Supercar (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Supercar was a children's TV show produced by Gerry Anderson
and Arthur Provis's AP Films
for ATV
and ITC Entertainment
. 39 episodes were produced between 1961 and 1962, and it was Anderson's first half-hour series. In the UK it was seen on ITV
and in the US in syndication (the first Anderson series to be shown overseas). The format uses puppets in a technique called supermarionation
, a name that was first seen in the closing titles of the last 13 episodes.
The plot of the show concerned Supercar, a vertical takeoff and landing craft invented by Rudolph Popkiss and Horatio Beaker, and piloted by Mike Mercury. On land it rode on a cushion of air rather than wheels. Jets in the rear allowed it to fly like a jet and retractable wings were incorporated in the back of car. Retrorocket
s on the side of the car slowed the vehicle. The car used "Clear-Vu" which had an inside television monitor that allowed the occupant to see through fog and smoke. The vehicle was housed in a laboratory and living facility at Black Rock, Nevada, U.S.A. In the show's first episode, "Rescue", the Supercar crew's first mission is to save the passengers of a downed private plane. Two of the rescued, young Jimmy Gibson and his pet monkey, Mitch, are invited to stay and live at the facility and share in the adventures.
The series inaugurated what would become an Anderson trademark
, the launch sequence. Every one of his series up until Space: 1999
would include these – in Supercar's case, the charging of port and starboard engines, the activation of an interlock, the opening of (overhead) hangar doors, and finally the vertical take-off.
failed to renew Four Feather Falls
, Anderson approached Lew Grade
of ATV. Grade asked Anderson to reduce the budget by half. After working through the night, Anderson returned the next morning, with the budget reduced only by a third. Grade commissioned the series immediately.
The music for the series was composed and conducted by Barry Gray
. The opening and closing theme song vocalist for the first season is Mike Sammes
, for the second season Sammes's vocal group The Mike Sammes Singers re-recorded the theme.
There were two working models of Supercar, the larger hero model was made of light-weight wood and Plexiglass (Perspex) and measured about five feet in length. The smaller model, used in distance shots, was about nine inches in length. The vehicle was designed by art director Reg Hill.
As photography on the series was getting underway, creator Gerry Anderson wed production assistant and voice actor Sylvia Thamm. After a brief mid-day ceremony the couple returned to the studio to help complete the opening title sequence.
Many of the first 26 scripts for Supercar were written by brothers Hugh and Martin Woodhouse
, at the rate of one complete 'shooting (camera-ready) script' per week, in order to fit Anderson and Grade's cost and production schedule.
Anderson always claimed that he invented a futuristic vehicle as an excuse to reduce the amount of walking the puppets had to do, which could never be made to look realistic. This was finally taken to its conclusion in Captain Scarlet
, in which the puppets are almost never seen walking.
The complete series is available on DVD in the United Kingdom, Australia and North America.
The series name was used in Italy in the Eighties for the local airing of Knight Rider, as the original Supercar series was practically unknown.
Big Bang Comics
paid tribute to the show with their character Mike Merlin, in honour of Supercars leading hero, Mike Mercury.
company releasing four issues between November 1962 and August 1963.https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?tid=238741&SetShowNotes=Y
Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson MBE is a British publisher, producer, director and writer, famous for his futuristic television programmes, particularly those involving specially modified marionettes, a process called "Supermarionation"....
and Arthur Provis's AP Films
AP Films
AP Films or APF, later becoming Century 21 Productions, was a British independent film production company of the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s...
for ATV
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
and ITC Entertainment
ITC Entertainment
The Incorporated Television Company was a British television company largely involved in production and distribution. It was founded by Lew Grade.-History:...
. 39 episodes were produced between 1961 and 1962, and it was Anderson's first half-hour series. In the UK it was seen on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
and in the US in syndication (the first Anderson series to be shown overseas). The format uses puppets in a technique called supermarionation
Supermarionation
Supermarionation is a puppetry technique devised in the 1960s by British production company AP Films. It was used extensively in the company's numerous Gerry and Sylvia Anderson-produced action-adventure series, the most famous of which was Thunderbirds...
, a name that was first seen in the closing titles of the last 13 episodes.
The plot of the show concerned Supercar, a vertical takeoff and landing craft invented by Rudolph Popkiss and Horatio Beaker, and piloted by Mike Mercury. On land it rode on a cushion of air rather than wheels. Jets in the rear allowed it to fly like a jet and retractable wings were incorporated in the back of car. Retrorocket
Retrorocket
A retrorocket is a rocket engine providing thrust opposing the motion of a spacecraft, thereby causing it to decelerate.-History:...
s on the side of the car slowed the vehicle. The car used "Clear-Vu" which had an inside television monitor that allowed the occupant to see through fog and smoke. The vehicle was housed in a laboratory and living facility at Black Rock, Nevada, U.S.A. In the show's first episode, "Rescue", the Supercar crew's first mission is to save the passengers of a downed private plane. Two of the rescued, young Jimmy Gibson and his pet monkey, Mitch, are invited to stay and live at the facility and share in the adventures.
The series inaugurated what would become an Anderson trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
, the launch sequence. Every one of his series up until Space: 1999
Space: 1999
Space: 1999 is a British science-fiction television series that ran for two seasons and originally aired from 1975 to 1977. In the opening episode, nuclear waste from Earth stored on the Moon's far side explodes in a catastrophic accident on 13 September 1999, knocking the Moon out of orbit and...
would include these – in Supercar's case, the charging of port and starboard engines, the activation of an interlock, the opening of (overhead) hangar doors, and finally the vertical take-off.
Series history and production
After Granada TelevisionGranada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
failed to renew Four Feather Falls
Four Feather Falls
Four Feather Falls was the third puppet TV show produced by Gerry Anderson for Granada Television, from an idea by Barry Gray.-Production:The show was made on a tight budget and could not afford sophisticated special effects...
, Anderson approached Lew Grade
Lew Grade
Lew Grade, Baron Grade , born Lev Winogradsky, was an influential Russian-born English impresario and media mogul.-Early years:...
of ATV. Grade asked Anderson to reduce the budget by half. After working through the night, Anderson returned the next morning, with the budget reduced only by a third. Grade commissioned the series immediately.
The music for the series was composed and conducted by Barry Gray
Barry Gray
Barry Gray was a British musician and composer who is best known for his work for Gerry Anderson.-Life:...
. The opening and closing theme song vocalist for the first season is Mike Sammes
Mike Sammes
Michael William "Mike" Sammes was an English musician and vocal session arranger, performing backing vocals on pop music recorded in the UK from 1955 to the 1970s.-Career:...
, for the second season Sammes's vocal group The Mike Sammes Singers re-recorded the theme.
There were two working models of Supercar, the larger hero model was made of light-weight wood and Plexiglass (Perspex) and measured about five feet in length. The smaller model, used in distance shots, was about nine inches in length. The vehicle was designed by art director Reg Hill.
As photography on the series was getting underway, creator Gerry Anderson wed production assistant and voice actor Sylvia Thamm. After a brief mid-day ceremony the couple returned to the studio to help complete the opening title sequence.
Many of the first 26 scripts for Supercar were written by brothers Hugh and Martin Woodhouse
Martin Woodhouse
Martin Charlton Woodhouse was a British author and scriptwriter. He is most famous as a writer for the TV series The Avengers, but he also authored or co-authored eleven novels...
, at the rate of one complete 'shooting (camera-ready) script' per week, in order to fit Anderson and Grade's cost and production schedule.
Anderson always claimed that he invented a futuristic vehicle as an excuse to reduce the amount of walking the puppets had to do, which could never be made to look realistic. This was finally taken to its conclusion in Captain Scarlet
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, often referred to as Captain Scarlet, is a 1960s British science-fiction television series produced by the Century 21 Productions company of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, John Read and Reg Hill...
, in which the puppets are almost never seen walking.
The complete series is available on DVD in the United Kingdom, Australia and North America.
The series name was used in Italy in the Eighties for the local airing of Knight Rider, as the original Supercar series was practically unknown.
Big Bang Comics
Big Bang Comics
Big Bang Comics first appeared in 1994, with five issue mini-series , published by Caliber Comics. Their second series was published by Image Comics. Currently their titles are self-published.-Publication history:...
paid tribute to the show with their character Mike Merlin, in honour of Supercars leading hero, Mike Mercury.
Comic book
Supercar was the first Gerry Anderson series to be adapted as a comic book in America, with the Gold KeyGold Key
In fiction, a gold key is a special token granting access to and control of a mythical or ultra-private or secret bank account or vault, such as a Swiss bank account. In reality, the key is often a code word and accounts are not completely anonymous....
company releasing four issues between November 1962 and August 1963.https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?tid=238741&SetShowNotes=Y