Thunderbirds remembered on 60th anniversary of first TV series

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Stephen Stafford, South of England

Getty Images A black and white photo of a bald man wearing a suit and bow tie and a blonde woman wearing a dress and large earrings.Getty Images

Gerry and Sylvia Anderson co-created the hit science-fiction puppet series, which ran from 1965

The creators of TV show Thunderbirds are being remembered on the 60th anniversary of the first broadcast of the classic kids puppet sci-fi series.

The original series of Thunderbirds, created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, hit ITV screens on September 30, 1965.

International Thunderbirds Day is being commemorated with a celebrity lunch at BAFTA, with a special seat unveiled in the name of Sylvia Anderson to honour her pioneering contribution to women in film and television.

In a time before CGI and digital effects, the couple used puppetry and modelling, with the series filmed in studios on Slough Trading Estate in Berkshire.

Getty Images A Thunderbirds figure sitting at the controls of an aircraft in a scene from the vintage TV showGetty Images

Thunderbirds revolved around a futuristic emergency service called International Rescue, crewed by the Tracy family

Thunderbirds revolved around International Rescue, a futuristic emergency service manned by the Tracy family, often assisted by Lady Penelope – voiced by Mrs Anderson – and her butler, Parker.

It included the catchphrases “Thunderbirds are go!” and “FAB”.

The show marked the career apex for Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, who had honed their “supermarionation” technique on Fireball XL5 and Stingray.

The couple divorced in 1981. Gerry Anderson who lived in Henley, Oxfordshire, died in 2012 aged 83. Sylvia died at her home in Bray, Berkshire in 2016 at the age of 88.

Getty Images A black and white image of Thunderbird 4 on waterGetty Images

The 1960s series pioneered “supermarionation” – a puppetry technique using thin wires to control marionettes

Another pioneering aspect of the show was the development of merchandising toys and figures.

Among the events to mark the 60th anniversary is an exhibition more than 300 toys and collectables from Thunderbirds and the Andersons’ subsequent productions at the Museum of Brands in west London.

It is thought to be the largest collection of Thunderbird toys ever brought together.

Malcolm Garret standing in front of toy exhibits and holding a pink toy car

Malcolm Garret has brought together a collection of more than 300 Thunderbird toys

Co-curator Malcolm Garrett, a self-confessed Thunderbirds superfan, said: “As a young fan you could own the toys and it was like owning a little bit of the show.

“Lets not forget the shows themselves were were made up of toys.”

Among the 300 items is a Captain Scarlett cap owned by Duran Duran keyboard player Nick Rhodes.

Various other special events are also being held to celebrate the 60th anniversary, including a 4K restoration double-bill of episodes shown in UK cinemas.

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