Gerry Anderson / TV Blog

News Regurgitator!/ / / / / Holiday Specials on DVD / / / / / Las Vegas Legends

B E S T / /O F

Sit back and enjoy tales of television long ago -
this blog covers current and classic TV shows
and reviews of upcoming television programs
along with the latest TV on DVD releases!

Gerry Anderson
by Kevin S. Butler

Stingray TV series

Gerry Anderson the creator/producer and head puppeteer of such memorable filmed TV puppet adventure series as "Supercar", "Fireball X-L 5", "Stingray", "Capt. Scarlett" and "Thunderbirds" has died. Mr. Anderson lost his three year battle with Alzheimer's Disease on Wednesday December 26, 2012. He was 83 years old. A Native Of Henley Thames, Oxfordshire Anderson originally trained for a career as a plasterer but he was forced to give up his training when the materials that he was working with gave him a bad skin condition. After a brief stint as a portrait photographer, an air traffic controller and working with Gainsborough Films Inc., he created his own production company AP Films.

Stingray TV series Unable to find any movie or TV studios that could use his services he was able to sell his pilot for a tv puppet show titled "The Adventures Of Twizzle" in 1956. From there he went onto create,produce and film other TV puppet adventure programs... "Joe 90", "Stingray", "Captain Scarlett & The Mysterons", "Thunderbirds", "Fireball X-L 5" and "Supercar". The shows were popular in England and they had large fan base of kids, they also spawned a certain amount of merchandise. In 1961 "Supercar" was seen in the USA in national syndication. The series became a hit with kids and soon Anderson's other TV puppet adventure shows made their way into American syndication. Only one of Anderson's puppet adventure shows, "Fireball X-L 5", was seen on network TV when NBC aired the program on Saturday morning during the 1963-64 season.

Anderson also had brief foray into creating, producing and presenting two live action sci-fi series that featured human actors - "UFO" and"Space 1999" - the latter series starred Martin Landau and Barbara Bain.

Anderson was also trying out new technologies, he was ultilizing advanced computer generated imagery for a remake of "Captain Scarlet" ("The New Captain Scarlet") in 2005. And he severed as a consultant for a movie remake of his "UFO" TV series. When he learned that he had Alzhheimer's Mr. Anderson tried to remain active, he and his son Jamie worked with England's Alzheimer's Society to aide those afflicted with the disease. Gerry Anderson is survived by his wife Mary and their four children.

READ PAST TELEVISION BLOG ENTRIES

TELEVISION BLOG
:The Best of TV Blog: