British actress Katie Manney has been a star of stage and screen for over five decades.

Her list of co-stars reads like a veritable who's who of the acting world and includes luminaries such as

Jack Clogman, Derek Nimo, and of course her partner Barry Crocker, the legendary Australian

performer.

Despite her varied repertoire and success across three continents, in England she's perhaps

best remembered for her starring role in the long-running BBC television series, Doctor Who.

I recently had the pleasure to speak with Katie about her remarkable career, and we began by

talking about how her fledgling career could have taken a very different trajectory.

Katie, you found success very early in your career in England on television.

But even prior to that, you had another amazing opportunity when as a young woman in New

York, you were actually offered a five-year contract by MGM Studios.

Can you tell me about that experience?

Yes, my parents were flown over, etc, etc,

but I never felt right about it, and I hadn't even decided I wanted to be an actress and you know then I had a dreadful car crash which put me out for like two years but no it was it was never meant to be and my father gave me the

information which I thought was very useful at that age you don't take much

notice of your parents but I did daddy said if you sign a contract you can do five

years and do absolutely nothing but you're

contracted you can do one thing and still contracted and I decided I wanted to learn a lot more

about I mean I've been around that business all my life especially in my teenage years and I decided I wanted to learn more so I decided after I'd had my car crash and you know that was like over two

years of my life gone completely I decided I would audition for drama schools and the

first one that took me would get me for things.

So I have to ask about Dr. Hoot.

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