Ray Cusick's Original Dalek Designs for DOCTOR WHO

Doctor Who (1963) Raymond Cusick

Sadly, last week Raymond Cusick, who helped design the legendary Doctor Who villains, the Daleks, passed away. His daughter, Claire Heawood, said he had been suffering from an illness and died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday. He leaves two daughters and seven grandchildren.

Raymond Cusick worked as a production designer on the BBC show Doctor Who from 1963 to 1966.

The Daleks were conceptualized by science-fiction writer Terry Nation and first appeared in the 1963 Doctor Who serial The Daleks.

Check after the jump to see his designs and click on the images to enlarge.

While the design went through many changes they finally settled on the look that has remained unchanged for almost 50 years and is the symbol of evil around the world.

Here's what they look like today.

Pretty much the same. Here's a video of Cusick visiting the modern set talking to Production Designer Edward Thomas and designer Peter McKinstry about the Dalek designs.



He will be missed.

Wikipedia Synopsis:
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a Time Lord—a time travelling, humanoid alien known as the Doctor. He explores the universe in his 'TARDIS', a sentient time-travelling space ship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, a common sight in Britain in 1963, when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, the Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilisations, help ordinary people, and right wrongs.

Images via Daily Mail, thedoctorwhosite.co.uk dalek6388.co.uk

What do you think of the illustrations? Do you have fond memories of the Daleks?

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