Editing C. E. Webber

{{Short description|British television writer and playwright (1909–1969)}}
{{more citations needed|date=April 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name   = C. E. Webber
| birth_name = Cecil Edwin Webber
| birth_date = {{birth date|1909|4|9|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[England]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1969|06|26|1909|4|9|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Midhurst]], [[Sussex, England]]
| occupation   = [[Television writer]], [[playwright]]
| known_for = Co-creator of ''[[Doctor Who]]''
}}

'''Cecil Edwin Webber''' (sometimes known by the nickname "'''Bunny'''";<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/nSTS2ZqP6Q3b5P92Lzgyq8/c-e-webber An Adventure in Space and Time: Behind the Scenes — C.E. Webber] (Accessed 21 August 2017)</ref> 9 April 1909 – 26 June 1969) was a British television writer and playwright. He is best remembered as one of the co-creators of the science-fiction series ''[[Doctor Who]]'' while working as a staff writer for the [[BBC]] in the early 1960s.

==''Doctor Who''==
Webber participated in many crucial early development meetings, and co-wrote the first format document for the series with [[Donald Wilson (writer and producer)|Donald Wilson]] and [[Sydney Newman]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/5LhY4XxFjdNj8PXmhBKg2dT/rex-tucker|title=BBC Two - An Adventure in Space and Time - Rex Tucker|work=BBC|accessdate=17 April 2021}}</ref> Webber and his scripts were ultimately not used as he was felt to not be capable of "writing down" to the level required of the programme. However, his draft script for the proposed first episode formed the basis of the broadcast first episode eventually written by [[Anthony Coburn]]. Webber received a co-writer's credit on internal BBC documentation for the episode, although not on screen.<ref>{{cite web |title=An Adventure in Space and Time - C.E. Webber |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/nSTS2ZqP6Q3b5P92Lzgyq8/c-e-webber |website=BBC |access-date=10 January 2024}}</ref>

Webber submitted a ''Doctor Who'' pilot entitled "Nothing at the end of the Lane", suggested in early May 1963 under the programme's developing format guide. The story would feature Biddy and her teachers, Lola and Cliff, who would encounter Biddy's grandfather, "Doctor Who", and his time machine.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} "Nothing at the end of the Lane" was soon replaced by Webber's ''The Giants'', which would be a four-part serial to be directed by [[Rex Tucker]].{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} The story would feature Lola and Cliff in search of their student, Sue, and meet an old man in the fog. Calling him "Dr. Who", they find out that his home is a time machine disguised as a police telephone box. Unexpectedly, they are shrunken to an eighth of an inch in size. They then go to Cliff's laboratory and are menaced by a microscope lens, spiders, a student's compass, and caterpillars. Cliff manages to communicate with the students, and both return to Dr. Who's time machine.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

In production, the names of the companions changed to Ian, Barbara and Susan, while the Doctor's name, "Dr. Who", would go unused.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} ''The Giants'' was abandoned in June 1963 in favour of ''[[An Unearthly Child]]'',{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} because ''Doctor Who'' creator [[Sydney Newman]] disliked the idea of putting caterpillars and spiders as monsters in the story.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

==Other work==

Webber's published stage plays included ''Be Good, Sweet Maid'' (1957), ''Out of the Frying Pan'' (1960) and ''The Mortal Bard'' (1964).

Other television shows he wrote or created for the BBC included the 1961 action adventure serial ''Hurricane'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.action-tv.org.uk/guides/hurricane.htm |title=Hurricane |publisher= |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041019042311/http://www.action-tv.org.uk/guides/hurricane.htm |archivedate=19 October 2004}}</ref> the 1962 children's comedy ''[[William (TV series)|William]]'', starring [[Dennis Waterman]], based on the books by [[Richmal Crompton]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/w/william_7776805.shtml |title=Comedy – Comedy Archive |publisher=BBC |date= |accessdate=2010-04-30 |archive-date=16 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916081046/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/w/william_7776805.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> and in 1964 episodes of the ''[[Dr. Thorndyke#Television Adaptations|Thorndyke]]'' detective series.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.action-tv.org.uk/guides/thorndyke.htm |title=Thorndyke |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041027135025/http://www.action-tv.org.uk/guides/thorndyke.htm |archivedate=27 October 2004}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050310145417/http://www.teletronic.co.uk/who1.htm The Origin of Dr Who]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050422001239/http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsW/WebberCE.htm List of C. E. Webber stage plays (1956 onwards)]
* {{IMDb name|id=1525506|name = C. E. Webber}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Webber, C. E.}}
[[Category:1909 births]]
[[Category:1969 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century British dramatists and playwrights|Webber, C.E.]]
[[Category:20th-century British screenwriters]]
[[Category:British male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:British male television writers]]
[[Category:Television show creators]]