The Catacombs The Production Guide
Script To Screen: Alpha Child
by Martin Willey

Script To Screen

Monday 8th July 1974 was the first full day of shooting for Alpha Child. It was also Barry Morse's only day in this episode- he only appears in the 3 scenes in his living quarters, filmed in the morning. He will return the following week, Monday, 15th July, but not for this episode. At noon, filming starts in Main Mission, and will continue until next Monday, 15th July. Barbara Bain isn't needed for any of these scenes, and has a day off.

Alpha Child

Filming starts with scene 110B, near the end of the episode, with Jarak announcing "The designated will die." Only Barry Morse is present, likely as they wanted to give their child actor a little later start than normal.

Alpha Child

In scene 23, Bergman shows Jackie the pictures of the flowers ("Flow-er"). Jackie is looking intently around the scientific equipment in the room.

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In scene 27, Jackie draws his picture of the flower, which Bergman pins up on the board. Koenig arrives. The props instructions indicate this drawing is probably drawn by the assistant art director, Michael Ford.

Alpha Child

Jackie also draws a picture of the spaceship, but covers it from Koenig and Bergman. There were "repeats" of these, photocopies which could be replaced if the drawing was damaged.

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The Main Mission scenes start at midday, with the opening scenes of the episode. In Main Mission (scene 3), the staff are tense. In Koenig's office we see Koenig and Morrow also tense (scene 4, but filmed as a continuous track from Main Mission to the office). The Red Alert sounds, and Koenig and Morrow stride into Main Mission.

The script specifies a little detail for Sandra, which is visible on screen (although she is standing, not sitting):

At the console, SANDRA is stirring a cup of coffee, stirring and stirring until TANYA and CARTER give her a look as if to say "Do you mind?". SANDRA shrugs an apology, leans back and waits. Tension increases.

June Bolton is listed on the call sheet as "operative 1". For some reason she was not present, and Maureen Tan stepped in to replace her.

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From now on we are in scene 7. They see Helena on the Big Screen showing baby Jackie. The close-ups of the Big Screen showing Barbara Bain with the baby in Medical were shot on Monday, 15th July. Sandra's "I'm...I'm happy" was a late script addition.

Alpha Child

Finally, scene 16B is the scene with Carter, Morrow, Sandra and Paul discussing the newly grown Jackie "Maybe we had no right to expect it to be normal."

Another Time, Another Place

Meanwhile, at Bray Studios, Brian Johnson was filming a rare bit of live action (with doubles for Koenig, Helena and Carter)- an insert shot for Another Time, Another Place. The scene replaced an earlier scene with an alien tower, filmed on Tuesday 16th April 1974. Regular stand-ins Alan Meacham and Suzanne Heimer double for Koenig and Helena, while Harry Van Engel is Carter, who had previously appeared in that episode as the dead Alan in the Eagle crash. Back at Pinewood, Martin Landau's stand-in was Mike Stevens, who was often seen in front of the camera as an Alphan.

GROUP THREE PRODUCTIONS LIMITED "SPACE 1999" TELEVISION SERIES.
"ALPHA CHILD" - EPISODE 10.
CALL SHEET NO: 1
DIRECTOR: RAY AUSTIN STAGE: 'L'
DATE: MONDAY, 8TH.JULY, 1974 UNIT CALL: 8.30.AM.
ARTISTE CHARACTER D/R MAKE-UP CALL SET CALL
INT. BERGMAN'S QUARTERS SC.NOS: 110B.23.27.
MARTIN LANDAU KOENIG 321 9.30.am. 10.30.am.
BARRY MORSE BERGMAN 324 8.00.am. 8.30.am.
PRENTIS HANCOCK MORROW 325 10.00.am. 10.30.am.
WAYNE BROOKS JACKIE Caravans REQUIRED FROM 9.00.AM.
STAND-INS:
Mike Stevens for Mr.Landau - 8.30.am. 9.00.am.
Ron Watkins for Mr.Morse - 8.00.am. 8.30.am.
A.N.Other for Master Brooks - Required from 9.00.am.
PROPS: Books. Commlock. wrist monitors. flower photographs. Wayne's
pansy picture (see M.Ford). scientific equipment dressing.drawing
pins. board. Wayne's space ship picture and repeats.
ELECTRONIC: Sc.23. Alpha card on Compost.
Sc.27. Alpha card on Compost. Morrow commlock link.
INT.MAIN MISSION/KOENIG'S OFFICE. SC.NOS: 3.4.7.16B.
MARTIN LANDAU KOENIG 321 FROM ABOVE
PRENTIS HANCOCK MORROW 325 FROM ABOVE
NICK TATE CARTER 326 11.00.am. 12.00.noon.
ZIENIA MERTON SANDRA 328 11.00.am. 12.00.noon.
CLIFTON JONES KANO 327 11.30.am. 12.00.noon.
SUZANNE ROQUETTE TANYA 336 11.00.am. 12.00.noon.
JUNE BOLTON OPERATIVE 1 336 11.00.am. 12.00.noon.
SARAH BULLEN OPERATIVE 2 336 11.00.am. 12.00.noon.
RAYMOND HARRIS OPERATIVE 3 - 11.30.am. 12.00.noon.
LOFTUS BURTON OPERATIVE 4 - 11.30.am. 12.00.noon.
ANDY DEMPSEY OPERATIVE 5 - 11.30.am. 12.00.noon.
STAND-INS From above.
PROPS: Practical coffee. cups. spoons. commlocks. wrist monitors.
ELECTRONIC: Sc.3.(a) Radar trace (b) Tech trace (c) Panning Moonbase
(d) Eagle on Pad.
Compost: as (c)
Sc.4. Red alert panel.
Sc.7. as (3) (b) red alert panel.
Sc.16B as (3)
ELECTRICAL: Red Alert panels to be practical.
EPISODE 6 "ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE" - BRAY STUDIOS
EXTRA ARTISTES:
SUZANNE HEIMER DBL for Miss Bain - 8.00.am. 8.30.am.
ALAN MEACHAM DBL for Mr.Landau - 8.00.am. 8.30.am.
HARRY VAN ENGEL DBL for Mr.Carter - 8.00.am. 8.30.am.
PROPS: Continuity props for Sc.56: stunguns. survival packs.
RUSHES: Theatre 7 at 5.30.pm.
CATERING: AM and PM break for 80 people on 'L' Stage
TRANSPORT: (1) Ray Atkins to collect Mr.Landau at 8.45.am.
(2) Unit car (Doug) to collect Mr.Morse at 7.17.am.
(3) Unit car to collect Wayne Brooks at 8.15.am.
Mrs.Sarrag own arrangements.

KEN BAKER,
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.