The Second Doctor, portrayed by Patrick Troughton, is instantly recognizable for his quirky personality and distinctive style, particularly his bow ties. A closer look reveals a fascinating detail: it appears the 2nd Doctor may have sported not one, but two different bow ties during his era, specifically around the filming of The Power of the Daleks.
Evidence for this sartorial puzzle first emerged in the 1967 Dr Who Annual. Images within its pages showcased the 2nd Doctor wearing a dark blue bow tie adorned with red diamond shapes featuring yellow centers. For years, this was the primary visual reference for this particular accessory.
2nd Doctor Bow Tie as seen in 1967 Dr Who Annual and DWM cover
Then, decades later, in 2019, Doctor Who Magazine (issue 541) dedicated an issue to director Christopher Barry. The cover featured a previously unseen photograph from Barry’s personal collection, depicting Troughton wearing the very same bow tie seen in the annual. This re-emergence confirmed the tie’s existence and provided a clearer view of its design.
This discovery initially led to questions: Why a separate bow tie just for publicity photos? And why would a director like Barry possess publicity stills? Traditionally, publicity photos would be managed by a different BBC department.
However, a simpler explanation arises: there wasn’t a dedicated “publicity bow tie.” Instead, the 2nd Doctor, Patrick Troughton, likely wore two distinct bow ties during the filming of The Power of the Daleks. This would explain the bow tie appearing in Christopher Barry’s collection, as he directed episodes of this serial.
To understand why two bow ties might have been used, examining the filming schedule is crucial. Studio recordings for The Power of the Daleks took place every Saturday in Riverside 1 from October 22nd to November 26th, 1966, with a return on December 21st for a scene featuring Jamie entering the TARDIS. Simultaneously, location filming for the first episode of The Highlanders occurred on November 14th and 15th, 1966, at Frensham Ponds.
This overlapping schedule is key. The location filming for The Highlanders fell within the rehearsal week for The Power of the Daleks episode 5. This type of scheduling was common in the early days of Doctor Who. Consequently, the bow tie the 2nd Doctor wore in The Power of the Daleks up to that point would have been the same one visible in publicity photos taken during The Highlanders location shoot.
2nd Doctor Bow Tie as seen in 1967 Dr Who Annual and DWM cover
Now, let’s turn our attention to telesnaps from Episodes 5 and 6 of The Power of the Daleks. In these visuals, the 2nd Doctor is, of course, wearing a bow tie. However, it appears to be a different shape – noticeably fatter than the one seen in earlier episodes and publicity shots.
Why the change in bow tie towards the end of The Power of the Daleks? A plausible theory is that the original bow tie was lost or damaged, perhaps during the location filming for The Highlanders. This would necessitate a replacement for the remaining studio recordings.
Telesnaps showing 2nd Doctor with a different bow tie in Power of the Daleks Episodes 5 & 6
The author acknowledges Si Hodges for highlighting the possibility of a second bow tie in episodes 5 and 6, which initially went unnoticed. The idea of a publicity spare seemed logical at first, but upon closer examination, a replacement due to loss or damage makes more sense. The reappearance of the publicity photo on the cover of DWM #541 further solidified this theory.
While identifying the exact replacement bow tie remains speculative without further evidence, the circumstantial evidence is compelling. Perhaps further research or newly discovered photos will one day provide definitive proof. If a replacement bow tie was indeed used in those later episodes of The Power of the Daleks, it could also help pinpoint when the Dr Who Annual publicity photos were taken.
Regarding continuity concerns, it’s important to remember the production context of 1966. The prevailing attitude was that these episodes were unlikely to be seen again. In an era where even recasting a major character mid-storyline (as in The Macra Terror) was considered acceptable, a minor costume detail like a bow tie change would hardly have been a major concern. The focus was on production efficiency, not necessarily meticulous continuity for future viewing – a future they likely didn’t envision in the way we scrutinize classic Doctor Who today.
