| Supercar | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Children's science fiction |
| Created by | Gerry Anderson & Reg Hill |
| Written by |
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| Directed by |
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| Voices of |
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| Music by | Barry Gray Uncredited: Edwin Astley[1] |
| Opening theme | "Supercar", performed by Mike Sammes (Series 1) / The Mike Sammes Singers (Series 2) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 39 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Producer | Gerry Anderson |
| Cinematography | John Read |
| Editors | Gordon Davie Bill Harris John Kelly |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Production company | AP Films |
| Budget | £2,000 per episode |
| Original release | |
| Network | ITV |
| Release | 28 January 1961 – 29 April 1962 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
Supercar is a British children's science fiction television series produced by Gerry Anderson and Arthur Provis' AP Films (APF) for Associated Television and ITC Entertainment.[2] Two series totalling 39 episodes were filmed between September 1960 and January 1962.[1] Budgeted at £2,000 per episode,[3] it was Anderson's first half-hour series, as well as his first science fiction production.
The series uses Supermarionation puppetry and scale model special effects. Anderson would later claim that the whole point of having a series based on a vehicle was to minimise having to show the marionettes walking, an action which he felt never looked convincing.[4] Though the series' creation was credited to Gerry Anderson and Reg Hill, it also incorporates elements of Beaker's Bureau, an unmade series that scriptwriter Hugh Woodhouse had pitched to the BBC. The music was composed and conducted by Barry Gray. For the first series, the opening and closing theme song vocalist was Mike Sammes; for the second series, Sammes' vocal group The Mike Sammes Singers re-recorded the theme.[5]
In the UK, the series premiered on 28 January 1961 in the London area and was later shown on other regional franchises of the ITV network.[6] It was repeated in various regions until 1968, and again by Granada Television between 1971 and 1973.[7] In Canada, it aired on CBC, and in the U.S. in syndication (the first Anderson series to be shown overseas), debuting in 1962.[8] It eventually aired in more than 40 countries.[8]
The series is available on DVD in the United Kingdom, Australia, and North America, where it has been issued twice. It was released on Blu-ray in 2021, its 60th anniversary year.[9]
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Bentley2008was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ The Complete Gerry Anderson Episode Guide, A. Pirani, Titan Books, 1989.
- ^ Bentley, Chris (2001). The Complete Book of Captain Scarlet. London, UK: Carlton Books. pp. 11–12. ISBN 978-1-84222-405-2.
- ^ Rogers, Dave; Marriott, John; Drake, Chris; Bassett, Graeme (1993). Supermarionation Classics: Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. London, UK: Boxtree. pp. 156–157. ISBN 978-1-85283-900-0.
- ^ Archer and Hearn, p. 69.
- ^ La Rivière 2014, p. 92.
- ^ Fryer 2016, p. 60.
- ^ a b Lewis, Jon E.; Stempel, Penny (1996) [1993]. Cult TV: The Essential Critical Guide. London, UK: Pavilion Books. pp. 175–176. ISBN 9781857939262.
- ^ "Supercar. Limited Edition".