K9, occasionally written K-9, is the name of several fictional robotic
canines (dogs, the name being a pun on the pronunciation of "canine")
in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor
Who, first appearing in 1977. K9 has also been a central character in
three of the series television spin-offs: the one-off K-9 and Company
(1981), The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007â€"2011) and K-9 (2009â€"2010).
Although not originally intended to be a recurring character in the
series, K9 was kept in the show following his first appearance because
he was expected to be popular with younger audiences. There have been
at least four separate K9 units in the series, with the first two
being companions of the Fourth Doctor. Voice actor John Leeson has
provided the character's voice in most of his appearances, except
during season 17 of Doctor Who, in which David Brierley temporarily
did so. The character was created by Bob Baker and Dave Martin, to
whom rights to the character still belong; consequently, Baker's
spin-off series K9, which is not BBC-produced, cannot directly
reference events or characters from Doctor Who, though it attempts to
be a part of that continuity.Within the series' narrative, K9 is a
robot dog acquired by Doctor Who's title character in the 1977 serial
The Invisible Enemy. The first two incarnations of the character
travelled alongside the Fourth Doctor (portrayed by Tom Baker) until
1981. In these stories, K9 proved useful for the powerful laser weapon
concealed in his nose, his encyclopaedic knowledge and his vast
computer intelligence. By 1981, each of the two models of K9 which
travelled alongside the Doctor had been left with one of the Doctor's
female companions. The character subsequently transitioned into
spin-off territory. Producers hoped K9's popularity with children
would launch the series K-9 and Company, led by actress Elisabeth
Sladen in the role of companion Sarah Jane Smith alongside a new K9.
In 2006, K9 reappeared in the revived series of Doctor Who. Although
the character's appearances in the 2007 spin-off The Sarah Jane
Adventures were hampered by the concurrent development of the K9
spin-off, the character began to appear full-time in both K9 and The
Sarah Jane Adventures, depicting adventures of the original K9 Mark I
and of Mark IV, respectively.K9, retroactively "K9 Mark I" (Leeson),
initially appeared in The Invisible Enemy (1977) as the creation of
Professor Marius (Frederick Jaeger) in the year 5000. K9 subsequently
travelled with the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) and Leela (Louise
Jameson) as a companion of the Doctor in his adventures in time and
space until The Invasion of Time (1978). In this serial, K9 decides to
remain on the Doctor's home planet of Gallifrey with Leela.
Immediately afterwards, Doctor Who would introduce a second
incarnation of K9, played by the same prop; the last scene of The
Invasion of Time shows the Doctor unpacking a box labeled "K9 Mk II". K9 (Doctor Who) Biography, NetWorth, Height, Age, Weight, Family, Married, Son, Daughter