THE FUTURE IS FANTASTIC: GUEST ROY SCAMMELL

One of the guests I hadn't seen before was stuntman, Roy Scammell, who played Nordstrom in the first episode of Space 1999, 'Breakaway'.

In this screengrab, he's the astronaut picking up his fellow worker, Steiner, 

Although, this scene was well used as a publicity still for the series, I  think many of you will have seen the gaff as Roy's helmet visor lifts up seconds later.

Sadly, for Roy's character, he's contracted the strange sickness, so no trip to the planet Meta for him.

Roy, who is in his eighties, started out as a professional ice skater, and gymnast, before embarking in a career as a stuntman. Over the years he's performed in a great many productions, including several James Bond films, a Clockwork Orange where he was Malcolm McDowell's stunt double. Flash Gordon as a Hawkman. He was also one of the stunt co-ordinators on Alien, where he worked with  fellow stuntman Eddie Powell.

Roy was also a member of Havoc, the stunt performers founded by fellow stunt man Derek Ware, who were usually seen as UNIT soldiers during Jon Pertwee's era as The Doctor.

Roy performed in Ambassadors Of Death, Inferno and Mind of Evil during Jon Pertwee's first season as The Doctor. He also worked as a stunt co-ordinator on the stories, Paradise Towers, and Delta and The Bannermen during Sylvester McCoy's era.

One particular stunt that Roy performed during his days with Havoc was a record breaker at the time. It was during a scene in 'Inferno'. Derek Ware was playing mutated  RSF Trooper Wyatt  who was attacking The Doctor at the top of a refinery tank. The character is shot by an RSF trooper on the ground, ( played by Roy) , and then proceeds to fall from the top of the tank, which apparently was nearly 90 feet. 

Although, Derek was a stuntman, it was Roy who was contracted to do the stunt, and at the time it was the highest fall ever undertaken by a British stunt performer. 

I must say I enjoyed listening to Roy recounting his experiences in the film industry, and in particular his time in Havoc.