Roderick Gary Downie Pinkus (17 July 1940 – 19 January 2006) was a South African-born English production manager on many 1980s episodes of the long-running science fiction television series ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the ...

'', and partner of its producer

John Nathan-Turner John Nathan-Turner (''né'' Turner; 12 August 1947 – 1 May 2002) was an English television producer. He was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series ''Doctor Who''. He was also the final producer of the series' firs ...

. His own analysis of the role of a production manager can be found on the BBC DVD release of ''

The Two Doctors ''The Two Doctors'' is the fourth serial of the 22nd season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in three weekly parts on BBC1 from 16 February to 2 March 1985. The serial is set on an alien ...

''.

Career

Downie had previously been a dancer and alongside Adrian Le Peltier he occasionally accompanied Pan's People between 1968 and 1970, in '' Happening for Lulu'', the ''Bobbie Gentry Show'' and ''Top of the Pops''. Downie also worked on ''

I, Claudius ''I, Claudius'' is a historical novel by English writer Robert Graves, published in 1934. Written in the form of an autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius, it tells the history of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and the early years of the Ro ...

'', '' All Creatures Great and Small'' and ''

Star Cops ''Star Cops'' is a British science fiction television drama series first broadcast on BBC2 in 1987. It was devised by Chris Boucher, a writer who had previously worked on the science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'' and ''Blake's 7'' ...

''.

Personal life

Downie died on 19 January 2006, having survived Nathan-Turner who died in 2002. Gary Downie shared a home with Nathan-Turner in

Saltdean Saltdean is a coastal village in the city of Brighton and Hove, with part (known as East Saltdean) outside the city boundary in Lewes district. Saltdean is approximately east of central Brighton, west of Newhaven, and south of Lewes. It is ...

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

. Downie was the author of the mid 1980s book ''The Doctor Who Cookbook''. Many ''Doctor Who'' celebrities donated recipes to the volume including

Ian Marter Ian Don Marter (28 October 194428 October 1986) was an English actor and writer, known for his role as Harry Sullivan in the BBC science-fiction television series '' Doctor Who'' from December 1974 to September 1975, with a non-regular, one-s ...

and

Lalla Ward Sarah Jill "Lalla" Ward (born 28 June 1951) is an English actress, voice artist and author. She is best known for playing the role of Romana II in the BBC television series ''Doctor Who'' from 1979 to 1981. Career Early career Ward's stage na ...

Controversy

Richard Marson Richard Marson (born c.1967) is an English writer, television producer and director, best known as a former editor-in-chief of the BBC's children's television programme ''Blue Peter''. In September 2007, Marson was sacked from his post for makin ...

's book ''The Life and Scandalous Times of John Nathan-Turner'' (2013)Matthew Swee
"JN-T: The Life and Scandalous Times of John Nathan-Turner by Richard Marson – review"
''The Guardian'', 22 March 2013 Marson alleges Downie sexually assaulted him, and details other accusations of inappropriate behaviour by Nathan-Turner and Downie, during the former's period as the series' producer.

Bibliography

*1985 – The Doctor Who Cookbook –

References

External links

* 1940 births 2006 deaths British television people Deaths from cancer in England English LGBT people Unit production managers {{DoctorWho-stub