Verity Lambert

Verity Lambert (born November 27 1935 in London, England, UK) is a British television and film producer, best known for producing the science-fiction series Doctor Who for the BBC for its first two years, from 1963 to 1965. She was a ground-breaker for women in British television, being the first female producer of an important drama series and later becoming one of the most powerful women in the industry.

Early career in independent television

Lambert was educated at Roedean School and later studied for a time at the Sorbonne in Paris. She entered the television industry in 1956 when she joined Granada Television as a secretary working in the company's press office. She later moved to ABC Television, where she became a Production Assistant, working for Canadian producer Sydney Newman on the popular anthology drama series Armchair Theatre. One notable incident during her time on Armchair Theatre occurred during the live transmission of the hour-long play Underground on November 28 1958, when actor Gareth Jones unexpectedly died during production. Lambert had to take control of directing the cameras from the studio gallery as director William Kotcheff hastily re-wrote the script to accommodate the loss.

Related Topics:
Sorbonne - Paris - 1956 - Granada Television - ABC Television - Canadian - Sydney Newman - Armchair Theatre - November 28 - 1958 - William Kotcheff

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In 1961 Lambert spent some time on sabbatical from ABC, working as the personal assistant to American television producer David Susskind in New York. In December 1962, Sydney Newman had left ABC permanently to take up the position of Head of Drama at BBC Television, and the following year Lambert joined him at the Corporation when he recruited her to produce a new educational science-fiction adventure serial for children which he personally had initiated the creation of: the serial was called Doctor Who. Concerning the adventures of a crotchety old man who travels through space and time in a machine larger on the inside than the out with his sometimes unwilling travelling companions, the programme was a risk, and in some quarters not expected to last longer than thirteen weeks.

Related Topics:
1961 - American - David Susskind - New York - 1962 - BBC Television - Doctor Who

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