Anthony Coburn (10 December 1927 – 28 April 1977) was an Australian television writer and producer, who spent much of his professional career living and working in the United Kingdom. He moved to the UK around 1950, where he joined the staff of BBC Television. While working as a staff writer for the BBC in 1963 and living in Herne Bay, Kent that he became involved in the early development of the science-fiction series Doctor Who.He liaised closely with the series' first story editor, David Whitaker, on establishing the format and characters of the show, which had been initiated by various BBC drama executives before being handed on to the new production team. It is believed to have been Coburn's idea for the Doctor's travelling companion, Susan, to be his granddaughter, as he was disturbed by the possible sexual connotations of an old man travelling with an unrelated teenager.Coburn wrote four full serials for the programme, An Unearthly Child, The Robots (also known as The Masters of Luxor) and two other unnamed scripts.Only An Unearthly Child was produced and it was the first ever Doctor Who serial to be made, despite both Coburn and the production team's misgivings about its prehistoric settings. The Robots was continually delayed and put back in production order, and then finally rejected — following this, Coburn severed his links with the show.He was the co-creator of Warship with Ian Mackintosh, a popular British television drama series that centred on the Royal Navy. The programme was aired by the BBC between 1973 and 1977. A book was also published in 1973 to coincide with the series.Coburn died in 1977 of a heart attack while producing the second series of the BBC 'period' drama Poldark.
It is believed to have been Coburn's idea for the Doctor's traveling companion, Susan, to be his granddaughter, as he was disturbed by the possible sexual connotations of an old man traveling with an unrelated teenager.
2
When redoing a draft of ''An Unearthly Child'' written by C.E. Webber, he came up with the TARDIS' now iconic Police Telephone Box disguise.
3
He wrote the first ever episode of "Doctor Who".
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Poldark
1977
TV Series producer - 4 episodes
Quiller
1975
TV Series producer
The Venturers
1975
TV Series producer
Warship
1973-1974
TV Series producer - 19 episodes
The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night
1972
TV Movie producer
The Venturers
1972
TV Movie producer
Sutherland's Law
1972
TV Movie producer
The Regiment
1972
TV Series producer - 7 episodes
The View from Daniel Pike
1971
TV Series producer - 1 episode
The Befrienders
1970
TV Movie producer
The Borderers
1969-1970
TV Series producer - 16 episodes
Vendetta
1968
TV Series producer - 8 episodes
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Sutherland's Law
1973
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Sutherland's Law
1972
TV Movie
The View from Daniel Pike
1971
TV Series
The Borderers
1970
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Vendetta
1967-1968
TV Series 3 episodes
Emergency-Ward 10
1967
TV Series writer - 1 episode
King of the River
1966
TV Series writer - 1 episode
The Newcomers
TV Series 1 episode, 1965 story - 20 episodes, 1965 - 1966 script - 4 episodes, 1965 - 1966 writer - 4 episodes, 1965
Heiress of Garth
1965
TV Mini-Series
The Children of the New Forest
TV Series dramatisation - 5 episodes, 1964 adaptation - 1 episode, 1964