Person
Sylvia James
Costume & Make-Up
Biography
Sylvia James was an often-used make-up supervisor during the 1963 version of Doctor Who. After a period as a junior artist during the Hartnell era, she had three major periods of continuous work as the lead artist, or roughly what is classed as a make-up designer by the BBC Wales team. By far her longest stint was during the Troughton era, where she served continuously from The Abominable Snowmen to The War Games, spanning all but one serial of seasons 5 and 6. She returned for a brief stretch in the Pertwee era, heading the make-up department for The Curse of Peladon and The Sea Devils. She then did the majority of work for the season 12 production block, doing every episode from The Ark in Space to Terror of the Zygons — except for Revenge of the Cybermen.
Known for

The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Assistant Camera

Doctor Who
Makeup Artist

Doctor Who: Genesis of the Daleks
Makeup Artist

Doctor Who: The War Games
Makeup Artist

Doctor Who: The War Games in Colour
Makeup Artist

Doctor Who: Fury from the Deep
Makeup Artist

Doctor Who: The Krotons
Makeup Artist

Doctor Who: The Wheel in Space
Makeup Artist

Doctor Who: The Ark in Space
Makeup Artist

Doctor Who: The Sea Devils
Makeup Artist
Filmography
- 2025Worlds Within: The Life of Ian MarterSelf
- 2024Doctor Who: The War Games in ColourMakeup Artist
- 2022Troughton in Tibet: Making 'The Abominable Snowmen'Self
- 2018Remembering Deborah WatlingSelf
- 2014The Amazing Spider-Man 2Assistant Camera
- 2010Warriors of Mars
- 1975Doctor Who: Terror of the ZygonsMakeup Artist
- 1975Doctor Who: Genesis of the DaleksMakeup Artist
- 1975Doctor Who: The Sontaran ExperimentMakeup Artist
- 1975Doctor Who: The Ark in SpaceMakeup Artist
- 1972Doctor Who: The Sea DevilsMakeup Artist
- 1969Doctor Who: The War GamesMakeup Artist
- 1969Doctor Who: The Space PiratesMakeup Artist
- 1969Doctor Who: The KrotonsMakeup Artist
- 1968Doctor Who: The InvasionMakeup Artist
- 1968Doctor Who: The Mind RobberMakeup Artist
- 1968Doctor Who: The Wheel in SpaceMakeup Artist
- 1968Doctor Who: Fury from the DeepMakeup Artist
- 1968Doctor Who: The Enemy of the WorldMakeup Artist
- 1967Doctor Who: The Ice WarriorsMakeup Artist
- 1967Doctor Who: The Abominable SnowmenMakeup Artist
- 1963Doctor WhoMakeup Artist
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