Month: August 2024

[UPDATED – Chapter 7] Like Ice In The Sun

Posted on by Parker

It’s fitting that on this, Fanderson’s 43rd anniversary, we bring back an aspect of fandom that was big when the club started but has been largely forgotten over the years.

We’re proud to present the first chapter of a new Fireball XL5/Stingray crossover story by Robin Day and Keith Ansell. We’ll publish the story, one chapter each weekend, over the next 25 weeks.

Like Ice In The Sun

Underwater breathing experiments at Marineville start events that could end in a global civil war between the undersea races and the surface world and lead to the destruction of the entire Solar System.

The lives of Steve Zodiac and Troy Tempest along with the crews of Fireball XL5 and Stingray will never be the same again.

This is a crossover adventure set in the Gerry Anderson Universe.

Of this unique project, Keith says:

“Like Ice In The Sun began life as a writing game over 20 years ago with my friend Robin writing the first few pages and sending them to me to pick up where he left off. I then wrote the next few pages and sent the story back to him and so it went on for years gradually evolving into the novel length story. This was a labour of love written by two massive fans of Fireball XL5 and the related comic strips.

“Robin hosted a website called Space City for many years and produced the CGI artwork used by Carlton in their Fireball DVD release. I have been a member of Fanderson since 1992 and have written many short stories and comic strips for their publications collaborating with Shaqui le Vesconte and Richard Farrell. I also used to contribute to Dave Nightingale’s Century 21 magazine in the early 90s, writing the Fireball XL5 Encyclopedia that was published in issues 11 and 12, along with other features.

“Robin sadly passed away on 23rd February 2022 which was a great shock to me and his wife Pauline. We had still been working on Like Ice In The Sun right up to his death and had almost got it finished and ready for publication. I was determined to finish our epic tale and with Pauline’s help I think does justice to the two great TV series it is based upon.”

Download the chapters released so far:

Like Ice In The Sun has been formatted as an A5-sized PDF, so it is readable on most devices, or can easily be printed. We’ll add a chapter per week here, then present the entire story as a complete work in week 25.

It’s Fanderson Day 2024!

Posted on by Parker

Today’s the day each year when Fanderson, the club and its members around the world, show their appreciation to Gerry Anderson, Sylvia Anderson and the hundreds of technicians who brought our favourite TV shows and films to life.

Puppeteers, writers, composers, designers, musicians, model-makers, voice artists, actors, directors, hair, make-up and wardrobe and many, many more people worked as part of the amazingly talented teams that Gerry and Sylvia recruited and nurtured to bring Thunderbirds, UFO, Stingray, Doppelgänger, Joe 90, Space:1999 and so many more to the screen.

They all deserve recognition for their wonderful work which is why, every year on Fanderson Day*, we celebrate all these very special people. Join us by commenting below** or on social media, or email us at fanderson.org.uk@outlook.com, to tell everyone who (on the Anderson productions) you think is special and why.

*With so many people to recognise, celebrate and honour it’s appropriate to do it on the day Fanderson was formed by Gerry Anderson and ITC, with the explicit intention of celebrating and honouring Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s productions.

**Comments can only be left by club members, and all comments are moderated.

[UPDATED][UK] Thunderbirds on TPTV again!

Posted on by Parker

UPDATED 9/9/24: Includes scheduled episodes for 10th and 13th October

Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s 1964 series Thunderbirds is returning to Talking Pictures TV (in the UK).

Sunday, 22nd September at 12:20 Trapped In The Sky will be back on our screens again.

Thankfully, this is not a one-off screening as with Terror In New York City recently, as it’s followed by:

  • 29th September will be Pit Of Peril and
  • 6th October The Perils Of Penelope.
  • 13th October Terror In New York City.

Of course, it still seems rather odd to start again from the beginning rather than TPTV continuing (and finishing) their premiere broadcasts from earlier this year.

Trapped In The Sky is also scheduled for a 5am screening on Thursday 10th October.

Talking Pictures TV is available in the UK on Freeview/Youview 82, Freesat 306, Sky channel 328 and Virgin 445, with a streaming service at www.tptvencore.co.uk

[AUS] Crossplot on Blu-ray Disc from ViaVision’s Imprint label

Posted on by Parker

Australia’s cult and classic film and television label Via Vision Entertainment is releasing the 1969 feature film Crossplot on high definition Blu-ray Disc on 29th August.

Although a United Artists release, the Roger Moore film includes a short sequence produced by Century 21 Productions’ special effects team. The film also features Anderson alumni Francis Matthews (Captain Scarlet) and Gabrielle Drake (UFO‘s Lt Gay Ellis) amongst its roll call of British film greats.

You can find full details of this release on ViaVision’s website, and pre-order Crossplot now for just AUD$34.95 (from AUD$39.95), or in this six-film bundle for AUD$180 (normally AUD$239.70).

Thunderbirds Memories Weekend

Posted on by Parker

Join author Sam Denham and other Anderson experts at Slough Museum’s Thunderbirds Memories Weekend!

Slough Museum is just round the corner from the former site of the fabled AP Films studios, and as part of their celebration of Thunderbirds‘ upcoming 60th anniversary they’re hosting a special weekend in which fans can share their memories and even bring along photographs and/or prized memorabilia to discuss with on-site experts.

You’ll see the museum’s own Thunderbirds exhibits as well as a special display of collectors’ items, and hear the story of AP Films and Century 21 Productions.

The event is being held on Saturday 31st August and Sunday 1st September, 10:00-16:00 each day, and entry is free! The Museum is located at 72 Buckingham Avenue, Slough SL1 4PN.

Location, location, location – a Hole In One

Posted on by Parker

On the weekend of 3rd/4th August 2024, two coachloads of The Secret Service fans gathered to celebrate the series’ 55th anniversary, including a filming location tour.

During a very full Saturday we visited 16 filming locations used in The Secret Service, some never visited before, as well as several private residences to which access is not normally possible:

  • Cliveden House, Buckinghamshire gates (To Catch A Spy)
  • Dropmore House, Burnham gates (Hole In One)
  • junction of Thompkins Lane/Hawthorn Lane, Burnham Beeches (The Cure)
  • junction of East Burnham Lane/Allerds Road, East Burnham (The Cure and The Deadly Whisper)
  • Foxlea Manor, Burnham (Father Unwin’s vicarage, seen in most episodes)

  • Abbey Park Farm, Burnham (More Haste, Less Speed)
  • Saint Michael and All Angels, High Wycombe (Father Unwin’s parish church, seen in most episodes)
  • Sheepcote Manor, Wooburn Green (The Deadly Whisper)

  • Windsor End, Beaconsfield (May-Day, May-Day!)
  • Hall Barn and gates, Beaconsfield (To Catch A Spy)

  • Greensleeves, Gerrard’s Cross (The Feathered Spies)

  • junction of St Huberts Lane/Fulmer Lane, Fulmer (A Case For The Bishop and School For Spies)
  • Fulmer (A Case For The Bishop)
  • Wexham Park Hospital , Slough (School For Spies)
  • Oakley Court Hotel, Bray (More Haste, Less Speed)

Plus, amongst those we also passed en route:

  • The Ferry Inn public house, Cookham (The Saint, The Talented Husband)
  • junction of Green Lane/Curriers Lane/Park Lane/Pumpkin Hill (More Haste, Less Speed)
  • junction of Thompkins Lane/Hawthorn Lane (The Feathered Spies)
  • former site of Wingroves, Hawthorne Lane, Burnham Beeches (More Haste, Less Speed (re-developed since filming))
  • The Crown public house, East Burnham (The Avengers, Killer)
  • the Jolly Woodman public house, Burnham (Carry On Dick, Genevieve)
  • The Green, Wooburn Green (To Catch A Spy)
  • Crowne Plaza, Gerrards Cross (The Persuaders!, Nuisance Value)
  • Bulstrode Court, Gerrards Cross (The New Avengers, The Eagle’s Nest)
  • former entrance to St Hubert’s Farm (To Catch A Spy (re-developed since filming))
  • Fulmer Hall, Fulmer (The New Avengers)

Upon our return to Cookham, where the event was based, we presented a plaque to the manager of The Kings Arms, officially recognising it as the spiritual ‘birthplace’ of Parker in Thunderbirds (voice artist David Graham having been inspired by the waiter there).

 (Click image for more information)

On Sunday we relocated to our final filming location – Maidenhead Golf Club (Hole In One) which is due for imminent demolition – passing the Queen Victoria clock tower (Last Train To Bufflers Halt), Maidenhead on the way.

Throughout the weekend we enjoyed a fun quiz, a charity raffle, episodes of The Secret Service, interspersed with recorded interviews with director Alan Perry, model-maker and special effects technician Alan Shubrook, voice artist and actor Gary Files, voice artist and actor Keith Alexander, puppet supervisor Mary Turner and series’ star Stanley Unwin. Alan and Bridgitt Shubrook also joined us in person for the whole weekend, and Keith Alexander joined us live from Australia on Saturday evening. And, of course, the whole event was a great opportunity to meet and socialise with like-minded people.

Thanks to Andrew Staton, Glenn Hobster and Gary Whittaker for planning and executing such an enjoyable weekend. If any attendees have feedback on the event, please drop us a line at fanderson.org.uk@outlook.com.

Special thanks to Jenefer Farncombe, Sarah Bracken, Gem and Tanya.

Thanks to Mike Burrows for the photographs. Read Mike’s review of the event.

(Click on this image for a larger version)

We have a very limited amount of Supporter’s Packs from the event available in the Shop. The Secret Service Close Up book and Annual have more location details.