800 m and 1500 m double and Britain's first double gold medallist at the same games since Albert Hill in 1920.  She was the sponsor of Adelle Tracey, one of the seven young athletes who lit the Olympic Cauldron last night.

July 27, 2012

Here is how the films that David has appeared have been rated in the US and reason for the rating:

Jude  - Rated R for strong sexuality and intense depictions of death and birth

LA Without A Map - never released in the US - the region 1 DVD is not rated

The Last September - Rated R for some violence and sexuality

Being Considered - never released in US - it had a 15 rating in the UK

Bright Young Things - Rated R for some drug use

Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire - Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images

Free Jimmy - never released in the US

Glorious 39 - Rated R for some violent images and brief sexuality/nudity

St. Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold - never released in the US - rated 12 in the UK

How to Train Your Dragon - Rated PG for sequences of intense action and some scary images, and brief mild language

United - PG-13 for some disturbing images, smoking and brief strong language

The Decoy Bride - Rated PG for some rude content

Fright Night - Rated R for bloody horror violence, language and some sexual references

The Pirates! Band of Misfits - Rated PG for mild action, rude humor and some language.

In case you are not familiar with the MPAA (motion picture association of America) rating system, this is what it means.

PG — Parental Guidance Suggested. Some Material May Not Be Suitable For Children. A PG-rated motion picture should be investigated by parents before they let their younger children attend. The PG rating indicates, in the view of the Rating Board, that parents may consider some material unsuitable for their children, and parents should make that decision. The more mature themes in some PG-rated motion pictures may call for parental guidance. There may be some profanity and some depictions of violence or brief nudity. But these elements are not deemed so intense as to require that parents be strongly cautioned beyond the suggestion of parental guidance. There is no drug use content in a PG-rated motion picture.

PG-13 — Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13. A PG-13 rating is a sterner warning by the Rating Board to parents to determine whether their children under age 13 should view the motion picture, as some material might not be suited for them. A PG-13 motion picture may go beyond the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, adult activities or other elements, but does not reach the restricted R category. The theme of the motion picture by itself will not result in a rating greater than PG-13, although depictions of activities related to a mature theme may result in a restricted rating for the motion picture. Any drug use will initially require at least a PG-13 rating. More than brief nudity will require at least a PG-13 rating, but such nudity in a PG-13 rated motion picture generally will not be sexually oriented. There may be depictions of violence in a PG-13 movie, but generally not both realistic and extreme or persistent violence. A motion picture’s single use of one of the harsher sexually-derived words, though only as an expletive, initially requires at least a PG-13 rating. More than one such expletive requires an R rating, as must even one of those words used in a sexual context. The Rating Board nevertheless may rate such a motion picture PG-13 if, based on a special vote by a two-thirds majority, the Raters feel that most American parents would believe that a PG-13 rating is appropriate because of the context or manner in which the words are used or because the use of those words in the motion picture is inconspicuous.

R — Restricted. Children Under 17 Require Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian. An R-rated motion picture, in the view of the Rating Board, contains some adult material. An R-rated motion picture may include adult themes, adult activity, hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually-oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements, so that parents are counseled to take this rating very seriously. Children under 17 are not allowed to attend R-rated motion pictures unaccompanied by a parent or adult guardian. Parents are strongly urged to find out more about R-rated motion pictures in determining their suitability for their children. Generally, it is not appropriate for parents to bring their young children with them to R-rated motion pictures.  

July 26, 2012

If you want to take a walk in David's footsteps closer to home take a trip to Wells.  As Rev. Gibson, David plays a scene on Vicar's Close, the oldest continuously inhabited street in Europe, in He Knew He was Right.

July 25, 2012

Want to walk in Casanova's footsteps - visit the Pucic Palace hotel in Bubrovnik Croatia!

Here is a nice promo film of Casanova from Emassy Filsm, the production compamy in Croatia that made the film there - they also make the HBO drama Game of Thrones.

July 24, 2012

Oh those kookie Tory's!  This was taken from The Telegraph on December 30, 2009 from an article written by Ben Leach:

Conservative MP Nigel Evans, who sits on the Culture Media and Sport select committee, accused the BBC of ignoring young acting talent while promoting Tennant.

He said: “Relying on such an overkill of one particular person is freezing out a lot of opportunity for a lot of up and coming people.”

“'Even the most dedicated fan might have thought that the BBC was turning into the David Tennant Corporation.

“I know thanks to digital TV we have 200 channels, but 200 channels of David Tennant doesn't seem to be much choice.” 

I'd watch - would you!

July 23, 2012

David took part in two episodes of the BBC radio series Chain Reaction, the first was with Catherine Tate interviewing him which was recorded March 26, 2007 at The Duchess Theatre in London and aired on February 21, 2008.The second one was David interviewing Richard Wilson recorded Sunday October 21, 2007and broadcast on March 6, 2008.

During the live recording with Catherine they had to record the promo for the show which they barely got through because Catherine and the audience were laughing.

CT:  An opportunity to hear some of entertainment's biggest names.

DT: Doing something of which they have no experience.

CT:  This week have me Catherine Tate.

DT: Rank Amateur

CT: Interviewing Doctor Who himself Mr. David Tennant

DT: Handsome, eloquent, two hearts

July 22, 2012

David quoted in The Scotsman July 3, 2001:

"I have to admit that I was very green when I first started there," he admits. "I hadn't really done anything in life and I was surrounded by all these people who were much older and had much more professional experience. I remember spending most of the first couple of years just trying to bluff it."

But it wasn't all bad. "The older students managed to corrupt me, which was great," he laughs. "Instead of doing double maths at school, I was doing something I really loved and partying in between." 

 

July 21, 2012

In June 2009 David provided the voice over for an advert for The Proclaimers Notes & Rhymes album. The advert was on the TV in June, just in time for Father's Day as the ad states! Here is the audio courtesy of Kenny from Braw Music Management!

July 20, 2012

 

 In honor of the moon landing anniversary I thought I'd post something space related! This article appeared in 69 Magazine in July 2009, for more information on We are Astronomers you can go to their homepage. 

July 19, 2012

A quickie today!  David did the voice over for the 2009 Argos catalogue!  Enjoy!

July 18, 2012

 Starting in December of 2005 David's voice appeared at the beginning and end of a series of short films called What Makes Me Happy. The series was produced by Annie Gibbs and was broadcast in the UK on Channel Five in 2005. Each film opened with David Tennant saying, "What makes a girl or boy smile or laugh or jump for joy, what makes you happy?", an excerpt from a poem by Wendy Cope and ended with David saying "Wherever love is found we can make this earth enchanted ground."

 Click here to listen!

July 17, 2012

David has been part of many BBC radio dramas, here is a list of the various series and the winner is The Afternoon Play!

 The Afternoon Play - 11 times

 The Saturday Play - 5 times (once as Saturday Playhouse)

 The Classic Serial - 4 times

 The Woman's Hour Drama - 4 times

 The Book at Bedtime - 4 times

 The Monday Play - 3
 The Drama on 3 - 3 times
 Book of the Week -2 times

 The Sunday Play -2 times

 Children's BBC - once
 Friday Play - once
 Play of the Week - once

He also was in The Rotters Club on the BBC which was a 4 part drama but was not part of a regular slot and he took part in Virgin Radio's pantomime of Cinderella.

 He has also made appearances on weekly series:

 2 episodes of Dr Finlay The Adventures of a Black Bag

1 episode of Dr Finlay The Further Adventures of a Black Bag

1 episode of Nebulous

He was also in his own weekly series:

6 episodes of Dixon of Dock Green

18 episodes of Double Income No Kids Yet

4 episodes of the Gobetweenies

4 episodes of Believe It!

 

July 16, 2012

David performed as William Walton in Facade, transmitted on March 18, 2002.  Celia Imrie played Edith Sitwell,she has appeared with David several times including St. Trinian's II ,the River Rage episode of Duck Patrol, The Brown Man and the Dr. Finlay radio episode, The Golden Fishbone . 

You can click this link to read a bit more and hear an excerpt.

July 15, 2012

David was in a radio play called Sunburst Finish written by Andrea Gibb with Paddy Cunneen.  It was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 as the Friday Play from 9:00 - 10:00 PM on May 24, 2002.

"A final year music student has everything going for him - except that he does not want to live."

The other cast members were Julie Austin, Eric Barlow and John Kielty and the play was directed by Gaynor Macfarlane.

This is the description of the play from stageplays.com:

Note to self - You are dying’

As a young man’s depression turns to despair, suicide seems the only way out - the only way to take control ...

In spite of the bleakness of its subject, Sunburst Finish is filled with strong and vibrant voices, a rich mosaic of music, wit, warmth, insight, feeling, and a remarkable lack of sentimentality

The central character’s struggle to come to terms with himself and the world around him is one that all young (and not so young) people will relate strongly to.

July 14, 2012

 There is an old Earth saying , a phrase of great power and wisdom and consolation to the soul in times of need- Allons-y!  The 10th Doctor's catchphrase is said 19 times by David.  He says it 17 times in Doctor Who, once in Dreamland and once in The Sarah Jane Adventures.

He also says Fantastic once, the 9th Doctor's catchphrase, at the end of The Christmas Invsion.

The break down:

Army of Ghosts - 7 times!  This is the first time we hear it, he also says it's something he should say more often!  Also he states that it would be brilliant if he met someone called Alonso so he could say Allons-y Alonso!

Evolution of the Daleks - one

42   - one     

Voyage of the Damned - twice - including the Allons-y Alonso - something he always wanted to say!

The Fires of Pompeii - Nice bit of Allons-y! - said after a good run!

Midnight - He says it twice and Sky says it once - also the only episode that he translates the French

The Next Doctor - said with David Morrissey in unison

Planet of the Dead - said to Lady Christina

The End of Time, Part Two - The quote at the beginning of the blog.

Happy Bastille Day!

July 13, 2012

Every great actor needs a great headshot!  Here are David's over the span of his career so far.

July 12, 2012

David took part in the broadcast of Knocking on Heaven's Door. The performance was broadcast November 27, 1994 on Children's Radio BBC 4 at 6:00 pm with a runtime of 30 minutes. The producer was Alan Lambert.

The play was the prize-winning entry in the BBC's Education Writing for Radio competition. The winner was 15-year-old Inderjeet Lall. It was adapted for the radio by writer Michael Butt.

The challenge was to write an outline for a radio play featuring the rumble of thunder, the ring of a doorbell and a howling dog. The other readers were Richard O'Brien,  David Antrobus, Lindsay Lerner, Robbie Gill, Don McCorkindale, Sam Kelly,   Crawford Logan, and Amanda Simons.

July 11, 2012

David won two awards for his portrayal of Hamlet and was nominated for several. He missed out being eligible for even being nominated for the prestigious Olivier Award due to his back injury during the West End transfer of the show. The Olivier is given only for London performances of a play and David was not on stage in London enough days to qualify. It was widely speculated that he would have won if he had been nominated. Here is a quick video of Patrick talking about David's talent:

He did win the 2008 Critics' Circle John and Wendy Trewin Award for Best Shakespearean Performance, which was awarded jointly to David for Hamlet and to Sir Derek Jacobi for his performance as Malvolio in Twelfth Night.

From The Telegraph - January 27, 2009 - Stephen Adams

"In accepting his award Tennant, 37, said: "When I was at drama school, I waited at the stage door of Glasgow Theatre Royal to get Derek Jacobi's autograph, after his breathtaking Richard II.

"I was utterly inspired by that night, so to be sharing a prize for Shakespeare with such an amazing actor means more than I can say."

He also described the experience of playing Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-upon-Avon as "a dream I never imagined I would get to fulfil"." 

He was also awarded the 2009 Theatregoers' Choice Awards for Theatre Event Of The Year: David Tennant's return to the stage as Hamlet. Over 30,000 people voted online for the awards and he won by 53%  of the vote in this category. 

 He was unable to attend but Ed Bennett and Gregory Doran accepted the award for him. “He couldn't be here himself because I've kicked him in the back again” joked Bennett.  Later on in the press room Ed Bennett said "If there was an award for most scared understudy I think I would have been up there among the ranks but as it is I'll collect this and maybe give it to him if I ever see him again!" 
 

July 10, 2012

We all know that David has narrated numerous audiobooks, but did you know his hair inspired the cover of a book!  Author Tricia Heighway's first book, Paddytum, was published in October 2010 and the boy on the book cover has David's Doctor Who hair.

This is the books plot from Hirst Publishing:

"At one thirty-three in the afternoon, on the second Wednesday in May, something happened which was to change Robert Handle's life forever. At the time, he did not realise it would be a change for the better. Rob is man who has reached his forties without achieving anything at all. To his mother's dismay, he has dug himself into a rut so deep it will take more than a shovel to dig him out. It will take someone...or something, very special. Paddytum is the funny, poignant and heartwarming story of one man and his bear."

 

July 9, 2012

Another TV listings magazine also gives out a readers poll award the TV Times Award started out in 1969 with a poll asking readers to name their top ten shows and has been growing ever since. Here is a picture of David with his 2006 award for Favourite Actor he also won in 2008 for Sexiest Male.

From The Daily Mail - December 4, 2008:

"But Doctor Who star David Tennant has just been voted the sexiest man on television.

The Scots screen star also came second in the Favourite Actor category [Sir David Jason came in first] of the poll for TV Times magazine, while Doctor Who was named Favourite TV Show.

On learning of the sexiest man award, Bathgate-born Tennant said: 'I'm very flattered and somewhat bewildered.

All I know is that I voted for John Barrowman. [He came in 4th for sexiest male!]

'But I am unashamedly delighted that Doctor Who has been voted favourite show. All of us who work on the series are immensely proud of it.' "

 

July 8, 2012

Since 1998 Glenfiddich Whisky has been sponsoring the Spirit of Scotland Awards to celebrate achievements in eight categories Entrepeneur, Art, Environment, Food, Screen,Writing, Sport, and Music.  Out of the eight winners they then award a Top Scot Award.  The people of Scotland vote between the nominees in each category based on the profiles written in The Scotsman Magazine.  The awards are televised on STV.  

David was awarded the Screen Award in 2007, he sent a short video message of acceptance as he was in Cardiff filming Doctor Who, but his father and sister attended the ceremony.  His father, the Right Reverend Sandy McDonald, looking quite handsome himself in his kilt, accepted the award. (click for video, Davis is at 30 second mark)

July 7, 2012

Another popular vote award in the UK is sponsored by TV Choice Magazine.  The awards started out as the TV Quick Awards the sister magazine to TV Choice then the awards became the TV Quick and TV Choice Awards and then just the TV Choice Awards!

David won Best actor for Doctor Who in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and in 2011 for Single Father.

 

There is no picture of him with his 2008 awards as he was doing Hamlet in September when the awards were given out, the same as the 2008 NTA's.

 

July 6, 2012

It was an honor just to be nominated!

MEN (Manchester Evening News Theatre) Award for Best Actor for Kenny in the 1995 Royal Exchange Manchester production of An Experienced Woman Needs Advice.

TMA (Theatrical Management Association) Award for Best Actor for Tom in the1996 Dundee Rep prooduction of Glass Menagerie

Ian Charleton Award (administered by Royal National Theatre) for Best Classical Actor under 30 for Antipholus of Syracuse in the 2000 RSC production of Comedy of Errors

Olivier Award for Best Actor in the 2002 Donmar Warehouse/New Ambassadors Theatre production of Lobby Hero

July 5, 2012

You may have noticed that I didn't post a picture of David with his NTA award for 2008, that is because he was on stage doing Hamlet at the time and accepted the award via satelitle during intermission.  It was during this link up that he announced to the nation he was giving up Doctor Who.  There would be 4 special episodes in 2009 and then he was off!

The first NTA he won in 2006 was given by Julie Andrews not only was he over the moon about winning the award but he was really excited about meeting her!

His first words were - "I'm sorry but whatever else happens in my life I've just met Julie Andrews!" He then threw her a kiss and gave her a bow.

In 2007 he slipped and slid across the stage in his rush to accept his award and in 2010 his final NTA as Doctor Who was given to him by a friend - Sarah Brown!

July 4, 2012

The National Television Awards (NTA) are Britains popular vote awards. There are many other awards given out by public vote in the UK but the NTA's is the most prominent and the only one that is nationally televised.  The American equivalent would be the People's Choice Awards.

                                                   2006

                                                  2007

The NTA's began in 1995 are broadcast on the ITV network from the Royal Albert Hall.  In 2010 the awards moved to the O2 Arena due to the increasing popularity of the event.

It should be noted that there were no awards in 2009.

David won Most Popular Actor in 2006, 2007, and 2008 and when the awards returned in 2010 the category name changed to Most Popular Drama Performance which David also won.

                                                2010                                                    

July 3, 2012

The BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) is the UK equivalent to the Oscars and the Emmys.  There are also regional Baftas for Wales (Cymru) and Scotland and for computer gaming.

In 2007 David won the BAFTA Cymru awards for Best Actor for the 2006 Doctor Who episode Doomsday.

In the 2009 BAFTA Scotland awards he was nominated for Best Acting Performance in Television. The award went to Robert Carlyle  for The Unloved.

July 2, 2012

The Constellation Awards are Canada's science fiction awards for excellence in film and television and they began in 2007.

David won for Best Best Male Performance in a 2006 Science Fiction Television Episode for Girl in the Fireplace, Best Male Performance in a 2007 Science Fiction Television Episode for Family of Blood, and Best Male Performance in a 2009 Science Fiction Television Episode for the Waters of Mars.

He was nominated for Best Male Performance in a 2008 Science Fiction Television Episode for Midnight, the award went to Michael Hogan from Battlestar Galactica and Best Male Performance in a 2010 Science Fiction Television Episode for The End of Time: Part II, which went to Adam Baldwin from Chuck.

Here are pictures of the awards, they change the image in the center image each year. 

 

 

July 1, 2012

David won Best Male Performance 2004-2005, for his portrayal of Jimmy Porter in the Edinburgh production of Look Back in Anger.  Here he is posing with the award sitting on the bottom of Stirling's Mercat Cross.

"David Tennant's performance swept us off our feet, electrifying and mesmerising as he paced the stage like a caged animal. Whether he was perching on furniture or strutting dictator-like, it was impossible to take your eyes off him as he summoned up the hateful but irresistible Jimmy Porter." 

During his acceptance speech he said "I'm gut-bustingly proud!"  This is a video of the speech which I have tried to clean up sound wise but it's not perfect.