Thunderbirds - The Making Of The Secrets

Enjoy =)
Disclaimer:
I do not own any of this footage! All rights go to the rightful owner!

[@thethirdman225]

Derek Meddings. Couldn’t have been done without him. Superman, Batman and the James Bond franchise owed him plenty too. He was brilliant.

[@wk1810]

Watching this was a real treat! The amount of work involved in the making of this series --- phenomenal!

[@samuelparker9882]

Baby Bunny Oh how I just love these behind the scenes documentaries that shows how things are produced and worked out.

[@charleskuckel3173]

I think that Gerry Anderson hit the nail on the head. When any of the Supermarionation series were on TV, you could always see the strings attached to the puppets and you knew that it was a human hand doing the complicated actions. THAT was the quirky, tonge in cheek charm of those shows. They were believable but NOT entirely real. The details of the special effects, without CGI nor Blue Screen, were painstakingly crafted and added to the realism of ALL the shows. These were labors of love indeed. One of these days I will get the DVD of these series and relive a wonderful time of my childhood!

[@LogiForce86]

Can I be honest? I prefer Supermarionation and even old style cartoons over CGI these days. To me CGI feels to cheap and quick, whilst in these older techniques you could really see the time and dedication put into everything by the team. As they say... they don't make 'em like they used to. Sadly I must add!

[@neriozulberti1492]

Hours and Hours of job of modelling and the puppettiers no CGI great artists

[@robholden9728]

RIP Gerry ANDERSON. Thanks you for creating som much that became a part of My Childhood. Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain SCarlet, Joe 90 For me, that really defines my childhood! I would suggest I am just one of millions of little boys and girls for whom the world stopped when Thunderbirds came on TV. Thank you for sharing your genius with us all.

[@neriozulberti1492]

Me One of them but not only also for UFO and Space1999,great productions ,i’m a fan of all the serial of that time ,the persuaders,Simon Templar,The avengers Emma Peel and John Steed wow

[@olsmokey]

And don't forget Supercar.

[@Joskemom]

This was one of my favorite shows of all time. It is cool to look back and see how they made it.

[@adrianshingler9783]

Thunderbirds was one of the reasons I became an engineer! I loved the models/vehicles, you never knew what was coming out of TB2's chosen pod every week, fantastic effects too using high speed cameras?

[@paulofreire7520]

Man... I loved Thunderbirds! 1965... I was 7 years old. Great memories of my childhood. Thank you for posting this. 👍🏻🙏🏻

[@b3j8]

This show was so cool for a kid in the 60's! Even my Dad liked it because of all the detailed work involved! Thanks for posting this!

[@raymondwoods2410]

Love this show . I am 73 now . And still watch it on Saturdays early morning show ! Imspired my modeling skills ! Still build them today !

[@pvtrichter88]

I agree there was a human touch to Thunderbirds that is sorely missing from alot of what passes for modern entertainment now I still watch this now and find it very inspiring that you could do something very simply and still have it entertaining !!

[@MikeyMack303]

I had no idea what a HUGE production went into the making of that great show! Well done! Still love the show!

[@bf109e4trop]

fantastic tv movie! Sci-Fi,Secrets ,tryller,humor and tecnologies,all in this fantastic tv show.Many thanks from Italy

[@Oldbmwr100rs]

Compared to cartoons, these shows were very well finished and done, the stories well written, characters well developed and show in general was excellent children's fare. A tremendous amount of work went into Gerry's shows,and that they weren't cheapened out or poorly done(like many US produced shows) is the reason that they still have a strong appeal. As old as Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet are, they still entertain because they're not horribly dated.

[@1mespud]

Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray, etc. I remember these as a kid through the 1960's. I am in awe of the pain staking genius of Mr. Gerry Anderson and his production crew for going through all this trouble just to make me happy. Their dream was our reward.

[@gregfolland8452]

It certainly was!

[@gregfolland8452]

1mespud It certainly was!

[@redblade43]

1mespud. They did not do it to make you happy, the did it solely for themselves, to make a fortune...

[@PhilJonesIII]

If that were the case then they could have turned out 100s of badly rendered cartoons that seem to be a staple these days.

[@mattwilcock8967]

I regularly drive past the place where the studios used to be. Always think of Gerry and how he changed the world.

[@chrisst8922]

Just only recently demolished. There should be a Blue Plaque: Derek Meddings worked here.

[@ktkt9982]

Fascinating. Loved the Thunderbirds. Didn't discover them till my late teens and so enjoyed a look behind the scenes. Thank you for sharing.

[@brentcleever7332]

Watched the new series with grandchildren 8 & 7 & son 38, great fun with lots of hat tipping to original series with lots of in jokes. Well done. Will I watch the rest? Probably not, having grown up with and seen the originals, I am a an Anderboomer and proud of it. Thankfully not a rivet counter I see them for what they are, great television for the era they were made for, which is why the new series is ok for kids of today, colourful and fast moving and great Saturday morning TV. Thanks to GA for his legacy

[@Quester550]

Thank-You for bringing back some of my Childhood Friends, namely these Shows.

[@marcelwildeboer]

Even in 2022 i love watching Thunderbirds and i am 53 now. Got the hole thunderbird collection on dvd and love watching them whiff my grandchildren on tv whiff soda and chips.

[@AndrewChapman]

3:27 I don't care if it looked unconvincing seeing the marionettes in the wide shots and then real human hands or feet in close up shots. Or if the strings were visible. As Alan Pattillo says, it was part of the charm in Thunderbirds and other Supermarionation shows.

[@gregfolland8452]

Andrew Chapman Definitely!

[@theenglishman9596]

I totally agree. I never ever thought about it when I was boy in short trousers or was i wearing longs by then, memory loss with age!

[@Beery1962]

Yeah. I didn't care. Heck, I was three when Thunderbirds hit the screen, and even to my childhood brain, I knew it looked a little silly, but those aircraft and vehicles, and the miniature scenery were awesome! Thunderbirds is why I got into model-making.

[@beverlywilliams8286]

My Childhood favorite

[@daved.7071]

The Thunder Birds we’re state of the art 🖼 at the time and still holds up fairly well today. Derek Meddings their model maker/ designer did FX for such Bond films as Spy Who Loved Me & MoonRaker

[@russellmay7347]

dave doggett yeah a genius man who as stated moved onto mega work on feature films SCI FI /007 BOND etc I well remember finding a news clip GOLDENEYE ?? and keeping it much later a "BIBLE" book ;"21st Century ?? " mass info on tech aspects vechs / filming skills model MINIATURE construction /large dioramas and mini sets etc MEGA input for an amateur model maker /film maker !!! if your as keen on the genre as I'm sure you are GET a copy no regrets !! also any NEW or older TV ANNUALS etc !! charge up the camcorder LOL and good to go !! as many have said CGI not the same as MINIATURE scale model work on film !!!! time biggest problem most will have !! UNFORTUNATELY DM made harsh comments in reply to GERRY A ref to future work!! MIKE TRIM and ALAN SHUBROOK?? 2 other gifted guys who need a mention and many others too!! AS had book published year or 2 ago !! THANKS DAVE D for highlighting the skill!

[@mervyn.j.boliver7251]

This is fantastic to watch... I grew up on these T.V programms great nostalgia to have. Gerry Anderson was the George Lucas of his time

[@terryjames2636]

Mervyn.j. boliver.... OR.....Is/was Gerry Anderson the George Lucas of HIS TIME ???? 😉 I think so 👍

[@terryjames2636]

Oops... I'm stoopid .. I meant to say ..Or is GEORGE Lucas the Gerry Anderson of the present..🙄 .. This time I say..MAYBE 🤐

[@fw1421]

After all these years Thunderbirds still entertains! At 65 I remember watching this show, Supercar and Fireball XL5 when I was a kid and the video quality still stands up to today’s standards! Amazing!

[@primasalmon2239]

Exellent, its my childhood moments that will never forget. Thank you so much

[@kjamison5951]

Just one addition… this all happened in the 60’s when TV was the big thing and everybody wanted in on it. No one had the budgets that shows get given these days. It was all shoestrings and bubblegum money. What was achieved on low budgets is still amazing to those of us who watched it originally.

[@chrisst8922]

No, it had a huge budget, it remains one of the best resourced programmes, pound per second.

[@claudeattou4595]

Vous serez toujours mes héros…ma joie J’aurais tellement voulu faire partie de votre équipe ✨🤩 Merci a vous

[@christoph404]

The only British accents in the original series were lady Penelope and her driver Parker, everyone else was always an American accents done by british based US actors, that show I remember the original series when it was shown in the 1960s :-)

[@kennyball3956]

ha ha thx for that trip down memory lane :)

[@MT-lq9fq]

loved these old shows still do

[@edwardwilliams2438]

I'm from Detroit Michigan...right across the river from Windsor, Ontario..Canada. My exposure to the Thunderbirds came at a young age. Fascinating and very action packed...always loved this series. Also, we had another puppet movie called "Supercar" with Mike Mercury...which was way before "Knightrider" the talking car. Being from Detroit..the car aspect was a big draw. Those days were very innocent and naive....as I think back..those were the good old days. Thank goodness for CKLW in Windsor...as we only had 4 stations at the time....how did we really survived, back then???As a matter of fact some of the stations went off the air at 12:00am...talking about dating myself. Thanks for the back story.

[@chrisst8922]

Supercar came before Fireball XL5 which came before Stingray which came before Thunderbirds. All by Gerry Anderson.

[@dinomate01]

Fantastic I love Thunderbirds ! Thank you for posting this ! Thunderbirds Forever !!

[@ndingo]

R.I.P Gerry Anderson F.A.B!!!!

[@annonomous2158]

Supermarionation needs to see more use. Only Team America World Police and a very brief short in Stargate SG1 have used the technique since the millennium, to my knowledge.

[@paulmurphy42]

I have never understood why Gerry Anderson did not receive a knighthood!

[@DaveInBridport]

I believe he held extreme views on the monarchy, black people and pesticides.

[@ajay999999]

Yeah never saw a black puppet

[@avengersseven7357]

@@DaveInBridport That is a load of rubbish. Lieutenant Green, Melody and Harmony Angel in Captain Scarlet were Asian/Black.

[@DaveInBridport]

@@avengersseven7357 but the pesticide thing...?

[@avengersseven7357]

@@DaveInBridport Considering the effects of DDT on birds eggshells, he wasn't wrong to oppose them.

[@jetsonwhite888]

Seems to me the technology that would be MOST interesting to see is the actual puppeteering of the characters during a filming sequence. I've watched at least 5 of these 'behind the scenes' films and not one of them has shown any footage of this.

[@敏くん-l9q]

📺懐かしい、名場面ですよね‼️

[@poeirinhamotos]

Show Thunderbirds em ação top fez parte da minha infancia, nos dias de hoje não há essa mesma qualidade em marionetes....essa serie estava além de sua época.

[@bubybybuby]

GREAT! GREAT! GREAT!! MISS THE PUPPETS!!

[@zapkvr]

I remember the Cham cham very well.

[@chrisst8922]

A Cham cham....what's a Cham cham?

[@petertremblay3725]

The good old days when entertainment meant something!

[@Admitos]

really amazing work...!!!!!!!!!!! greetings from Hellas

[@davidc9441]

As a kid you would look for the real hand and feel proud of yourself for pointing it out. It was as if you were the only one to know and you had discovered a secret 😁

[@paulocrv601]

Olhei muito esse seriado quando garoto!

[@jbusenkell]

It was awesome

[@hankthetank1563]

No one will not remake this show as great as it was it the 60s!! Not even with all this cgi crap they have today

[@Nyerguds]

You might want to do some research on that, actually. Pretty much everything in the remake show is done with miniatures. Only the characters and some small moving parts are CG.

[@marcelosanches3390]

gênios muito bom assisti todos os episódios na minha infância

[@ManiacMike]

who is the one person that disliked the video

[@paulgee4336]

Fuckin' A, Bubba!

[@jigbuilda]

Derek Meddings - were not worthy!

[@terryjames2636]

0nceler ... Derek Meddings was a nice chap. I was lucky enough to spend a day with him a pinewood studios during his working on the Superman 2 movie. ( the shoot that day was of the kriptonian baddies destruction of Mount Rushmore ) I remember the 8 foot high 18 foot wide polystyrene Rushmore was out sourced and arrived by 8am at the studio looking like it was made by infants having a tantrum, so Derek scrapped it and got pinewood sculptors to knock one up by lunch time ( the one seen in the movie), the kriptonian baddies were around 4 inches , hung by fine wires from an over heard track a cross the width of the stage ( supermarionation style ) that day's shooting finished around 9pm 👍🙂

[@astroguster5522]

F A B

[@ToastieMcMuffin]

hi reddit

[@petyrkowalski9887]

Parker... Yes bi-lady....take off my coat. Yes bi-lady. Parker...take off my dress. Yes-bi lady. Parker... Yes bi-lady...take off my underwear. Parker. Yes bi-lady.... Dont wear my clothes again.

[@AdrianJayeOnline]

Loved Thunderbirds, QUINTESSENTIALLY British, has stood the test of time. NO one goes through this kind of work, for a kid's show anymore. My childhood man, loved GA and his crew (RIP Gerry)

[@alexstone5125]

. Same here

[@theswagler5648]

You guys in the UK were lucky seeing all the AP Films productions throughout the years. Thunderbirds per Wikipedia: In the US, the 25-minute format was placed in first-run syndication in 1968 to modest success. Born in US in 1959 I only remember Stingray my first favorite TV show from 1965-1967.

[@mikedehooghblackflagracephotos]

Todays kid shows could learn a lot from The Thunderbirds. FAB!

[@avengersseven7357]

Thunderbirds is without a doubt, one of the best programmes EVER.

[@samuelparker9882]

avengers seven Captain Scarlet was much better. In my opinion.

[@stevenholt458]

Now they've got the new crappy cgi version, which is no where near as good as the original.

[@Nyerguds]

@@stevenholt458 The new version is all scale models too. Just the characters are CG.

[@cliffords2315]

It was big in the US as well, we ended up of a couple of spin offs, SuperCar, and Fireball X-L 5

[@kelvinkim7481]

RIP Gerry,you were well ahead of your time.I grew up on Thunderbirds and to this day I still watch Thunderbirds.

[@redblade43]

kelvin. I bet you still dress up in a Thunderbirds uniform just before you sit down to watch Thunderbirds!

[@captinscabin]

why no credit for the music of Barry Gray his music gave so much to all the series as music directer composer

[@nunzioc8931]

I just respect all the hard work that went into thunderbirds.

[@kjamison5951]

Even now, I still find Thunderbirds fascinating. I know they are puppets on strings but it’s the characters, not the puppets that made the show. Characters and the many action scenes of the futuristic transports and the explosions.

[@davidpoulton2860]

I'm 61 and this first broadcast when I was a child in 1960s one of the best TV show ever made.

[@yell50]

I was at the right age when thunderbirds hit our screens in the 60's i just loved the show. looking back in time i wondered why lady Penelope never had a spin off of her own show?

[@QueenE31]

Thunderbirds were on Australian tv through the early-mid 80s, obviously reruns, but I did love watching it. I was only 5 but it definitely forms part of my childhood. Thunderbirds and The Goodies.

[@chuckeberth4370]

I loved the Thunderbirds in the 60's and now at 65 I still have them on DVD's. Loved the aircraft and rockets and the stories themselves.

[@chrisantoniou4366]

They look even better on BluRay... Just superb!

[@danielostridge600]

I love all the puppets in Thunderbirds. Thay are brilliant. A lot of workmanship whent in to thoses puppets. Thay are brilliant. Like . Sting ray. Super car . Captain scarlett. Joe 90. And meny others he maid . Thay are all . Brilliant and beautifully maid very outstanding performance on eatch episodes . The puppets are very outstandingly maid . God bless Gerry Anderson. and to all the team that was involved in makeing. Thunderbirds possible . 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Blast of

[@zaphodbeeblebrox6627]

I know Gerry Anderson always wanted to progress into being a ‘proper’ film director with Real actors and was using the Puppet shows as a means to get there. But to have ALL these shows he created on his CV that are beloved by so many children & adults I think is a far better epitaph. So few film directors are remembered by the public, But Gerry Anderson ‘Supermarionation’ TV shows will still be in syndication decades from now because they were well made harmless entertainment for All ages. They’re up there with ‘Star trek’ As far as I’m concerned.

[@ForARide]

Well I wouldn't say that all of his series were harmless entertainment. I just got myself the complete Captain Scarlet series on DVD, and that for a children's programme, even at the time it was released is pretty dark and menacing. Today's children's programmes wouldn't contain the violence and destruction at display here, not to mention the murdering of characters shown in each episode. Captain Scarlet actually was more adult orientated then any of the other Gerry Anderson productions. Watching these the first time since their original release in 1967 (I was 5 at the time), not only brings back lost memories, but it also surprises me of how complex some of the plots were set up, and also the dialogs used. I, m sure that at that age I only understood half of what was going on, but it was mainly the puppets, the models and those spectacular stunts that got me gripped. And rewatching them today they luckily still do. Back in those days programmes made for children were full of wit, fantasy, skill, enthusiasm, charm etc, unlike plastic TV nowadays.

[@chrisst8922]

@@ForARide You couldn't accuse him of just copying Thunderbirds.

[@code6tony]

Fireball XL5...an excellent show! (I wish I was a spaceman...)

[@gan9e]

I don't know if Thunderbirds did the same to you, but as a kid growing up in the early 1970s i would buy Airfix kits and then try to blow them up in the back-garden with fireworks much to the horror of my parents... all because of Thunderbirds

[@MikeS-um1nm]

There are 2 kinds of people in this world: Those who LOVED the Thunderbirds, and those useless BUMS with ZERO imagination or talent for making great things!!

[@theenglishman9596]

Well said Mike.

[@lifetimesofamultiplemediam1003]

You telling me that there were people who DIDN'T love Thunderbirds!!!!

[@WingcommanderIV]

“Sometimes we have up to 130 special effects in a film, and then we’re really in trouble.” Lol.

[@paulthompson3877]

im 50 now and this was the best tv show I watched as a child , I loved it

[@jefflock619]

Fireball XL5 was my other fav. Got the ship one Christmas.

[@climbingbow]

im 20 and still my favourite had all the VHS tapes and remember the comics with the toys too, fed even more into captain scarlett too

[@stevebennet6539]

I'm also 50 and this show is what made me want to become Aircrew. I loved it also (esp. Fireflash/Skythrust).

[@avengersseven7357]

I still love and watch it. I love the CGI version as well.

[@Beery1962]

I'm 56. The first of Gerry's shows I remember watching were Fireball XL-5 and Stingray, but I was too young to know what was going on. Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet were really what I grew up with. Then it was UFO and Space 1999 as I got into my tweens and teen years.

[@k43mc73]

xbox one will be shiting it self ohh no 24fps

[@lifetimesofamultiplemediam1003]

WOW! WOW! WOW!… my childhood Saturday morning in a nutshell!… Cannot thank Gerry and the team enough… That iconic music Lord Have Mercy!… I had all the Thunderbird models apart from Thunderbird 1, and 5. Brilliant memories…

[@stevedoubleu99B]

I can watch these now and get lost into it. Of course we all know it is not real, but due to the skill of the makers, not much imagination is required to make it real in our head. GREAT STUFF!!!!!!

[@BigEarRadio]

A good attempt to modernise the format with the new CGI series (2015) But the first episode was too rushed and too slick. Plus removing Jeff Tracey was a mistake only to replace him with a Grandma...And Brains - Indian... Why? Still loved it as I'm sure Gerry Anderson would have, but it lacked the original magic. Maybe that's because I remember it through a childs eyes as todays children will experience the new series...

[@Nyerguds]

The new series isn't CG, people... please do your research. Only the characters and some small moving parts are CG. the rest is all authentic large-scale miniatures.

[@moxie96]

When they reproduced this program for Fox kids in the Late 90's they had re recorded the voices with new actors getting rid of ALL the original British accents. This really enraged my sister and I just don't get why they did it but I guess America has that big of a disrespect for a foreign accent, if the programs actors accents sounds too strong it gets dubbed out or never seen here at all! And I tghink it's great to see some subjects uniquely british but US Tv execs fear the disconnection

[@redblade43]

moxie96 American people act and think like silly children and they have always been that way, it is part of their backward culture...

[@wolfmanjack3451]

Time for another live action THUNDERBIRDS movie..This time get it right.

[@Nyerguds]

Well, the remake series is getting a lot of things right. Gotta love Weta workshop's work on that.

[@dilyvintage]

It's really not easy to make a masterpiece tv series, thunderbirds is the complicated one

[@Rusty_Gold85]

When Orchestras play your theme music you know it was a hit !

[@ritzmat]

1965 master race 72fps

[@cessnaace]

I bought all of the DVD boxed sets for me, only to have my kids keep taking them to watch. LOL! STAY AWESOME! :)

[@duncanclarke7953]

The Cham cham

[@Carpenterdane]

62 years old & still love The Thunderbirds. Have Thunderbirds Are Go & Thunderbirds 6.

[@MikeyMUnited]

Looking forward to passing on my love of Thunderbirds to my daughter. New version next month, if she likes it then I'll get these on DVD. (Again) Shame Riker nearly killed the franchise with Spy Kids 3.

[@antoniogarcia8228]

Brings back good memories of my childhood.

[@typhova1926]

TIME FOR GUESS THE SUBREDDIT

[@stevebrown9050]

As a kid saw the studio where it was made slough trading estate thunderbirds was ahead of it's tilme dont forget supercar twizzle and torchy the battery boy

[@redblade43]

steve. You forgot to mention: Four Feather Falls, Fireball XL5 and Stingray.

[@chrisst8922]

@@redblade43 I think Four Feather Falls was made at Bray Studios not far away. I think they've just demolished the Stirling Road studios.

[@abacuschannel1]

Did the narrator just say "adult entertainment"? I don't think he meant what it sounded like.

[@Nyerguds]

It was a more innocent time, when "gay" meant "happy".

[@zapkvr]

Gerry ended up very bitter towards Sylvia. I still think that's a terrible shame. I also appreciate it had to be made with an murican accent but why no reference to Jodrel bank?

[@MLDarkSight7799]

I Remember this show very well this used to come on Channel 5 Up In New York back in the 60's like around 8;00 at night R.I.P. Gerry Anderson

[@crisp2882]

this is so fun and very interesting.Thank you for sharing this with us

[@MartysWhiteSuit]

Top man. It must be something very special to have in your personal history.

[@LineaDeus]

Oh yes, Jolly Good show.... ...How am I doing Penny? Oh erm, ...very good

[@CultureJudge]

Nevertheless, Thunderbirds needed good effects - and it had them.

[@8-bitsteve500]

Derek Meddings models and special effects are to this day still better than than CG which is soulless, empty and far far too clean.

[@MartysWhiteSuit]

That really is cool. Great to hear. Very special and accessible time in TV history.

[@stephenpochly7003]

Thanks Gerry and Sylvia for a lifetime of memories, the shows still knock spots off the competition. Many have tried to copy them but they never can compete with the masters.

[@avengersseven7357]

Which do you prefer? Classic Thunderbirds or the C.G.I. version. I love them both. The problem with the C.G.I version is that it is too short.

[@58biggles]

The original, l thought the CGI lacked drama, it was too flippant.

[@Nyerguds]

I don't know why people call it "the CGI version". All of the scenes and crafts in the remake series are real large-scale miniatures. Only the characters and some small moving parts are CG.

[@Tone720]

that is most odd as Thunderbirds featured American and British accents to appeal to the US market at the time.

[@123WelshDan321]

So THAT'S why Thunderbirds never seemed cinematic