Alias Mr. Hackenbacker

"Alias Mr. Hackenbacker"
Thunderbirds episode
Episode no.Series 2
Episode 3
Directed byDesmond Saunders
Written byAlan Pattillo
Cinematography byJulien Lugrin
Editing byHarry MacDonald
Production code29
Original air date16 October 1966 (1966-10-16)
Guest character voices
Madeline
Telephone Operator
François Lemaire
Collins
Captain Saville
Control Tower Lieutenant
Commander Norman
Deirdre
Captain Saville's Secretary
Skythrust Co-Pilot
Ross
London Airport Guard
Paris Waiter
1st and 2nd Buyers
Captain Ashton
2nd Reporter
Mason
D103 Pilot
1st Reporter
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Path of Destruction"
Next →
"Lord Parker's 'Oliday"
List of episodes

"Alias Mr. Hackenbacker" is the 29th episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (later Century 21 Productions) for ITC Entertainment. Written by Alan Pattillo and directed by Desmond Saunders, it was first broadcast on 16 October 1966 on ATV London and Anglia Television as the third episode of Series Two.[1]

Set in the 2060s, Thunderbirds follows the missions of International Rescue, a secret organisation that uses technologically-advanced rescue vehicles to save human life. The lead characters are ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy, founder of International Rescue, and his five adult sons, who pilot the organisation's primary vehicles: the Thunderbird machines. In "Alias Mr. Hackenbacker", the Skythrust airliner, designed partly by Brains, is hi-jacked by criminals intent on stealing its cargo: fashion designer François Lemaire's new collection, made of a revolutionary new fabric called Penelon which is named after Lady Penelope.

In 1967, Century 21 released an audio adaptation on vinyl EP record (catalogue number MA 123), narrated by David Graham as Brains. The episode had its first UK-wide network broadcast on 1 May 1992 on BBC2.[2]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bentley2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Bentley 2005, p. 92.