Gerry Anderson: A Life Uncharted will use deep fake technology and archive footage so that the TV and film producer, who died in 2012, can appear to tell his own story, alongside interviews with family, friends, and collaborators.
Gerry is famous for creating TV series such as Thunderbirds, Stingray, Joe 90, and Captain Scarlet. These children’s TV shows in "Supermarionation" in the 1960s were hugely popular and became cult hits again later when some of them were re-run in the 1990s. Gerry also created live-action series like UFO (1970-71) starring Ed Bishop.
'Gerry Anderson: A Life Uncharted' release date
The documentary launches on Britbox on 14 April 2022. Check out our BritBox full list of shows for more to watch on the service.
Gerry’s career spanned 60 years, with his credits including producer, director and writer (his ex-wife Sylvia worked with him on several series). The documentary charts his progress from a "poverty-stricken childhood" to his legendary status in British TV. The Gerry Anderson estate has given permission to use a great deal of intimate audio archive along with deep fake technology.
Gerry’s son Jamie Anderson, director of Anderson Entertainment, says: "The process of making this documentary has been an amazing journey for me. I’ve got to know Dad in ways that I never managed during his lifetime.
"The things I’ve learned make his achievements all the more incredible, but also make so many of the characters and shows he created even more meaningful. It’s a difficult story, but one that needs to be told — and that will fascinate fans of his shows."
The documentary’s director, Benjamin Field, adds: "I grew up watching re-runs of Anderson titles, and to now be creating the definitive personal documentary about Gerry’s life is just incredible. From an early stage I was keen to bring Gerry’s words to screen using cutting-edge technology as Gerry was such a fan of gadgets and technical wizardry. The documentary has become more touching than I first anticipated and has given me goosebumps whilst watching the rough cuts already."
Who else appears in the documentary?
New interviews in the documentary include those with actor David Graham (who voiced Parker, Lady Penelope’s chauffeur in Thunderbirds) and Mary Anderson, Gerry’s third wife, and his daughters Joy and Linda. There is also never-before-seen material in interviews with Gerry’s second wife Sylvia Anderson — who collaborated with him on some of his shows — and Lew Grade, head of ATV, who worked with Gerry for many years.
How to watch Gerry Anderson’s TV shows
Shows including Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Joe 90, Fireball XL5, Supercar, Stingray, and Terrahawks are available to stream on Britbox, as are live-action series including Space: 1999 and UFO.
