This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-20845407
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Gerry Anderson, Thunderbirds creator, dies | Gerry Anderson, Thunderbirds creator, dies |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Gerry Anderson, the creator of hit TV shows including Thunderbirds, Stingray and Joe 90, has died at the age of 83. | Gerry Anderson, the creator of hit TV shows including Thunderbirds, Stingray and Joe 90, has died at the age of 83. |
| He also created Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and his puppet superheroes fired the imaginations of millions of young viewers in the 1960s and '70s. | He also created Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and his puppet superheroes fired the imaginations of millions of young viewers in the 1960s and '70s. |
| Thunderbirds, a science-fiction fantasy about a daring rescue squad, ran from 1965 and was his most famous show. | Thunderbirds, a science-fiction fantasy about a daring rescue squad, ran from 1965 and was his most famous show. |
| Anderson had suffered from Alzheimer's since 2010 and the disease had worsened in recent months, his son Jamie said. | Anderson had suffered from Alzheimer's since 2010 and the disease had worsened in recent months, his son Jamie said. |
| Jamie Anderson announced the news on his website, saying his father died peacefully in his sleep at noon on Wednesday. | Jamie Anderson announced the news on his website, saying his father died peacefully in his sleep at noon on Wednesday. |
| "Gerry was diagnosed with mixed dementia two years ago and his condition worsened quite dramatically over the past six months," he wrote. | "Gerry was diagnosed with mixed dementia two years ago and his condition worsened quite dramatically over the past six months," he wrote. |
| Gerry Anderson talked about the onset of the disease in June 2012. | Gerry Anderson talked about the onset of the disease in June 2012. |
| Speaking on BBC Berkshire he said: "I don't think I realised at all. It was my wife Mary who began to notice that I would do something quite daft like putting the kettle in the sink and waiting for it to boil." | Speaking on BBC Berkshire he said: "I don't think I realised at all. It was my wife Mary who began to notice that I would do something quite daft like putting the kettle in the sink and waiting for it to boil." |
| His other creations included UFO, Space: 1999, Supercar and Fireball XL5. | His other creations included UFO, Space: 1999, Supercar and Fireball XL5. |
| Anderson said his favourite creation was Parker, Lady Penelope's butler and chauffer in Thunderbirds. | Anderson said his favourite creation was Parker, Lady Penelope's butler and chauffer in Thunderbirds. |
| Voice actor David Graham, who voiced the reformed safecracker, as well as fan-favourite Brains, said it was "a very sad day". | Voice actor David Graham, who voiced the reformed safecracker, as well as fan-favourite Brains, said it was "a very sad day". |
| "I owed him a lot professionally and he was a good friend as well," he told the BBC. "I think he was a genius." | "I owed him a lot professionally and he was a good friend as well," he told the BBC. "I think he was a genius." |
| He revealed the inspiration for the voice came when Anderson "took me to an old pub in Cookham where there was an old guy who was a waiter and he said, 'I'm going to call him over, just listen to him'." | He revealed the inspiration for the voice came when Anderson "took me to an old pub in Cookham where there was an old guy who was a waiter and he said, 'I'm going to call him over, just listen to him'." |
| Actor Brian Blessed, who worked with Anderson on shows including The Day After Tomorrow and Space 1999, told BBC News: "I think a light has gone out in the universe. | Actor Brian Blessed, who worked with Anderson on shows including The Day After Tomorrow and Space 1999, told BBC News: "I think a light has gone out in the universe. |
| "He had a great sense of humour. He wasn't childish but child-like and he had a tremendous love of the universe and astronomy and scientists. | "He had a great sense of humour. He wasn't childish but child-like and he had a tremendous love of the universe and astronomy and scientists. |
| "He got their latest theories, which he would expand on. He was always galvanised and full of energy." | "He got their latest theories, which he would expand on. He was always galvanised and full of energy." |
| 'Great creation' | 'Great creation' |
| Celebrities paying tribute on Twitter included comedian Eddie Izzard, who wrote: "What great creation Thunderbirds was, as it fuelled the imagination of a generation." | Celebrities paying tribute on Twitter included comedian Eddie Izzard, who wrote: "What great creation Thunderbirds was, as it fuelled the imagination of a generation." |
| TV presenter Jonathan Ross wrote: "For men of my age, his work made childhood an incredible place to be." | TV presenter Jonathan Ross wrote: "For men of my age, his work made childhood an incredible place to be." |
| Anderson, who lived in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, began his career studying fibrous plastering, but had to give it up when it gave him dermatitis. | Anderson, who lived in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, began his career studying fibrous plastering, but had to give it up when it gave him dermatitis. |
| After a spell in photographic portrait work, a job in Gainsborough films and time spent in air traffic control, he set up AP Films with some friends. | After a spell in photographic portrait work, a job in Gainsborough films and time spent in air traffic control, he set up AP Films with some friends. |
| Commissions were few, however, so he responded eagerly to the opportunity to make a puppet series called The Adventures of Twizzle in 1956. It was nine years before Thunderbirds came into being on ITV. | Commissions were few, however, so he responded eagerly to the opportunity to make a puppet series called The Adventures of Twizzle in 1956. It was nine years before Thunderbirds came into being on ITV. |
| The action was filmed on Slough Trading Estate in Berkshire. | The action was filmed on Slough Trading Estate in Berkshire. |
| The story 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. | The story 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". | It included the catchphrases "Thunderbirds are go!" and "FAB". |
| The show marked the career apex for Gerry and his wife Sylvia, who had honed their "supermarionation" technique on Fireball XL5 and Stingray. | The show marked the career apex for Gerry and his wife Sylvia, who had honed their "supermarionation" technique on Fireball XL5 and Stingray. |
| Nick Williams, chairman of Fanderson, the Gerry Anderson appreciation society, described him as "a quiet, unassuming but determined man". | Nick Williams, chairman of Fanderson, the Gerry Anderson appreciation society, described him as "a quiet, unassuming but determined man". |
| "His desire to make the best films he could drove him and his talented teams to innovate, take risks, and do everything necessary to produce quite inspirational works," he said. | "His desire to make the best films he could drove him and his talented teams to innovate, take risks, and do everything necessary to produce quite inspirational works," he said. |
| "Gerry's legacy is that he inspired so many people and continues to bring so much joy to so many millions of people around the world." | "Gerry's legacy is that he inspired so many people and continues to bring so much joy to so many millions of people around the world." |
| As a child I used to love Fireball XL5 and have a DVD boxed set of them. I remember my late father taking myself and a good friend to Birmingham picture house to see the film, my first visit to a picture house. I'd read the book beforehand so seeing it on a big screen in colour was fascinating and something I'll never forget. His ideas were very futuristic and despite mankind's best attempts nothing we've created comes close to it! A very very clever man who's legacy will live on in the minds of the children who are now adults. | |
| Phil Garner , Allerton Bywater West Yorkshire | |
| Gerry Anderson provided the inspiration to get me interested in studying science and computer science through his shows UFO, Thunderbirds, and Space 1999. Anderson's shows provided a hopeful view of the future. What a sad loss to the imagination of our young. | |
| Sam Williams , Rockford, USA | |
| Being autistic I was known to have "specialist subjects" as I call them, and one of them as a kid was Thunderbirds and everything else Gerry Anderson. Had all the toys and loved every episode. He will be sadly missed. | |
| Simon Fielder , Workington, Cumbria | |
| Always remember meeting Gerry at a convention held at a hotel in Watford a few years ago. He was very accommodating, having time for everyone, signing photos and taking time for photos to be taken. A true gentleman. He will be missed. | |
| Pete Bishop , Evesham | |
| I loved Thunderbirds when I was a child, and found it such a brilliant show as Brains had a stammer and wore glasses. I've worn gasses since I was two and a half. Both things made a kid a target for bullying, and I think having Brains as such an important character helped to reduce the stigma of both. Gerry Anderson was a visionary: he gave female characters active and interesting roles, and he aimed for a more just world in his work, and that influences children very much. I am sorry for his passing, but so grateful for his influence. | |
| Dr Jeanette Garwood , Barnsley, South Yorkshire | |
| I watched Gerry Anderson's programmes from the very beginning, starting with Twizzle and Torchy, then Four Feather Falls with Nicholas Parsons providing the voice of Tex Tucker. Then came the various science-fiction series, beginning with Fireball XL5, which took us off to adventures on all kinds of planets. In the late 1970s my future wife Pattie suggested to a group of friends that they should organise a Gerry Anderson convention and the first Anderson event was held in 1981, the year we were married. There is not enough room here to truly pay tribute to Gerry, who should be recognised as a great innovator in TV and film production, and was one of the great SF producers in history. I was very pleased to have seen him again earlier this year at an event at the National Space Centre, along with some actors who provided voices for many of his characters. | |
| Jerry Stone , Welwyn | |
| I'm devastated. The man was never properly recognised by others in the entertainment business. Much of his work was so ahead of its time. As a 50-year old I can recall with huge fondness the anticipation of each series made during the golden years stretching through the sixties and up to the eighties. God bless Gerry Anderson, he clearly had a certain something about him that appealed directly to both adults and children. From the action-packed openings, the wonderful noise and colour, the gentle humour and the superhuman heroics, Mr Anderson gave me the brightest bits of my childhood. Indeed, if not for the pleasure provided me by all things Century 21 then my own childhood would have been distinctly grey and undistinguished. Thank you so very much, Mr Anderson. | |
| Tim Walker , Anglesey | |
| He quite simply revolutionised children's television at a time of the Beatles, massive social changes, political upheaval around the world and brilliant fashions with the type of programmes which are just as popular now as they were then. He incorporated stunning hi-tech imagery with adult storylines to near perfection. God bless Mr Gerry Anderson, he was a FAB guy. | |
| Richard Ashford , Nottinghamshire | |
| Gerry Anderson was for me, like so many others a hero. I grew up loving all of his shows. My first recollection was Stingray, then Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Joe 90. I followed his future works and couldn't wait for his next creation. I became an avid collector of his programme merchandise going back to Twizzle and Torchy. I even went to a fancy dress party as Captain Scarlet. I also had the pleasure of meeting him on two occasions. The impact Gerry made on Children's TV is immense and he has left me with the greatest of childhood memories. He will be sadly missed. | |
| Neil James , Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire | |
| Like hundreds like me, I was brought up watching Anderson's brilliant shows. From Twizzle, 4 Feather Falls, Stingray to the brill Thunderbirds. I could not believe what I saw on TV, puppets without strings! The shows were the talk of our school, they got a generation of kids off the streets and in front of the telly, for a short time at least. I remember BBC's Blue Peter had us making Tracy Island, out of cardboard and sticky back plastic! RIP Jerry Anderson one of a kind and an inspiration to others. | |
| Dave Lindsay , Inverkeilor, Angus |