Australian cult and classic film and television label ViaVision has a Big UK TV Sale now on, where you could save up to 50%!
Of particular interest to Fanderson members will be The Protectors in Classic ITV Bundle 2, Stingray, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons and Space:1999 in Sci-Fi DVD Bundle. With over 50 titles included, there’s sure to be something for everyone, but hurry as the sales ends on 24th August!
Fanderson is saddened to report the death of Dr Gerry Anderson, Gerry and Sylvia’s son.
Dr Gerry Anderson was the only son of Sylvia and Gerry, the legendary husband and wife team of Thunderbirds fame. He was born in Windsor on 31st July 1967 and his parents issued an invitation to the celebration of his birth in the image of a clapper board saying “Proudly presenting Gerry Anderson Jnr” bearing his weight and time of birth.
Gerry had been suffering from an incurable brain tumour for a number of years, but prior to that was a renowned anaesthetist, who was headhunted from the UK to New Zealand. He was then offered a prestigious medical consultancy in Tasmania, where he decided to live with his wife and three children.
Gerry had taken a different route to his parents and sister Dee Anderson, who were all in the creative arts, as he had always wanted to enter the medical profession. Dee remembers him asking her for a blood pressure monitor as a Christmas present when only 8 and diagnosing medical conditions from an early age.
Gerry had many experiences in his medical career before becoming an anaesthetist. One of his favourite memories was when he was a ‘flying doctor’ travelling all over the world to treat the sick and dying. He also set up a medical centre in the middle of a remote area of the Amazon forest where he treated a primitive tribe, alongside two other doctors who were travelling with him. He was always trying to utilise his medical skills to improve people’s lives.
In later years, Gerry was an exceptional anaesthetist, who had a gentle confidence which was reflected in his work. Many of his patients kept in touch with him years after their treatment, saying he had made a huge impact on them and their hospital experience.
Although Dee was several years older than Gerry she shared extraordinary experiences with him when they would spend their holidays on film sets at Pinewood Studios, watching their parents programmes being made like Space:1999 and UFO, and mingled with stars from stage and screen like Cliff Richard, Joan Collins, Shirley Bassey and Des O’Connor, who visited their home in Gerrards Cross or at their villa in Portugal.
Gerry was married with three teenage children, Kelsey, Eamear and Max, who gathered around his bedside with his wife Andrea in the last few days of his life.
Dr Gerry Anderson was just 55 years old when he passed away on Wednesday 26th April 2023, and although he did not pursue the stage or screen, was really a true star who made a difference as he touched so many people’s lives.
The following photos are © Sylvia Anderson estate
Hot on the heels of their replica Moonbase Alpha helmet collection, specialist collectible manufacturer Sixteen 12 is making it possible to own your personalised helmet!
The helmets will be complete with display stand and Space:1999 metallic base logo, and have a recommended retail price of £299.99 + shipping.
Sixteen 12 need a minimum order of 100 units to make the project viable. If you’re interested (under no obligation) simply e-mail your name, and the name you would like on your helmet to steve@sixteen12.com by 7th April.
Our spring mailing went in the post to all Fanderson members today.
FAB Express 103 should soon start landing in current members’ homes, and will be included in the welcome package for new members along with FAB Annual 2023.
Click here for an extended review of Presented In Supercolorisation.
We’re planning for FAB Express 104 to follow in the summer. That mailing will also include details of how to renew your membership in time to be included in the winter mailing and get FAB Annual 2024!
Keep your eye out for the postie!
New, and produced exclusively for Fanderson club members, are two new key ring designs.
Choose from TV Century 21 or Moonbase Alpha metal key rings, each with a new-design ring that makes it easier to add or remove keys, hang on a belt loop etc.
Both designs are available right now from Fanderson Sales.
New, and produced exclusively for Fanderson club members, is this pack of five reproduction publicity brochures for Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons and UFO.
Available whilst stocks last from Fanderson Sales.
Hot on the heels of their Space:1999 watchalong in September (see FAB Express 102) Lives In The Pictures have announced another event for this coming Saturday.
At 19:00 (GMT) on 3rd December join Lives In The Pictures’ Philip Hawkins with his special guest, writer John Goldsmith, for a live watch along of two episodes from The Protectors – Balance Of Terror and Brother Hood. The event will be hosted on Zoom and for the best experience you will need to have your own copy of the episodes to watch along.
John will answer your questions throughout the event, and once registered you can submit your questions in advance. You’ll also be able to ask questions during the event via the chat function.
To register, simply email livesinthepictures@gmail.com with your full name.
Network has announced a new two-disc Blu-ray Disc set of colourised Gerry and Sylvia Anderson productions, coming on 12th December 2022.
The first disc of the Presented In Supercolorisation set includes Four Feather Falls First Train Through, Supercar Pirate Plunder and Supercar “Take One”, Fireball XL5 The Sun Temple, The Granatoid Tanks and A Day In The Life Of A Space General in colourised high-definition!
Most of these episodes are available again on disc two, along with other programmes, as part of two compilation features previously seen on watch.networkonair.com:
The set is completed by a 16-page booklet featuring frames from the colourised episodes next to outline versions to colour.
Priced at £35, the set is available to pre-order now.
UPDATED 3rd October: We did it! The project has reached the 10,000 milestone, so will be entered for assessment by the Lego team next year (which will include licensing discussions with ITV, as required).
There’s just 100 days left to get behind Andrew Clark’s Thunderbird 2, help it reach the 10,000 milestone and be considered to be an official Lego set!
Andrew’s Doctor Who and The Flintstones ideas were both chosen to become reality. His Thunderbird 2 was originally submitted with the ability to be built as the craft from ITV’s 2015 remake or from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s iconic 1960s original Thunderbirds. This submission is purely the classic craft, together with TB4, Elevator Car and Virgil Tracy!
Lego Ideas was set up so that budding designers could see their designs made into sets that we could all buy. Fans can click to support the designs they like and, if a project gets over 10,000 supporters, it goes on to be assessed by the Lego team as a potential set.
Show your support and see thousands more ideas at the Lego Ideas website.
Big Chief Studios have announced their first range of retro collector action figures, enabling fans to create their own miniature adventures.
Designed with collectors in mind, each 3.75 inch figure in The Anderson Collection sports five points of jointed articulation, authentic character likenesses and detailed costumes. Priced at a pocket-friendly £14.99 each, the figures are made for fans to build a collection, and with a far simpler product specification manufacturing lead times are drastically improved from their previous studio scale puppet replicas.
Collection 1 is due in December and includes Troy Tempest, Scott Tracy, Captain Scarlet, Joe McClaine, Ed Straker and John Koenig. Collection 2 will follow in 2023 and is due to include Lt George “Phones” Sheridan, Virgil Tracy, John Tracy, Captain Black, Lt Green and Alan Carter.
