Thunderbirds

1 9 6 5 - 1 9 6 6 (UK)
32 x 60 minute episodes

On a secluded island in the Pacific, widower, millionaire and retired astronaut Jeff Tracy lives with his five sons: Scott, Virgil, John, Gordon and Alan. The sons are named after the early American astronauts: Scott Carpenter, Virgil Grissom, John Glenn, Gordon Cooper and Alan Shepard.

Tracy Island is the secret headquarters of  International Rescue an organization dedicated to the rescue of all those in trouble (a sort of Air/Sea Rescue on steroids). The Tracy family share their home with Brains, a shy scientific wiz who invented the Thunderbirds craft and is constantly coming up with new ideas for gadgets and machines. 

Also on the island are Kyrano (Jeff Tracy's loyal servant) over whom The Hood (his evil half brother) has a strange hypnotic power and influence and Tin Tin, Kyrano's daughter, who is an electronics  expert who works closely with Brains. She has a definite fondness for Alan Tracy.

Thunderbird 1 is the reconnaissance vehicle and is piloted by Scott. TB1 launches from under the swimming pool (no, we don't know what happened to the water either!). Thunderbird 2 is piloted by Virgil and is the heavy lifting aircraft. The palm trees on the island bend back to allow TB2 a runway. 

Thunderbird 3 is piloted by Alan (with Scott as a co-astronaut and John as the alternate) and is reached from the lounge in the Tracy home by one of the couches. Thunderbird 4 is a submarine and it is transported to the rescue scene (along with other rescue gear) by Thunderbird 2. It is driven by Gordon Tracy. Thunderbird 5 is the space station in permanent orbit above earth manned by John (relieved by Alan on alternate months)

International Rescue are aided by their agent in England, Lady Penelope (who is driven around in her shocking-pink Rolls Royce, license plate FAB 1, by Parker her chauffeur and a Cockney ex-criminal with plenty of useful (though occasionally illegal) skills.

Gerry Anderson spent between US$60,000 and US$70,000 for each of the 32 episodes and used more than 200 different models of the five Thunderbird vehicles. One person was hired simply to make and upholster model chairs!. Each model cost £300 to make and had a selection of heads to suit different moods. Lady Penelope even had her own personal costume designer.

The special effects on Thunderbirds were by Derek Meddings, a regular member of the Anderson team who later worked on James Bond films and Superman I & II.

EPISODES

Trapped In The Sky  Pit Of Peril  City Of Fire  Sun Probe  The Uninvited  The Mighty Atom  Vault Of Death  Operation Crash Dive  Move And You're Dead  Martian  Invasion

Brink Of Disaster  The Perils Of Penelope  Terror In New York City  End Of The Road  Day Of Disaster  Edge Of Impact  Desperate Intruder  30 Minutes Before Noon  The Imposters  The Man From MI5  Cry Wolf

Danger At Ocean Deep  The Duchess Assignment  Attack Of The Alligators  The Cham-Cham  Security Hazard  Atlantic Inferno  Path Of Destruction  Alias Mr Hackenbacker  Lord Parkers 'oliday  Ricochet  Give Or Take A Million