Thunderbirds (1965): The Kids' Show Its Own Boss Called a Feature Film
The Movie Codex
5,942 views
Thunderbirds premiered in 1965 and everyone remembers it as a children's puppet show. Its own financier watched the first episode and called it a feature film — then doubled the runtime
and paid for it like one.
This is the story of how Thunderbirds actually got made. The real mining disaster behind International Rescue. The wartime letters that gave the show its name. How Super mario nation actually worked, and why the puppets' heads were the wrong size. The two true stories hiding inside Parker. Why Lew Grade stopped the show at the height of its success. And the co-creator whose name slipped out of the story for sixty years.
SOURCES
Century 21 archive research on the production of "Trapped in theSky" · Gerry Anderson interviews, incl. BBC · Sylvia Anderson, on the team's ambition to move beyond children's puppet programmes · Dee Anderson, BBC (2025) · BAFTA, 2025 · Christine Glanville, lead puppeteer · David Graham on the origins of Parker's voice
CORRECTIONS
Tell us in the comments if we get something wrong and we'll pin the correction.
If you want more of the real history hiding inside the shows you grew up with, subscribe — it's what this channel does. #Thunderbirds #GerryAnderson #ClassicTV #Supermarionation #SylviaAnderson #1960sTV #BritishTV #RetroTV #TVHistory #LadyPenelope #Nostalgia #InternationalRescue
20 Comments
As kids, we were mesmerised with the futuristic action.
But...our parents were too!
Not just the action, but the details and how realistic it seemed.
Watching as an adult is just as enthralling as it was to an 11 year old boy.
Genius production!!
Couldn't remotely re create this today, and have it be so interesting.
F A B, Thunderbirds!!!
But I will never call this. Gerry Anderson show again without the inclusion of Sylvia. Total respect for Lady Penelope and the woman who really pulled the strings.
Thunderbirds (1965): The Kids' Show Its Own Boss Called a Feature Film
The Movie Codex
5,942 views
Thunderbirds premiered in 1965 and everyone remembers it as a children's puppet show. Its own financier watched the first episode and called it a feature film — then doubled the runtime
and paid for it like one.
This is the story of how Thunderbirds actually got made. The real mining disaster behind International Rescue. The wartime letters that gave the show its name. How Super mario nation actually worked, and why the puppets' heads were the wrong size. The two true stories hiding inside Parker. Why Lew Grade stopped the show at the height of its success. And the co-creator whose name slipped out of the story for sixty years.
SOURCES
Century 21 archive research on the production of "Trapped in theSky" · Gerry Anderson interviews, incl. BBC · Sylvia Anderson, on the team's ambition to move beyond children's puppet programmes · Dee Anderson, BBC (2025) · BAFTA, 2025 · Christine Glanville, lead puppeteer · David Graham on the origins of Parker's voice
CORRECTIONS
Tell us in the comments if we get something wrong and we'll pin the correction.
If you want more of the real history hiding inside the shows you grew up with, subscribe — it's what this channel does. #Thunderbirds #GerryAnderson #ClassicTV #Supermarionation #SylviaAnderson #1960sTV #BritishTV #RetroTV #TVHistory #LadyPenelope #Nostalgia #InternationalRescue