End Of The Road
Alan's jealousy gets the better of him in several episodes, but most especially in this one. Thank goodness for Grandma coming to the rescue!
For the sake of suspense, Virgil rarely replies to urgent radio calls until the second or third time. (Hey, he's a busy man)!
Thunderbird 1 is the only International Rescue craft which is capable of both vertical and horizontal take off and flight; Thunderbird 2 can manage both types of take offs but flies as a conventional plane does.
This episode is proof positive that the Tracy boys gossip: John knows all about Eddie Houseman and Tin-Tin...and he's not even at home at the time!
The ever-contradictory Jeff states that IR never turns down any call, yet he jumped all over John about considering the request from Agent Bondson of MI 5 (in "The Man From MI 5).
As was common in most animated shows of the day, the voice artists in "Thunderbirds" often played up to four characters each per episode, as needed.
Over 20 million Dinky Toy models of Thunderbird vehicles were produced and sold; they've become prized collectors items since they rarely survived years of playful usage.
The original name for "Thunderbirds" was..."International Rescue."
Voice actors David Graham and Ray Barrett worked together on the series just prior to "Thunderbirds"---"Stingray."
Thunderbird 5 is divided into three levels: the power deck, on the lower level houses the battery units; the center deck contains the communications equipment and living quarters; the upper deck contains a multi-layered astrodome, astral monitoring equipment and video-linked telescopes.
Other episodes in which Alan's jealousy gets out of control: "The Cham Cham," in which he becomes rivals with a singer, and "Ricochet," in which a DJ sends Tin-Tin over the moon.
Though both Bondson and Scott Tracy were modeled on the likeness of Sean Connery, they look dissimilar because they didn't share the same sculptors.
The toy company Soundtech recently released not only talking Brains, Scott, Alan and Virgil dolls but also talking Thunderbirds replica crafts.
Cloaked from discovery by radar from Earth's military bases or from other space vehicles, Thunderbird 5 is undetectable.
There are several times during the series in which "Operation: Coverup" could have gotten the Tracys into a lot of trouble! On occasion when guests have been visiting the island, the portraits of the boys in casual clothing have reverted to those of them in their IR uniforms.
Once stranded on the cliff side, Eddie Houseman's truck bounces around in position, whether being hit by rocks or not.
Cel phone face plates are currently available in Britain which feature Parker's face on the back of a pink fascia featuring Lady Penelope.
Happy Birthdays: Scott's birthday is April 4, Virgil's on August 15, and John's on October 8. Gordon was born on February 14 and Alan on March 12.
Peter Cook and Dudley Moore performed a madcap send-up of all things Gerry Anderson called "Superthunderstingcar" on their hit '60s TV series, "Not Only But Also."
Tin-Tin and her father Kyrano have an interesting communication breakdown in the hallway outside of her bedroom: She asks, "Do you like it," referring to her hair, but Kyrano apparently hears "Do you like him," referring to Eddie Houseman.
The mild-mannered John Tracy and the ill-mannered The Hood were both voiced by the talented Ray Barrett. Because he also voiced many of the supporting players, he regularly found himself speaking for several characters in the same scene, which he did flawlessly---immediately switching from one to another in the same take.
From the "Everything I Needed To Know, I Learned From Thunderbirds" file:
1) There's no piece of equipment that an oven timer can't adorn.
2) Coffee cures all ills
3) Any accident you walk away from means...you're probably The Hood!
4) Rescues are always most urgent at tea time.
5) Put the word out that your organization is secret and it guarantees that someone will insist on taking your picture.
6) Like the Titanic, everything made to be "indestructible"...isn't. (Except for "Captain Scarlet," but that's another story).
7) Never get on your rich dad's bad side or you could end up alone in a orbiting tin can...for a very long time.
8) A mansion is a mansion, but a butler with a rap sheet is an adventure!
9) Unlike marionettes, gifts and relationships should have no strings attached.
10) He with the fastest ship wins!