Adelaide actor Kevin Manser gets inside the role of a Dalek for the early television series and film of 'Dr Who'

Kevin Manser (inset) operated a Dalek from the original series of Dr Who.
Dalek image courtesy BBC

Kevin Manser was an Adelaide-born actor best known for his career as an operator inside a Dalek in the early seasons of the British science-fiction television series Dr Who.

Born in 1929 (the same year as two other Adelaide actors of later national note: Ron Haddrick and Brian Wenzel), Kevin Manser worked for South Australian Engineering and Water Supply until 1957, when he emigrated to London to work as a stage manager,

He also took on roles on stage and in television before become one of the Dalek operators for the early Dr Who series. He continued to operate them until The power of the Daleks. He also was a Dalek in the first Aaru movie Dr Who And The Daleks. He also gained roles in films The Big Spender (1965) and A Countess from Hong Kong (1967). 

Returning to Australia in 1969, Manser became popular on the Dr Who conventions speaking circuit and appeared in a raft of television series including Spyforce (1972), Number 96 (1972), Shannon’s Mob (1975), A Country Practice (1982), Prisoner: Cell Block H (1983-84), Richmond Hill (1988) and All Saints (2001).

He played Mr Keith in the film The Year My Voice Broke (1987). He also was in TV mini series Bodyline (1984), The Dismissal (1983) and Vietnam (as prime minister William McMahon, 1987).

Manser published his autobiography, The Memoirs of a Dalek, in 2001, shortly before his death after being diagnosed with cancer that year.