Sandy sparked up some old synapses in this ageing brain mentioning marionette sci-fi. I grew up on Fireball XL-5 and The Thunderbirds. Now A&E has digitally restored them in addition to Supercar and Stingray. Anyone remember these way-ahead-of-their-time shows? The stuff Gerry Anderson did with miniature models and pyrotechnics blew my little mind and continues to do it now with the DVDs! :yikes: :beatnik: :arrow: :jawdrop:

Sci-Fi ran "The Thunderbirds" about a year or so ago. The one I liked was Lady Penelope's pink 6-wheeled 2067 Rolls-Royce...I bet it was F-U-N working on that show...What got me asking was Matt Drudge plays the "Fireball XL-5" theme on his Sunday Night show when somebody asks a particular off-the-wall question...-Sandy G.

...

Glen, I have that album, some good music on that one. Loved Space 1999.

Yep I liked it myself,
It had some pretty good special effects considering that it was made for TV and the year it was made. Like any series there were some bad episodes. for example the one where they had the killer foam kind of sucked. They must have just got done watching “The Blob” before making it. As far as the cast is concerned I would say my favorite would have been Professor Victor Bergman (Barry Morse).
Next on the list would Definitely be Maya (Catherine Schell). Martin Landaus character Commander Koenig was the aggressive straight forward type. He was kind of like captain Kirk without as many chicks. I didn’t care much for
Barbara Bains character Dr Helena Russell. She was a zombie half the time. Maybe she was taking some of her own drugs.

Yep I liked it myself,
It had some pretty good special effects considering that it was made for TV and the year it was made. Like any series there were some bad episodes. for example the one where they had the killer foam kind of sucked. They must have just got done watching “The Blob” before making it. As far as the cast is concerned I would say my favorite would have been Professor Victor Bergman (Barry Morse).
Next on the list would Definitely be Maya (Catherine Schell). Martin Landaus character Commander Koenig was the aggressive straight forward type. He was kind of like captain Kirk without as many chicks. I didn’t care much for
Barbara Bains character Dr Helena Russell. She was a zombie half the time. Maybe she was taking some of her own drugs.


FAB Thunderbirds out. . .

Fireball XL-5 was my reason for getting up on Saturday mornings.

BTW,has anyone seen Team America:World Police?Parker and Stone obviously love the old Thunderbirds,etc.I dont think they have the same affection for big Hollywood movies,though.
Jimmy

Anyone remember these way-ahead-of-their-time shows?

Although not marionette, I think this image summed up Anderson at his Sci-Fi peak:

http://freespace.virgin.net/ty.po/UFO/IMAG0007.JPG

Anyone remember which series this image was part of?

You guys actually remember Fireball XL-5? Dang you're old! :D

loved fireball and the theme song....

Although not marionette, I think this image summed up Anderson at his Sci-Fi peak
Anyone remember which series this image was part of?


The same series that used this logo.

Yup,my reason for getting up early Sat. morns too.Great opening theme.One thing,the Andersons had a thing for impossibly complicated space craft & the like,but why quibble?

The same series that used this logo.

http://www.moviemail-online.co.uk/graphics/gold_star.gif

Kudos!

That was the peak of Anderson's work IMO.

The boxed set is available now an I think I am going to lay that one back.

Roy Thinnes(The Invaders) starred in this sci-fi flick about an astronaut who returns to Earth only to find out everythig's reversed-he's in a parallel mirror universe.The Andersons produced this one.Anyone remember it?

When the 'Comedy Channel' was new they ran Higgins Boys & Gruber show. During the show they ran 'Supercar'. I was hooked. Were I grew up these things were just not aired there. I have gone back & discovered the Thunderbirds and have the complete DVD set. I then found out about Stingray and grabbed that DVD set as well plus a Laserdisc movie. Recently got Terrahawks. Now want Secret Service, Fireball & Supercar DVD sets. The only Gerry Anderson show I saw as a kid was Space 1999 & I was hooked back then but I had no idea who was behind the show. If I would have seen the Thunderbirds as a kid I know I would have been blown away. I missed out on alot of cool stuff! :sigh:

Roy Thinnes(The Invaders) starred in this sci-fi flick about an astronaut who returns to Earth only to find out everythig's reversed-he's in a parallel mirror universe.The Andersons produced this one.Anyone remember it?

I do! Or am I confusing it with another one where the Earth had a twin 180-degrees opposite on the other side of the side, always invisible?

Invaders was great too. "A Quinn Martin Production" I think.

Roy Thinnes(The Invaders) starred in this sci-fi flick about an astronaut who returns to Earth only to find out everythig's reversed-he's in a parallel mirror universe.The Andersons produced this one.Anyone remember it?

I'm pretty sure I saw that one at a drive-in when I was a kid..... part of a double-bill. Do you recall what year it was released? ....I'm guessing 1971 or 1972??

Do you recall what year it was released? ....I'm guessing 1971 or 1972??

That would certainly jive w/ my recollection too.

IIRC, when the +Earth guys got back into space again with a -Earth spacecraft, when they docked it into the +Earth space station it blew up because the polarities were exactly reversed on the respective electrical systems.

Anyway, it all rather blurs together now.

I think the movie was called "Doplerganger" (Pardon my spelling.) IIRC.

Although not marionette, I think this image summed up Anderson at his Sci-Fi peak:

http://freespace.virgin.net/ty.po/UFO/IMAG0007.JPG

Anyone remember which series this image was part of?

That was from the show UFO, This show was made in 1969 & was set in the year 1980 IIRC.

This was a live action Sci-Fi series about an orginiation called "Shadow" whos main job was to protect the Earth fom alien invaders.

Most of the Gerry Anderson live action shows featured US actors in the lead roles as these shows were made mainley for the US & overseas markets nrather then the UK market were these shows were made.

Most old guys like remember Stingray, Fireball XL5 and the Thunderbirds. But finding anybody who remembers Supercar is very hard. I finally had to go on the net and find a site where I could download pictures of the car and lab. Before my friends would believe. I think it was the first. Great opening song.

Roy Thinnes(The Invaders) starred in this sci-fi flick about an astronaut who returns to Earth only to find out everythig's reversed-he's in a parallel mirror universe.The Andersons produced this one.Anyone remember it?

The movie you guys are thinking of is "Journey to the far side of the sun".

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/6305081158/103-5249255-2218221?v=glance&n=130&v=glance

It was also attempted as a TV series in 71 but with a different cast, it didn't last long.

Most old guys like remember Stingray, Fireball XL5 and the Thunderbirds. But finding anybody who remembers Supercar is very hard. I finally had to go on the net and find a site where I could download pictures of the car and lab. Before my friends would believe. I think it was the first. Great opening song.

Here's something I found a few years ago...
http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~bat/GA/supercar.html

http://www.moviemail-online.co.uk/graphics/gold_star.gif

Kudos!

That was the peak of Anderson's work IMO.

The boxed set is available now an I think I am going to lay that one back.

I would like to see the Sci Fi channel show some of thier stuff
instead of 4 episodes in a row of SG-1

I would like to see the Sci Fi channel show some of thier stuff
instead of 4 episodes in a row of SG-1

Yup.

The same enlightened minds let Farscape go too.

That was from the show UFO, This show was made in 1969 & was set in the year 1980 IIRC.

My coworkers thought it was Data from ST, TNG.

:thumbsdn: