TV21 - Fanderson Convention

Parker - made by John Blundall

–Adventure in the 21st Century and the celebration of ‘Thunderbirds’ created 45 years ago.

Some fifty years after the numerous film and television programmes featuring puppets created by puppeteers in the Anderson Studios they still attract people from many parts of the world, with an ever growing younger audience and collectors.

On 22 -24 October 2010 ‘Fanderson’ staged its first major convention for four years. TV21: ‘Adventure in the 21st Century’ was held at the Ramada Bristol City Hotel and featured a number of special guests There were also screenings of favourite episodes from ‘Torchy’, ‘Twizzle’, ‘Four Feather Falls’, and rare material on the big screen. There were workshops to develop interest in the Anderson productions beyond reading FAB magazine and watching DVDs, and an exhibition of an extraordinary number of highly detailed model space crafts, and original art works for ‘Century 21’ comics. There were debates, screen writing sessions, book signings, autograph sessions, and interviews with the special guests. A number of stands selling a wide range of rare items related to the different programmes were a paradise for collectors. There was also a concert of the wonderful music composed for the many series by the late Barry Grey. The exhibition showed his original scores.

The members of the organisation management team is to be congratulated for its faultless Convention. Nearly three hundred fans, film makers and directors came from Canada, America, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and other parts of the world.
All of the various Anderson series were unique for the use of special marionettes created to portray a vast number of human and fantasy creatures. Many people do not realise the number of well known puppeteers and members of the various puppetry organisations were involved in creating and manipulating the puppets. It should also be understood that the early developments of the technical ideas were the forerunners of ‘animatronics’, and a number of other film and television techniques. Some of the model vehicles’, rockets and other devices inspired a number of space scientists to develop their inventions.

‘Parker’ from ‘Thunderbirds’ that I created is now a ‘superstar’ in Japan, one of the few puppet superstars created by television.
Many of the earlier members of the creative team are no longer with us. As one of the special guests I was invited to undertake two master classes on the subject of ‘bringing marionettes to life’.
Other guests included Mike Trim, the talented designer and illustrator of vehicles and spacecraft; I was delighted to work alongside four of the legendary actors who voiced the puppets. David Graham who created the voice of ‘Parker’ and a very wide range of otter leading puppet characters, Shayn Rimmer, Mat Zimmerman and Gary Files, all of them the finest actors in film, television, dramatic theatre, opera and musical theatre, in UK and America, many of them ‘blockbuster Broadway and UK musicals. Anderson was also there with us, but is now very frail.

Some of the leading puppeteers who worked on the programmes include: Christine Glanville, Mary Turner, Edie Hunter, Buster and Madge Staverdale, Judith Shutt, Wolfgang Manthey who trained and performed with Harro Seigel’s Marionetten Company and in the early series puppeteers from John Wright’s company operated puppets. I joined the company for ‘Supercar’, ‘Fireball XL5’, ‘Stingray’ and ‘Thunderbirds’ as head of the puppet workshop.

The exhibition showed some very good copies of puppet characters and space craft’s from the series, mostly made by fans of the programmes from many parts of the world. ‘Robert the Robot’ that I created for ‘Fireball XL5’ is now a popular character being copied.

Peter Jackson, Director of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films is a collector and has recently bought one of my original ‘Parker’s’ from, Thunderbirds’ for a figure that went way beyond the record figure of the last one that sold for £38.000 some years ago. He also has ‘Kyrano’, another popular character that I created.

Over £2,000 was raised in the auction for the ‘Wallace and Grommit Charity’.

Ian Stewart and Glo Thorogood, members of the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild also attended the Convention with some of their marionettes.
A great weekend obviously enjoyed by all.

A report by John M Blundall
October 2010