Ron Jones

Born: 6th August 1945
Died: 9th July 1993 (aged 47 years)
Episodes Broadcast: 1982-1986

Biography

Bristol-born Ron Jones joined the BBC after graduating from university. Following a brief stint in radio, he switched to television in 1968 as an assistant floor manager. Jones then became a staffmember on Blue Peter, where he was primarily a researcher, but also gained some early directorial experience. After two years, Jones elected to return to drama; having been promoted to production manager, he worked on programmes such as Secret Army and Bergerac. He then completed the BBC's internal directors' course, and his first directing credit came on the 1982 Doctor Who murder-mystery Black Orchid.

Having impressed the Doctor Who production team, Jones soon became a fixture during Peter Davison's time as the Fifth Doctor. They made three more stories together, including a trip to the Netherlands to film 1983's Arc Of Infinity in Amsterdam. In the same serial, Jones hired Colin Baker to play Commander Maxil; this was one of the factors which led to Baker being cast as the Sixth Doctor a few months later. Jones directed him in 1985's Vengeance On Varos, and was lined up for “Mission To Magnus” the following year. When the 1986 season was completely overhauled, however, his final Doctor Who serial instead became the second segment of The Trial Of A Time Lord.

Away from Doctor Who, Jones made two episodes of Juliet Bravo. He directed for West German television in the late Eighties, including Damals auf Burg Wutzenstein and more than thirty early episodes of the long-running drama Lindenstraße. Jones died on July 9th, 1993 following a lengthy illness.

Credits
Director
Black Orchid
Time-Flight
Arc Of Infinity
Frontios
Vengeance On Varos
The Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment Two)

Updated 2nd June 2021