Thursday 27 December 2012

GOODBYE, GERRY ANDERSON...

Imagination had no limits with the late, great Gerry Anderson.

He was a talented writer and director, always on the lookout for the next big thing, he revolutionised children's television, entertained millions and millions of delighted audiences around the world, was an innovative pioneer of puppet and live action filming, and an all-round charming, intelligent, honourable and loving family man. The world lost Gerry Anderson today to the cruel ravages of Alzheimer's, but his distinguished legacy of high-quality episodic film series stay in our hearts: he gave us the fun and excitement of FIREBALL XL5, the perils and adventure of International Rescue in THUNDERBIRDS, the daring and bravery of the indestructible CAPTAIN SCARLET, the colourful sub-aquatic action of STINGRAY, haunted us with man versus alien in the spine-tingling live-action UFO and blasted the moon out of the Earth's orbit in the genuinely iconic and spectacular SPACE: 1999. He launched the careers of so many people, including the special effects genius of the late Derek Meddings and his successor into live action film work, Brian Johnson. Gerry was also a wonderful visualist, an encourager of people and a brilliant ideas man, way ahead of his time who always deserved far more industry recognition from the entertainment industry than he ultimately got, beyond those brilliant and forever enduring puppet series which he so vigorously brought to the screen with his ex-wife, Sylvia. Gerry's CGI series resurrection of CAPTAIN SCARLET in the early 2000's was a great rebirth for his talent and tenacity in the face of a modern entertainment industry largely in the wane and needing his type of chutzpah and enterprise to get it going. And whilst many other TV series come and go in history, THUNDERBIRDS, old or possibly new (returning in CGI at some point), remains his deservedly greatest achievement, part of an outstanding career that will be loved and cherished by children and adults forever...

Gerry Anderson is survived by his son, Jamie, and wife, Mary.

A part of all our childhood has been lost on this very sad day...

Fanderson Home

BBC News - Gerry Anderson, Thunderbirds creator, dies

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