Thunderbirds creators should have equal credit, says daughter

The daughter of the Thunderbirds creators says often only her father is acknowledged for the classic kids puppet sci-fi series.

The original series, made by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, is being remembered on the 60th anniversary of its first TV broadcast on 30 September 1965.

Dee Anderson said: “At the time women weren’t really recognised and remembered but Mum came up with all the characters and was the voice of [character] Lady Penelope.”

International Thunderbirds Day is being commemorated with a celebrity lunch at BAFTA, with a special seat unveiled in the name of Sylvia Anderson to honour her pioneering contribution to women in film and television.

In a time before CGI and digital effects, the couple used puppetry and modelling, with the series filmed in studios on Slough Trading Estate.

Thunderbirds revolved around International Rescue, a futuristic emergency service manned by the Tracy family, often assisted by Lady Penelope – voiced by Sylvia Anderson – and her butler, Parker.

It included the catchphrases “Thunderbirds are go!” and “FAB”.

The show marked the career apex for Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, who had honed their “supermarionation” technique on Fireball XL5 and Stingray.

The couple divorced in 1981. Gerry Anderson, who lived in Henley, Oxfordshire, died in 2012 aged 83. Sylvia died at her home in Bray, Berkshire, in 2016 at the age of 88.

Dee Anderson explained they both came up with separate ideas that they decided to put together.

She said: “My dad came up with the idea for international rescue, my mum was very into helping and supporting people, so she created the characters.”

She said she would like her mum to get “a bit more credit” for creating the series.

She said: “My dad has had so much, really amazing publicity and that’s fantastic but I think it is now time for my mum to get the credit too.

“She did have the credit, but it has sort of disappeared over the years and I have to remind people it was her too.

“I’d like her to have more credit for her efforts.”

Another pioneering aspect of the show was the development of merchandising toys and figures.

Among the events to mark the anniversary is an exhibition of more than 300 toys and collectables from Thunderbirds and the Andersons’ subsequent productions at the Museum of Brands in west London.

It is thought to be the largest collection of Thunderbird toys ever brought together.

Co-curator Malcolm Garrett, a self-confessed Thunderbirds superfan, said: “As a young fan you could own the toys and it was like owning a little bit of the show.

“Let’s not forget the shows themselves were made up of toys.”

Among the 300 items is a Captain Scarlett cap owned by Duran Duran keyboard player Nick Rhodes.

Various other special events are also being held to celebrate the 60th anniversary, including a 4K restoration double-bill of episodes shown in UK cinemas.