Thunderbirds Thunderbirds is a 60’s Children’s TV puppet show that would become a Phenomena. The show has refused to die, as each generation of children get to see the show, they fall in love with it and Thunderbirds fever starts all over again. On numerous Christmas's the number one toy has been 'Tracy Island', the HQ of International Rescue.   This was a children's show that was on for a staggering 60 minutes, with fantastic looking models and quirky looking puppets (but don't mention the visible strings). The kids loved it and so did the adults, it was a family show. Added to this, the production values and great camera angles, you couldn't ask for more.   One thing we do know is that Gerry Anderson was never really excited about Thunderbird 3, which is why it wasn't used too often. Also he hated John Tracy as a character, so was happy to stick him out of the way (in space) on Thunderbird 5, but he wasn't very happy with the design of the Space Station either.   Thunderbirds has spawned a number of movies over the years. Thunderbirds Are Go and Thunderbird 6 again used the puppets, but the third Thunderbirds movie was a live action one, which was directed by Jonathon Frakes (Commander William Riker from Star Trek the Next Generation). Also we should forget that the Japanese created a Thunderbirds cartoon called Thunderbirds 2086.     Story   The world didn't know it, but they were about to find out that there was a new global rescue service called International Rescue. There was no publicity, no interviews, nothing. Instead they just appeared one day to help rescue the Fireflash aircraft, which had a bomb on board. Their technology outstrips anything that has been seen before and they use craft called Thunderbirds. These are mostly rocket ships, but one of the Thunderbirds is a Space Station orbiting the Earth.   The governments of the world don't know anything about them. International Rescue ask for assurances that they aren't tracked and the organisation is kept secret. But a mysterious character called 'The Hood' knows about International Rescue. He knew they were about to make an appearance on the international stage and he wanted to steal their secrets. The secret base of International Rescue resides on a tropical island in the middle of an ocean, called Tracy Island. This island is owned by the Tracy Family, but even if you visited the Island you would never know it was their base. This is because all of the Thunderbird Rockets are hidden from view in underground caverns. Each of the Thunderbirds is piloted by one of the Tracy brothers. Whenever they contact their father on Tracy Island, then the eyes of their portrait of light up showing who is calling in. This portrait then turns into a TV screen allowing them to talk and see each other.   They inform their father of the emergency and he then decides which Thunderbird will get the rescue call. Once informed the pilot goes through a hidden door and takes a fantastic route to get to their craft. The palm trees part, or the swimming pool moves and Tracy Island reveals that it has been hiding a Thunderbird craft, before it blasts off to tackle the current emergency.   The Thunderbird craft were designed and built by Brains and he used Sir Jeremy Hodge to help him get certain components of the Thunderbirds craft manufactured secretly in Europe. Thunderbirds Characters       Jeff Tracy    (voiced by Peter Dyneley) He is the head of International Rescue and the father of the Tracy boys. He was an astronaut for the USA and was one of the first men to land on the moon. When International Rescue is on a mission, then he is normally found co-ordinating the whole operation from Tracy Island. He has quite a domineering personality and is always bossing around his sons, even when they aren't on a mission.   He likes saying 'Thunderbirds are go' and is the only person who calls Lady Penelope by a shortened name - 'Penny'.     Scott Tracy    (voiced by Shane Rimmer) He is the Tracy brother that pilots Thunderbird 1. This is the flagship of the International Rescue organisation and is used for rapid responses. When piloting the craft, the control area inside can rotate in line with the rocket (such as when Thunderbird 1 is horizontal). It can travel at speeds in excess of 15 thousand miles per hour. He is the most senior in command of the Tracy Brothers. When dealing with a situation, he come straight to the point and doesn't suffer fools gladly.   He is a natural leader and thinks fast when under pressure and gives ultimatums when necessary. He is the on the scene co-ordinator and can send an airborne remote control camera to get a closer look in the danger zones.     Virgil Tracy     (voiced by David Holliday / Jeremy Wilkin) He is the Tracy brother that pilots Thunderbird 2. This a cargo carrying craft and it can carry a different containers each mission. The container (pod) fits into a hole in the middle of the craft to make it complete (we were always trying to guess which numbered pod they would use this time). Compared to Scott, he is calm and softly spoken. He is the king of controlling remote control vehicles. He normally drives one of the vehicles, while controlling the others. Who said that men can only do one thing at a time?   Poor Virgil was on the receiving end from an experimental warship when Thunderbird 2 strayed into its path. The warship fired its missiles at it when it had no positive ID of it. They damaged the back end of the craft and he blacked out, luckily he regained consciousness and regained control of a heavily damaged Thunderbird 2. He also gets to drive most of the vehicles contained in the pods. To relax, he like to play the piano.     Alan Tracy     (voiced by Matt Zimmerman) He is the Astronaut that pilots Thunderbird 3, which is a giant space rocket (200 feet tall). It is used for space rescues and for transportation to and from Thunderbird 5. Alan is going out with Tin Tin (she's his girlfriend) and he is one of the youngest Tracy brothers.     Gordon Tracy     (voiced by David Graham) He is the Aquanaut that pilots Thunderbird 4, which is a underwater and sea surface craft (mini submarine). Most of the time it is transported to its destination by Thunderbird 2. This small craft is one of the fastest vehicles on or under the sea and is used for underwater rescues.     John Tracy     (voiced by Ray Barrett) John seems to have chosen a lonely existence on the Space Station called Thunderbird 5. Even though he is on his own most of the time, there is a massive International Rescue sign on the inside of it, wonder who's benefit that's for? But this Space Station has a very important job of monitoring all frequencies on the planet for people who are in need of aid from International Rescue. This is the centre of the organisation's communication network.     Brains     (voiced by David Graham) Brains is the person that designed and built the Thunderbirds and the gadgets that go with them. He even goes on missions with the others when his expertise is required. He wears massive glasses, but no one seems to mention it (maybe he's sensitive about them?). He also he has a stammer.   He also has a great video watch that allows him to speak to the other members of International Rescue when he's out on a mission. Trouble is most people think he's just a nut speaking into his watch!     Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward     (voiced by Sylvia Anderson) She is one of International Rescue's Secret Agents. She lives in England in a massive mansion, so she has money. She is softly spoken (she speaks posh)  and looks like she couldn't harm a fly, but this is a front and in fact she can be extremely cold and calculated when required. She is a very fashionable person and always looks good. She owns the biggest fashion accessory, a Pink Rolls Royce. This car was specially made and has 6 wheels and a host of hidden gadgets, such as machine guns, plus its bullet proof.   Her communicator at her mansion is in the teapot lid.     Parker     (voiced by David Graham) He is the butler of Lady Penelope and knows that she is a Secret Agent for International Rescue. He helps her out with her missions and chauffeur drives her around in the Pink Rolls Royce. Parker tries to put on a posh accent, but doesn't quite make it.     Kyrano     (voiced by David Graham) Kyrano is the Manservant of the Tracy's and lives on Tracy Island. He is also the brother of International Rescue's nemesis, The Hood. The Hood tries to enforce his will on Kyrano via a telepathic link, which has Kyrano rolling around in agony. You would have thought he would have informed the Tracy family of this, but we can only assume he does not remember what has been done to him.      Tin Tin Kyrano    (voiced by Christine Finn) She is Kyrano's daughter and has been educated in the finest American Universities and she has travelled around Europe. Mainly she stays on Tracy Island and keeps Jeff company and carries out some secretarial duties. Tin Tin is classed as a member of the family and is currently the girlfriend of Alan Tracy.   We would class her as a fashion victim, as she really tries to make a fashion statement, but don't always pull it off, such as the strange scuba diving outfit she wears.     The Hood     (voiced by Ray Barrett) The Hood is a mysterious man, who lives in a temple in a Malaysian jungle. He is always after the secrets of International Rescue to make him a wealthy man. To accomplish this he tries to lure International Rescue to pending disasters, such as a bomb on the nuclear powered Fireflash passenger aircraft. When a Thunderbird lands, then he is waiting to sneak aboard and take photographs of the equipment. Luckily the craft are fitted with surveillance detectors, which alert the pilots to this threat and in the process, destroy the photos.   Kyrano is his brother and he uses mind control to take over him and do his evil bidding, to help him find the base of International Rescue. You see, he has powers that we do not fully understand and you can tell when he is using them as his eyes glow yellow. Luckily Kyrano eventually broke the control over him, but he can also use mind control on whoever else he meets! Always be on the lookout for The Hood. You might not recognise him as he is a master of disguise. He uses realistic rubber masks to hide his identity.     Grandma    (voiced by Christine Finn) She is the mother of Jeff Tracey and she likes to look after the boys. Once she baked an apple pie and accidentally put her edible transmitter in it. Unluckily it was Jeff Tracey that ate it! Thunderbirds T-Shirts T-Shirts (Europe) - NONE T-Shirts (USA) - NONE Thunderbirds DVDs Region 2 (Europe) - Thunderbirds DVDs Region 1 (USA) - Thunderbirds DVDs Thunderbirds Video Thunderbirds Episodes Series 1 (1965)  1. Trapped In The Sky  2. Pit Of Peril  3. City Of Fire  4. Sun Probe  5. The Uninvited  6. The Mighty Atom  7. Vault Of Death  8. Operation Crash-Dive  9. Move - And You're Dead  10. Martian Invasion  11. Brink Of Disaster  12. The Perils Of Penelope  13. Terror In New York City  14. End Of The Road  15. Day Of Disaster  16. Edge Of Impact  17. Desperate Intruder  18. 30 Minutes After Noon  19. The Impostors  20. The Man From MI5  21. Cry Wolf  22. Danger At Ocean Deep  23. The Duchess Assignment  24. Attack Of The Alligators!  25. The Cham-Cham  26. Security Hazard   Series 2 (1966)   1. Atlantic Inferno  2. Path Of Destruction  3. Alias Mr. Hackenbacker  4. Lord Parker's 'Oliday  5. Ricochet  6. Give Or Take A Million   Films   1. Thunderbirds are GO (1966)  2. Thunderbird 6 (1968)  3. Thunderbirds (2004) (Live Action) Thunderbirds Images (click to enlarge) Thunderbirds Blu-Rays Region B (Europe) - Thunderbirds (6 Discs) Region A (USA) - NONE © JedisParadise.com Toys & Gifts T-Shirts Bargain DVDs