The Making of Joe 90 | Behind the Scenes Documentary

[@hywodnsu]

Anyone else think that this had one of the best and most memorable theme tunes ever made?

[@mauricerevelle8451]

Yep..The theme tune is one of the best ever

[@mtlreiner]

Awesome theme … kzbin.info/www/bejne/nH-cfp-efdVsqdU

[@TanjoGalbi]

I recently watched a video about how theme tunes are made and it's very interesting to find out that the main parts of theme tunes are a musical way of saying the show title. Now you know that, listen to Joe 90 again and you will hear "Joe 90" throughout the tune. 😉

[@mtlreiner]

Same with Derek Wadsworth’s Space:1999 theme. Also, the X-Files … “The X-Files is a show, with music by Mark Snow.”

[@Yosemite-George-61]

I still humm it while in the shower...

[@Mr_Kenneth]

Best end score EVER

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

I was born in 66 and watched Joe 90 as a kid. I really enjoyed it. I didn't connect with Joe but that didn't matter. I lived the technology and flying cars. I was in the RAF for twelve years and now work in aircraft design.

[@johnleggett5054]

Loved watching Joe 90 when it first aired back in 1968/9. Wonderful times. I remember the sheer level of excitement when my mum collected the special Sutherlands Spread labels and my 'Joe 90 Dossier' arrived in the post!

[@colin2552]

Why Joe 90 wasn't as popular as some of the other marionation series,is beyond me ,bloody brilliant

[@GerryAndersonTV]

We discussed this on a recent livestream: Joe 90 Live Stream Discussion | with David Munday, Jack Knoll & Jamie Anderson kzbin.infoNwTuKOyqk1U?feature=share

[@flybobbie1449]

Puppet idea had been done to death by this time.

[@Renegade2786]

Well, we say that Joe 90 lay the groundwork of children show that showcase kids becomes the heroes. 1. Captain Planet and the Planeteers. 2. James Bond Jr 3. Power Rangers/Big Bad Beetleborg 4. Ben 10 I can't name one children program before Joe 90 where the kids are the main heroes, and not just the sidekick to the main heroes like Jade from *Jackie Chan Adventures* . Apart from Scooby Doo, but they were in their late teens.

[@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968]

@@Renegade2786 Maybe the young audience were more perceptive to the idea of condescension and being pandered to than the producers had ever imagined.

[@KebabMusicLtd]

@@flybobbie1449 No they hadn't. Much as I enjoyed the later 'live actor' shows such as UFO and Space 1999, with these puppet shows, Gerry Anderson had truly found his niche. He should have stayed faithful to that idea and made more of these type of shows. Personally, I never enjoyed stories that revolved around espionage. I think kids at that time (and I was one) preferred Thunderbirds because of all the brilliant machines and gadgets that were evident. Joe 90 was a little too deep and it was hard for a child to stay focussed as these stories were often complicated. The only thing I found captivating about Joe 90 was the orange ball sequence where he's being brain-washed.

[@iandeeley9033]

That scene from "Hi-Jacked" where Joe throws the grenade at Coletti was just BRILLIANT!

[@LostsTVandRadio]

I watched it avidly back in the 60s. It was utterly brilliant! I don't remember any of my friends having a problem with the character of Joe - they all loved the show too. As for the murder, mayhem and gore, we may have been 7 or 8 but we knew it was just a puppet show :)

[@marcel1463]

I adore all Gerry Anderson series!

[@kevvywevvywoo]

My favourite Gerry Anderson programme. One or another of his series would play throughout the school summer holidays in the early 70's and from 1972 onwards I could enjoy these in colour when Dad bought a new set. As an adult they're a huge hit of nostalgia and the lush Barry Gray score still thrills me. I really wanted to be Joe 90!

[@Gerry1of1]

Love Joe90 - My second favourite after Captain Scarlet. The more realistic the puppets the easier it is to get into the stories. You're not distracted with a Big-Head bobbling around. the plots were more sophisticated and all the action is condensed to 30 minutes instead of stretched to an hour. Much better pace than Thunderbirds

[@stevesstuff1450]

When I was 4 or 5 back in those early 60s days - on black & white TV - I never noticed the 'big-head' look....all I was interested in was the stories and action, so Fireball, Stingray, and then Thunderbirds were absolute must-have telly for me back then! I loved Stingray (more than Fireball.....I even have distant memories of Supercar too!), but then when when Thunderbirds came along that was IT... I loved that programme more than any other; the Tracy brothers seemed so real, and the crafts that they flew and drove were just mind-boggling back then in 1966 (that's when I first saw it - I lived in Hong Kong so it was about a year later than in the UK). Been a massive Thunderbirds ( and Stingray) fan ever since. Captain Scarlet had only just started on TV over there, before we came home to England from Hong Kong in 1968, so I missed most of it - we came home on a ship (it was cheaper than flying back then!!!), and by the time we got home, Joe-90 was well underway, and finished soon after (after we got our first house - it's a long story...!!). So I only saw little bits of it. For whatever reason I completely missed the Secret service stuff, and really only got back in the Anderson stuff with UFO - which was awesome!!! 🤩. Almost as good as Thunderbirds!! I guess there was a lot of TV for me to catch-up with, and I may been watching Catweazle, or the latest Dr Who episodes as well (having missed much of Patrick Troughton's tenure as the Doctor being in HK, and the 6 week journey home). I had an 'eventful' childhood, let's just say!! 😉 Still love Gerry Anderson shows - especially Thunderbirds (it's ingrained into my DNA!!!) nearly 60 years on!👍

[@Nyerguds]

I honestly never saw this series, but I watched this from beginning to end, because it's just so interesting to see this behind the scenes stuff. Will definitely have to check this one out.

[@Diego.E.D]

Such beautiful memories from my childhood that these series bring back to me!!!

[@Mr_Kenneth]

EVERY British wanted to be JOE 90. Bloody fantastic show

[@fingersfinesilver]

I was a kid, I loved this show - I had the car and loved the whole concept. For all the naysayers. Oh and the theme tune ROCKED!

[@VBaskin2010]

Joe 90 Was Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's response to Hanna-Barbera's 1st ever action adventure series "The Adventures Of Jonny Quest: File O37", Joe 90 deserves a reboot for today's generation of kids and teens!

[@peterjf7723]

Not sure that using experimental mind altering technology on a nine year old child and then putting him in life threatening situations (and sometimes having him kill people) would be considered morally acceptable these days.

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

​@@peterjf7723 All the more reason to do it then. Addendum: I hate that when someone removes their comment to which this is a reply. Now it makes no sense.

[@peterjf7723]

@@JP_TaVeryMuch What comment was removed?

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

@@peterjf7723 Your one about today's social mores not allowing children the pleasure of seeing such violence. Or words to that effect. It's disappeared from my screen at least. Apologies if it's technology at fault and the rest of the world can still see wot you writ.

[@peterjf7723]

@@JP_TaVeryMuch That was not something that I posted.

[@martinwright1358]

On a technical note. At that time the sound on most programmes, especially those shot on film, even those from hollywood, was very noisy and hissy - and yet I was amazed at how clean the sound was. It is cear Gerry Anderson's decision to pre-record wa right - but he might also have been an early adopter of usig the new Dolby A noise reduction module which british recording studios had started using in the uk in 1967

[@abundantYOUniverse]

Wow this is just fantastic. Been a fan since it aired!

[@monteceitomoocher]

Yup, me too, seems strange and marvelous that we in the 21st century can call this up seemingly out of thin air in a moment to re-live our childhood memories, best of times the sixties, everything new and the technological age before us, we truly were a privileged generation.

[@willmfrank]

In the television series "CHUCK," Zachary Levi plays Chuck Bartowski, an innocent nebbish who is recruited as a spy after he comes into possession of the Intersect, a computer programme that, when uploaded into his brain, gives him instant, on-demand temporary access to various esoteric skill sets. Something about that concept seemed incredibly familiar to me...

[@garyrigelseven6929]

Joe 90 was the most expendable kid in TV history. Does anybody else wonder what happened to the previous 89 ?

[@stephenholmes1036]

Ha ha ha ha

[@strangedreamer]

I still love that tune

[@techscreen321]

If ever there was a character crying out to be made into a film, this is the one. With the right casting and story line, it would be a big hit for sure.

[@ClipSalad]

I was lucky enough to work with Len Jones from 2010-2011 on a couple of London sightseeing companies, in which I was a tour guide and he a driver. Nice, quiet bloke, so I was surprised to hear Sylvia mention his swearing, as I’d never heard him swear or even raise his voice (unlike a lot of bus drivers I have worked with). Maybe he was overcompensating for performance nerves.

[@KiltedGreen]

That was a treat and how special to hear from those actually making the show.

[@oobdoointerchange]

What a great documentary! Brilliant !👍👍

[@GadZookz]

The Big Rat and the Little Brat make a great team!👍🏻

[@markprior2278]

Great documentary, takes me back. Always loved this show and the theme music always makes me smile.

[@stephenmcavoy9925]

This was excellent. I enjoy this series and believe that the spy based storylines stack up against any ITC series of the era. The voice cast were excellent - the emotion that Rupert Davies brings to Mac in Double Agent and Talkdown are highlights but kudos to David Healy and Keith Akexander too for the warmth they bring to their characters, not simply stuffy government agents but rounded people. The music score is one of my favourites too and the model effects blending the classic / modern with futuristic is outstanding. Some of Gerry Anderson’s best work and a series I’m fond of to this day. Fantastic memories from those involved and great analysis from the contributors. Suspend your disbelief at the safeguarding issues and remember that ITC were producing series about 3 spies with super-human ability and a PI that partnered a ghost in the same period!

[@russellwarr3791]

Best birthday present was the Joe 90 car, most unusual, something special for a Australian country boy.

[@marklotinga]

Although Scarlet will always be my favourite it was great to see this on Joe. Sylvia was of course her usual sour self, but everyone else was engaging and jolly. A lovely docu very nearly spoilt by the adverts every two minutes , or so it seemed.

[@kennethantrobus]

I did enjoy watching Joe 90 as when i was young and still do as you can get a,video now and to have the models if they made them as the do Thunderbirds now it would be great. As for watching it was great to have that chance to watch it was the best as many what we watch when we were at that age to watch these programs when we were kids,and I think having memories for what we watch we still have that kidd in us all now,at the age I am now but as I tell the young ones of the day . But to be Joe 90 I use to dream of being him now that what I like as now I have Joe 90 doll and he been with me for a long time and itis the memories that we just like to talk about . Thank you it was the best show to watch 😊

[@skeelo69]

I listened to the theme tune at the end of this video more than 5 times i admit...had to be done...my brain decyphered the different layers my ears were hearing...what a magnificent orchestral arrangement....this should be heard live at the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall !!!.

[@GerryAndersonTV]

You might enjoy this then… shop.gerryanderson.com/products/stand-by-for-action-gerry-anderson-in-concertblu-ray-or-dvd

[@mikerohlfs2836]

This was never on in my area of the states, but my lord if it was, this probably would be my favorite show from my childhood, and I would have played as him all day long.

[@nektekket852]

My mate Len Jones was the voice of Joe, and I have a few pieces of memorabilia signed by him. Joe 90 was my favourite tv show as an eight year old, I much preferred it to Thunderbirds or Captain Scarlet, I suppose because the protagonist was a kid...

[@chrisking7535]

I own an original Joe 90 puppet....is there any way Len could sign the base?

[@voltorfan]

I never knew about Joe 90, now I will definitely watch all the episodes available

[@Mr_Kenneth]

WTF???

[@johnclay7644]

Great 52mins documentary Very well done.

[@masterbondofox8982]

25 people love the opening countdown so far :)

[@IronBhoy]

Awe ! I loved this when I was little boy. 🤩👍

[@scofair5551]

Great documentary. Interesting interviews with technical team and actors often recorded, I imagine , decades apart.

[@BlackArroToons]

Cool documentary on Joe 90. Thanks!

[@SimonDuLac]

Captain Scarlet (duh duh duhhh duh duh duh duhhh) Joe 90 and Thunderbirds were the best shows on TV when I was a kid back in the UK. I even have a toy SPV (Spectrum Patrol Vehicle) on my shelf today. Fantastic shows

[@stephenholmes1036]

I like Keith Alexander, Joe 90 was good and interesting

[@sidewinder626]

wow great documentary

[@captainsensiblejr.]

Many years ago, I was working in a university holiday job making tin cans. One day, I spent the whole day hearing an endless loop of the Joe 90 theme music. That was the day I decided to get a new job.

[@richardparton1655]

I just loved this as a kid, I remember having the jet car and a brief case still not grown up now theme tune for a ring tone. Thank you for sharing this with us all.👍

[@matthewmoore5698]

I was born in 67 I loved it

[@alancrisp1582]

🤔 If you were born in 1967 as you say .Then 🧒 you must have watched Joe 90 ,in reruns. Not when first shown in 1968 -1969 !. Nothing wrong with that......

[@joelvale3887]

What happened to the other 89 Joes?

[@robertowuerdig-shadao5647]

Moro no Brazil e Joe 90 fez parte da minha infância.A trilha sonora de Barry Gray é incrível.Faço 60 anos este ano.

[@MrShowbiz48]

Great show, great theme too...lovely Northern Soul theme.

[@steveambrose5580]

As with any tv show in the 60’s ,miss it at your peril. As a ten year old this was the real deal and Barry Gray definitely played a big part in the show.

[@TRASHBOUTIQUE-ow8gw]

me too! this is my version of the Barry gray Classic hope you enjoy kzbin.info/www/bejne/gX3KZHyPg9yFbtksi=QE6O2f1ar1zDFIli

[@javieraversaaversa6505]

Mis preferidos capitán scarlata y Joe 90 siempre me pregunte quienes estaban detrás que hermoso trabajo q vocación de cineastas y pregunto si hay detrás de escenas o todo referente a las filmaciones muchas gracias por agradar mi infancia Javier de argentina

[@VICTOBERN]

A unique production company with puppets as actors filmed much like other quality filmed series, but with miniature sets etc. A hard working inventive team of enthusiasts .

[@m1ian]

Great Show First record i bought was the Theme Tune and Does the Big Rat Model still exist and if so whereabouts is it

[@Stuart3844]

I loved seeing this. Big surprise to me is that it isn't seen as successful/popular as the others. I was 5 when it first aired so i probably did see Jo a an exciting role model rather than an older kid who was watching a series about someone younger than himself. Out of all the series i consider this one "my" series, the one of my time. I had all the merchandise. I think my now battered Dinky Mac's Car is still in the loft in my son's now abandoned toy car box and i still have a couple of the original Annuals. Seeing Jo's gun, silencer and radio up close in the closing credits brought back very vivid memories playing with plastic versions. I need to get hold of this series and spend a few hours back in my childhood :)

[@gingerladyaubern]

So great to hear about all the background history by Gerry Anderson, Keith Alexander, Alan Perry and Mike Trim etc. In the main, I enjoyed Joe 90. The end theme has always been my all time fav Barry Gray composed piece; in stereo it's even better!!. However, I really liked the version used in this docu too! Silly question perhaps, whose version is this and has it ever been released??

[@GerryAndersonTV]

It’s from the concert ‘Stand by for Action’ performed in 2022, available on CD, DVD, Blu-ray and streaming on Amazon!

[@gingerladyaubern]

@@GerryAndersonTV Thank You. I've just listened to the whole CD on Spotify...Yes, some really really good versions in places. In fact, listening to these orchestrations, make me appreciate just how FAB Barry Gray's musicians were, all the more! which is not a criticism of the Hackenbacker Orchestra :)

[@stephenparry3754]

Older man adopts nine year old boy and they live together in a country cottage. It would never get made these days

[@peterrose5746]

I am surprised this has never been remade & brought up to date?😢

[@cpuuk]

My childhood documented for future generations 🙂

[@quillerpen]

Really enjoyed this, especially the input from Mike Trim, Keith Alexander etc. It's made me want to get my box set down off the shelf and watch the series all over again. PS to Jamie; try 'Three's a crowd' - it might make you look at the show in a different light

[@andybrown4284]

The description of how the concept came about instantly made me think of the rogue trooper series from 2000AD where soldiers were fitted with chips that saved their minds at the point of death so they could get added into another soldiers weapons and kit to become a squad of one.

[@ashdrive]

Joe 90 was my fav puppet Gerry Anderson show.

[@colonelfostershado9705]

That was really good!!

[@nigelcarren]

As a kid I looked like Joe-90, same hair and freckles but I didn't have the glasses! Now as an adult I have the glasses but sadly I no longer have the hair... ANY hair! 🙈😂🤣 This was brilliant, a real journey back in time... I swear I can small spaghetti hoops!!! 👍🇬🇧

[@ManOfMonism]

Joe 90 was the best of the Anderson series I think, and I struggle to imagine how this has avoided a live-action remake thus far.

[@davebest5624]

For any kid who wore glasses in the 70s the go to insult was to be called Joe 90, it even made it into an episode of “The Thick of It” when Tucker calls Ollie “you, fucking Joe 90 !”

[@jamesgraham814]

I loved the show.

[@TheAzguardThor]

Memories, fantastic ....

[@lexloose2112]

Having watched all this back in the day makes me love the original special effects even more, CGI is OK but I love the mastery of modeling in real

[@ewaf88]

Joe 90 just happened to be on TV when our first Colour TV was being tuned in way back in 1971

[@rogerpattube]

Second best theme song. Coolest vehicle?! Got to be up there. The legs on the Dinky (or Corgi?) were a bit fragile they broke on my older brother’s one (admittedly because I threw it at him, age 4).

[@paulvickers3800]

Liked this show, plus it had one catchy theme tune

[@leokimvideo]

Sylvia is correct, children struggle to be entertained by other children. Joe being a boy was the biggest problem with the show.

[@alancrisp1582]

🤫 Wrong - if Joe 90 had a girl 👧 with all these secret powers .Trust me 👦 boys wouldn't have bothered watching it !........

[@skeelo69]

Jerrys Joe90 methology was used in the Matrix. Trinity in the Matrix also had a knowledge transfer enabling her to fly a helicopter.

[@mediacityavid]

Gerry was a genius. I was fortunate to have met him at Pinewood when his office was next to Peter Rogers

[@andrewparkin4036]

Just a fantastic show, much darker than you first think. Hadn't thought about Joe being adopted by the professor was it because he wanted a family or more sinisterly because he needed a test subject for BIGRaT....

[@kirk09100]

I remember as a kid, even in 1974, Corgi Joe 90 Flying car was the thing to get.

[@KOZMOuvBORG]

22:56 those VTOL interceptors resemble the lunar ones in UFO, seen Scarlet and T-Birds but missed this one.

[@davidfrost779]

I always remember that episode when Joe got his foot trapped in a giant clam, I remember watch about 45 years ago

[@SimonDuLac]

So we figured out that SIG was an abbreviation for “Spectrum is Green” ( Captain Scarket) but did we find out what FAB meant? I did hear a rumour that it’s actually meant nothing

[@rogerpattube]

Yes it’s short for Fabulous

[@KiltedGreen]

FAB has no meaning. This has been confirmed many times, including by Jamie.

[@daleskidmore1685]

Just like all the series, I loved Joe 90, and, being a boy with blonde hair and horn rimmed glasses, I was called Joe 90 too. He did sort of make wearing glasses a bit cool; for a while. I got the jigsaw from Santa at Gamelys in London, I did that puzzle many times.

[@mikerohlfs2836]

Im telling you, if they would have shown this in the states in the 80s it would have been a phenomenon.

[@unclelala4216]

It would be nice if you guys could put the year the documentaries was filmed.

[@GerryAndersonTV]

2018

[@iannorton4463]

Cannot wait to see this,,I'm just finishing watching JOE 90 first dude....😂... ✌️👍🇬🇧

[@JosephDent-qd9ih]

You are very good Sir thank!

[@Bill23799]

I loved watching The Thunderebirds when i was a boy in the 60's. I also remember Stingray, Supercar and Fireball XL5. I don't remember seeing Joe 90 as a boy. By then I think I was more of a Star Trek fan.

[@williamevans9426]

As a now-sixty-year-old, the story that I still remember involved Joe driving a transporter containing highly volatile chemicals in cannisters mounted in sprung-mounted racks, along narrow and rough maintain tracks. The cannisters smoked ominously as they threatened to explode, sending Joe to the BIGRAT in the sky! I wonder whether he grew up to be a well-balanced individual, or did his life go off the rails in a pretty major way? Sadly, I suspect the latter. 😉

[@Paul1510WB]

I was ten years old when Joe 90 was first shown and I loved it...maybe I've always been a nerd. I did feel he had a crap childhood though with no sign of friends his own age. It always strikes me as odd that Len Jones has never come forward for interviews.

[@erniecamhan]

Always said it should be made into a film

[@tomsenior7405]

Little know fact. Joe grew up to look exactly like Christopher Walken. After years of flashbacks, intensive therapy and a change of name, Joe worked on the "Brainstorm" Project. Sadly, his wife died in a tragic accident before "Brainstorm" was declassified.

[@alancrisp1582]

😂 very clever, you should be a script writer !..You have the imagination for it ...........

[@troglokev]

That’s the problem! It needed more cowbell.

[@ted5669]

Best theme tune ever!!!

[@simonprodhan5050]

great stuff, i loved joe 90 and i too had the dinky toys which were brilliant(still got them actually) great video!

[@bettyleeist]

I’m not familiar with this film 🎥 called:Joe ninety.I think,it’s because,this particular program wasn’t shown in the United States?

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

It was a series, not just one film. If you like it, I'm happy to have just made your day!

[@alancrisp1582]

It was never sold or shown in America 🇺🇸. Far to clever for American audiences to understand 😅........

[@stevejailbirdmatt]

Apparently 'See You Down There' has elements of 'The Prisoner'. The series - like The Prisoner has a Western episode. Many shows liked to have a one off Western episode such as Star Trek and Red Dwarf.

[@ulyssesthirteen7031]

Fantastic

[@niceuneasy]

OMG i used to rush home from school to catch this and thunderbirds capt scarlet etc etc happy days

[@laravelisbullschitt3281]

A shame the man himself wasn’t interviewed…although I expect from the family’s views on joe that they didn’t care for him… he didn’t receive a penny after the 60s…. Joe90 is the best thing they made by quite a long shot…the realism and brutality really make this so thrilling… while being quite heartwarming at the same time. Just love joes dad.

[@theflyinghamster8442]

Im the same age as Joe 90 , and Im still a big fan !!!!

[@ivane5110]

Was that the military man (Brigadier Stewart?) from Dr. Who as a mariation figure?

[@keithdeley7236]

The age of innocence loved this program no computers in them days everything was so simple life was fun .

[@meeshker]

Loved all the Supermarionation series except Joe90. Don't know why but I just never got into it. I was 9

[@stephenholmes1036]

Rupert Davies brilliant