Polly (Doctor Who)

Polly is a fictional character played by Anneke Wills in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. A young woman from 1966, she was a companion of the First and Second Doctors and a regular in the programme from 1966 to 1967.

Related Topics:
Anneke Wills - British - Science fiction television - Doctor Who - 1966 - Companion - First - Second Doctors - 1967

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Polly first appeared in the First Doctor serial, The War Machines, where she was working as a secretary to Professor Brett. Brett developed the artificial intelligence known as WOTAN, and Polly met the Doctor and Dodo when they came to investigate it. Polly befriended Dodo and took her to a London nightclub called the Inferno, where they met Ben Jackson and tried to cheer up the merchant seaman. When Polly was accosted by another patron in the Inferno, Ben came to her rescue. Eventually, Ben and Polly aided the Doctor in his fight against WOTAN when the computer tried to take over the world. They were bearers of Dodo's decision to stay in 1966 to the Doctor, and accidentally got carried away in the TARDIS when they tried to return Dodo's key to the time machine.

Related Topics:
The War Machines - Artificial intelligence - The Doctor - Dodo - London - Ben Jackson - 1966 - TARDIS - Time machine

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Polly, in contrast to Dodo, was a more sophisticated and hip young woman of the 1960s — vivacious, attractive, and alternately shy and aggressive. She and Ben were an odd couple, but she was receptive to Ben's protective urges, and he in turn found her elegant and posh, giving her the nickname "Duchess". Polly was present with Ben when the First Doctor regenerated into the Second, and continued to travel with the Second Doctor.

Related Topics:
1960s - Posh - Regenerated

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Eventually, the TARDIS found its way back to 1966 London (in The Faceless Ones) on the very day Ben and Polly had left (although about a year had passed for them). They decided to remain behind to resume their lives without disruption as the Doctor and Jamie travelled on.

Related Topics:
1966 - The Faceless Ones - Jamie

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Polly was never given a last name in the series. According to production notes, she was meant to be Polly Wright, but this was not used in case it would be confused with previous companion Barbara Wright. In The Faceless Ones, a double of Polly is named Michelle Lauppi, an apparent mishearing of which led to unofficial reference works giving her last name as "Lopez". Anneke Wills suggested the name "Bettingham-Smith", after one of her friends. In the spin-off novel Invasion of the Cat-People by Gary Russell, Wright was given as Polly's last name.

Related Topics:
Barbara Wright - Spin-off - Gary Russell

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What happened to Polly after her return to Earth is not known. The Doctor seemed to think that Ben would become an Admiral and that Polly would look after Ben, but it is unclear if it was a prediction or simply wishing them well.

Related Topics:
Earth - Admiral

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