Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson has died

[philcom55]

I agree that the stories in Joe 90 tended to be pretty forgettable But I loved the theme tune and title credits.

As for Secret Service, at the time I thought that Gerry must have lost the plot completely - especially with his bizarre casting of Stanley ('Ogden's Nut Gone Flake') Unwin as an eccentric vicar! In retrospect, however, I suppose it can be seen as a tryout for the later live-action shows such as UFO and Space 1999.

- Phil Rushton

[stevezodiac]

Speaking of Stanley Unwin I have often wondered how those deaf sign language signers on tv would have coped with a tv interview between him and Freddie "Parrot Face" Davies. The interview being conducted by Alf Ipititimus. Younger members have my permission to look completely baffled.

[stevezodiac]

I saw his BBC4 programme when he went in search of Steve Ditko and actually met the legend - alas tv cameras were not allowed in.

[DavidKW]

Was just thinking - why was Gerry Anderson never knighted? Should've been for making all these shows that still endure today.

Apparently The Secret Service was only picked up in 3 regions: ATV Midlands, Granada & Southern, who didn't show all the episodes. Was that bad.

Did get it on a bargain DVD - so bad it's good, but when i see bad TV i think how can I better it? Some scenes/ideas did inspire me on some action shows I write just for fun.

[Digifiend]

It took him until 2001 just to get his MBE.

[Peter Gray]

It encouraged me to buy the complete Thunderbirds in HMV for £20...only seen one episode in the 90's...
seen two now and very impressed with the special effects!! also they are enjoyable..
seen the first episode and the New York one with the moving of the Empire States building!!

[stevezodiac]

A couple of good Lady Penelope episodes The Man from MI5 and the Perils of Penelope - more espionage than disaster stories. The Christmas episode is great too where a boy is given a guided tour of Tracy Island against Jeff's wishes.

[Peter Gray]

thanks for the tip...I'll try out those episodes next...

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I always felt that the stirring Military-like theme music by Barry Gray from Thunderbirds later heavily influenced John Williams STAR WARS theme: very different pieces of course, but the approach I always thought was very similar.

That opening montage from Thunderbirds must be one of the most impressive, unforgettable sequences from any TV show!

If you are not moved by this, then frankly you are a lost cause!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfIAKj3Gl1E

[stevezodiac]

I can think of only I Spy and Mission: Impossible that had opening montages. I always thought Garrison's Gorillas did too but not too sure.

[DavidKW]

The Christmas episode is great too where a boy is given a guided tour of Tracy Island against Jeff's wishes...

In fact this wasn't the particular Christmas episode, though similar: the against Jeff's wishes one was called "Security Hazard" where a boy stows away in Thunderbird 2 pod, and is an episode featuring flashbacks of earlier episodes.

In the Xmas one, a boy is given a tour, but authorized by Jeff, with an invite - it was called "Give Or Take A Million", and I hasten to add its one of the weaker episodes - a 25 minute idea painfully stretched.

The best Anderson Xmas episode I feel is unbelievably "The Unortohdox Shepherd" from Joe90. It was well-written and creepy, but does not get recognized as it was one of the few good episodes from one of Anderson's weaker serials (Stingray had an Xmas one too - "A Christmas to Remember" - so-so episode - again an idea padded out with a skating scene).

[DavidKW]

Let's not forget Space:1999 had opening montages from a few episodes into its first season (not in second).
Showed scenes with the words "this episode" flashed up.

[stevezodiac]

I should add that one (or both) of the guided tour episodes of Thunderbirds has each Tracy brother recounting a rescue from the past with the old footage thrown in - a good way to have a new episode without spending money on new special effects - but I liked those episodes as they put the individual brothers into close-up, character wise.

[Peter Gray]

Just watched the Perils of Penelope loved the mono rail and you do forget sometimes they are puppets...though I do worry how they walk through doorways!!!

[stevezodiac]

In Attack of the Alligators you actually see puppet hands pouring liquid from one test tube into another - without spilling a drop - great puppeteering. I'd have to watch it again though to make sure the hands were worked by wires rather than two puppet hands being held in human hands off camera.