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Thunderbirds (TV series)

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ITC Entertainment Distributions
Thunderbirds
200px

Opening title
Format Supermarionation Sci-Fi adventure
Run time 50 min.
Creator(s) Gerry Anderson
Starring Peter Dyneley
Shane Rimmer
Sylvia Anderson
Country UK
Network ATV
Original run September 30, 1965 – December 25, 1966
No. of episodes 32 (64 in half-hour "cliffhanger" format)
Production Company AP Films

Thunderbirds is a British mid-1960s television show devised by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and made by AP Films using a form of puppetry dubbed "Supermarionation". The series followed the adventures of International Rescue, an organisation created to help those in grave danger using technically advanced machinery. The series focussed on the head of the organisation, ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy, and his five sons who piloted the "Thunderbird" machines. A popular show, the series is still shown today and has inspired a number of later television programmes and films.

Contents

[edit] Origins

Thunderbirds was the fifth Supermarionation children's series made by Gerry Anderson's AP Films (later Century 21 Productions). Gerry Anderson came up with the concept for Thunderbirds after hearing about a German mine diaster in 1963. The heavy equipment needed to rescue the miners was located far away - transportation time was a major hindrance in the survival of the miners. The "race against time" element is one of the recurring themes in Thunderbirds. The show's title derived from a letter written to his family by Anderson's older brother, while he was serving in the United States during World War II. In the letter, he referred to an American airbase called "Thunderbird Field".

Many of the crew came directly from APF's previous production Stingray, but for Thunderbirds the crew was expanded, and was shot at A.P. Films' ever growing studio at Stirling Road, Slough, Buckinghamshire. It was APF's first one-hour series. Thunderbirds had been in production for several months when ITC Entertainment boss Lew Grade was shown the completed pilot episode, "Trapped In The Sky" and he was reportedly so excited with the result that he immediately instructed Anderson and his team to expand all the episodes from 25 minutes to 50 minutes.

Production commenced in 1964 and the series premiered on British television in September 1965 in the ATV Midlands region. Other ITV regions followed, including London on 25 December 1965. Two seasons were produced, comprising thirty-two episodes in total.

[edit] Story

Image:Thunderbirds-marionettes.jpg

Set in the 21st century (the actual year remains a hot topic amongst fans) the show depicts the adventures of the Tracy family, which consists of millionaire former astronaut Jeff Tracy and his five sons, Scott (pilot in charge of Thunderbird 1), Virgil (pilot in charge of Thunderbird 2), Alan (astronaut in charge of Thunderbird 3), Gordon (aquanaut in charge of Thunderbird 4) and John (astronaut in charge of the space station Thunderbird 5) - each named after a Mercury astronaut - Scott Carpenter,<ref name="MarriotTAG-Scott">Marriot, John, Anderson, Gerry (foreword) (1992). “2”, Thunderbirds ARE GO!. London: Boxtree, 18. ISBN 1-85283-164-2.</ref> Virgil Grissom,<ref name="MarriotTAG-Virgil">Marriot, John, Anderson, Gerry (foreword) (1992). “2”, Thunderbirds ARE GO!. London: Boxtree, 20. ISBN 1-85283-164-2.</ref> Alan Shepard,<ref name="MarriotTAG-Alan">Marriot, John, Anderson, Gerry (foreword) (1992). “2”, Thunderbirds ARE GO!. London: Boxtree, 23. ISBN 1-85283-164-2.</ref> Gordon Cooper<ref name="MarriotTAG-Gordon">Marriot, John, Anderson, Gerry (foreword) (1992). “2”, Thunderbirds ARE GO!. London: Boxtree, 22. ISBN 1-85283-164-2.</ref> and John Glenn<ref name="MarriotTAG-John">Marriot, John, Anderson, Gerry (foreword) (1992). “2”, Thunderbirds ARE GO!. London: Boxtree, 21. ISBN 1-85283-164-2.</ref>, respectively. Together with Jeff's elderly mother, the scientific genius and engineer "Brains", the family's manservant Kyrano and his daughter Tin-Tin, the Tracy family live on a remote, uncharted Pacific island. They are, in secret, the members of International Rescue, a private and highly-advanced emergency response organization, which covers the globe and even reaches into space, rescuing people with their futuristic vehicles, the Thunderbirds.

Some of the disasters attended by International Rescue are often the result of accident or misadventure, but on occasion deliberate sabotage. A recurring villain, "The Hood" (actually never named in the series, but given this name in the comics, tie-in books and other spin-off media), frequently causes major accidents in order to lure International Rescue's vehicles to the scene and spy on or steal them. Another complication is that The Hood's half brother, Kyrano, is the Tracy's servant, and because The Hood has some degree of psychic power over Kyrano, The Hood is able to compel him to sabotage Thunderbird 1's security systems. Kyrano's daughter Tin-Tin is romantically linked with Alan Tracy, as well as participating in many IR missions.

International Rescue's London agent, international socialite Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward, and her cockney butler/chauffeur Aloysius "Nosey" Parker, are often seen chasing The Hood and other villains in the pink, amphibious Rolls-Royce FAB 1, which is equipped with James Bond-style gadgets. (Rolls-Royce actually provided an authentic radiator grille to the production company for closeups of FAB 1, such as when the retractable machine gun was fired) Lady Penelope's yacht was called FAB 2. Although credited as "London based Agent", Lady Penelope lives in a mansion in Kent, which is actually a miniature copy of real life Stourhead mansion in Wiltshire.

The characters use the radio sign-off "F.A.B." rather than "Roger" or "Over and out". Anderson was often asked what F.A.B. stood for, but in fact it simply stood for "fab" (short for "fabulous"), a 1960s catchphrase.

[edit] Uniform

All the Thunderbird pilots wear a common mid blue uniform consisting of a poloneck tunic, trousers, boots, and a simplified glengarry cap. Each uniform is accented by a bandolier uniquely coloured specific to the wearer and bearing the International Rescue crest, which carries a sidearm and two pouches, and similarly coloured cuffs to the boots.<ref name="MarriotTAG-T2CockpitPic">Marriot, John, Anderson, Gerry (foreword) (1992). “7”, Thunderbirds ARE GO!. London: Boxtree, 81. ISBN 1-85283-164-2.</ref>

  • Scott - pale blue
  • Virgil - pale yellow
  • Alan - white
  • Gordon - orange
  • John - lilac

On some of the rare occasions Brains actively attends a rescue he wears a similar uniform with gold bandolier, but without a hat. Promotional photographs also exist of Jeff Tracy in the same uniform.<ref name="MarriotTAG-JeffTracyPic">Marriot, John, Anderson, Gerry (foreword) (1992). “2”, Thunderbirds ARE GO!. London: Boxtree, 16. ISBN 1-85283-164-2.</ref>

When on a mission, TinTin's uniform consists of a one-piece blue uniform with a pale blue belt but no bandolier.

[edit] Machines

The television series depicts a number of different craft and machines, designed primarily by special effects director Derek Meddings.

[edit] Thunderbird fleet

Thunderbird 1
Thunderbird 2
Thunderbird 3
Thunderbird 4
Thunderbird 5

The main rescue fleet of International rescue consists of 5 principal craft.

[edit] Thunderbird 1

Thunderbird 1 is a sleek, variable geometry (swing wing) hypersonic rocket plane used for fast response, rescue zone reconnaissance, and as a mobile control base. The length of Thunderbird One is a matter of debate, various sources giving it as 24 m, 30m and 35 m (80, 100 and 115 feet);. the latter figure is generally accepted these days, with the aircraft thus having a 24 m wingspan. Its maximum speed of 15,000 mph (Mach 22.6), which puts anywhere on Earth within an hour's flight if a great circle route can be flown. Thunderbird 1 is hangared underneath the main house on Tracy Island, and is launched vertically from a launch pad under the swimming pool

[edit] Thunderbird 2

Thunderbird 2 is a heavy supersonic carrier lifting body aircraft used for the transport of major rescue equipment and vehicles. Thunderbird Two is 76 m long, 18 m tall, has a 55 m wingspan, and a maximum speed of 5000 mph (Mach 7.6). Thunderbird 2 is hangared in its own large facility, along with the equipment pods, on the other side of the island. It utilises the island's landing strip (complete with folding trees) to take off and land.

[edit] Thunderbird 3

Thunderbird 3 is a reusable, vertically launched ground to space spaceship used for space rescue and maintenance of TB5. Thunderbird Three is 87 m long, with a 7 m wide body, 24 m span (including engines) and a max speed of at least 25,000 mph (Earth escape velocity). Thunderbird 3 is hangared beneath the "Round House" on Tracy Island.

[edit] Thunderbird 4

Thunderbird 4 is a small utility submarine for underwater rescue. It is carried aboard Thunderbird 2 in Pod 4 (and once in Pod 6 as seen in the episode Attack of the Alligators), although it can deploy on its own. Thunderbird Four is 9 m long and 3 m wide

[edit] Thunderbird 5

Thunderbird 5 is an Earth-orbiting space station which monitors world broadcasts for calls for help and manages communications with the organization. Thunderbird Five is 122 m long, 90 m wide, and 83 m tall

[edit] FAB 1

FAB1 is a six-wheeled Rolls-Royce motor car with an aircraft style canopy for use by Penelope and her chauffeur. FAB1 is fitted with a machine-gun behind the Rolls Royce grille, and in one episode deploys hydrofoils to travel on water. In another episode, FAB 1 is also seen to deploy similar outriggers to travel on snow.

[edit] Pod vehicles

Thunderbird 2 was designed to carry specialised rescue vehicles and equipment to disaster sites in one of six interchangeable pods. Pod 4, which contains the submarine vehicle Thunderbird 4 and other undersea rescue equipment, is designed to be dropped from the hovering Thunderbird 2 directly onto the surface of the water. Through the series, there is one example of the pod being retrieved (in 'Day of Disaster').

The pod vehicles which would emerge from one of TB2's pods each week include:

  • The Mole: a high-speed, manned tunnelling machine capable of boring through even the hardest rock
  • Firefly: a fire-proofed vehicle, fitted with a large blade and armed with a nitroglycerin cannon to extinguish fires
  • Recovery Vehicles: One manned and one remote vehicle equipped with magnetic grappling lines
  • High-Speed Elevator Cars: one manned and three remote vehicles used to assist aircraft in landings, these can be manoeuvered into place beneath an aircraft to act as replacement landing gear
  • Domo: a restraint vehicle with three lifting arms to restrain or lift unstable structures
  • Laser Cutter: a small tracked vehicle with a powerful front-mounted laser.
  • Rescue Pack Cannon: a small cannon used to fire rescue packages into high structures.
  • Monobrake: a low-slung utility vehicle capable of travelling along monorail tunnels. Also used in fire-fighting operations ("Security Hazard")
  • Bomb Neutralizer: small tracked vehicle able to use sonic waves to deactivate bombs.
  • Hoverbed: air-cushioned hovering vehicle capable to stopping a person falling from a great height using a jet of air.
  • Mobile Crane: six-wheelled 'cherry picker' vehicle.
  • Radio beam transmitter truck:a tracked truck that can send a safety-beam to space to save stranded spacecraft like the Sun Probe or Thunderbird 3.
  • Drilling And Crushing Excavator:a excavator to drill and crush into blocked caves which trap people inside.

The Pod Vehicles were variously stored within the pods as necessary or in TB2s cavernous hangar.

Image:Thunderbids Mole.JPG

[edit] Fireflash

Some episodes also feature the Fireflash, a supersonic airliner. It has six atomic motors that enable it to stay in the air for a maximum of six months, however they must be given frequent examinations, or the passengers can only spend 3 hours maximum in the aircraft before succumbing to radiation sickness. Fireflash's maximum speed is Mach 6 (approximately 4,500 mph or 7,200 km/h), and can fly at heights above 250,000 feet (76 km). A novel feature is that the flight deck is built into the tail section. Like the A380 she has two Decks, but also includes luxury facilities such as a cocktail lounge inside the wings, parts of the leading edges being glazed. Fireflash was built especially for Air Terranean (AKA: Terranean Airways) for long flights lasting over a day by jet plane.

[edit] Production

[edit] Voice cast

Brains

The voice cast were all experienced character actors and several were already (or became) regular Anderson performers. Interestingly, David Holliday (the original voice of Virgil in Series I) was the only real American cast in any voice role in the series; all the others were British, Australian or Canadian.

Versatile Australian actor Ray Barrett provided the voices of John Tracy and The Hood, as well as many other one-off character parts. He was used by Andersons previously and voiced both Commander Shore and Titan in Stingray. Thanks to his extensive experience in live radio back in Australia, he was adept at rapid changes from one voice to another and he could also perform both English and American accents convincingly. By the time that "Thunderbirds" began, Barrett was a minor star on British TV and since his return to Australia in the Seventies he has become one of the nation's senior film and TV actors.

Veteran Canadian actor Shane Rimmer (Scott) went on to appear in — and occasionally write scripts for — many subsequent Anderson productions. Rimmer has an extensive list of prominent TV and movie credits, but he is probably best known for his appearances in several James Bond films and for his role as Capt. G.A. 'Ace' Owens in Stanley Kubrick's Dr Strangelove. Rimmer has appeared in many action, thriller and science fiction films, including Star Wars, and has often been cast in military or political roles.

David Graham, one of Anderson's longest serving voice actors, had previously worked on Four Feather Falls, Supercar, Fireball XL5 and Stingray and was also one of the original voices of the Daleks in Doctor Who in 1963.

Voice cast

[edit] Special effects

The programme was notable for the high quality of its miniature special effects, and most sequences still stand up remarkably well forty years after the series premiered. The effects supervisor on all of Anderson's shows from Supercar to UFO was Derek Meddings, who went on to produce special effects for the James Bond and Superman movies (Meddings won a Oscar for the first Superman film).

One of Meddings' most famous and ingenious creations was the so-called "rolling road" and "rolling sky" system. The Thunderbirds storylines called for a large number of scenes showing the Thunderbirds and other aircraft flying through the air, landing or taking off along runways, or motor vehicles travelling along roads. Meddings' team quickly discovered that the old method — pulling or pushing models across a static base or against a static background — produced very unconvincing results. Meddings came up with a novel solution to the problem, which he first used in the premiere episode, "Trapped In The Sky". For the famous crash-landing sequence (which so impressed Lew Grade), the Thunderbirds' remotely operated "elevator cars" had to be shown being manoeuvered into position on the runway beneath the stricken Fireflash aircraft as it came in to land, so that the aircraft could touch down without extending its landing gear, which would have triggered a bomb hidden there by IR's nemesis, The Hood.

Meddings' solution was to construct a belt of canvas, stretched over rollers and driven by an electric motor. The miniature elevator cars were then fixed in position by fine wires on this "rolling road". The Fireflash model was suspended from wires above the elevator cars and it could be lowered onto the runway, creating a smooth and remarkably convincing descent effect. A similar roller system, painted with a sky background was built at right angles to the runway, and both roller motors were synchronised to provide a matching speed for both elements. When the lights and cameras were set up in the right position and the rollers were activated, the rolling road system created a very convincing illusion of movement. It also proved extremely helpful for the lighting and camera crews, since the miniature models did not move and were therefore much easier to light and shoot. The 'rolling sky' system proved equally effective for shots of flying aircraft. The illusion was enhanced by blowing smoke across the miniatures with a fan to simulate passing through cloud, and by joining the canvas belt at an angle to hide what would otherwise have been a visible seam. Unlike modern special effects, the model was still actually in front of the backdrop — at the time, this produced a more convincing (and far cheaper) effect than bluescreen technology. The 'rolling road' system was later used on several James Bond movies.

The team also quickly mastered the art of creating extremely convincing miniature explosions using materials including petroleum and fuller's earth. These were filmed at high speed, and when slowed down to normal speed they produced spectacular results. The team also became expert at creating a convincing illusion for rocket take-offs and landings. After an exhaustive search, they found a British firm that could make special thrustless solid-fuelled rocket canisters in different sizes, which burned for about ten seconds and which could be fitted inside the various miniatures to provide convincing rocket exhaust effects.

The show was justly praised for the exceptional quality of its miniature vehicles and sets. Some of the main Thunderbird vehicles were built by a professional model-making firm, but many others were custom-made by Meddings and his team from commercial radio-controlled motorised vehicle kits. Joining Meddings' team was Michael Trim, who became Medding's assistant to help design the fantastic craft and buildings of Thunderbirds. Meddings and Trim also pioneered the technique of 'customising' models and miniature vehicles by applying pieces taken from commercial model kits, to add convincing surface detail, for example the giant air conditioning silos either side of Thunderbird 1 in the launch bay beneath the swimming pool were actually a 1960's periscope toy manufactured by Merit.

The Thunderbirds miniatures were also 'aged' with paint and dust to create the convincing illusion that they were real, well-used vehicles. These techniques became standard practice in the special effects trade and were used to great effect in the building of the miniature spaceships and other vehicles for the first three Star Wars films.

Many of the effects team including Meddings and Brian Johnson became respected specialists in the film industry. Impressed by their work on the TV series, director Stanley Kubrick poached several of the Anderson effects team to work on his science fiction masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey.

[edit] Music

A crucial element of the show's success was its thrilling music score, composed and conducted by Barry Gray, who provided all the music for the Anderson series up to and including Space: 1999 season one. His instantly recognisable "Thunderbirds March" is one of the best-known of all TV themes and has become a perennial favourite with brass and military bands around the world. Gray's original master recordings for the Anderson series were rediscovered in a storage facility in Chelsea, London in 1993.

Gray composed a theme song with lyrics for the series that was never used. The song, Flying High, which had been intended to feature on the closing titles, was scrapped in favour of the Thunderbirds march just weeks before broadcast. However, the song was used in a slightly modified form in the closing scenes of the episode, Ricochet.

[edit] Original broadcast

A total of 32 episodes of Thunderbirds were made between 1965 and 1966 (although production began in 1964, as indicated by the show's copyright date) for the British production company ITC Entertainment, and first broadcast on ATV.

Thunderbirds ceased production very suddenly in the Autumn of 1966, six episodes into the second series. This was a decision made by Lew Grade after an unsuccessful trip to the U.S. to sell the programme. According to published reports of the incident, the three major television networks CBS, NBC, and ABC were all bidding on the series, and Grade felt he could play them against each other to gain a higher price. Unfortunately, when one dropped out, the others immediately followed. Although a genuine hit by that time, Grade still felt that the programme was too expensive to continue without the US market. The programme was instead shown in the US in television syndication with reasonable success.

[edit] Episode list

[edit] Series One

  • Trapped in the Sky - The Fireflash on its maiden voyage from London to Tokyo is sabotaged by The Hood and is not able to land.
  • Pit of Peril - A 500-tonne US army walker (the sidewinder) falls into a pit and International rescue are called to rescue the crew.
  • City of Fire - The worlds tallest tower catches fire and International rescue are called to rescue a family trapped in the basement.
  • Sun Probe - A spaceship and its crew find themselves on a collision course with the sun and Thunderbird 3 is called out.
  • The Uninvited - two archaeologists become trapped in the pyramid of Khamandides.
  • The Mighty Atom - The Hood plans to lure out the Thunderbirds vehicles by means of an emergency at an atomic irrigation plant in the Sahara Desert.
  • Vault of Death - An employee of the Bank of England is accidentally locked in the new vault and must be rescued before all the air is sucked out of the vault.
  • Operation Crash-Dive - The Fireflash 3 crashed into the sea and Thunderbird 4 is called out to save the crew.
  • Move - and You're Dead - After Alan Tracy returns to motor-racing, his rivals decide to remove the competition by placing a bomb on a bridge which would explode if Alan and Grandma try to escape.
  • Martian Invasion - The Hood arranges for a mishap with explosives during the filming of a movie, leaving two of the actors trapped in a cave. When International Rescue arrive to make a rescue attempt, the cameras are still rolling as The Hood makes another attempt to obtain footage of International Rescue in action.
  • Brink of Disaster - Jeff, Brains and Tin-Tin find themselves trapped onboard a new, fully-automated monorail train speeding towards a stricken brige. Can they find a way of stopping the ride before they die along with the company's fraudulent director?
  • The Perils of Penelope - Lady Penelope goes on the trail of a kidnapped scientist, only to find herself in mortal danger from the megalomaniac determined to use the expert's work for his own evil ends.
  • Terror in New York City - Thunderbird 2 is put out of action by a Navy rocket. In an operation to move the Empire State Building, the building collapses. Thunderbird 4 must hitch a ride from a Navy ship to find an underground river to reach men trapped below the wreckage.
  • End of the Road - International Rescue's identity is jeopardised when a close friend of Tin-Tin puts himself at risk in a bid to save his road-construction company's contract.
  • Day of Disaster The Allington Bridge collapses when a rocket ship crosses, Can International Rescue save the engineers inside before the rocket takes off from the river bed?
  • Edge of Impact The Hood sabotages the Red Arrow aircraft programme, One of the planes crashes into the TV Tower in England. Can Internation Rescue save the Engineers on the tower before it collapses?
  • Desperate Intruder - Brains and Tin-Tin embark on an expedition to retrieve treasure from Lake Anasta. The Hood has also set his sights on these riches and this puts them in grave peril.
  • 30 Minutes After Noon International villains use an ingenious method of getting their work carried out - an explosive bracelet which can only be removed at the designated target. A secret agent's attempt to infiltrate a scheme backfires as he is left in a plutonium store. International Rescue face a race against time to prevent a massive nuclear explosion.
  • The Impostors - A gang of criminals masquerade as International Rescue to 'save' a man, meanwhile stealing top secret military plans. The worldwide man-hunt for the treacherous International Rescue means the organisation is paralysed until their name can be cleared.
  • The Man From MI.5 - A lethal organisation steals top-secret plans. Working in conjunction with a British Secret Service agent, Lady Penelope must recover the stolen material to save the world from total destruction.
  • Cry Wolf Two Australian boys are playing their favourite game - International Rescue, when their 'distress' call is picked up by John in Thunderbird 5. After a tour of Tracy Island and the instruction not to use their radio they return home. The Hood then tricks the boys into an old mine shaft so he can steal secret photographs from the boys' father. This time their distress call is real, but will International Rescue believe them?
  • Danger at Ocean Deep When the Ocean Pioneer tanker mysteriously explodes, Brains sets about investigating the cause. With a little help from Lady Penelope, this is discovered to be a chemical reaction between the cargo of alsterene and OD60 found in the sea. International Rescue set out to save the crew of the ill-fated Ocean Pioneer II.
  • The Duchess Assignment The Duchess of Royston has fallen on hard times and her friend Lady Penelope enlists the help of Jeff Tracy. The Duchess and her sole asset - Portrait of a Gazelle painted by Bricasso come under threat and it falls to Intenrational Rescue to save them both.
  • Attack of the Alligators! (featuring real alligators, which appear gigantic)
  • The Cham-Cham When aircraft are shot down during live broadcasts of a particular tune, the boys at International Rescue suspect foul play. The girls - Tin-tin and the mysterious Wanda Lamour investigate.
  • Security Hazard (Clip show episode) - The Tracy family can't help but reminisce about their many operations when a young boy infiltrates the island.

[edit] Series Two

  • Atlantic Inferno - World Navy trials of atomic torpedoes inadvertently threaten the lives of the crew of a large offshore platform.
  • Path of Destruction - A new invention - the Crablogger (a largely automated logging machine which converts wood into fuel) threatens to cause mayhem if it collides with a dam under construction.
  • Alias Mr. Hackenbacker - The Skythrust, designed by Brains, falls under the hands of some fashion madmen who take over the plane in order to steal a new French design from Francquoi Le Mare.
  • Lord Parker's 'Oliday - A malfunctioning solar reflector threatens an alpine town.
  • Ricochet - A manned telecommunications satelite is disrupted by a space shuttle and is set on collision course with an oil refinery.
  • Give or Take a Million - A group of criminals attempt to rob a high-tech vault.

[edit] Thunderbirds films

The popularity of the series led to the production of two full length feature films, with financial backing by MGM.

[edit] Thunderbirds Are GO

Main article: Thunderbirds Are GO

[edit] Thunderbird 6

Main article: Thunderbird 6

[edit] 2004 live action film

Main article: Thunderbirds (film)

A live action feature film, also called Thunderbirds, was directed by Jonathan Frakes and premièred on July 24, 2004. All of the Thunderbird craft seen in the live action film were based upon the original designs, but with modern refinements, although a modified Ford Thunderbird was used as FAB1 because Rolls-Royce did not permit the use of their name and grille.

The plot sidelined the main series characters in favour of teenaged characters who have to rescue the adults from the evil Hood (a character from the original series). Coincidentally the plot of the 1966 film Thunderbirds Are Go also focused on Alan, the youngest Tracy brother.

The film was poorly received by critics and at the box office, with the film opening in 11th place in North America. A North American DVD release occurred in late 2004.

[edit] Merchandising

Image:FAB1model.jpg

Several companies, including Matchbox and Dinky were licensed to produced die-cast metal and plastic toys based on the Thunderbird vehicles. They proved hugely popular and were one of the best selling merchandising lines of the decade. Original Thunderbirds toys are now expensive and highly sought after collectors' items. Many toys were made by Matchbox in the 90s to match the revival of the TV series, including a Tracy Island playset and also the new movie, though they were generally marketed outside the US and in Canada. Japanese companies such as Konami and Takara were still producing new toys in 2006, including a very expensive motorized Thunderbird 2 with lights and working raising fuselage exposing the cargo pod.

[edit] Original novels

A number of novels were published based upon the television series, most during 1966:

  • Thunderbirds, John Theydon (pseudonym for John W. Jennison), 1966
  • Calling Thunderbirds, Theydon, 1966
  • Ring of Fire, Theydon, 1966
  • Thunderbirds Are Go, Angus P. Allen, 1966 (film novelization)
  • Operation Asteroids, John W. Jennison, 1966
  • Lost World, Jennison, 1966

In 1992 Corgi Books published four episode novelizations for children based upon the teleplays "The Uninvited", "Brink of Disaster", "Sun Probe", and "Atlantic Inferno".

The character of Lady Penelope was also featured in her own series of novels:

  • A Gallery of Thieves, Kevin McGarry, 1966
  • Cool for Danger, McGarry, 1966
  • The Albanian Affair, John Theydon, 1967

[edit] Thunderbirds today

The series has become a cult British institution, popular with both children and adults. Part of its appeal is that it is not particularly child centric - indeed it features no children as main characters, and was intended to be prime time entertainment for the whole family. Famously, in 1992, a re-run on the BBC led to a shortage of Tracy Island models, and so the children's programme Blue Peter helpfully demonstrated how to build a home-made version.

A 2001 public information film in the UK featured the Thunderbirds characters, showing FAB1 being wheel clamped and towed away because Lady Penelope had not paid the road tax.

While not as gory as the later Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, puppet characters do die and there is massive destruction on a grand scale. Thus, it can still be said to focus on issues concurrent with modern times.

[edit] Current broadcast

Today, the series is frequently repeated on BBC Two in the UK and RTÉ Two in Ireland. Thunderbirds is also quite popular in Japan, where it was first broadcast in 1966 by NHK. For approximately three years (2000–2003) the satellite channel Boomerang UK broadcast uncut episodes daily, meaning that the complete run of 32 episodes was screened about 34 times. Thunderbirds was also syndicated on the now defunct US cable television network TechTV from August 5, 2002 through June 20, 2004. In Australia, the Channel 9 Network screened the series many times over in the 1970s and 1980s during the Saturday morning timeslot, and on weekdays during school holiday periods. The original (uncut) series was also re-broadcast several times on the Australasian Foxtel cable network in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The Australasian Foxtel cable network now plays Thunderbirds on the new Sci-Fi Network on weekdays. Channel 9 still broadcasts Thunderbirds at 6:00am (30 minute episodes over a 2 weekends) on a Saturday, 40 years after the show premiered.

[edit] Modernising attempts

Some versions screened on the Fox Network and in US syndication in the 1990s used re-recorded voices and music, much to the annoyance of long-time fans. Even more widely disliked was Thunderbirds Turbo, a revamped version of the show which briefly aired in syndication c.1995, which replaced the original dialogue with "ironic post-modern" jokes, and live action introductions suggesting the events of the series take place on some strange alien "Thunder world" (with the two teenaged "hosts" controlling the action from a studio set resembling the interior of Thunderbird 5 and referring to Jeff Tracy as "Mr. T"!). Gerry Anderson was reportedly furious and the new version of the series quickly disappeared.

In 2000, the series was remastered with Dolby Surround sound for DVD release. Gerry Anderson, who had not received any royalties on the show since signing away the rights in the late 1960s, was employed as a "remastering consultant". A North American DVD release occurred in 2002.

[edit] A new series?

In September 2005, a QuickTime video file titled Thunderbirds IR was released on several P2P networks. It opens with music by Barry Gray and a few clips of the classic Thunderbirds 1 through 4 launching, then shows several scenes from an intended new Thunderbirds series from Carlton Television. The trailer made with a combination of computer-generated imagery and puppetry depicts scenes including internal sets, external settings, and a sleekly-redesigned Thunderbird 1, Scott Tracy, The Hood, and the rescue of a falling lighthousekeeper. Scott Tracy is seen to walk, and perform a backflip.

The trailer stated that a new Thunderbirds series would be coming in 2005 from Carlton Television and displays a phone number. The series was developed by Carlton with David Freedman as executive producer and David Mercer who was heading the Children's department at Carlton at the time. Greg Johnson and Bob Forward were lead writers and Asylum did all the set builds and puppet work. Tim Field was line producer. Dave Throssel and a small team from The Mill TV Dept did the CG work. Steve Clarke directed the short. Gerry Anderson met the Carlton team in the early days of development and gave his full blessing. However, when Granada and Carlton merged, the series was shelved until further notice.<ref name="Slingshot-TASNG">David Freedman (2005-06-19). Thunderbirds Are Still Not Go.. Blogspot. Retrieved on 2006-11-27.</ref>

[edit] Credits

  • Created by: Gerry Anderson, Sylvia Anderson
  • Music by: Barry Gray
  • Produced by: Gerry Anderson (series one), Reg Hill (series 2)
  • Associate Producer: John Read (series two)
  • Written by: Gerry Anderson, Sylvia Anderson, Alan Fennell, Dennis Spooner, Tony Barwick, Donald Robertson, Martin Crump, Alan Pattillo
  • Directed by: Alan Pattillo, David Lane, Desmond Saunders, David Elliott, Brian Burgess
  • Art Director: Bob Bell
  • Special Effects: Derek Meddings
  • Script Editor: Alan Pattillo
  • Script Supervisors: Gerry Anderson, Sylvia Anderson
  • Chief Puppeteer: Christine Glanville
  • Puppet Operators: Judith Shutt, Ernest Shutt, Yvonne Hunter, Plugg Shutt, Wanda Webb
  • Director of Photography: John Read
  • Camera: Jimmy Elliott, Geoff Meldrum, Julien Lugrin, Alan Perry
  • Wardrobe: Elizabeth Coleman
  • Sound: John Taylor, Maurice Askew
  • Puppetry Supervisor: Mary Turner
  • Lighting Cameramen: Julian Lugrin, Paddy Seale, John Read
  • Dialogue Editor: Roy Lafbery
  • Sound Editor: Tony Lenny
  • Supervising Editor: Len Walter
  • Second Unit Camera: Garry Coxall
  • Sculptors: John Brown, John Blundall
  • Puppet Properties: Eddie Hunter
  • Prop Master: Arthur Cripps
  • Assistant Art Director: Grenville Nott
  • Assistant Art Director: Keith Wilson
  • Supervising Editor: John Peverill
  • Sound Editor: Brian Hickin
  • Sound System: Westrex
  • Second Unit Special Effects Directors: Brian Johncock, Ian Scoones
  • Special effects cameraman: Harry Oakes

[edit] References, parodies and imitations

[edit] References

  • In 1991, Gerry Anderson himself directed a video set to the song "Calling Elvis" by the British band Dire Straits. Clips of the Thunderbirds vehicles were used in the video, and several Thunderbirds puppets - most notably the Jeff Tracy puppet - were taken out of storage and reused.
  • In 2004, South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker produced a full length feature film Team America: World Police (2004) which lampooned the original series. Team America's marionette humour drew heavily for its inspiration on the quirks and foibles of Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation techniques, whilst managing the not insignificant task of paying respect to the original. This depicted the destruction of the Eiffel Tower, The Pyramids, and the Panama Canal, recalling the wanton spirit of destruction from the series, although departed from the 1960's television series in terms of the graphic sex and constant profanity (It was initially rated NC-17). Team America, produced for $30 million, took $50 million at the global box office. It also earned glowing reviews from many critics, as well as favorable comments from Anderson himself.
  • A Japanese anime production, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water features a craft that looks much like Thunderbird 2 which takes off from a hidden launching pad on the side of a mountain, to music similar to that of the Thunderbirds.

[edit] Parodies

  • In 1989, Thunderbirds FAB was a live stage production using two actors with large hats representing Thunderbirds 1 and 2 who walked as if they were puppets.
  • In 1998, the US cable TV network MTV aired a six-episode puppet series called Super Adventure Team. It featured marionettes, as well as hand puppets with rods. The series was created and produced by Dana Gould, who is now co-executive producer on The Simpsons, and Rob Cohen. Disputes over the budget of the series caused its cancellation by MTV after only six episodes. It has never been released on DVD nor repeated on MTV.
  • The Planet express ship in Futurama has a distinct similarity to that of Thunderbird 2. This is most obvious at the front of the ship.
  • "Ton Ton Der Birds" is a very scary bit on a Mexican variety show with vaseline smeared on everyone's faces, wires sticking up from them everywhere, and an uncanny simulation of puppets by humans.

[edit] Imitations

  • In Sonic X, X-Tornado's launch sequence resembles that of Thunderbirds. In addition, E-90 is based on Thunderbird 2. Also, in the same episode, background music similar to the Thunderbirds theme played every now and then (this is only in versions retaining the original BGM). Blue Typhoon's deck has two rows of trees similar to those lining Thunderbird 2's runway. In episode 59, the spaceship piloted by the Chaotix resembles Thunderbird 3.
  • The catchphrase from D.I.C.E., GTR, has the same effect as F.A.B. in Thunderbirds.
  • Capcom's Megaman franschise includes several references to the Thunderbirds. In the SNES game Megaman 7, the second Wily fortress boss, Gamerizer, is a turtle-like robot with heavy similarities to Thunderbird 2, including its signature pods (which send out smaller enemies). Also, in one episode of the anime Megaman NT Warrior, Yai flies a pink private jet that she enters in a similar fashion to Virgil Tracy and Thunderbird 2. Also, her friends enter the craft in a way similar to how Thunderbird 3 was boarded.

[edit] Other

  • Virgin Trains has sixteen class 57 locomotives named after characters or vehicles from the series due to their main use rescuing broken-down or stranded trains, and the fact that they are constantly ready for use. The use of the name Thunderbird for this type of train was common well before this though.
  • In 2000, Twenty65 released a CD album featuring four variations on the Thunderbirds main theme.

[edit] Article references

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[edit] See also

[edit] External links


Gerry Anderson
Television
The Adventures of Twizzle | Torchy the Battery Boy | Four Feather Falls | Supercar | Fireball XL5 | Stingray | Thunderbirds | Captain Scarlet | Joe 90 | The Secret Service | UFO | The Protectors | Space: 1999 | Terrahawks | Dick Spanner, P.I. | Space Precinct | Lavender Castle | New Captain Scarlet
Feature Films
Crossroads to Crime | Thunderbirds Are GO | Thunderbird 6 | Doppelgänger
Companies/Techniques
AP Films | Century 21 Productions | Supermarionation
Notable Collaborators
Sylvia Anderson | David Lane | Barry Gray | Reg Hill | Derek Meddings | John Read | Shane Rimmer
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