Gerry Anderson has passed away

[lennier1]

http://www.jamieanderson.me.uk/gerry-anderson-has-died/

26th December 2012

Gerry Anderson, known the world over as the film and television producer of Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Space:1999 amongst many others, has died at the age of 83.

On hearing the news the chairman of Fanderson Nick Williams paid tribute to him:

“To those who met him Gerry was a quiet, unassuming but determined man. His desire to make the best films he could drove him and his talented teams to innovate, take risks, and do everything necessary to produce quite inspirational works. Gerry’s legacy is that he inspired so many people and continues to bring so much joy to so many millions of people around the world.”

Anderson’s unique style of filmmaking influenced the imaginations and careers of countless creatives that succeeded him, and his productions continue to be shown around the world to new generations of fans.

Gerry was diagnosed with mixed dementia two years ago and his condition worsened quite dramatically over the past six months. Having already decided with his family on a care home for himself earlier this year, he moved in there in October.

Until very recently Anderson remained interested and involved in the film industry, keen to re-visit some of his earlier successes using the latest technology available. His last producer credit came in 2005 on New Captain Scarlet, a CGI-animated re-imagining of his 1967 Supermarionation series, which premiered on ITV in the UK. Most recently he worked as a consultant on a Hollywood remake of his 1969 series UFO, directed by Matthew Gratzner.

He also worked as a celebrity ambassador for The Alzheimer’s Society, helping to raise awareness of the disease and much-needed funds for the society.

Gerry leaves three children from former marriages, Joy, Linda and Gerry Junior, his son Jamie and widow Mary.
Fanderson will pay a full tribute to Gerry Anderson in FAB 74, due in March 2013.

Donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Society in his memory.

It's a sad day when the world loses such an inspiring visionary.
May he rest in peace!

 

[Captain Dago]

Very sad news. Captain Scarlet and Thunderbirds were a huge part of my childhood.

 

[Relayer1]

There goes another piece of my childhood.

Very sad - RIP Gerry.

And thank you...

 

[DWF]

He was a true giant in the world of science fiction, I loved Space:1999.

 

[DalekJim]

A true visionary and hero of mine. Sad news.

 

[Cutter John]

I just saw this on a BBC news site. What a loss for us older fans who remember his shows.

 

[The Wormhole]

Damn. Although I'm too young to have been around when his shows first aired, reruns of Thunderbirds were on TV during my childhood years. In fact, the early 90s there was something of a Thunderbirds revival with episodes released on VHS and new toys released (die-cast metal "dinkies" of the Thunderbirds and action figures of the characters). I seem to remember his other shows being showsn in early 90s as well, like Captain Scarlet and Stingray, though those didn't catch on as much as Thunderbirds.

RIP.

 

[Saga]

i grew up watching reruns of Stingray, Captain Scarlet and Space: 1999 on the Sci Fi ch. RIP.

 

[SeerSGB]

RIP Gerry. Sci-Fi has lost another great.

 

[cylkoth]

Sad news indeed. RIP Gerry.

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

Shame to hear that. Time to unseal my complete box set of Space 1999 in memorial.

 

[Flibble]

RIP. I have some great childhood memories because of the characters that he gave us.

 

[Starkers]

Such a shame, and a great pity his final years were blighted by dementia he managed to help front the Memory Walks run by the Alzheimer's Society over the summer, so he was doing things almost to the end.

Saw him at an event at the National space Centre in Leicester a couple of years ago, he seemed somewhat confused but this made more sense when his condition was revealed a few months later.

 

[Australis]

I was never one much for Thunderbirds (simply didn't show where I lived) and Space: 1999 (wonky science), but...

Growing up in country NSW, miles from anywhere, a whole world opened up with Supercar, Stingray, Fireball XL5, Captain Scarlet, Joe 90, the Secret Service, and a little later UFO. To say he was a huge influence on my imagination is a wild understatement. To say that I looked forward to what was coming next from him, the same. I had a Stingray annual in the mid 60s that I read and reread until it literally fell to bits.

To say that I am sad today is well short of the mark.

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

Such sad news. I don't think there are any sci-fi fans (certainly not in Britain) who weren't aware of Mr Anderson and the shows his team created. Colourful, innovative and visually impressive, pioneering in terms of effects and filming techniques - but in addition to all the impressive hardware and action adventure, the puppet shows were often whimsical, silly and delightfully bonkers, which gave them appeal across all age groups. Also produced two of the greatest adult sci-fi shows ever (certainly in my all-time top 5): "UFO" and "Space: 1999".

It is an impressive body of work that will stand as his lasting monument. I think it's fair to say that he was the most famous tv producer ever, in terms of being identified with his work. There are plenty of producers known for one or two great hits, but Gerry is unique in that his entire output is synonymous with his name. The "Gerry Anderson production" seems like a genre of its own. And that's a fantastic legacy.

RIP Gerry.

 

[Lieut. Arex]

Sadnews recently Ive been rewatching and enjoyingFO

 

[Galileo7]

Sad news, Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds, UFO and especially Space:1999 were a huge part of my childhood. He will be missed, but never forgotten.

 

[Dac]

Damn. This has really hit me the more I look back on his shows. I grew up in the early/mid 90s watching reruns and playing with the toys of everything I could get my hands on - Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Stingray mainly. Almost everything he was involved with had a quality to it to some degree. Yes, even Space Precinct and New Captain Scarlet had their moments.

It's terribly sad to live in a world where we'll no longer look forward to a new Gerry Anderson project

 

[Saul]

He knew how to make very entertaining shows. It's a shame he didn't get to make he proposed new Thunderbird series he had been mentioning for years, I guess his condition put a stop to him working on it.

 

[Marc]

Read at one point he was trying to bring Thunderbirds back to tv via cgi as was done a few years back with Captain Scarlet but I guess that will never happen.

Never into real saw any of his early shows but watched thunderbirds and can remember space:1999 on it's first run on Australian tv.

Might have even scene them before seeing Star Trek .

Was 14 at the time but was miffed at Terrahawks being pre-empted after the loss of the Challenger (my first encounter with media regurgitation in story coverage).