FOREWORD
"Thunderbirds are GO!"
Without a doubt the pinnacle of all the Supermarionation series, Thunderbirds strikes the perfect balance between the characterisation of its large central cast and the excitement of its fabulous array of machinery and ambitious special effects. Devised after hearing of a German mine disaster and the ensuing rescue efforts, Thunderbirds went on to become the most popular and enduring series and spawned a merchandising empire, the like of which was unrivalled in the 1960s. Decades after its original broadcast and children still struggled to purchase Tracy Island for demand was so great, and its success has led to numerous successful revivals and remakes and also two Supermarionation feature films in 1966 and 1968, respectively. Having built on the progress made in all the series before, Thunderbirds provided a scale unlike its predecessors and ventured across the globe and into the far reaches of space, and yet could provide spy stories, love stories, endless action, espionage, and comedies about elderly women with gambling addictions or exploding dog food. But above all Thunderbirds provides a sense of being able to use exciting new technology for the good of mankind.
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Presented here is the original Thunderbirds information sheet issued by the studio containing details about the characters and the craft. Where the information here conflicts with on-screen information a note in italics has been added.
Top Secret
THUNDERBIRDS INFORMATION SHEET
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THUNDERBIRD 1
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Colour - Grey with blue and red markings
Length - 115 feet
Speed - 15,000 miles per hour
Pilot - Scott Tracy
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THUNDERBIRD 2
Colour - Green with red markings
Length - 250 feet
Speed - 5,000 miles per hour
Pilot - Virgil Tracy
THUNDERBIRD 3
Colour - Red with black markings
Length - 200 feet (stated to be 287 feet in Give of Take a Million)
Pilot - Alan Tracy
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THUNDERBIRD 4
Colour - Yellow with red markings
Length - 30 feet
Pilot - Gordon Tracy
THUNDERBIRD 5
Colour - Beige with gold markings (The craft is grey in the series)
Controlled by John Tracy
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LOCATION
Lonely Island somewhere in the Pacific.
JEFF TRACY
Multi-millionaire, one of the first men on the moon. Age - 56.
GORDON TRACY
Pilot of Thunderbird 4. Named after Leroy Gordon Cooper.
Age 22.
SCOTT TRACY
Pilot of Thunderbird 1. Named after Malcolm Scott Carpenter.
Age - 30.
ALAN TRACY
Pilot of Thunderbird 3. Named after Alan B. Shepard Jnr.
Age - 19.
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VIRGIL TRACY
Pilot of Thunderbird 2. Named after Virgil Ivan Grissom.
Age - 27.
LADY PENELOPE
British agent and ally of the Tracy's.
Age - 26.
JOHN TRACY
Controller of the Space Station. Named after John Herschel Glenn Jnr.
Age - 25.
PARKER
Ex safe breaker, perfect butler and chauffeur to Lady Penelope.
Age - 52.
KYRANO
Faithful servant of the Tracy family. Birth certificate lost in Malaya and therefore age not known.
TIN-TIN
Kyrano's daughter and assistant to Brains.
Age - 22.
BRAINS
Genius behind International Rescue's machines.
Age - 25.
THE HOOD
Half brother of Kyrano and arch villain of the series. Named the Hood because he dons many disguises.
This is the only information permissible on the highly
secretive organisation - INTERNATIONAL RESCUE.
PRODUCER / EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Gerry Anderson
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER / PRODUCER
Reg Hill
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY / ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
John Read
DIRECTED BY
Alan Patillo
Desmond Saunders
David Elliott
David Lane
Brian Burgess
TELEPLAYS BY
Gerry and Sylvia Anderson
Alan Fennell
Dennis Spooner
Martin Crump
Alan Pattillo
Donald Robertson
Tony Barwick
CHARACTER VISUALISATION / CHARACTERS CREATED BY
Sylvia Anderson
LIGHTING CAMERAMAN
Paddy Seale
Julien Lugrin
SPECIAL EFFECTS LIGHTING / SPECIAL EFFECTS LIGHTING CAMERAMAN
Michael Wilson
CAMERA OPERATORS
Jimmy Elliott
Alan Perry
Geoff Meldrum
Noel Rowland
Gary Coxall
Ted Cutlack
ART DIRECTOR / SUPERVISING ART DIRECTOR
Bob Bell
SPECIAL EFFECTS DIRECTOR / SUPERVISING SPECIAL EFFECTS DIRECTOR
Derek Meddings
PUPPETRY SUPERVISION
Mary Turner
Christine Glanville
SCRIPT SUPERVISION
Gerry and SylviaAnderson
SCRIPT EDITOR
Alan Pattillo
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Tony Barwick
MUSIC COMPOSED AND DIRECTED BY
Barry Gray
PUPPET OPERATORS
Yvonne Hunter
Wanda Webb
Carolyn Turner
Judith Shutt
Ernest Shutt
SCULPTORS
John Blundall
John Brown
Terry Curtis
Tim Cooksey
Peter Hayward
Mike Richardson
Joy Cuff
SCULPTING SUPERVISION
John Brown
CHARACTER VOICES
Sylvia Anderson
Ray Barrett
Peter Dyneley
Christine Finn
David Graham
David Holliday
Paul Maxwell
Shane Rimmer
John Tate
Charles Tingwell
Jeremy Wilkin
Matt Zimmerman
​
SPECIAL EFFECTS DIRECTOR
Jimmy Elliott
Shaun Whittacker-Cook
DESIGNER
Keith Wilson
John Lageu
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR / ART DIRECTOR
Grenville Nott
SECOND ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR
Ken Turner
WARDROBE
Elizabeth Coleman
SUPERVISING EDITOR
Len Walter
EDITORS
Len Walter
David Lane
Harry MacDonald
Harry Ledger
Peter Elliott
SUPERVISING SOUND EDITOR
John Peverill
SPECIAL EFFECTS 2ND UNIT
DIRECTOR
Brian Johncock
Ian Scoones
Shaun Whittaker-Cook
LIGHTING CAMERAMAN
Harry Oakes
CAMERA OPERATOR
John Foley
Gary Coxall
SOUND EDITOR
Brian Hickin
John Beaton
Tony Lenny
Norman Cole
Peter Pennell
DIALOGUE EDITOR
Roy Lafberry
SPECIAL EFFECTS ASSISTANT
Brian Johncock
Richard Conway
Peter Wragg
PROPERTY MASTER
Arthur Cripps
PROPERTIES MAKERS
Eddie Hunter
Tony Dunsterville,
Stuart Osborn
SOUND
Maurice Askew
John Taylor
Jean Taylor
Ken Scrivener
SPECIAL EFFECTS DESIGNER
Mike Trim
MODELS
Peter Aston
Ray Brown
Charlie Bryant
Eric Backman
Ezra Deering
Roger Dicken
Arthur ‘Wag’ Evans
Bill James
Brian Smithies
Mike Trim
David Mitton
James Channing
CHIEF ELECTRICIAN
Albert Scott
Filmed in Videcolor and Supermarionation.
An APF Television Production in association with ATV.
Westrex Sound System. An ITC World Wide Distribution.