In addition, Nations excellent 1977 post-apocalypse sagaSurvivorsis currently being remade by the BBC.
Late last week, Sky One announced that Nations 1970s space-operaBlakes 7is also the subject of a remake.
Were you picked for the role of Travis, or did you audition for it?
He had played my defence counsel in a thing calledKillersin the mid-seventies, and we just became great friends.
Well, the imagination boggles.
I went to see the producer the following afternoon, I think.
It was in this little office in the BBC.
We liked each other right away, and our interview lasted for about ten minutes.
He explained what it was and I said great.
I got home two hours later and the phone rang.
I got the part and that was that.
I didnt associate the two at all, actually.
They were heavies, but they were different kinds of heavies.So this became a concern later on?
I thought I had made a good decision.
Worked with him a couple of times.
And wonderful director Dougie Camfield.
Did you have any input from Terry Nation for Travis?
I didnt really know who Terry Nation was, to be frank with you.
Well, I knew hed been connected withDoctor Whobut I wasnt aDoctor Whofan.
He liked killing, he liked orders, and the more killing that the orders involved, the better.
You probably had the best opportunity to define him inDuel, which was really a Blake and Travis episode.
Was that an opportunity you took to deepen the character and flesh him out?
It was my favourite episode, because Gareth and I were old friends.
Wed been at drama school.
I like Gareth a lot.
We got on very well, and most of the episode was about us.
It needed altering, and nobody was against doing that in those days.
They were all good authors; never minded the scripts being altered.
We were also up in space somewhere, as far as I can remember.
Absolutely, without question.
Youre very good about all this!
Ive been watching and immersing inBlakes 7for weeks…
Youve really done your homework [laughs].
It seemed to be very boring, and I wanted to have more input if possible.
I wanted him to broaden out a bit and not become so two-dimensional.
After a very slow start, Brian Croucher took the character in a different and new direction.
Is that one you would have been comfortable with?
The cowboy renegade look is very different from the way you were taking the character…?
As I say, I would have done it, but later I changed my mind through greed really.
That was somebody else, and I came in later and voiced over that part.
Did that exclude you from more exposure inBlakes 7?
Did they actually cut you out of another episode?
So it didnt have too much of an impact on the filming?
No, we had done the filming already.
So that was that.Crouchers Travis had this very small eye patch, whereas your Travis had this enormous make-up.
I know that many actors like an accoutrement of that nature to help them get into the character.
Was that an aid to you or was it an obstruction?
That was an accident, but I didnt question the patch I thought it was a good idea.
Did you have any input into Traviss biker look, with the black leather?
No, not as such.
There was a terrific costume designer…I think her name was Barbara Lott.
If I am wrong, I apologise to her, but she was really good.
We went to this place called Hard Core Leather in Chelsea.
The showcame around in the era of punk and anti-government sentiment.
Is this a good time for a new reiteration ofBlakes 7?
I do know now, but I didnt then, because I didnt follow it.
Also, the public expect a certain degree of technical expertise.
The charm ofBlakes 7was that it was so cheap.
You could see the scenery moving.
But the British love that.
Do you think it holds up as drama, in spite these things, 30 years later?
I dont know, Martin, because I havent seen any of them lately.
I saw one episode some years ago, when the DVD was being released.
So maybe if I likeThe Brothers, I would likeBlakes 7again.
I havent seen it for years and years.
A little bit too psychotic?
She didnt seem to flirt too much with him?Yes.
I dont think that was ever on.
Maybe in the second series, possibly.
It didnt seem right to me, and I dont think to her.
It was also kind of odd, acting against somebody who was dressed up like that.
Bizarre, but she carried it off terribly well, I thought.
It was a good counter-balance really
Was it a fun series to work on?
Oh I loved it.
I loved every minute of it.
I loved it because of the people.
We all became great friends and we all wanted it to work.
We all worked very hard on it.
The director was great, the producer was a good guy, and yes, I loved it.
It was good fun.
Are you surprised at the kind of adulation you receive at conventions and the great interest in the character?
Well, Im not anymore, but I was at the time.
I dismissed it as soon as I had done it.
Well, no,Citizen Smithwas my first series, but I said no to conventions for years.
And I wished Id done it ten years earlier, because it was everything he said it was.
It was great fun, and I still do them, and I still like them.
They are fun things to do.
Are you a Science Fiction fan?
Is there anything in the genre of sci-fi that kind of grabs you besidesBlakes 7?
No, I am not interested inTorchwood.
And you lose interest in them, and its not new anymore.
Davids the new generation, so thats why hes so popular hes also a very good actor.
I think it was character-driven, and thats really what counts in the end.
That doesnt really come into it.
Its the stories, really, and the interrelation of characters which I think always interests people.
Theyre never going to do it; its far too dated, but the stories work.
The characters were likeable.
Is it an annoying thing to be associated with one role so strongly?
No, not really.
It doesnt come into the equation.
You do other stuff, and if people want to remember that, then thats fine by me.
Stephen Greif, thank you very much!
