Thunderbirds

UK: Anderson series now free-to-view on ITV Hub

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Having long been available to view in the UK on Britbox, many of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s classic productions are now available on the ITV Hub.

Fans can now watch Supercar, Fireball XL5 (selected episodes), Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons, Joe 90 (selected episodes), The Secret Service, UFO, The Protectors and Space:1999. ITV’s own Thunderbirds Are Go reimagining is available too, along with the crowdsourced Thunderbirds anniversary episodes.

All are available free to view and ad-free, once the programme itself starts. Watching fully ad-free costs £3.99/month or £39.99/year, but there’s a free 7-day trial available (surely long enough for any die-hard fan to binge-watch the whole lot!).

Click on the link to go to the ITV Hub.

Thunderbirds are going!

Posted on by Parker

Launched in 2016 to mark 50 years since the end of the classic TV show, there’s only a limited amount of time left to snap up stylish pop art prints from Art & Hue’s Thunderbirds collection before it ends on the 30th of July.

No fewer than 22 art prints are available in a choice of 19 colours and 3 sizes, printed on museum-quality archival card of 310gsm, made from 100% cotton, using pigment inks for longevity.

From a modernist secret island base of mid-century architecture, that looks as if it was designed by Richard Neutra or Frank Lloyd Wright, Jeff Tracy and his sons listen out for distress calls to swoop in and save the day using their iconic craft, cleverly launched from within the island itself.

Ubergeek engineer Brains and the Tracy brothers may be all-American but Britishness is elegantly represented from Creighton-Ward Manor and FAB 1, the pink Rolls-Royce, thanks to London Agent Lady Penelope, along with her loyal and ‘umorous butler Aloysius Parker.

Jet over to Art & Hue before the 30th of July!

 

Win a Zavvi exclusive vinyl singles boxset!

Posted on by Parker

Silva Screen Records and Zavvi have announced a newly remastered limited edition Anderson 7” singles box set,  featuring music from the extensive Barry Gray soundtrack catalogue. Gray’s partnership with Gerry and Sylvia Anderson was one of the most successful of its kind in TV history, forever linking the iconic Supermarionation imagery with the composer’s distinctive orchestral themes.

Due for release on 31st August, this exclusive box set contains the soundtracks to some of the Andersons’ most popular Supermarionation shows, including Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons, and also includes the soundtrack to live action series Space:1999. This limited edition 7” singles box set is the perfect addition to your vinyl collection.

One lucky club member will win one of the new boxsets – see the first issue of FAB-lite (working title) soon!

Previously a staggered release by Silva Screen from 2012 in time for 2013’s Record Store Day, the new boxset includes The Cass Carnaby disc on shocking pink vinyl (the 2013 was a clear flexidisc), five exclusive art cards and is limited to just 500 units worldwide.

Track Listing:

Thunderbirds 7” on blue vinyl

Side 1

    • Thunderbirds – Main Theme (1:36)
    • Dangerous Game (1:40) (Vocals: Jack Clegg)

Side 2

    • Thunderbirds Are Go! (4:28)

Captain Scarlet 7” on red vinyl

Side 1

    • Captain Scarlet – Main Theme (1:33)
    • The S.H.E.F. March (2:35)

Side 2

    • White As Snow (3:12)
    • Captain Scarlet – End Titles (1:28) – Performed by The Spectrum

Joe 90 7” on yellow vinyl

Side 1

    • Century 21 Sting (0:08)
    • Joe 90 – Main Theme (1:58)
    • The Most Special Agent (3:19)

Side 2

    • Splashdown (4:44)
    • Joe 90 – End Titles (1:20)

Space:1999 7” on white vinyl

Side 1

    • Space: 1999 Year One – Main Titles (1:10)
    • Breakaway Suite (4:39)

Side 2

    • Black Sun Suite And End Titles (5:52)

The Cass Carnaby Five 7” on pink vinyl

Side 1

    • This Is The Twist (1:40)
    • Formula 5 (1:23)
    • Let’s Play Ad Lib (2:56)

Side 2

    • Spoke City Jazz (1:39)
    • Until Midnight (2:22)
    • Double Agent Entertainment (2:02)

UK: Fanderson to sponsor Anderson On Film!

Posted on by Parker

Fanderson is the proud sponsor of the Anderson On Film presentation as part of the Southend Film Festival, enabling fans to enjoy Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s work with other fans this summer… on film!

In this digital world it’s easy to watch programmes on your phone, to stream, or even to watch from DVD or Blu-ray Disc. This year’s Southend Film Festival gives Anderson fans a chance to have that collective experience of watching with fellow fans, thanks to the beauty that is celluloid film!

This year’s programme of Anderson programmes on 29th May 2022 – all on the big screen and all shown from film – includes:

  • Four Feather Falls Trouble In Yellow Gulch and Indian Attack
  • Space:1999 War Games
  • Thunderbirds Pit Of Peril

The popular Southend Film Festival has been running for thirteen years in two parts – as well as the main festival, the Film Festival Fringe encourages various venues around Southend to put on film screenings throughout May. Over 50 films were screened during last year’s festival. The festival’s patrons are actors Ray Winstone, Vicki Michelle and Phil Davis, and you can see more at www.southendfilmfestival.com

When the club announced that Supercelebration would be our last full-weekend convention we offered to help smaller events around the country to ensure fans of Gerry and Sylvia’s work could continue to get together. That help might be financial (such as seed funding to secure a venue, or advertising, or sponsorship) or it might be more practical (such as liaising with guests, or logistical help).

If you need help or support with your Anderson event, please drop us a line at fanderson.org.uk@outlook.com.

Help your Anderson favourite become a Lego set!

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

There are seven Anderson-inspired projects on Lego Ideas right now that need your support to become reality!

Lego Ideas was set up so that budding Lego set designers could see their design 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.

Since Lego Ideas was set up in 2010 (as Lego Cuusoo), 49 sets have been produced on a wide range of topics.

Andrew Clark has been luckier than most budding designers, as his Doctor Who and The Flintstones sets were both chosen to become reality. He currently has three projects on the Ideas platform:

You’ll also find:

See all these designs and thousands more at the Lego Ideas website.

Bob Bell studio drawings for auction

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

On 12th February 2022, specialist collectables and memorabilia auctioneers Excalibur will be offering the second part of late author Simon Archer’s collection, including six drawings by series art director Bob Bell.

Bob worked on many of the Anderson TV productions and was art director and supervising art director on Thunderbirds Season 1 and 2 respectively, as well as on the Thunderbirds films.

The series of six pencil and watercolour sketches (lots 547 to 552) represents the evolution of the Supermarionation technique and featured in Gerry Anderson’s lecture tour in the 90s. Estimate is £200 to £400 for each lot.

The auction includes much, much more, and the full catalogue can be seen here.

Super special offer on Super Space Theater

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Wanting to gen up on the Super Space Theater films whilst you await Network‘s Blu-ray Disc package at the end of the month? Why not get ready by reading the background story of the 13 SST films, and maybe even decorate your room with the beautiful cover art prints?

It’s all in our Super Space Theater book and art print pack – at a super special offer price for January!

Christmas TV – not EastEnders again!

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

At a loss for some quality seasonal television from the broadcasters this Christmas? Why not dig out the TVTimes special that we mailed with FAB last year (and again recently for new members)?

Surround yourself with some treats and a little something to wash it all down, then feast out all day on the very best seasonal Gerry and Sylvia Anderson entertainment (and remember, Stingray A Christmas To Remember is just one of the many programmes now available in high definition).

PS – Obviously, but just in case anyone thought otherwise, in the supplement the 40th Anniversary Quiz closed on 31st January 2021, and Six-Five Special offers were valid until 14th February 2021!

FAB: Incoming on runway 99!

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Have there really been 99 issues of FAB magazine? Yep, we’ve popped FAB 99 in the post today!

In this issue:

  • Inspecting Morse – Ian Fryer’s examination of Barry Morse’s seven decade career
  • Love it? Hate it? Chris Drake is affected by the lambda variant as he takes a look at Space:1999 The Lambda Factor
  • Alistair McGown goes back in time to Blackpool in 1977 to recover Gerry Anderson’s Space City exhibition from his personal memory bank
  • John Wilkinson takes a trip round the UK to see when Anderson shows were first seen in colour in the various ITV regions
  • Jonathan Baxter loves Lady Penelope so much that he surrounds himself with her various Tracy Lounge portraits
  • club members give their views on Joe 90 Project 90 in our regular Timelash column, with an exclusive cutaway painting of the Darota Clinic by artist Graham Bleathman
  • Alistair McGown looks at the life and career of Joe 90 Project 90‘s director – Peter Anderson
  • the fifth part of our exclusive Thunderbirds Are Go photo-strip by Jonathan Baxter
  • obituaries to Shaun Whittacker-Cook and George Gibbs
  • take a look through Lady Penelope’s wardrobe in our competition
  • plus FAB news, FAB Mail and more

With this FAB we’ve mailed a third set of our 40 FAB Years picture cards. Stick with us and by the end of the year you should have a full set (and an album to put them all in – photo corners/Gloy gum not included)!

FAB 99 also sees the second wave of deliveries of our 2021 membership gift – the oft-requested 7″ Barry Gray EPs from 1986 and 1988, together on our exclusive new CD! We can only give this CD away as part of our membership package, so if you get a renewal notice with FAB 99, make sure you renew by the date given on it so that you don’t miss out!

This mailing also includes your 40th anniversary badge, which we stupidly missed out of the FAB 98 mailing!

If you were late renewing your membership, and so haven’t been included in the FAB 99 mailing, we haven’t forgotten you. Your membership will re-start with FAB 100.

Mail is still being affected by the pandemic, so please be patient whilst your FAB 99 wings its way to you. Amazingly, we know from experience that members living in the same town can receive their packages days apart! Nonetheless, if you’re worried your package might have gone missing in the post (having allowed a reasonable amount of time), please check our Shipping And Returns page before contacting us.

Anyone who missed FAB 98 can now buy it as a back issue, and last year’s membership item – Century 21 Complete Puppet Catalogue – is also now available to buy in the Shop.

How to get FAB magazine? Join Fanderson!

FAB magazine is available exclusively to Fanderson club members – we usually publish three times a year, and do our very best to make each issue a joy to read for every fan – regardless of your favourite Anderson series!

 

UPDATED: Puppets for auction on 17th November

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Two puppets created by Century 21 sculptor Terry Curtis will be up for auction at Bonhams’ Film, Rock and Pop sale on 17th November.

From the collection of Terry Curtis, both have original heads, with Travers having an original Jeff Tracy body, whilst Blue has a replica body.

You can see the full auction catalogue, which includes items from the estate of Dame Diana Rigg, at Bonhams website.

Update

  • Captain Blue sold for £6,375 inc premium
  • Paul Travers sold for £12,750 inc premium