Thunderbirds.....just how FAB was it for you?
Discussion
I can vaguely recall them, and stuff like Stingray was repeated endlessly in the summer hols.
I had a UFO ship, and Joe 90s car, and something from Scarlet, and an Eagle, my favourite. All taken from my elder brother...
The older Anderson stuff was OK but it definitely got better as it went on, not just in model layout too. It was strange to watch the older models after the newer more accurate ones.
Non-Anderson Star Fleet was also ace.
I had a UFO ship, and Joe 90s car, and something from Scarlet, and an Eagle, my favourite. All taken from my elder brother...
The older Anderson stuff was OK but it definitely got better as it went on, not just in model layout too. It was strange to watch the older models after the newer more accurate ones.
Non-Anderson Star Fleet was also ace.
You need to read up on the technology involved. If you do you will understand why the puppets looked like they did and why they changed shape and size through the successive series.
Anderson had no love or interest in puppets. He looked on himself as a serious film maker but it just so happened that the first series that he had commissioned as an independent film maker was a for a children's puppet series called "Twizzle the Broomstick Man" for Granada TV. Two further puppet based series were commissioned, "Torchy - The Battery Boy" and "Four Feather's Falls"
Anderson took the work because he needed it.
When Lew Grade of ATV (the ITV franchise station for the Midlands) expressed interest in more puppet series, Anderson was reluctant to continue unless he could come up with some ideas that would make working with puppets easier.
The "genius" moment was to set the next series in the future, where people would move everywhere on hover-bikes and other floating devices, negating the need to have his puppets walk in that unrealistic puppety style.
The other idea implemented was slaving the movement of the puppets' mouths electronically to the voice of the actors supplying the voices. This process was labelled "Supermarionation" and Anderson came to hate it because the extra wiring required for the solenoids that worked the puppets' mouths frequently shorted and brought proceedings to a halt.
In the early series, it was the mechanism for the moving mouths that kept the puppet heads large. From "Captain Scarlet" onwards, a smaller mechanism was used which allowed the puppets to have more realistic proportions.
So, the next series put into place was "Supercar", followed by "Fireball XL5", "Stingray", "Thunderbirds", "Captain Scarlet", "Joe 90", "UFO", "The Secret Sevice" and finally "Space-1999".
The whole Anderson edifice then collapsed due to an acrimonious split with his wife and co-producer, Sylvia Anderson.
That more or less knocked him out of action for almost a decade before the appearance of the lamentable (in my view) "Terrahawks".
Anderson had no love or interest in puppets. He looked on himself as a serious film maker but it just so happened that the first series that he had commissioned as an independent film maker was a for a children's puppet series called "Twizzle the Broomstick Man" for Granada TV. Two further puppet based series were commissioned, "Torchy - The Battery Boy" and "Four Feather's Falls"
Anderson took the work because he needed it.
When Lew Grade of ATV (the ITV franchise station for the Midlands) expressed interest in more puppet series, Anderson was reluctant to continue unless he could come up with some ideas that would make working with puppets easier.
The "genius" moment was to set the next series in the future, where people would move everywhere on hover-bikes and other floating devices, negating the need to have his puppets walk in that unrealistic puppety style.
The other idea implemented was slaving the movement of the puppets' mouths electronically to the voice of the actors supplying the voices. This process was labelled "Supermarionation" and Anderson came to hate it because the extra wiring required for the solenoids that worked the puppets' mouths frequently shorted and brought proceedings to a halt.
In the early series, it was the mechanism for the moving mouths that kept the puppet heads large. From "Captain Scarlet" onwards, a smaller mechanism was used which allowed the puppets to have more realistic proportions.
So, the next series put into place was "Supercar", followed by "Fireball XL5", "Stingray", "Thunderbirds", "Captain Scarlet", "Joe 90", "UFO", "The Secret Sevice" and finally "Space-1999".
The whole Anderson edifice then collapsed due to an acrimonious split with his wife and co-producer, Sylvia Anderson.
That more or less knocked him out of action for almost a decade before the appearance of the lamentable (in my view) "Terrahawks".
Dr Banjo said:
How the hell did that thing ever take off 
The Concorde design team actually worked out that it could fly. The Big Green Machine was my favourite, as was Virgil Tracy. I remember watching the episode where Thunderbird 2 is shot down in flames by the World Navy. The special effects in the crash landing sequence were amazing. No CGI's then.EDIT - Found it on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjpYI1oW86w
Did you notice how the Tracy's were the biggest bunch of snoutcasts in existence? Lady Penelope was never without a fag in her hand. The funniest scene of all was Parker laying roaring drunk in the back of the Roller.
Edited by Langweilig on Saturday 8th February 13:09
Eric Mc said:
"The Secret Service"
I have never even heard of that, let alone seen one episode. Did it flop badly? I was a kid in the early '70s and knew all the rest well.I'll have a look on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvYFojhB8xw
Wow! I definitely don't remember Stanley Unwin as a secret service vicar!
Edited by vixen1700 on Saturday 8th February 14:45
Anderson was a genius and knew how to get the very best out of the folk working for him, I honestly think my childhood would have been very different if not for his achievements. I bought the UFO box set a while back and wallowed unashamedly in pure nostalgia, was just old enough to remember it the first time round and seeing it again brought it all flooding back. UFO was always my favourite but Captain Scarlet was fab too, both of these series had some genuinely spooky / dark moments for a nipper, glued to the goggle box when those 'Century 21' titles came on the screen. The end theme from UFO was (still is) very spooky!
The hardware designs (and assorted string vested dolly birds) still make my heart skip a beat even now...
Take me back to 1970, now... ;O)
The hardware designs (and assorted string vested dolly birds) still make my heart skip a beat even now...
Take me back to 1970, now... ;O)
Still have this, my first ever 33rpm record.
Can't remember the Thunderbirds story, but the Captain Scarlet one had him boarding a Mysteron controlled nuclear passenger airliner whilst in mid-air.
The Angels were involved too. (Loved turning up the noise they made) It blew up, but as he was indestructible Colonel White was confident he'd return.
Eric Mc said:
You need to read up on the technology involved. If you do you will understand why the puppets looked like they did and why they changed shape and size through the successive series.
Anderson had no love or interest in puppets. He looked on himself as a serious film maker but it just so happened that the first series that he had commissioned as an independent film maker was a for a children's puppet series called "Twizzle the Broomstick Man" for Granada TV. Two further puppet based series were commissioned, "Torchy - The Battery Boy" and "Four Feather's Falls"
Anderson took the work because he needed it.
When Lew Grade of ATV (the ITV franchise station for the Midlands) expressed interest in more puppet series, Anderson was reluctant to continue unless he could come up with some ideas that would make working with puppets easier.
The "genius" moment was to set the next series in the future, where people would move everywhere on hover-bikes and other floating devices, negating the need to have his puppets walk in that unrealistic puppety style.
The other idea implemented was slaving the movement of the puppets' mouths electronically to the voice of the actors supplying the voices. This process was labelled "Supermarionation" and Anderson came to hate it because the extra wiring required for the solenoids that worked the puppets' mouths frequently shorted and brought proceedings to a halt.
In the early series, it was the mechanism for the moving mouths that kept the puppet heads large. From "Captain Scarlet" onwards, a smaller mechanism was used which allowed the puppets to have more realistic proportions.
So, the next series put into place was "Supercar", followed by "Fireball XL5", "Stingray", "Thunderbirds", "Captain Scarlet", "Joe 90", "UFO", "The Secret Sevice" and finally "Space-1999".
The whole Anderson edifice then collapsed due to an acrimonious split with his wife and co-producer, Sylvia Anderson.
That more or less knocked him out of action for almost a decade before the appearance of the lamentable (in my view) "Terrahawks".
I am aware of the tech. I have seen docs and read about the changes. It is easy to see the tech advance, hence why we get goggle heads and more realistic people, plus real hands Anderson had no love or interest in puppets. He looked on himself as a serious film maker but it just so happened that the first series that he had commissioned as an independent film maker was a for a children's puppet series called "Twizzle the Broomstick Man" for Granada TV. Two further puppet based series were commissioned, "Torchy - The Battery Boy" and "Four Feather's Falls"
Anderson took the work because he needed it.
When Lew Grade of ATV (the ITV franchise station for the Midlands) expressed interest in more puppet series, Anderson was reluctant to continue unless he could come up with some ideas that would make working with puppets easier.
The "genius" moment was to set the next series in the future, where people would move everywhere on hover-bikes and other floating devices, negating the need to have his puppets walk in that unrealistic puppety style.
The other idea implemented was slaving the movement of the puppets' mouths electronically to the voice of the actors supplying the voices. This process was labelled "Supermarionation" and Anderson came to hate it because the extra wiring required for the solenoids that worked the puppets' mouths frequently shorted and brought proceedings to a halt.
In the early series, it was the mechanism for the moving mouths that kept the puppet heads large. From "Captain Scarlet" onwards, a smaller mechanism was used which allowed the puppets to have more realistic proportions.
So, the next series put into place was "Supercar", followed by "Fireball XL5", "Stingray", "Thunderbirds", "Captain Scarlet", "Joe 90", "UFO", "The Secret Sevice" and finally "Space-1999".
The whole Anderson edifice then collapsed due to an acrimonious split with his wife and co-producer, Sylvia Anderson.
That more or less knocked him out of action for almost a decade before the appearance of the lamentable (in my view) "Terrahawks".
. I was lucky to watch them all at an age where I could compare. The stories in Terrahawks (leaving aside the tech) were just way better for me/imo. You could see the advancement from the older stuff into into Scarlet my other fave, which then logically advanced into the logical huge arcs of Terrhawks.Edited by Halb on Saturday 8th February 17:42
The first series I remember was 4 feathers fall but it was Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray and Thunderbirds that were my favourites. The later stuff didn't do it for me. Joe 90 in particular fell way short of my expectations.
Anyway back to Thunderbirds. I'm sure I saw an episode of Lady Penelope in FAB 1 took to the water out to her yacht FAB 2? No-one else seems to remember it. Did I dream it, or maybe it was in TV21 magazine.
Anyone remember?
Cheers
Doug
Anyway back to Thunderbirds. I'm sure I saw an episode of Lady Penelope in FAB 1 took to the water out to her yacht FAB 2? No-one else seems to remember it. Did I dream it, or maybe it was in TV21 magazine.
Anyone remember?
Cheers
Doug
the pips said:
The first series I remember was 4 feathers fall but it was Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray and Thunderbirds that were my favourites. The later stuff didn't do it for me. Joe 90 in particular fell way short of my expectations.
Anyway back to Thunderbirds. I'm sure I saw an episode of Lady Penelope in FAB 1 took to the water out to her yacht FAB 2? No-one else seems to remember it. Did I dream it, or maybe it was in TV21 magazine.
Anyone remember?
Cheers
Doug
Well FAB1...SKIES. ..in the movie to chase the bad guys. No FAB 2 though.Anyway back to Thunderbirds. I'm sure I saw an episode of Lady Penelope in FAB 1 took to the water out to her yacht FAB 2? No-one else seems to remember it. Did I dream it, or maybe it was in TV21 magazine.
Anyone remember?
Cheers
Doug
the pips said:
Anyway back to Thunderbirds. I'm sure I saw an episode of Lady Penelope in FAB 1 took to the water out to her yacht FAB 2? No-one else seems to remember it. Did I dream it, or maybe it was in TV21 magazine.
Anyone remember?
Cheers
Doug
You didn't dream it - from memory FAB1 went off a short pier, landed in the water, then extended hydrofoilsAnyone remember?
Cheers
Doug
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