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UFO (1970 - 1973)
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 1:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

IMDB has several interesting trivia items for this production, Very Happy
________________________________

~ In the UK, people drive on the left side of the road and steering wheels are on the right side of the vehicle. However, in UFO's version of 1980s Britain, both of these have been reversed. The show's creators were simply going along with what was being predicted at the time, which was that the UK would switch its driving system sometime in the near future. That change never happened.

Note from me: I wonder where the producers got the odd idea that in the future, England would do something as monumental as make the entire population learn to change their driving habits and buy new cars that had the steering wheels on the left? Confused

All the traffic signs on local roads around the country would have to be moved over to face oncoming traffic on the right instead of the left.

On divided highways, the exit ramps on the left side of the British northbound lanes would become the former entrance ramps when they were switched to the right, like our roads!

And all the highway signs would be on the wrong side — even the big ones suspended above the highway! They'd all have to be moved over to the right side, as shown below! Shocked



]


~ Gerry Anderson intended the second season of the series to focus on alien attempts to destroy the Moon. When "UFO" was cancelled, Anderson developed this idea into Space: 1999 (1975).

Note from me: My problem with the series is the way we rarely ever see the aliens, and we don't know much about them. If the aliens were plotting to destroy the Moon, I would think we'd learn more about them and get some close encounters.

~ The two SHADO cars seen in the series were made from Ford Zephyr IV chassis.

The gull wing doors on the futuristic cars did not actually work and were lifted by wire or by hand which is why the whole door is never seen when being raised or lowered






Note from me: The cars were pretty cool, I found out they were first created for Journey to the Far Side of the Sun, another Gerry Anderson production, as stated in the next item.

~ As the show was made just after Gerry Anderson's previous movie, Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969), many of the props, set pieces and even actors were used.

Both the cars — Straker's and Foster's — were from the movie, as were the six-wheeled trucks. Also recycled were the spacesuits. In fact, actors Ed Bishop (Straker), George Sewell (Freeman) and Keith Alexander (Ford) were all from Doppelgänger.


Note from me: It certainly makes sense to reuse well-designed and well-made props.

~ The Interceptors were never shown to possess any backup weaponry of any type. After they fired their one missile, hit or miss, they were useless for the rest of the battle.

Note from me: I wonder if the Interceptors were designed that way to make it easy to create the toys with a spring-loaded missile.






~ When Gerry Anderson came up with the concept of alien invaders for his new show he was initially stuck on coming up with an original reason for them to invade earth in secret.

It wasn't until he heard about the work of Dr. Christiaan Barnard and his pioneering first heart transplant operation that he thought that aliens coming to earth to steal human organs was a good plot for his series.


Note from me: It is indeed a good reason for creepy aliens to sneak around killing people and stealing their organs . . . but of course the aliens would need to be basically just humans from another planet if they can use human organs.

Actually, the series explains that the beings using the organs are humanoids which the non-humanoid aliens control telepathically. I think the series rarely showed the "real" aliens. But I could be wrong.

~ Female moon base personnel wore purple, pink and blue wigs because Gerry Anderson thought the colour looked the best under the set's lights.






Note from me: I think the colorful hair and the ladies' sexy outfits were plausible indications that this future age had its own fashions and culture.
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Pow
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fun Facts for UFO } UFO was the first live-action television series for the Andersons and was shot over an 18-month period utilizing the facilities at three different film studios.

Sounds like that would have been a difficult production for Gerry & Sylvia Anderson as well as the cast & crew.

Principal photography begin at the end of April 1969 on Stages #6 & #7 at the huge 114-acre MGM British Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.
Formally this was the Amalgamated Studios originally constructed in 1937.

Visual effects photography took place at the Century 21 Studios in Slough where the two puppet sound stages used in previous Anderson television productions were revamped into additional sound stages for UFO.

Neptune House at the ATV Elstree Studios in Borehamwood doubled as the main building for the fictional Harlington~Straker Film Studios.

Towards the end of 1969, MGM Studios was to be closed down which forced suspending the shooting of UFO after completion of episode 17 "Sub~Smash.

UFO set up production at the 92-acre Pinewood Studios in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire which was built in 1936. This was the same studio where principal photography for Anderson's "Doppleganger" aka "Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun" had been filmed.

On UFO, 1980 is when the nations of the world combined their space programs.

What a terrific idea if we could do that in real life. Imagine what all the nations invested in space exploration could accomplish if they put all their brains and resources together?

It was while filming episode #7 "The Dalotek Affair" that Apollo 11 landed on the Moon and Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the lunar surface.

"The Sound Of Silence" was the first episode to be shot at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire.

The episode "Mindbender" was filmed as a cost saving production. It is a fun episode to view in that it gives you a real tour of the Pinewood Studios.

During filming of "Mindbender," Michael Billington accidentally stepped on Ed Bishop's ankle and broke it.

Michael Billington was on the short list for being a candidate to take over the James Bond role in feature films.
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scotpens
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 4:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bud Brewster wrote:

Note from me: I wonder where the producers got the odd idea that in the future, England would do something as monumental as make the entire population learn to change their driving habits and buy new cars that had the steering wheels on the left? Confused

All the traffic signs on local roads around the country would have to be moved over to face oncoming traffic on the right instead of the left.

On divided highways, the exit ramps on the left side of the British northbound lanes would become the former entrance ramps when they were switched to the right, like our roads!

And all the highway signs would be on the wrong side — even the big ones suspended above the highway! They'd all have to be moved over to the right side, as shown below! Shocked

That's exactly what Sweden did in 1967. The changeover from driving on the left side to the right side was well-planned and organized, and went off surprisingly well.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Well hush my mouth! Thanks, Scotty! Very Happy

This poor old Georgia boy had no idea that those Swedish fellers did all that when I was just going into the Air Force in 1967!

And they planned it out so well they didn't turn a bunch of their drivers into Swedish meatballs by causing head-on collisions! Shocked

I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't know this, because while spending four years in the Air Force, I was stationed in West Germany from 1969 to 1971. My family fly over to Europe to spend a few weeks with me so we could tour Europe in a rented car.

I was privileged to travel from Ramstein to Rome, crossing the Alps by train to met my family in Italy, and I rode in complete comfort while admiring the view for a 25 breathtaking hours. Smile

After our rendezvous in Rome, my family hopped into a small rented Italian car and started our adventure from the middle of Rome. Dad drove us through the streets of Rome like a true hot-blooded Italian — even when we circumnavigated one of those wild circular intersections, something which would have broken the spirit of an average man! Shocked

Dad was no genius, but he was a thoughtful man who made careful plans.



___________


Over a two week period, we traveled across Italy and through the counties of Liechtenstein and Austria, finally arriving back in Germany to drop me off at the Air Force base . . . a world-weary traveler who had to say good-bye to his family for another year until my honorable discharge in 1971. Sad

I have vivid memories of that trip, and they pop up in my mind like screen shots from a program about the wonders of Europe on the Discovery Channel. Very Happy

I should probably mention that prior to that, in 1965, we vacationed in Jamaica, and we rented a car there, too.

Jamaicans still drive on the left, and my father managed not to kill us all while touring that tropical island on narrow paved roads . . . and on even narrower dirt ones! Shocked

So, after eighteen years of living with a family whose patriarch was a senior mechanic for Delta Air Lines for thirty-five years (who received free airline passes) —






— after he'd served on an air craft carrier in WWII — followed by my own time in the Air Force for four years (stationed in South Korea and West German), and then working for Eastern Air Lines for sixteen years (with more free passes). Very Happy

So, a large portion of my life has been spent hopin' around the world!

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Pow
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

More UFO Fun Facts } Gerry & Sylvia Anderson had watched the American sf television series "The Invaders" which debuted on the ABC network on January 10, 1967.

"The Invaders" ran for two seasons compiling a total of 43 one-hour episodes.

This lead to their casting "The Invaders" lead Roy Thinnes in their sf film "Doppelganger" aka "Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun."

The Andersons were aware that their version of an alien invasion TV show would have to differ significantly to the American show.

Initially the covert Earth organization was to be called UFoeDO ( Unidentified Foe Defense Organization).

I'm glad they rethought that silly title.

The idea of setting S.H.A.D.O. secretly beneath a film studio was a cost saving measure so the production company would not have to go out on location shoots.
The actors could be seen on the actual studio lot without having to leave the area.

I can appreciate that this was to save the show money. However, I still maintain placing a highly important government facility within a active film studio could have disastrous repercussions from security issues to endangerment of the studio staff who are unaware of S.H.A.D.O.

I confess though that it was fun to get a nice tour of the studio lot on some of the episodes.
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Krel
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pow wrote:
I can appreciate that this was to save the show money. However, I still maintain placing a highly important government facility within a active film studio could have disastrous repercussions from security issues to endangerment of the studio staff who are unaware of S.H.A.D.O.

I confess though that it was fun to get a nice tour of the studio lot on some of the episodes.

You have to remember that, at the time movie studios were huge complexes of soundstages, buildings, warehouses, storage, backlots and such covering acres of real estate. MGM, USA even underground tunnels for utilities, probably other Studios too. This is before studios were forced to downsize due to taxes. It would be quite easy to segregate sections of the studio from non SHADO personnel. In an isolated section(s), there could be sealed warehouses with the SHADO vehicles and gear.

I actually found the underground SHADO building to be undersized for the mission. It should have been much larger to house the labs, medical facilities, workshops and other things I can't think of.

They never stated how much of the studio staff were, or were not part of SHADO. Maybe, being a covert military base, all the employees were SHADO personnel. With their budget, that is how I'd do it. That would give you a large variety of technical skills when needed.

David.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Hey, may S.H.A.D.O. financed they're operations by having the studio produce a British TV show that used real spaceships, real personnel, and real aliens! Shocked

None of it was special effects — they just shot footage of the things which happened and cut it together into episodes of the series! Laughing

Gosh, just think of the irony! Wink

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Krel
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 11:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think it was in one of the "UFO" books, where Straker's secretary mentioned that Straker was livid because one of the studio's movies made a profit. He was now going to have to explain to the S.H.A.D.O. appropriations Committee how such a thing could happen Laughing

David.
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Pow
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Trivia } UFO takes place in approximately the year 1985.

The series was filmed from 1970 to 1971.

The aliens technology is 500 to 1,000 years ahead of Earth.

The alien civilization has created a drug which arrests the aging process. Unfortunately it has the side effect of making the aliens sterile.

Organs still need to be replaced due to accidents and other issues but with no new life on the alien world being produced and few deaths due to the races's longevity the aliens are in desperate need for organ replacements.

The critical need for new organs has driven the aliens to come to Earth for replacement organs in order to ensure the aliens survival.

The idea of aliens in search of organs for themselves was inspired by Gerry Anderson's fascination with the news reports of Dr.Christiaan Barnard's work on the world's very first heart transplants.

Aliens piloting their spacecraft require intensive training because of journeying in a vessel traveling at faster-than-light speed.


In order to achieve this the aliens must breathe a specialized liquid that fills their space helmets.

Breathing such a liquid causes them to move slowly while on the Earth during their organ harvesting missions.
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 14, 2020 10:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting points, Krel, regarding the utilization of a movie studio as a covert base of operations by SHADO.

I still feel that it is a concept that is wrought with safety and security issues.

The show never indicated that all of the studio staff were aware of SHADO headquarters laying beneath their feet.

That opens up the potential that any one of them could accidentally stumble upon some secret.

If the studio is located in a city then there could be collateral death and damage due to an alien attack upon the studio.

Media and journalist are generally all over a film studio and that opens up the possibility that they could uncover secrets.

I believe that the idea of having SHADO operating out of a film studio was not just because the TV production could use the actual studio locations during filming and thus save costs as Gerry Anderson has said.

I think it was one of those concepts that sounded cool back in that era.

U.N.C.L.E. hq was entered via a tailor shop dressing room wall. Britt Reid stored the Black Beauty under his revolving garage floor and D.A.Scanlon would meet with Britt & Kato via a secret fireplace entrance.

Bruce Wayne & Dick Grayson had the Bat cave beneath staely Wayne Manor and would gain access to it from sliding bookcase where fireman poles were behind it.

So I think this was a fun and entertaining idea that many TV shows used. Popular & cool.

If there was ever to be a reboot of UFO, which I'd love to see happen, I would prefer that the movie studio/SHADO base idea be dropped.

I also would love to see them also end the idea of this war with the aliens being a secret from the world at large.

I realize such a premise was ripe with story possibilities back when the series first aired in 1970~'71.

National Security is the term trotted out the minute any government wants to conceal things from its public.

Sure, sometimes it is required but often as we are learning throughout history it is employed for evil and corrupt purposes.

I would love to see that the majority of governments would acknowledge to the world that we are indeed under attack from an unknown invader from the far reaches of outer space.

We need your help and we are all in this together.

There would be countries and individuals who would not go along with this reality.

That would be not only realistic but it would offer up story plots.

It would be so darn refreshing to see governments that would be transparent to the populace of Earth regarding the aliens.
No secrets, no attitude of the governments & military feeling superior and keeping its citizens in the dark.

It would be a UFO TV show reboot where the whole world knows about the alien invaders and want to help.

What a nice change of pace that would be.
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Krel
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 3:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pow wrote:
The show never indicated that all of the studio staff were aware of SHADO headquarters laying beneath their feet.

That opens up the potential that any one of them could accidentally stumble upon some secret.

If the studio is located in a city then there could be collateral death and damage due to an alien attack upon the studio.
film studio was not just because the TV production could use the actual studio locations during filming and thus save costs as Gerry Anderson has said.

The episode that introduced Paul Foster showed that at least some S.H.A.D.O. personnel work at the studio. You didn't know how many worked for S.H.A.D.O., because it wasn't necessary. If it was needed for a story, then I'm sure it would have been mentioned.

If any non S.H.A.D.O. personnel were to stumble onto the secret, well there was a remedy for that. The S.H.A.D.O. amnesia drug.

When they show people going to or from the studio, they appear to travel a ways in the country. Also the Aliens seem to be adverse to outright large scale destruction for some reason.

Maybe lack of resources? They planted an earthquake bomb, lost the detonator, then waited for decades without using another.

David.
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 16, 2020 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

More UFO Trivia } The Amnesia Watch was a device that individuals visiting SHADO were asked to wear.

It administered a drug that would cause visitors to SHADO headquarters to forget the location of the secret base.

The watch was originally designed in the feature film "Doppelganger" as a Cardiac Detection medical device, but was never used in either the movie or on the television series.

The Moonmobiles at the SHADO Moon base were originally called Moonhoppers. They were a redesign of a craft seen on the Anderson sf TV series "Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons."

The Control Sphere set on the Moon Base was constructed as a circular set. Circular sets are more costly to build than straight walls, which are cheaper.

In order to offset the expense of the Control Sphere set, one sliding door was built which had to be reused all over the Moon Base as different doors.

The Sky One cockpit set was mounted on a device that would tilt it backwards for the launch sequences.

It also could allow Sky One to be angled to the left or right in order to appear as if the craft was banking.

The SHADO spacesuits were revamped from the "Doppelganger" film.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 16, 2020 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

As usual, a great post, Mike! You are a treasure drove of knowledge! Very Happy

I can't help wishing you had the "jpeg bug" like which some of us do — such as me, Gord Green, Phantom, and the late Bogmesiter! Your wonderful descriptions of sets and props are terrific, but a few pictures thrown in would really jazz up your presentations!

Just a thought, Mike. Wink

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Krel
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 16, 2020 10:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pow wrote:
More UFO Trivia } The Amnesia Watch was a device that individuals visiting SHADO were asked to wear.

It administered a drug that would cause visitors to SHADO headquarters to forget the location of the secret base.

The watch was originally designed in the feature film "Doppelganger" as a Cardiac Detection medical device, but was never used in either the movie or on the television series."Doppelganger" film.


The watch was used in at least two scenes in "Doppelganger". The first in the beginning, when Herbert Lom is shot and you see the watch pulsing as his life ebbed away. A great scene. And a second time, where the character Jason Webb has to take a pill because his watch went off.

The only way they could make "UFO" was because of all of the costumes and props from the movie. The pistols, the jeeps, the cars, some set pieces and decor. They had to make extras, but the big cost was done.

I noticed that with the space suits, they did nice thing. When they were on the moon or in space, they put padding in the suit to make them puff out. A nice touch, but it must have made the suits more uncomfortable for the actors.

Watching the actors handle the rocket launcher, it must have been one heavy prop. Maybe they made it out of steel pipe? Laughing

David.
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johnnybear
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 7:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In some of the later episodes the writers turned the idea of the aliens coming to earth to save their dying race on it's head and theorised that the true form of their enemy might be energy rather than corporeal life as they knew it! This was due to a crashed UFO and the bodies within being more human than alien, and later on we discover a cat supplanted with alien intelligence like one of the pilots, Regan, who has also taken on a catlike viciousness and is under mind control to destroy Moonbase! Strangely enough he is unable to shoot down the UFO carrying the body of his wife back to the alien planet and certain death at the hands of the sinister beings!
JB
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