The Doctor Who Production Diary: 1963

January
14 Birth of Adjoa Andoh (bio), who played Francine Jones
30 Birth of Daphne Ashbrook (bio), who played Doctor Grace Holloway

February

March
11 Birth of Alex Kingston (bio), who played Prof River Song
22 The Beatles release their first album, Please Please Me, which includes the hits I Saw Her Standing There, Love Me Do and Twist And Shout
26 On the instructions of new BBC Head of Drama Sydney Newman, Head of Serials Donald Wilson convenes a meeting to begin development of a science-fiction series to fill a perceived hole in the BBC's Saturday evening programming The First Doctor
29 An idea for a science-fiction series called The Troubleshooters is delivered to BBC Head of Drama Sydney Newman, who asks for substantial revisions The First Doctor

April
9 Birth of Phil Gladwin (bio), writer
27 Birth of Russell T Davies (bio), writer and executive producer

May
early
May
CE Webber completes a first draft of the Doctor Who format guide, although Sydney Newman takes issues with elements such as the Doctor secretly striving against science, and his time machine being a void of “nothing” The First Doctor
13 Sydney Newman's unhappiness with the development of Doctor Who leads to the start of production on an initial four-part story being postponed by four weeks, from July 5th to August 2nd The First Doctor
15 CE Webber completes another draft of the Doctor Who format guide, in which the time machine is now described as resembling a police box The First Doctor
16 A new version of the Doctor Who format guide refines the programme even further; the opening story is intended to be “The Giants” The First Doctor
20 The current draft of the Doctor Who format guide is submitted to the Controller of Programmes for BBC One, Donald Baverstock, who indicates his approval The First Doctor
late
May
Mervyn Pinfield is appointed as associate producer of Doctor Who The First Doctor

June
14 Anthony Coburn is commissioned to write 100,000 BC, which will ultimately become Doctor Who's debut story 100,000 BC
mid
June
With Rex Tucker having ceased his caretaker role, Verity Lambert is appointed producer of Doctor Who The First Doctor
18 Anthony Coburn is commissioned to write “The Masters Of Luxor” The First Doctor
21 Valentina Tereshkova, travelling in Vostok 6, becomes the first woman in space
21 By now, production on Doctor Who has been delayed from August 2nd to August 9th; it would subsequently be postponed to September 27th The First Doctor
24 David Whitaker is appointed script editor of Doctor Who The First Doctor

July
3 Anthony Coburn is recommissioned to write 100,000 BC on a freelance basis 100,000 BC
3 Anthony Coburn is recommissioned to write “The Masters Of Luxor” on a freelance basis The First Doctor
9 John Lucarotti is commissioned to write Marco Polo Marco Polo
mid
July
David Whitaker refines the Doctor Who format guide; by now, main characters Dr Who, Biddy, Cliff and Lola have become the Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara The First Doctor
16 “The Giants” is abandoned The First Doctor
31 William Hartnell is contracted to play the Doctor for fifty-two weeks The First Doctor
31 William Russell is contracted to play Ian Chesterton for fifty-two weeks Ian 
Chesterton
31 Jacqueline Hill is contracted to play Barbara Wright for fifty-two weeks Barbara 
Wright
31 Carole Ann Ford is contracted to play Susan Foreman for fifty-two weeks Susan
31 Terry Nation is commissioned to write The Daleks The Daleks
31 Alan Wakeman is commissioned to write “The Living Planet” The First Doctor

August
2 Ron Grainer is contracted to compose the theme music for Doctor Who The First Doctor
5 The UK, the USA and the Soviet Union sign the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
8 The Daleks is extended from six episodes to seven The Daleks
28 Martin Luther King delivers his I Have A Dream speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC
31 Recording for the first Doctor Who title sequence takes place at BBC Television Centre Studio 5 in White City, London The First Doctor

September
2 Malcolm Hulke submits storylines for “Britain 408 AD” and “The Hidden Planet” The First Doctor
9 The premiere date for Doctor Who is scheduled for November 23rd The First Doctor
12 The BBC announces Doctor Who to the press The First Doctor
13 Tests of the TARDIS materialising and dematerialising is carried out at Lime Grove Studio D in Shepherd's Bush, London The First Doctor
19 Recording for 100,000 BC takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London 100,000 BC
23 The Daleks replaces “The Masters Of Luxor” as Doctor Who's second serial The Daleks
23 “Britain 408 AD” is abandoned The First Doctor
24 Terry Nation is commissioned to write “The Red Fort” The First Doctor
27 Recording for 100,000 BC takes place at Lime Grove Studio D in Shepherd's Bush, London 100,000 BC
30 Head of Drama Sydney Newman decides that the recording of the pilot episode of 100,000 BC conducted on September 27th is unsatisfactory and will have to be remounted 100,000 BC

October
9 Recording for 100,000 BC takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London 100,000 BC
10 Recording for 100,000 BC takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London 100,000 BC
11 Recording for 100,000 BC takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London 100,000 BC
16 The Controller of Programmes for BBC One, Donald Baverstock, orders nine further episodes of Doctor Who beyond 100,000 BC The First Doctor
18 In the aftermath of the Profumo affair and suffering ill health, British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan resigns; he is succeeded by Alec Douglas-Home
18 The Controller of Programmes for BBC One, Donald Baverstock, rescinds his order of October 16th because of perceived cost overruns; the order is reinstated when it is discovered that he was acting on erroneous information The First Doctor
18 The September 27th recording for 100,000 BC is remounted at Lime Grove Studio D in Shepherd's Bush, London 100,000 BC
25 Recording for 100,000 BC takes place at Lime Grove Studio D in Shepherd's Bush, London 100,000 BC
28 Recording for The Daleks takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London The Daleks
29 Recording for The Daleks takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London The Daleks
30 Recording for The Daleks takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London The Daleks
31 Recording for The Daleks takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London The Daleks

November
1 Recording for 100,000 BC takes place at Lime Grove Studio D in Shepherd's Bush, London 100,000 BC
1 Recording for The Daleks takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London The Daleks
8 Recording for 100,000 BC takes place at Lime Grove Studio D in Shepherd's Bush, London 100,000 BC
15 Recording for The Daleks takes place at Lime Grove Studio D in Shepherd's Bush, London The Daleks
16 The first trailer for Doctor Who is broadcast The First Doctor
18 Head of Drama Serials Donald Wilson decides that the recording of The Daleks episode one conducted on November 15th will have to be remounted, due to insurmountable audio problems The Daleks
21 A press conference is held to launch Doctor Who The First Doctor
22 US President John F Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas
22 A second set of thirteen episodes is ordered, to follow Inside The Spaceship The First Doctor
22 Recording for The Daleks takes place at Lime Grove Studio D in Shepherd's Bush, London The Daleks
23 Debut broadcast of 100,000 BC episode one, An Unearthly Child, on BBC TV 100,000 BC
26 Recording for The Daleks takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London The Daleks
29 Recording for The Daleks takes place at Lime Grove Studio D in Shepherd's Bush, London The Daleks
30 The BBC elects to repeat 100,000 BC episode one, due to power blackouts on November 23rd and the intense international focus on the assassination of President Kennedy 100,000 BC
30 Debut broadcast of 100,000 BC episode two, The Cave Of Skulls, on BBC TV 100,000 BC

December
2 A remount of some of the previous recording for The Daleks takes place at the BBC Television Film Studios in Ealing, London using an improved model of the Dalek city The Daleks
2 Malcolm Hulke is commissioned to write “The Hidden Planet” The First Doctor
6 The November 15th recording for The Daleks is remounted at Lime Grove Studio D The Daleks
7 Debut broadcast of 100,000 BC episode three, The Forest Of Fear, on BBC TV 100,000 BC
13 Recording for The Daleks takes place at Lime Grove Studio D in Shepherd's Bush, London The Daleks
14 Debut broadcast of 100,000 BC episode four, The Firemaker, on BBC TV 100,000 BC
20 Recording for The Daleks takes place at Lime Grove Studio D in Shepherd's Bush, London The Daleks
21 Debut broadcast of The Daleks episode one, The Dead Planet, on BBC TV The Daleks
28 Debut broadcast of The Daleks episode two, The Survivors, on BBC TV; viewing figures start to skyrocket following the introduction of the Daleks The Daleks
29 Birth of Julian Bleach (bio), the fourth actor to play Davros
30 Head of Drama Sydney Newman demands an explanation from producer Verity Lambert for the “bug-eyed monsters” that appeared in The Daleks episode two; he later concedes that her instincts were correct The Daleks
31 An additional set of ten episodes is ordered, to follow the slot ultimately filled by The Keys Of Marinus The First Doctor