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AP Films
AP Films or APF (renamed Century 21 Productions in 1966) was a British independent film production company of the 1950s until the early 1970s. The company became internationally known for its imaginative children's action-adventure marionette television series – most significantly '' Thunderbirds'' – produced for British ITV network companies Associated-Rediffusion, Granada, ABC and ATV. At its height, the company employed more than 200 staff. Origins Established in 1957 by editor-director Gerry Anderson and cinematographer Arthur Provis, following the liquidation of their employer Polytechnic Films, AP Films was set up, named after the initials of Anderson and Provis. They took with them producer Reg Hill, cinematographer John Read and secretary, then known as Sylvia Thamm. Thamm would later become Anderson's second wife. The company was created with the intention of it becoming a conventional film production house. With no commissions and funds runnin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Television Production
A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platforms. This generally excludes breaking news or advertisements that are aired between shows or between segments of a show. A regularly recurring show is called a television series, and an individual segment of such a series is called an episode. Content is produced either in-house on a television stage with multiple cameras or produced by contract with film production companies. Episodes are usually broadcast in annual sets, which are called seasons in North America and series in other regions. A one-off television show may be called a television special, while a short series of episodes is a miniseries. A television film, or telefilm, is a feature film created for transmitting on television. Television shows are most often scheduled ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thunderbirds (TV Series)
''Thunderbirds'' is a British science fiction television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, filmed by their production company AP Films (APF) and distributed by ITC Entertainment. It was filmed between 1964 and 1966 using a form of electronic marionette puppetry called "Supermarionation" combined with scale model special effects sequences. Two series, totalling 32 fifty-minute episodes, were made; production ended with the sixth episode of the second series after Lew Grade, APF's financial backer, failed in his efforts to sell the programme to US network television. Set in the 2060s, ''Thunderbirds'' was a follow-up to the earlier Supermarionation productions '' Four Feather Falls'', ''Supercar'', '' Fireball XL5'' and ''Stingray''. It concerns the exploits of International Rescue, a life-saving organisation with a secret base on an island in the Pacific Ocean. International Rescue operates a fleet of technologically-advanced rescue vehicles, headed by five craft ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barry Gray
Barry Gray (born John Livesey Eccles; 18 July 1908 – 26 April 1984) was a British musician and composer best known for his collaborations with television and film producer Gerry Anderson. Life and career Born into a musical family in Blackburn, Lancashire, Gray was encouraged to pursue a musical career from an early age. Starting at the age of five – with piano lessons – he studied diligently and became a student at the Manchester Royal College of Music and at Blackburn Cathedral. He studied composition under the Hungarian born émigré composer Matyas Seiber. Gray's first professional job was for B. Feldman & Co. in London, where he gained experience in scoring for theatre and variety orchestras. From there, he joined Radio Normandy as a composer-arranger. After serving for six years with the Royal Air Force during World War II he returned to the music industry to work with such names as Vera Lynn and Hoagy Carmichael. In 1956 Gray joined Gerry Anderson's AP Films a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Four Feather Falls
''Four Feather Falls'' is a British children's western television series, the third puppet TV show produced by AP Films (APF) in association with Granada Television. It was based on an idea by Barry Gray, who also wrote the show's music. The series was the first to use an early version of APF's Supermarionation puppetry. Thirty-nine 13-minute episodes were produced between April 1959 and April 1960, and the series was first broadcast on the ITV network from February to November 1960. The setting is the late 19th-century fictional Kansas town of Four Feather Falls, where the hero of the series, Tex Tucker, is a sheriff. The four feathers of the title refers to four magical feathers given to Tex by the Indian chief Kalamakooya as a reward for saving his grandson. One of the feathers allowed Tex's guns to swivel and fire without being touched whenever he was in danger, two conferred the power of speech on Tex's horse and dog, and the fourth feather could summon Kalamakooya. Te ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Torchy The Battery Boy
''Torchy the Battery Boy'' is a British children's puppet television series, the second to be produced by AP Films (APF), which first aired on the ITV network between 1959 and 1961. Created and written by author Roberta Leigh, it had music by Barry Gray, art direction by Reg Hill and special effects by Derek Meddings. Featuring string puppets created by Christine Glanville, the series depicts the adventures of the eponymous boy doll, who has a battery inside him and a lamp in his head, and his master Mr Bumbledrop (voiced by Kenneth Connor). Two series of ''Torchy'', each comprising twenty-six 13-minute episodes, were made. The first was produced by APF, on a budget of £27,000 (about £ in ), between October 1958 and April 1959. After APF declined to make a second series (opting to create ''Four Feather Falls'' instead), Leigh, who retained the rights to ''Torchy'' and its creative elements, commissioned Associated British-Pathé to produce a further 26 episodes. The firs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Adventures Of Twizzle
''The Adventures of Twizzle'' is a British children's puppet television series produced by AP Films (APF) which premiered on the ITV network in 1957. Created and co-produced by author Roberta Leigh, it was filmed in Maidenhead between July 1957 and January 1958 on a budget of £23,400 (about £ in ). ''Twizzle'' was the first series to use the marionette puppetry that would prove important in later shows developed by APF. The series follows a toy doll called Twizzle, who has the ability to extend his arms and legs. He is joined on various adventures by a cat called Footso and several other toy companions. The characters were operated on carpet thread strings and had heads of papier-mâché. Fifty-two 13-minute episodes were filmed, with APF completing one episode every two days. The opening episode, "Twizzle and Footso", was first broadcast on 13 November 1957''Gerry Anderson: The Authorised Biography'' by Simon Archer and Stan Nicholls; by ITV's London franchise, Associated ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Suzanne Warner
Suzanne may refer to: People * Suzanne (given name), a feminine given name (including a list of people with the name) * S. U. Zanne, pen name of August Vandekerkhove (1838–1923), Belgian writer and inventor * Suzanne, pen name of Renée Méndez Capote (1901–1989), Cuban writer * Suzanne (television personality) (born 1986), Japanese variety ''tarento'', actress, and singer * Suzanne Lynch (born 1951), New Zealand singer who performed as "Suzanne" Places * Suzanne, Ardennes, France, a commune * Suzanne, Somme, France, a commune Films * ''Suzanne'' (1932 film), a French film * ''Suzanne'' (1980 film), a Canadian film * ''Suzanne'' (2013 film), a French film * '' Suzanne, Suzanne'', a 1982 documentary film Music * "Suzanne" (Leonard Cohen song), a 1966 poem and 1967 song, recorded by numerous singers * "Suzanne" (Creeper song), a 2016 song by English band Creeper * "Suzanne" (VOF de Kunst song), 1983 * "Suzanne" a song from '' Raised on Radio'' by Journey * "Suzann ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roberta Leigh
Roberta Leigh was an assumed name for Rita Lewin (née Shulman) (22 December 1926 – 19 December 2014) who was a British author, artist, composer and television producer. She wrote romance fiction and children's stories under the pseudonyms Roberta Leigh, Rachel Lindsay, Janey Scott and Rozella Lake. She published her first novel in 1950 and was still actively working on new titles until a year before her death. In addition, she wrote and produced the children's puppet television series '' The Adventures of Twizzle'', '' Sara and Hoppity'', '' Torchy the Battery Boy'', '' Wonder Boy and Tiger'', '' Send for Dithers'' and '' Space Patrol''. Life and career Best known as Roberta Leigh, she was born Rita Shulman in London to sometimes-poor Jewish parents who had emigrated from Russia. In 1948, she married Michael Lewin, with whom she had one son, and was widowed in 1981. She died age 87 on 19 December 2014. Leigh wrote her first romantic fiction at age 14, while still a schoolgi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polytechnic Films
A polytechnic is an educational institution that primarily focuses on vocational education, applied sciences, and career pathways. They are sometimes referred to as ''institutes of technology'', ''vocational institutes'', or ''universities of applied sciences''. Polytechnic may also refer to: Education systems * Polytechnic High School (other), lists a number of high schools with ''polytechnic'' included in the name * Polytechnic Secondary School * Polytechnic (Greece), schools that teach engineering * Polytechnic (Portugal), schools that offer profession-oriented, practical training * Polytechnic (Singapore), tertiary institutions offering education in applied sciences and vocational fields * Polytechnic (United Kingdom), system 1965–1992; since merging with university system known as "post-1992 universities" Tertiary educational institutions Asia * Bahrain Polytechnic in Isa Town, Bahrain * Hong Kong Polytechnic University (known as PolyU) * Jakarta State Polyt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maidenhead - Islet Park - Geograph
Maidenhead is a market town in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the county of Berkshire, England. It lies on the southwestern bank of the River Thames, which at this point forms the border with Buckinghamshire. In the 2021 Census, the Maidenhead built-up area had a population of 67,375. The town is west of Charing Cross, London and east-northeast of Reading. History The antiquary John Leland claimed that the area around Maidenhead's present town centre was a small Roman settlement called Alaunodunum. He stated that it had all but disappeared by the end of the Roman occupation. Although his source is unknown, there is documented and physical evidence of Roman settlement in the town. There are two well known villa sites in the town, one being in the suburb of Cox Green, and the other just west of the town centre on Castle Hill. This villa sat on the route of the Camlet Way which was a Roman road linking Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum) and Colchester (Camulodu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Associated Television
ATV Network Limited, originally Associated TeleVision (ATV), was a British broadcaster, part of the ITV (TV network), ITV (Independent Television) network. It provided a service to London at weekends from 1955 to 1968, to the Midlands on weekdays from 1956 to 1968, and subsequently to the Midlands all week from 1968 to 1982. It was one of the "History of ITV#The Big Four and Big Five, Big Four" until 1968, and the "Big Five" after 1968, that between them produced the majority of ITV networked programmes. In 1982, ATV was restructured and rebranded as Central Independent Television, under which name it continued to provide the service for the Midlands. ATV was awarded its first franchise by the Independent Television Authority (ITA) to provide the Independent Television service at weekends for the London region. This service started on Saturday, 24 September 1955, the second ITA franchise to go on air, and was extended until Sunday, 28 July 1968. ATV was also awarded the franch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ABC Weekend TV
ABC Television Limited, popularly known as ABC Weekend TV, was a British broadcaster which provided the weekend service in the Midlands and Northern England regions of the Independent Television (ITV) network from 1956 to 1968. It was one of the " Big Four" companies that between them produced the majority of ITV networked programmes during this period. Originally created as Associated British Cinemas (Television) Ltd, ABC was one of a number of commercial television companies established during the 1950s by cinema chain companies, in an attempt to safeguard their business by becoming involved with television, which was taking away their cinema audiences. In this case, the parent company was the Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)—owner of ABC Cinemas—which initially did not wish to become involved with the new broadcasting system, but was persuaded to do so by the Independent Television Authority (ITA) and the manager of its Pathé News subsidiary Howard Tho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
