Reginald Pye

Played by Linus Roache

“Don’t tell me she’s not really there; because if that – thing – is real, then so is she!” 

The quiet and dedicated projectionist of the Palazzo Cinema, Reginald Pye has been dealt many blows that have left him lonely and embittered. The emergence of Mr Ring-a-Ding offers Reginald a second chance at happiness, even at the cost of human life and his own morals. Luckily, the Doctor and Belinda are able to help him see the truth of Ring-a-Ding and Reginald becomes a hero. 

Character Bio

As a projectionist at the Palazzo Cinema in 1952 Miami, Reginald Pye is a witness to the emergence of Mr Ring-a-Ding from a cartoon he is running before the main feature. Shockingly, he watches the cartoon character’s kidnapping of fifteen innocent cinemagoers.

Initially arrested due to their disappearance (and released on lack of evidence), Pye remains as caretaker of the cinema to prevent any further trouble. He plays film reels at night to an empty house, earning him the suspicion of those whose families disappeared.

When the Doctor and Belinda break into the cinema to investigate the disappearances, Reginald attempts to convince them to leave, but having been unable to do so himself reveals his real reasons for sticking around: Mr Ring-a-Ding has shown him “joy”, by using a film of Reginald’s late wife, Helen, to create a lifelike vision of her out of light. Reginald’s inability to cope with his grief keeps him under Mr Ring-a-Ding’s control, who threatens to burn the sensitive film stock containing the memories of Helen.

When the Doctor is captured by Mr Ring-a-Ding, Belinda asks Reginald to help stop the god but he hesitates in fear of losing his wife. However, the filmic phantom of Helen appears and hands him the matches to destroy the film stock. Reginald sets the film alight and blasts a hole in the cinema, thus helping the Doctor and Belinda defeat the evil cartoon.