I have to be truthful. I was absolutely devastated when hearing the news yesterday that Elisabeth Sladen had passed away. We reported her death here at Geeks of Doom, and tributes from around the world began pouring in on the internet in memory of her. The Australian ABC invited fans to share their Sarah Jane memories on their Facebook page; and the BBC created a Sarah Jane playlist on YouTube. Fantastic artwork, such as the beautiful design above by DalekBigBoy from the Gallifrey Base forums, also began sprouting around the web– through other avenues as well, such as Twitter and social news sites.

I can’t help but reflect more on Elisabeth Sladen — since it’s important, in my view, to highlight (especially to newer fans), that she was more than just a companion to us oldies and dinosaurs. She was a defining person during our early years, so her death is felt so much closer to the heart for us.

With the new season of Doctor Who coming up on us quickly on April 23, there’s a level of anticipation and excitement among fans online I’ve not seen for quite some time. What’s interesting is I continually find myself running into new fans who have only ever seen the new Doctor Who series that has been going since 2005.

Indeed, to a generation of Doctor Who fans, there have been only three Doctors since they discovered the adventures of the Time Lord: Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, and Matt Smith. And inevitably, many of these fans find themselves wanting to dive deeper into the mythos and legend of the good Doctor.

And why shouldn’t they? The series has had a legacy spanning close to half a century, with some amazing stories being created from some of the greatest creative minds including Terrence Dicks, Douglas Adams, Terry Nation, and so many more.

Today marks a sad day around the universe for Doctor Who fans. Long-time cast member Nicholas Courtney has passed away at the age of 81. Courtney portrayed the famous Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, otherwise referred to as the Brigadier, alongside eight of the eleven Doctors. His first role as Lethbridge-Stewart was in The Web of Fear opposite Patrick Troughton‘s Second Doctor, and his final role in the Doctor Who universe was along with Elisabeth Sladen in a 2008 episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures entitled Enemy of the Bane.

Aside from Doctor Who, Courtney has made his mark in other television series over the years, including Escape, The Avengers, All Creatures Great and Small, and Yes Prime Minister. Despite his acting in other shows, he is forever known as the Brigadier, an aspect of his career Courtney was openly proud of.

News has been a little quiet on the Doctor Who front lately, but we do know that production is continuing on the three main shows, Doctor Who, Torchwood: Miracle Day, and The Sarah Jane Adventures. Meanwhile, we came across some cool info on the web that the official TARDIS prop is on display in front of a classic medieval castle in Wales.

In South East Wales, the Doctor’s TARDIS will be on display in front of Raglan Castle during the February half-term (for those of us not in the UK, half-term is a little vacation halfway through the school term — thanks, Terr, for the clarification).

Doctor Who has a legacy that spans almost 50 years, and has captivated the minds and attention of fans from the very beginning of the show. The series has since become a cultural staple in the UK and an aspect of Whovian lore that has the attention of many fans is the history of the show behind the scenes and during its evolution through the years.

Loup_Dargent recently dropped us a line and drew our attention to a collection of some classic black-and-white photographs from the history of Doctor Who behind the scenes — some of which have not even been posted on BBC sources.

The collection of photos range from the Sixties to the Seventies with a focus on Daleks, and includes First Doctor William Hartnell, and Third Doctor Jon Pertwee. There are even a couple pics of Peter Cushing‘s Doctor as well.

Here are a few samples below. Be sure to click them to head over and see them at Loup Dargent’s site in their full sizes.