UFO (British TV series)

UFO
A pair of hands holding a photograph, the letters "UFO" superimposed over it
GenreScience fiction
Created byGerry & Sylvia Anderson
Reg Hill
StarringKeith Alexander
Harry Baird
Michael Billington
Ed Bishop
Ayshea Brough
Gabrielle Drake
Antonia Ellis
Peter Gordeno
Dolores Mantez
Gary Myers
Norma Ronald
George Sewell
Vladek Sheybal
Grant Taylor
Wanda Ventham[1]
Music byBarry Gray
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes26
Production
Executive producerGerry Anderson
ProducersReg Hill
Gerry Anderson
CinematographyBrendan J. Stafford
EditorsAlan Killick
Harry MacDonald
Len Walter
Lee Doig
Mike Campbell
Running time50 minutes
Production companyCentury 21 Television Productions
Budget£2.6 million[2]
Original release
NetworkITV
Release16 September 1970 (1970-09-16) –
7 August 1971 (1971-08-07)
(ATV Midlands)
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UFO is a 1970 British science fiction television series about the covert efforts of an international defence organisation (under the auspices of the United Nations) to prevent an alien invasion of Earth. It was created by Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson with Reg Hill, and produced by the Andersons and Lew Grade's Century 21 for Grade's ITC Entertainment company.

A single series of 26 episodes (including the pilot) was filmed over the course of more than a year; a five-month production break was caused by the closure of MGM-British Studios in Borehamwood, where the show was initially made. Production then moved to Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire. UFO was first broadcast in the UK and Canada from 1970, and in the United States from 1972.[3]

The Andersons' live-action science fiction movie Doppelgänger (also known as Journey to the Far Side of the Sun) is considered an immediate precursor to UFO, which was their first entirely live-action TV series. (Their previous shows had used marionettes.)[4] The series featured actors, costumes, props, locations and music that had appeared in the film, and 11 cast members of the film appeared in at least one episode of UFO.[1]

Following syndication in the US and initial favourable ratings, a possible second series was planned; initially entitled UFO 1999, this eventually became Space: 1999, but with a totally different cast from UFO.[1]

  1. ^ a b c "U.F.O. (1970–71)". BFI Screenonline. Archived from the original on 29 January 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  2. ^ Bentley, Chris (2008) [2001]. The Complete Gerry Anderson: The Authorised Episode Guide (4th ed.). London, UK: Reynolds & Hearn. p. 159. ISBN 978-1-905287-74-1.
  3. ^ Nichols, Peter M. (4 February 2001). "Television/Radio: The Noble Two-Season Mission of Space: 1999". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Feature Film Productions: Doppelgänger". Fanderson. Archived from the original on 21 February 2008. Retrieved 22 July 2010.