The blog has generated some discussion about the origins of PROJECT SWORD.
Allegedly Gerry Anderson has said publicly that he didn't know about the PROJECT SWORD toy range beforehand - the deal was apparently clinched whilst he was on holiday? There is also some suggestion that he may not have actually liked the toys?
It's also been suggested that some staff at Century 21 at Pinewood Studios may have thought it would make good television but others allegedly thought the format too depressing as it dealt with the end of the world as we know it?
Was PROJECT SWORD just a patched - together idea from toy designs owned by Century 21?
It's also been alleged that the pictures of the SWORD staff in the SWORD annual are of JR21/Century 21 warehouse and office staff?
I will try to verify some of these suggestions over the coming blogs.
Paul
off the blog and going to blo blo's
I wouldnt bbe surprised if Gerry Anderson didnt like the toys, he comes across as a miserable bugger!
ReplyDeleteThe origins of the link to the actual toys to Century 21 (apart from being distributed by their toy division - and there were a number of non-Anderson related toys and games produced also) are still something of a mystery. But I have written a feature on the annual, crediting where known the ariters and artists, and also - finally and definitively - identifying the photos of the editorial team involved. The late Angus Allan, who was the principal writer, did tell me who he though the people were, back in the 1980s when I corresponded with him, but some of these have been clarified and corrected by art editor Roger Perry (who took the actual photos) and editor Howard Elson. The original Angus Allan correspondence, which featured on the FAB Forum website, no longer exists I'm afraid, and may be one source of the rumours regarding the identities...
ReplyDeleteClick on my name to go to the annual page at the GACCH website, which isn't officially live but which should clarify most of these points.
awesome piece of research as ever Shaqui, the definitive resource as ever.Can we expect more articles from your good self soon ?
ReplyDelete