CHRISTMAS TV TIMES WITH ANDERSON

In the build up to Christmas, I've been leafing through some pages from old scans of  Christmas TV Times dealing with the North West Granada ITV region from the mid to late sixties, which featured Gerry Anderson's puppet series near the Christmas Break.  I'd certainly like to thank those selfless scanners who've gone to the trouble of getting hold of these little gems and making them available to grateful fans like me. Please accept some virtual mince pies and several cyber sherry's.

This first one that caught my eye is from 1964.  Although it wasn't shown on Christmas Day, Fireball XL5 and Steve Zodiac were featured a few days earlier along with an accompanying  photo.

ITV viewers on Christmas Day that year did  get the chance to watch an episode of Four Feather Falls, but I'd have probably been more excited about that little ad for TV Comic.

Television viewing on Christmas Day for the Gerry Anderson fan was like being in heaven in 1965. Kids (and adults) were treated to no less than four puppet episodes being shown that day, Starting with Supercar in the morning, followed by Fireball XL5, and then, the Stingray Christmas episode, Christmas to Remember. Thunderbirds' episode 'The Vault Of Death' was shown during early evening. I love the way the puppet characters are listed.

Also, worthy of note in that Christmas issue was a page from the Tivvy club (remember him TV Comic readers!) 

 Although Christmas Day TV in 1966 wasn't the puppet frenzy of the previous year, ITV did show the brand new Thunderbirds'  Christmas episode, 'Give Or Take A Million'.

No Gerry Anderson TV series showing on Christmas Day in 1967, but if you tuned into the game show, The Golden Shot on Christmas Eve you'd get to see Captain Scarlet and the Spectrum pop group, among the guests.

By Christmas, 1968, Joe 90 would have been well into it's first run. On  the Sunday, a few days before that year's Christmas, the Joe 90 episode, 'International Concerto', premièred. The TV Times even had a little photo tucked in the corner of the page to advertise the show.

   Stingray's, 'A Christmas To Remember' was repeated on Christmas Day.

Thunderbirds episode, ' Martian Invasion' , rather than 'Give or Take a Million' was shown on Boxing Day.

The 1969 Christmas edition of the TV Times didn't feature any of Gerry's series on or around Christmas. The Secret Service TV series wouldn't feature during the season as it would have finished it's initial (and only run?!) in the few  ITV regions that showed it.

By some way of a consolation View - Master did feature an ad in that 1969 edition of one or two of it''s products.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Happy Chri..er Birthday, Woodsy!

HIPPY BATHDAY!

Its that time of year again, its Woodsys Birthday! As usual, being a total klutz, ive missed the opportunity to send my best wishes, first thing, so here it is!

Join me in wishing the most friendly, considerate and all round fabulous fella a great day!

CONVENTIONS ARE GO!

With next year being the fifieth  anniversary of Gerry Anderson's most successful TV series, Thunderbirds , and the new updated series, Thunderbirds Are Go! due to air  in the spring, I'm already looking forward to a Thundertasic year.

Although it's a while off, Fanderson have already announced a new convention which will take place between October 2nd to the 4th next year, but it gives me plenty of time to save up, assuming I don't spend all my well earned dosh on the new Thunderbirds series' merchandise.

 And if that wasn't enough, judging by their website it's looking very likely we'll be able to enjoy another Andercon event as well.





 

KEVIN'S PROGRESS: HOVER TANK UPDATE

Done a bit more. I've been concentrating on some of the finer detail. The two are now diverging as I'm basing mine more on the Annual [Ed] artwork and the other [Ed] on a toy.

Still need to do the fins on both, complete the turrets, add the guns and also do the front grille on the toy [Ed] and the lights on both! Then we will run up against the obstacle of painting. This time of year scuppers me on that score.

Anyhow, hope you like the progress.

Kevin D

MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR READERS

AND A SWORDTASTIC NEW YEAR!

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT THIS YEAR 

AND 

WE'LL SEE YOU ON MOONBASE IN 2015.


WOODSY, SCOOP AND BILL

MOBIUS SEAVIEW TAKE 2

A couple of photos (with just a hint of Photoshop!) of the 1/350 scale Mobius Seaview .

NEWS FROM THE WORLDS OF GERRY ANDERSON

Had a couple of bits of news from the worlds of Gerry Anderson in the Moonbase Central postbox this month:

Jamie Anderson/ Anderson Entertainment

Zelda’s Night Before Christmas:

Anderson Entertainment release free Christmas track online

Anderson Entertainment are giving Terrahawks fans another early Christmas present with the free release of the Christmas track, ‘Zelda’s Night Before Christmas’.

This follows last week’s Christmas giveaway of the Terrahawks Christmas episode – A Christmas Miracle – online via YouTube for 30 days from 10 December 2014.

Jamie Anderson, Managing Director of Anderson Entertainment and son of Gerry Anderson, MBE, says, “We wanted to bring some Yuletide cheer to Terrahawks fans around the world in advance of Big Finish’s April 2015 release of a brand new Terrahawks audio series featuring eight new episodes with three members of the original cast. 

So in addition to last week’s release of the Terrahawks’ Christmas Miracle, we’re also now releasing a free Christmas track with Big Finish – Zelda’s Night Before Christmas”.

“Denise Bryer – the original voice of Zelda – read Andrew T Smith’s cleverly written parody of the classic Christmas poem, and has done an astounding job. Hopefully it’ll provide lots of laughs, and will also send shivers down the spines of those who used to be terrified by Zelda in the original series!”

The New Year will see further Terrahawks treats in store with the launch of ‘Zeroids vs Cubes’, a spin-off animated web series developed by Anderson Entertainment and IDO Design and Animation featuring the robots from the original series. The series is also trailed in the ad breaks of the free episode.

The new Terrahawks audio series can be pre-ordered from http://bit.ly/TerrahawksAudio.

The free Christmas track – ‘Zelda’s Night Before Christmas’ is available from Big Finish here.

The free Terrhawks episode, ‘A Christmas Miracle’, can be viewed here but only until 10 January 2015!

_____________________________

FANDERSON

Date: 2nd to 4th October, 2015

Venue: the Holiday Inn, Manor Lane, Maidenhead, SL6 2RA

For more details go to FANDERSON'S website

__________________________________________

and a reminder from me about

ANDERSONIC 

the fanzine

For more info go to ANDERSONIC direct.