
Alan Fennell
Writing
Biography
Alan Leslie Fennell (10 December 1936 – 10 December 2001) was a British writer and editor best known for work on series produced by Gerry Anderson, and for having created the magazines TV Century 21 and Look-in. Fennell wrote episodes of Fireball XL5 and Stingray and more than ten episodes of Thunderbirds including "30 Minutes After Noon". He also wrote for many comic strip adaptations and was the first editor of TV Century 21. Between himself and Dennis Spooner they wrote 36 episodes of Stingray. He also wrote a number of books, including a novelisation of the film Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World (1973) and two original novels based on the TV series Freewheelers published in 1972 by Piccolo/TV Times, entitled Freewheelers - Sign of the Beaver and Freewheelers - The Spy Game.
Known For

A secret, high-technology international agency called SHADO defends Earth from alien invaders.
UFO

Thunderbirds is a 1960s British science-fiction television series which was produced using a mixed method of marionette puppetry and scale-model special effects termed "Supermarionation". The series is set in the 21st century and follows the exploits of International Rescue, a secret organization formed to save people in mortal danger with the help of technologically advanced land, sea, air and space vehicles and equipment, launched from a hidden base on Tracy Island in the South Pacific Ocean.
Thunderbirds

In 2064, Captain Troy Tempest of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol and his crew explore the oceans in their combat submarine Stingray, encountering friendly and hostile undersea aliens.
Stingray

Fireball XL5 is a science fiction-themed children's television show following the missions of spaceship Fireball XL5, commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac of the World Space Patrol. The show was produced in 1962 by husband and wife team Gerry and Sylvia Anderson through their company APF, in association with ATV for ITC Entertainment. While developing his new show, Anderson thought a brand of motor oil—Castrol XL—had an interesting sound. A phonetic change created the name "Fireball XL", with the "-5" added as the title seemed a bit flat without the numeral. The show featured the Andersons' Supermarionation, a form of puppetry first introduced in Four Feather Falls and Supercar and used again in their subsequent productions such as Stingray and Captain Scarlet. Thirty-nine black and white half-hour episodes of Fireball XL5 were made on 35mm film: all future Anderson series were produced in colour. Several Anderson series have been shown in syndication in the US, but Fireball XL5 is the only Anderson series to have run on a US network. NBC ran the series in its Saturday morning children's block from 1963 through to September 1965. A similar programme often confused with Fireball XL5 is Space Patrol, produced by Gerry Anderson's ex business partner and co-founder of AP Films, Arthur Provis due to a number of similarities and settings.
Fireball XL5

Prior to Stingray, Gerry Anderson produced three series in black and white - their only colour representation being a small number of on-set stills taken during production. Using these as a basis, key episodes of Four Feather Falls, Supercar and Fireball XL5 have been colourised from High Definition remasters using state-of-the-art software, enabling fans to see their favourite shows in a whole new way!
Presented in Supercolorisation

Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s hit series is stunningly re-imagined for its 50th anniversary, combining the original voice tracks with classic filmmaking techniques.
Thunderbirds: The Anniversary Episodes

Shortly before the International Rescue Team begins full-scale operation, Lady Penelope, invited by Jeff Tracy, arrives at Tracy Island and discovers the amazing technology hidden on the island, as well as Thunderbirds 1 to 5. International Rescue soon receive a call from a yeti on Mount Everest pleading for rescue, with Penelope sent to investigate. All the while, a series of robberies plagues British Stately Homes.
Thunderbirds 55/GOGO

A compilation of four episodes from the Supermarionation series Stingray. When aquatic aliens plot to take over the planet, the world aquanaut security patrol are called in to battle the aliens.
Invaders from the Deep

Calling International Resuce… a runaway rocket carrying three astronauts is heading for a collision course with the Sun… Impact imminent!
Thunderbirds in Outer Space

Episodes from Gerry Anderson's Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Joe 90 and The Secret Service in High Definition.
HD21 The Worlds of Gerry Anderson in High Definition

Adventures of the super-sub Stingray and the World Aquanaut Security Patrol and their battles against Titan, leader of the underwater city of Titanica.
The Incredible Voyage of Stingray

Largely regarded as the most exciting Thunderbirds episode made, after Thunderbird 2 is heavily damaged in a mistaken attack, it leaves the team seemingly without a swift means to transport any rescue gear to New York City to save a news crew trapped underneath the collapsed Empire State Building.
Thunderbirds: Terror In New York City

International Rescue sends the incredible Thunderbirds on the most dangerous rescue missions yet. They must save the Empire State Building from collapsing on New York City and at the same time battle a deadly fire blazing out of control in a mid-Atlantic oil station.
Countdown to Disaster

Celebrating Thunderbirds 60th anniversary, this cinematic double-bill brings two of Thunderbirds’ best-loved adventures into an electrifying big screen experience – Trapped in the Sky and Terror in New York City, presented for the first time fully restored in 4K with a brand-new Dolby 5.1 surround mix. Trapped in the Sky - A criminal known only as the Hood places a bomb in the landing gear of a new supersonic airliner, Fireflash, hoping to draw out a newly created, privately funded emergency response team called International Rescue. Terror in New York City - After Thunderbird 2 is heavily damaged in a mistaken attack, it leaves the team seemingly without a swift means to transport any rescue gear to New York City to save a news crew trapped underneath the collapsed Empire State Building.