Peter Davison Movies

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy began as a 1978 BBC radio series by Douglas Adams, who adapted the material into a bestselling novel in 1979. This six-part BBC television miniseries - a witty and farcical science-fiction send-up -- stars Simon Jones as gormless Arthur Dent, who wakes up one morning to discover that a demolition crew is preparing to destroy his house and put in a new highway bypass. Saddened by this news, Arthur accepts the offer of his buddy Ford Prefect to head down to the local pub for a drink, but is soon greeted by Ford's wild revelation that he is in fact not a human but a space alien from a small planet just outside of Betelgeuse, who has spent many years on the planet Earth in the guise of a human actor, doing background research for a book called 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.' Before Arthur can fully digest this news, a Vogon spaceship appears in the sky and blasts out the message that the entire Earth will soon be destroyed to put in an intergalactic superhighway. At the last moment, Arthur and Ford manage to board the spaceship to escape obliteration themselves. Arthur is soon ensconced in a strange space vessel festooned with all manner of confusing hardware, and jets through a series of increasingly off-the-wall adventures, where he meets such wild characters as three-armed galaxy president Zaphod Beeblebrox; Trillian, the latter's girlfriend; neurotic robot Marvin; and Veet Voojagig, a graduate student with a ballpoint pen fixation. Like Dr. Who and other BBC productions, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy took its US bow on PBS affiliate stations. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Michael Winner directed this British comedy-thriller about the disappointing life of wedding photographer Harry Sterndale (singer-actor Chris Rea). Betrayed by his wife, Harry had his ideas stolen by his best friend Maurice Walpole (John Cleese), was fleeced by shady businessman Gerd Layton (Bob Hoskins), and is told he has less than two months to live. To get revenge on everyone who did him in, Harry purchases a gun from barmaid Fred (Joanna Lumley) and sets off to carry out his most outrageous fantasies, with lots of twist and turns along the way. Shown at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Filmed on location, this first episode of Magnum, P.I.'s two-part Season Six opener (originally telecast in a single two-hour timeslot) finds Magnum (Tom Selleck) and Higgins (John Hillerman) journeying to London at the behest of their boss, novelist Robin Masters. As Higgins explains the duties of managing Masters' new British estate to caretaker Ian MacKerras (Peter Davison), Magnum looks an old war buddy, Geoffrey St. Clair. The detective has been plagued of late by eerie premonitiions suggesting that Geoffrey has met with disaster--and sure enough, no sooner has he arrived than Magnum is informed that Geoffrey has died. Against his better judgement, our hero finds himself falling in love with his unfortunate friend's widow Penelope (Francesca Annis). Meanwhile, Higgins braces himself for a visit with his father, whom he hasn't seen nor spoken to in over thirty years. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A teen is shunned by her family after she gets pregnant by a mystery man, in this British made-for-television drama. Based on the book by Mary Welsey, Serena Scott Thomas stars as Hebe, a girl who gets involved in casual prostitution as a way to make ends meet for herself and her young son while living in Southern England. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi

In the third episode of the four-part story "Warriors of the Deep," the Doctor (Peter Davison) and his companions are stranded on a 21st century nuclear sea base, which is about to be besieged by the dreaded Sea Devils and Silurians. This time, the combined villains intend to destroy all mankind with the help of a new henchman: an electrically charged sea beast called the Myrka. Originally telecast January 12, 1984, "Warriors of the Deep, Episode 3" was written by Johnny Byrne. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Doctor Who's record-breaking 21st anniversary was launched January 5, 1984, with episode one of the four-part "Warriors of the Deep." At the height of a 21st century Cold War, the Doctor (Peter Davison) and his companions Tegan (Janet Fielding) and Turlough (Mark Strickson) are accused of being saboteurs. This is a benign threat compared to the one posed by two of the Doctor's former nemeses -- the Sea Devils and the Silurians, last seen on Doctor Who way back in 1972. "Warriors of the Deep, Episode 1" was written by Johnny Byrne. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the third episode of the four-part story "Time-Flight," two Concordes -- one of them bearing the Doctor (Peter Davison) and his companions -- have vanished without a trace from London's Heathrow Airport. It turns out that the culprit behind these disappearance is the Doctor's perennial nemesis, the Master (Anthony Ainley), who hopes to gain control of the alien Xeraphin, and then the entire universe. First telecast March 29, 1982, "Time-Flight, Episode 3" was written by Peter Grimwade. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Doctor Who's 19th season came to a close with the four-part adventure "Time-Flight." Finally able to return Tegan (Janet Fielding) to contemporary London, the Doctor (Peter Davison) ends up investigating the disappearance of a Concorde jet. Little does he suspect that he will soon endure another deadly rendezvous with one of his oldest and most formidable enemies. Beginning its run on March 22, 1982, "Time-Flight" was written by Peter Grimwade. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the third episode of the four-part story "The Visitation," the Doctor (Peter Davison) and his companions find themselves in the London of 1666 at the time of the Great Plague. At the same time, a group of alien Tereleptils intend to take advantage of the chaos and panic by unleashing an even deadlier viral epidemic throughout the earth in hopes of conquering the planet themselves. Written by Eric Saward, "The Visitation, Episode 3" first aired on February 22, 1982. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The four-part adventure "The Visitation" begins as the Doctor (Peter Davison) attempts to take Tegan (Janet Fielding) back to contemporary London. Unfortunately, the TARDIS materializes in the London of 1666 at the height of the Great Plague. As if this wasn't enough to worry about, the Doctor discovers that an alien spacecraft may have landed in the disease-ridden city. Written by Eric Saward, Doctor Who: The Visitation, Episode 1 first aired on February 15, 1982. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Part one of the two-part "The King's Demons" originally aired March 15, 1983. Written by Terence Dudley, this Doctor Who adventure finds the TARDIS materializing on earth in the year 1215 A.D. -- or to be more precise, the day before King John (Gerald Flood) is to sign the Magna Carta. The Doctor (Peter Davison) doesn't know it yet, but he will soon be forced into another confrontation with his old enemy, the Master (Anthony Ainley). And that is hardly the worst of it -- as the Doctor will discover in the conclusion of this pulse-pounding adventure. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi