David Graham returns as Parker in Thunderbirds Are Go!

Posted on 30th September 2013 by 1266 Nick Williams

David Graham will play Aloysius Parker in Thunderbirds are Go!

Credit: ITV News

Thunderbirds Are Go! Voice Cast Revealed
David Graham reprises the role Parker
Rosamund Pike to play Lady Penelope

Fans of Gerry Anderson’s original Thunderbirds series got their dearest wish today, as ITV Global announced that David Graham would reprise the role for which he is most fondly remembered. Almost 50 years have passed since his last appearance, but the voice artist will once again be playing the much-loved chauffeur and reformed crook, Aloysius Parker in ITV Global’s Thunderbirds are Go! Rosamund Pike (The World’s End, Gone Girl, Die Another Day) will play his aristocratic employer and International Rescue Agent, Lady Penelope.

Other cast members to be announced include:

Brains – Kayvan Novak (Fonejacker, Facejacker)
Alan and Scott Tracy – Rasmus Hardiker (Saxondale, Lead Balloon)
Virgil Tracy – David Menkin
Gordon and John Tracy – Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Love Actually,Game of Thrones)
Grandma Tracy – Sandra Dickinson (Amazing World of Gumball, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)
The Hood – Andres Williams (M.I. High, Foyle’s War).

It appears that no announcement has yet been made as to the role of Jeff Tracy, the head of the Tracy family. However it has been confirmed that Thunderbirds Are Go! will also feature a range of brand new characters. Kayo – the Tracy brothers’ friend and fellow island resident – will be played by Angel Coulby (Merlin, Dancing on the Edge) and Colonel Casey voiced by Adjoa Andoh (Invictus, Doctor Who).

Giles Ridge, Executive Producer of Thunderbirds Are Go! said: “Each member of the cast has brought a brilliantly fresh and unique approach to these wonderful characters. I can’t think of anyone better than Rosamund to bring back to life the fabulous Lady Penelope and we are honoured that David Graham has joined the cast to revisit his role as Parker.”

Rosamund Pike commented: “I’m very excited to bring Lady Penelope’s wry wit and taste for adventure to a new generation. Exploring the scenes with David Graham has been an absolute delight. The scripts are very modern, very fresh and very funny. We’re all eagerly anticipating our next stint in the recording studio!”

David Graham, playing Parker, added: “I am triple chuffed to be on board the new series of Thunderbirds Are Go! and reprising my role of dear old Parker with such a distinguished cast. My driving skills are in good nick and I am delighted to be behind the wheel again with M’Lady. Cheerio!”

The series features an innovative mix of CGI animation and live-action miniature sets and is due to debut in 2015. Thunderbirds Are Go! is produced by ITV Studios and New Zealand-based Pukeko Pictures, with world-famous Weta Workshop (Avatar, King Kong, The Lord of the Rings) designing the series and producing the miniatures. The 26 x 30’ major new children’s series will debut on ITV and UK’s CITV Channel in 2015.

So, who would believe it? David Graham returns as Parker in Thunderbirds Are Go! What do you think about the casting decisions? Let us know on the Fanderson Facebook Group and Fanderson Forum.

Want to celebrate the exciting news with an episode of the original, ‘classic’ Thunderbirds? Check out our Thunderbirds episode guide and choose your viewing pleasure!

Parker goes up for sale at Bonhams

Posted on 6th June 2013 by 1266 Nick Williams

A 15-inch high model of Parker is to go up for auction at Bonhams on Wednesday 3rd July.

The model appears to have been created originally for a Christmas shop display at Selfridges, Oxford Street, London in the late 1960s.

There is sure to be plenty of interest in this unique piece of history, which is estimated to fetch between £1,200 – £1,500!

View the lot on the Bonhams website

Chris Evans to drive FAB1 for Breast Cancer Care

Posted on 14th April 2013 by 1266 Nick Williams

TV and radio presenter Chris Evans has launched a year-long fundraising campaign that aims to raise one million pounds for Breast Cancer Care with the help of FAB 1!

Lady Penelope’s famous car (a bespoke pink Rolls-Royce Ghost) will be driven by Evans and other celebrities in a point-to-point journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Evans will share the driving duties with Gary Barlow, Professor Brian Cox and James May, with pitstops in Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow en-route.

The FAB1 Million project aims to raise funds by making FAB1 available for hire on a daily basis to fans, with all proceeds going to Breast Cancer Care. Standard charges are £5,000 inc VAT for a standard day and £7,500 inc VAT for a premium day, supplied with a full tank of fuel and professional chauffeur. FAB1 is ready to hit the road anywhere its passengers desire to go in the UK!

Additional premium packages will also be auctioned via the website, www.FAB1million.co.uk. in which the purchaser will secure tickets to an exclusive event as well as their FAB1 chauffeur-driven experience. These incredible packages include high -profile entertainment and sporting events such as Glorious Goodwood, The Silverstone Grand Prix, The Festival Of Speed, Britain’s Got Talent The Final, The Brit Awards and Royal Ascot.

The Rolls Royce to be used for the campaign has been meticulously prepared, explained Jolyon Nash, Director of Sales and Marketing, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

“The interior hosts hand-embroidered pink ribbons on each headrest, a rear-seat fridge and accents of Blushing Pink leather as well as sumptuous lambswool carpets and FAB1 treadplates. Door umbrellas feature pink handles and trim, while the exterior is beautifully offset by a silver satin bonnet and finished with an up-lit Spirit of Ecstasy to brighten each and every special occasion.”

FAB1 can be booked by calling the FAB1 Million booking line on 020 7960 3482, or you can find out more information by visiting www.FAB1million.co.uk

Additional fundraising activities will allow supporters to enter a competition and have a chance of winning FAB1 for a day by donating £5 to Breast Cancer Care. All you need to do is text FAB to 83222. Text entry to the draw costs 50p, plus the standard network rate. For full prize draw terms & conditions visit the website.

After the 833.3 mile drive across the UK, FAB1 will return to London where it will become the centrepiece of a window display in Harrods for one week, where FAB1 Million representatives will be on hand to answer any questions and take booking enquiries for the car.

Also in the Harrods FAB1 window display will be a very special contribution from Jamie Anderson – the son of the legendary Gerry Anderson. To sit alongside a replica Parker puppet owned by Gerry Anderson, Jamie is unveiling a Chris Evans-inspired Parker puppet (sculpted and built by Duncan Willis) created specially to celebrate the campaign.

Chris Evans said: “You can hire the most famous Rolls-Royce in the world as the icing on the cake to whatever special event you are attending or celebrating knowing that you are donating to a very worthy cause in the process. It’s a win win situation. So, if you can, do. FAB1 awaits your mission wherever you are and whatever you’re up to. 5-4-3-2-1! FAB1 Million is go!!!”

For more information please visit www.FAB1Million.co.uk or email FAB1@thescarletlife.com

Barry Gray music re-released on EP for Record Store Day

Posted on 6th April 2013 by 1266 Nick Williams

Silva Screen has announced the release of a special edition 7″ EP of Barry Gray music based on the design of the original TV21 mini albums.

The release marks Record Store Day 2013, which takes place on 20th April this year, and includes tracks from Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Joe 90, as well as “Dangerous Game”, the signature tune played by the Cass Carnaby Five in the famous Thunderbirds episode, The Cham-Cham. Limited to 1,500 copies and containing a special poster, this is an amazing collectible not to be missed by any Gerry Anderson fan !

The disc completes the 7″ Gerry Anderson Limited Edition Set that has been released to commemorate Record Store Day 2013.

The disc will only be available from record shops on the 20th of April. However, a small number will be held back for sale on the Silva Screen website two weeks later on Friday 3rd May at 10am.

Shane Rimmer reads classic Doctor Who story

Posted on 9th February 2013 by 1266 Nick Williams

The Gunfighters audiobook - read by Shane Rimmer An audiobook of the The Gunfighters, the classic Doctor Who story from the 1960s, has been narrated by Shane Rimmer.

The voice of Scott Tracy appeared in the original story in 1966 as the villainous Seth Harper alongside fellow Thunderbirds voice artist David Graham.

Shane reads the full unabridged Target novelisation that was written by Donald Cotton in 1985. It can be purchased as in both CD format and as a digital download.

Listen to a sample of Shane’s narration on www.audiogo.com

Breaking News: ITV Studios and Pukeko Pictures to Re-invent Classic Thunderbirds Series

Posted on 4th February 2013 by 1266 Nick Williams

Iconic Series is Back After 50 Years for a 2015 debut on CITV

ITV Studios is to re-invent Thunderbirds 50 years on from its first television debut.

ITV Studios and New Zealand based Pukeko Pictures, in collaboration with Weta Workshop (Avatar, King Kong, The Lord of the Rings) are to co-produce Thunderbirds are Go! (a working title), a 26 x 30’ major new children’s series set to debut on ITV and the CITV Channel in 2015.

The series will be produced using a unique mix of CGI animation and live-action model sets. Showcasing Pukeko Pictures’ and Weta Workshop’s creative and technical excellence, it promises to deliver a whole new level of action-adventure animation for today’s audience, whilst paying tribute to the legacy of original series.

Thunderbirds are Go! will be executive produced by Estelle Hughes for ITV Studios, Giles Ridge for ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) and Richard Taylor and Andrew Smith for Pukeko Pictures. The series head writer is Rob Hoegee (Generator Rex, Teen Titans, Ben 10, Slugterra.)

Thunderbirds are Go! is commissioned by Jamila Metran, Head of Programming for CITV, and is currently in pre-production.

Denise O Donoghue, Managing Director ITV Studios UK, comments: “Thunderbirds is a highly respected brand that continues to hold recognition around the world. This cult series is often credited as changing the history of animation and action-adventure, and we look forward to taking the show to another level while retaining the much-loved heritage that has endured over the past fifty years.”

Jamila Metran, Head of Programming for CITV, adds: “Thunderbirds Are Go! will be a hugely exciting new show for the CITV audience. We’re delighted to be working with ITV Studios and the talented teams at Pukeko Pictures and Weta Workshop, whose success and innovation is renowned across the film and television industry. Thunderbirds is a much-loved British institution with significant global recognition, and our audience will relish this timely opportunity to discover the new series fifty years on.”

Richard Taylor, co-owner of Pukeko Pictures and Weta Workshop, says: “Thunderbirds was a hugely influential television series in my childhood. Having watched it originally in black and white, it was only years later that I discovered the full and rich world that Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, Derek Meddings, Mike Trimm and their team created. It is thrilling therefore to think we have the opportunity to work with ITV on this new series inspired by this most wonderful of British shows. I personally, together with the teams here at Pukeko Pictures and Weta Workshop, look forward to designing and creating an inspirational world that will engage the imagination of a whole new generation as it did for us nearly half a century ago.”

Andrew Smith, CEO of Pukeko Pictures, adds: “Pukeko Pictures is focussed on high-quality value-based programming, and we are thrilled to be associated with such an iconic brand, one that brilliantly encompasses family values, heroism and generosity. We are very proud to partner with ITV Studios to create a new era of Thunderbirds.”

ITV Studios Global Entertainment retains worldwide rights to the Thunderbirds brand and is the global distributor for the Thunderbirds Are Go! television series and consumer products.

3,000 attend Cosford Flights of Fantasy

Posted on 28th November 2012 by 1266 Nick Williams

RAF Cosford Flights of Fantasy

Photo credit: Dalek Sram

Nearly 3,000 people descended on Cosford Flights of Fantasy over the weekend of 24th – 25th November to see an incredible exhibition of Gerry Anderson puppets and memorabilia at the .

Among the many highlights of an amazing model and props display at RAF Museum Cosford were vehicles and sets from Space:1999 and the original Captain Black and Steve Zodiac puppets.

Matt Zimmerman, David Graham and Shane Rimmer were also in attendance, and were interviewed in the Museum’s atmospheric underground theatre by Chris Bentley about their time on Thunderbirds and other aspects of their careers. The trio – fans’ favourites from many past conventions – provided great comic entertainment, showing they have lost none of their ability to perform before an audience.

Effects guru Brian Johnson also appeared as a surprise guest. Brian, who became famous for his work on Thunderbirds and as Head of Special Effects on Space 1999, also spoke about his involvement in two very different cult science fiction films, The Day the Earth Caught Fire and 2001 – A Space Odyssey.

Fanderson ran a sales table over both days of the event, selling new memberships and exclusive merchandise to existing members. Thank you to everyone who came to say hello!

Share your memories, comments and photos of the event on the Fanderson Forum

Shane Rimmer to attend event in York

Posted on 1st November 2012 by 1266 Nick Williams

Scott Tracy - voiced by Shane Rimmera
Shane Rimmer, the voice of Thunderbird 1 pilot Scott Tracy, will be a special guest at the Movie Buffs Event at The Royal York Hotel on 2nd December. Shane will be appearing alongside Jeremy Bulloch of Boba Fett fame, from Star Wars.

Movie Buffs Collectors Fairs is a great way for film enthusiasts, collectors and dealers to get together.

To find out more information about the event visit the Movie Buffs website.

Thunderbirds back on Vinyl for Record Store Day

Posted on 13th October 2012 by 1266 Nick Williams

A stunning series of five Gerry Anderson soundtrack EPs is being released by Silva Screen Records and Little Amber Fish to mark Record Store Day 2013 – the international music celebration. The recordings have been carefully restored and edited from Barry Gray’s own archives courtesy of The Barry Gray Estate and ITV Global Entertainment.

The EPs will be released regularly from now until Record Store Day on April 20th 2013, and fans will be able to send off to Silva Screen for a special stand to keep the set in!

Each EP is to be released in coloured vinyl as a numbered, limited edition of 700 copies. 200 copies of each will be kept back and sold as a complete set in May 2013 at a premium price, which means that collecting them piecemeal is certainly the way to go!

The first release will focus on Thunderbirds (in blue vinyl), to be followed by Captain Scarlet, Joe 90 and Space 1999. The final EP will be released on Record Store Day itself and will comprise a special flexi-disc poster package – content yet to be revealed!

Fans can order the EPs online from 15th October at www.silvascreen.com or by emailing info@silvascreen.co.uk, as well as from independent record stores throughout the UK.

Find your nearest participating store

The full release schedule:

Thunderbirds (7″ EP, numbered blue vinyl) – 15/10/2012
Captain Scarlet (7″ EP, numbered red vinyl) – 19/11/2012
Joe 90 (7″ EP, numbered yellow vinyl) – 21/01/2013
Space:1999 (7″ EP, numbered purple vinyl) – 25/02/2013
RSD 2013 secret release (flexi-disc and poster pack (TBA)) – 20/04/2013

Captain Black takes over RAF Museum Cosford

Posted on 8th October 2012 by 1266 Nick Williams

Over the weekend of 24th – 25th November the RAF Museum in Cosford will be hosting an amazing exhibition of rare puppets and memorabilia from the worlds of Gerry Anderson. For many fans a number of rarely seen puppets – including the original Captain Black – will be the star attractions of the weekend. For others, it will be the appearance of special guests David Graham, Shane Rimmer and Matt Zimmerman. For others it will be a chance to catch up and have a friendly chat with members of the Fanderson Committee!

The event will feature puppets from Thunderbirds, Joe 90, Fireball XL5 and Captain Scarlet, as well as a fascinating range of models, costumes, full-sized vehicles and sets from the classic live action shows Space 1999 and UFO.

The exhibition will be a first for the RAF Museum Cosford and will be taking place in the National Cold War Exhibition alongside a backdrop of aircraft which inspired the look and design of the shows. There will also be a number of trade stands with associated merchandise.

Admission to the display is free and will be open from 10.00 to 16.30.

Shane Rimmer, David Graham and Matt Zimmerman will be attending on the Saturday and will be interviewed in the morning in the museum’s atmospheric bunker-style lecture theatre before participating in a question and answer session in the afternoon. Tickets for both sessions are now on general sale priced £15.00, and include a parking pass and a signed photo of the Thunderbirds puppets at Cosford.

Fanderson will be manning a table at the event and will have a range of merchandise available for members to buy. If you are planning to attend please feel free to stop by and say hello!

Read about the event on the RAF Museum website