"THE FUTURE WAS FAB" AT COMIC-CON INT'L - SAN DIEGO, JULY 2006!
Join author Anthony Taylor for the Premiere of his new book, "The Future was FAB: The Art of Mike Trim" at Comic Con International, San Diego! Anthony will be hosting a panel on Mike Trim's FABulous artwork for many of the Gerry Anderson series that you know and love! The panel will take place on Friday, July 21st at 6 pm in Room 2. Also on the panel: CFQ Magazine Editor Jeff Bond, "Free Enterprise" director Robert Burnett and legendary modelmaker Greg Jein (Star Trek, CE3K). Anthony will also be signing copies of his book at the Hermes Press booth (#506) in the dealer's room all weekend long! Don't miss a chance to support Gerry Anderson-related interests at the world's biggest comic book and sci-fi convention! F.A.B.!!!
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"THUNDERBIRDS" AIRS ON ENCORE-WAM
"Thunderbirds" (2004) is a featured film on Encore-WAM during July and August and it's also available on their site as a download (see link below)! Here's the current schedule--(be sure to check your feed and time zone):
Fri July 14: 4:40p ET/ 1:40p PT
Wed July 19: 10:20a ET/ 7:20a PT
Tues Aug 1: 9:45a ET/ 6:45a PT
Tues Aug 8: 7:50a ET/ 4:50a PT
Tues Aug 8: 8:00p ET/ 5:00p PT
Further details, final US trailer and movie download now available on their website: Encore WAM: Thunderbirds
"THUNDERBIRDS" CAST MEMBERS ARE GO---EVERYWHERE!
Here's an update on 'what's up' with our favorite IR agents...(and The Hood!)...from the live-action "Thunderbirds" movie, since they happily seem to be turning up all over the place!
* Vanessa Anne Hudgens (Tin-Tin) is soon to appear in a new Disney Channel movie called "High School Musical." (Check local listings for details)
* Sophia Myles (Lady Penelope) is about to be seen starring in the big budget film version of "Tristan And Isolde," coming to a theater near you.
* Philip Winchester (Scott Tracy), who was to star in his own series ("Commando Nanny") on the WB in 2004 but unfortunately broke his foot and had to drop out, is set to star in a new film. Both Philip and fellow Tracy brother Lex Shrapnel will appear in the upcoming film "Flyboys" due to be released later this summer. (Looks like it might be toward the end of July in the US).
* Lex Shrapnel (John Tracy) has a supporting role in this summer's UK release of "Minotaur" playing a fur-bearing, shaved-headed youth named 'Tyro.' (Don't panic---it grew back nicely)! The film premiered in the US on Sci-fi Channel several months ago. He can also be seen in the reruns of his 2005 ITV film, "Beneath The Skin" on the CBC and in "Sharpe's Challenge" on BBC America in August. (Check local listings for details). Currently, Lex is starring in "Henry VI" on the London stage (following in his famous father's footsteps)!
* Dominic Colenso (Virgil Tracy) recently appeared in a TV film based on the lives of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles which aired in December in Britain and on the Lifetime network in the US. He is also currently starring on the London stage.
Ron Cook stars in the engaging film "On A Clear Day" which is going into limited release in the US in February.
* Brady Corbet (Alan Tracy) has a recurring role in the new season of the popular series "24."
* Bill Paxton's directoral debut with 2005's "The Greatest Game Ever Played" won him critical acclaim, and now he's about to star in his own TV series, "Big Love" in which he plays a man living separate lives with three wives! (Now would Jeff Tracy do that)?!
* Look for the great Sir Ben Kingsley to star in the theatrical film version of the video game/comic book "Bloodrayne."
FAB 1 (MACH 2) IS ON DISPLAY! (Nov. 26, 2005)
Lady Penelope's flashy, flying, fantastic FAB 1 from the live-action "Thunderbirds" film is currently on extended loan from the Ford Motor Company to the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire. Her Ladyship's trusty, bulletproof conveyance is 23 feet long, six feet wide, bubble-canopied, six wheeled and features the same center-mounted steering wheel concept as in its predecessor from the 1965 television series. FAB 1 will be on continuing display near other historic British auto creations, such as the Aston Martin Vanquish, classic Land Rovers and the new Rolls-Royce Phantom.
The 2003 version of FAB 1 was created by Ford Design Of Europe on commission by Working Title Films after their requests made to Rolls-Royce to recreate the original design from the classic series were declined.
Further information on the exhibit can be obtained by contacting the HMC on 01926 641188 or by visiting their website:
Bring a treat for Parker and he may treat you to a ride...!
2005 marks the 40th anniversary of the first broadcast of "Thunderbirds" and many entities are getting into the swing to help fans celebrate this special occasion. Two gorgeous art prints are now available from Iconagraph which feature our five favorite men of action---the Tracy brothers---and the forever radiant Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward. The Tracy boys are featured in a giclee print with replica art depicting their second set of portraits direct from the lounge in Tracy Villa. (And no, the eyes don't light up)! Below the portraits are the signatures of the individual voice artist who gave life to our galant heroes---Matt Zimmerman (Alan), Shane Rimmer (Scott), Jeremy Wilkin (Virgil) and David Graham (Gordon). And for John's portrait, because Ray Barrett could not be reached for his autograph, collectors are treated to the signature of his creator, Sylvia Anderson, who so graciously stepped in to make sure that John's fans were not neglected. To complement the Tracys, her pink perfection, Lady Penelope, is glorified a la Andy Warhol style in a giclee print which has been signed by Sylvia Anderson as well. Further information on these as well as other animation art (including a Captain Scarlet closing credit art portfolio) can be obtained from Iconagraph's webiste "www.iconagraph.com" (click linked banner below), via e-mail to "[email protected]" or via phone on 44-(0)-20-7723-6006.
THE "COUNTDOWN TO DISASTER" CONVENTION...ISN'T ONE!
Fanderson hosted an enjoyable two-day festival of all things Thunderbirds on Sept. 24 and 25 in Borehamwood, England. The convention featured numerous stellar guests, including the charming Lex Shrapnel and Dominic Colenso from the 2004 live-action "Thunderbirds" film, famous voice artists Matt Zimmerman (Alan Tracy) and David Graham (Brains, Parker, Gordon Tracy) and the entire cast of "The New Captain Scarlet," as well as stars from the non-marionette productions "Space: 1999" and "UFO." The event also featured a charity auction, a masquerade party, workshops, exhibits of artwork from various Andersons-related series, memorabilia vendors and autograph sessions with attending luminaries. For more of my report and photos, click on this link:
"Countdown To Disaster" Convention
MEET YOUR FELLOW FANS IN SAN DIEGO!
Be sure to join your fellow Thunderbirds fans at the San Diego International Comics Convention, July 22-25, 2004! The annual event, which last year drew a record crowd of 85,000 sci-fi/sci-fantasy enthusiasts, will host the first ever (at least that WE know of!) North American Thunderbirds fans gathering! Among the participants will be A&E Home Video (featuring their "Best Of Thunderbirds" DVD) and FABGearUSA.com, who will host a premiere of their stock of Gerry Anderson-related merchandise. Also featured will be games, prizes and a panel discussion on all aspects of Thunderbirds fandom. The gathering will be held on Friday, July 23 at 1:30p in Room 9. Be there...or be doomed to dwell in the temple of The Hood!
Carlton confirms new Thunderbirds series
Veteran British puppet-master Gerry Anderson is zooming into the 21st century, with no less than three television projects in the pipeline based on his 40-year-old Supermarionation series.
As production gets underway in London on Working Title's $60m live-action feature film Thunderbirds, starring Bill Paxton and Ben Kingsley, Carlton Productions is in development on a new children's TV series based on the property.
"We are developing the series for delivery in early 2005," Carlton International's ceo Rupert Dilnott-Cooper told C21. With 26 new episodes on the way, Dilnott-Cooper said presales were being finalised with networks in the UK, the US and Japan. Although the new series will be produced by Carlton, the company is looking at outsourcing the CGI work to an animation partner, likely in Canada, Australia or New Zealand, he said.
As well as giving the Tracey family and its International Rescue organisation a 21st century make-over, Dilnott-Cooper added that the new series would be half-hours rather than hours. "The thing that everyone forgets about the original Thunderbirds is that they were all hour-long episodes," he said. "It shows how good they were to sustain children's attention in a puppet show for 60 minutes." As well as Thunderbirds, Dilnott-Cooper confirmed that Carlton International - which owns all rights to Anderson's classic characters - is also in talks with two rival US studios over remaking Joe 90 as a CGI TV series.
"Following the success of the recent Spy Kids films, interest in Joe 90 has increased," he said. Although the Carlton exec wouldn't comment on the US studios involved in the bidding war, they are understood to be Disney and Dreamworks. Anderson himself is behind the third new TV series based on his old properties. Recently established Gerry Anderson Productions has teamed up with a UK fund manager to pull in some �15m of private finance to produce 26 new half-hours of Captain Scarlet - the Return of the Mysterons. Another of Anderson's production outfits, Anderson Entertainment will produce the show out of Pinewood Studios, with a delivery date in late 2005.
After a deal allowing Anderson to revisit the Captain Scarlet characters, Carlton International has picked UK broadcast rights as well as international licensing and merchandise rights. A representative for Carlton said that there no plans to revive any of Anderson's other puppet and live-action series, which include Stingray, Supercar, Fireball XL5, Space 1999, UFO and Terrahawks.
Ed Waller
ICONAGRAPH RELEASES "THUNDERBIRDS" ANNIVERSARY ART!
22 Sep 2003
� C21 Media 2003
Below are photos from the Christie's catalog and news reports on the auction.
John Tracy became the subject of some feverish bidding on May 8, 2003 as Christie's auction house sold the only known original head of the famous International Rescue space monitor for a record �37,600.00!
(After all, who could resist that darling face, even at that price)?!
John head, Christie's cover
John and Virgil heads (AP)
John sporting Zero X uniform & body
Virgil with IR hat & Zero X uniform
Kyrano with Zero X uniform
Thu May 8, 3:06 PM ET
The haul was found by the seller's grandfather more than 30 years ago as it headed for a rubbish dump shortly after Thunderbirds production ceased, according to Christie's. Items put up for sale included the only head of International Rescue astronaut John Tracy still in existence, which fetched 37,600 pounds. Other puppet heads snapped up at the auction were the man servant Kyrano and
A blue International Rescue cap belonging to a puppet of pilot Scott Tracy sold for 2,600 pounds and a cream suit belonging to astronaut Alan Tracy for 1,300 pounds. In total, 23 Thunderbirds lots were up for sale at Christie's toys, dolls and mechanical music sale in South Kensington, central London.
"I am absolutely flabbergasted (by the sale) but not entirely surprised because grown-up boys from the 60s are now very keen to buy back their childhood," Hugo Marsh, head of toys at Christie's, said. "They are the most recognisable icons from the most popular childhood series of all time. This has given the programme the recognition it deserves," he added, without saying who had bought the items.
CAMBERWICK GREEN SURVIVOR UP FOR AUCTION
Several Thunderbirds puppets and the last surviving figure from Camberwick Green are going up for auction next week.
The Children's TV relics are among more than 750 lots of toys, trains and cars going under the hammer in Christie's Toys, Dolls and Mechanical Music sale. The auction will also feature more than 5,000 toy soldiers and military vehicles, dolls and Dinky and Corgi cars.
The Thunderbirds haul, saved from destruction in the 1960s, includes the heads of John and Virgil Tracy, their manservant Kyrano and a selection of blue International Rescue caps. The memorabilia, which is expected to fetch between �15,000-�20,000, was discovered by the seller's grandfather more than 30 years ago as it headed for the rubbish dump.
A soldier from Camberwick Green's Pippin Fort - the only figure which escaped destruction at the hands of the show's creator Gordon Murray - is expected to fetch �2,000-�3,000. Mr Murray burned all the foam figures from his popular shows Trumpton and Camberwick Green after they became worn and tatty. The last surviving soldier was given as a birthday present to the seller by Mr Murray's daughter in 1986.
The lots will go on display at Christie's in South Kensington, south-west London, next Wednesday ahead of the sale on Thursday.
Thunderbirds Collection Fetches �112,000 At Auction
Memorabilia from the Thunderbirds television series has sold for more than �100,000 at an auction of cult toys. The collection, which was rediscovered by the seller's grandfather more than 30 years ago as it headed for the rubbish dump, was expected to fetch �20,000.
The 23 lots, sold at Christie's toys, dolls and mechanical music sale in London, sold for �112,863. Items included the only John Tracy head still in existence, which sold for �37,600. Other puppet heads, which measure 14cm by 7cm, were the man servant Kyrano and Virgil Tracy, which sold for �11,750 and �18,800 respectively. The collection also included a selection of military uniforms and miscellaneous clothing from the series and feature film Thunderbirds Are Go. A blue International Rescue cap for Scott Tracy, with trousers and pistol,
Hugo Marsh, head of toys at Christie's, said: "I am absolutely flabbergasted but not entirely surprised because grown-up boys from the sixties are now very keen to buy back their childhood. "They are the most recognisable icons from the most popular childhood series of all time. This has given the programme the recognition it deserves. "This is a tribute to Gerry Anderson and Reg Hill and all the sculptors and designers and crew who worked with them. It also shows the virtue of not throwing anything away."
Story filed: 17:35 Thursday 8th May 2003
Thunderbirds are gone
Puppet collection fetches 112,000 pounds
LONDON (AFP) - Original items from the puppet television series Thunderbirds went under the hammer for more than
100,000 pounds (160,000 dollars/140,000 Euros) at an auction of cult toys. The memorabilia, originally expected to fetch 20,000 pounds, sold for 112,863 pounds, Christie's auction house said.
pilot Virgil Tracy, which sold for 11,750 pounds and 18,800 pounds respectively.
sold for �3,055 and a cream suit for Alan Tracy sold for �1,528.