UFO: The Cracking Sci-Fi Series That Took the '60s by Storm
Blimey, What a Time! The Late '60s and the UFO Craze
Cor, what a smashing time the late 1960s were! The Cold War had the world on tenterhooks, but blokes were also dead chuffed about space. On 20 July 1969, while the Yanks’ Apollo 11 saw Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin take a butcher’s at the Moon, the whole planet was gobsmacked, staring at the stars with a mix of wonder and the collywobbles. UFOs were all the rage—everyone and their mum was nattering about flying saucers, thanks to tosh like Kenneth Arnold’s 1947 sighting and the US Air Force’s *Project Blue Book*, which packed up shop in ’69, leaving a load of unexplained gubbins. In the midst of this, *UFO*, a cracking British telly show dreamed up by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, hit the screens in 1970. Set in a groovy 1980, it followed the SHADO (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organisation), a hush-hush outfit fighting off alien invaders nicking human organs to keep their bally planet going. Produced by Century 21 for ITC Entertainment, *UFO* was a proper corker, with top-notch effects, far-out costumes, and a grown-up vibe that tapped into the era’s jitters.
The Brains Behind It and What Sparked the Show
*UFO* was the brainchild of **Gerry Anderson** (1929-2012) and his missus **Sylvia Anderson** (1926-2016), a pair of clever clogs known for their *Supermarionation* larks—telly shows with puppets that looked like they’d stepped off a film set. Before *UFO*, they’d knocked out belters like *Thunderbirds* (1965), *Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons* (1967), and *Joe 90* (1968), chock-full of whizzy vehicles and ripping yarns. But after *The Secret Service* (1969) went pear-shaped with only 13 episodes, the big cheese at ITC, **Lew Grade** (1906-1998), gave them a nudge to try live-action for a more mature crowd. The idea for *UFO* sparked while they were mucking about with their flick *Doppelgänger* (1969), which had a butcher’s at alien contact and flash tech. Gerry, mad keen on UFOs as a storytelling wheeze, fancied a series mixing thrills, conspiracies, and a bit of swinging ’60s style. Sylvia sorted the clobber, dreaming up those fab purple wigs for the Moonbase lasses, inspired by London’s trendy scene.
The show drew on the UFO mania of the ’60s, with a nod to flicks like *2001: A Space Odyssey* (1968) for its wizard effects and Cold War fears of secrets and spies. The SHADO was a bit like the CIA or NORAD, and the aliens’ organ-nicking caper echoed worries about pollution and global strife. **Reg Hill**, an old mate of Gerry’s with RAF know-how, helped cook up the format, making the vehicles look proper authentic.
The Cast: A Jolly Good Bunch
*UFO* boasted a cracking cast, bringing the SHADO’s bods to life. Here’s the top brass:
- **Ed Bishop** as Colonel Edward Straker: A Yank playing the SHADO’s head honcho, a steely ex-USAF chap who’d had a run-in with a UFO in 1970. Gerry reckoned Bishop was “the bee’s knees” as an actor. His white wig and Certina watch became proper iconic—he kept ‘em for years, showing off at sci-fi dos.
- **Michael Billington** as Lieutenant Paul Foster: A dashing pilot who joined SHADO after a close shave with a UFO. Billington was nearly James Bond, bringing oodles of charm and brawn.
- **George Sewell** as Colonel Alec Freeman: Straker’s right-hand man, a sharp intelligence bloke with a cheeky British grin.
- **Gabrielle Drake** as Lieutenant Gay Ellis: The Moonbase’s top bird, all class and authority, rocking those purple wigs like nobody’s business.
- **Peter Gordeno** as Captain Peter Carlin: Skydiver pilot who scarpered after eight episodes, worried he’d be pegged as a space hero forever.
- **Dolores Mantez** as Lieutenant Nina Barry: A Moonbase lass, one of the fan favourites.
- Other regulars included **Wanda Ventham** (Colonel Virginia Lake) and **Vladek Sheybal** (Dr. Doug Jackson), with cameos from Shakira Caine and a young Steven Berkoff.
Behind-the-Scenes Shenanigans: A Right Kerfuffle
Filming *UFO* from April 1969 at MGM-British Studios in Borehamwood, then Pinewood after the former shut shop, was a bit of a palaver. Here’s the lowdown on some cracking tales:
- **Studio Snafu**: After 17 episodes, MGM-British closed in 1970, putting the kibosh on filming for five months. Sewell and Drake couldn’t come back due to other gigs, so the crew used old footage or new faces. Gerry called it a “proper nightmare” that nearly scuppered the show.
- **Skint on Alien Suits**: With dosh tight, they only made two alien costumes—red spandex and helmets with breathing strips. Scenes never had more than two aliens, with tricks like keeping one off-screen, as in *Ordeal*.
- **Gerry’s Dust-Up with Shakira**: Gerry lost his rag with Shakira Baksh (later Mrs. Michael Caine) over a cock-up on set. He later quipped, “I was dead scared Michael Caine would clock me one at a do!”
- **Sylvia’s Trouser Mishap**: Sylvia, sorting the costumes, picked sheer trousers for Patrick Allen in *Timelash*. On the DVD commentary, she chuckled, “Should’ve told him to wear a jockstrap—his bits were a bit too obvious!”
- **Wig Woes and Pranks**: The Moonbase gals’ purple wigs were “hotter than Hades,” said Dolores Mantez, but hid sweat and make-up blunders. The lasses had a laugh, hiding props or doing silly alien voices on breaks.
- **Ed’s Keepsakes**: Bishop clung to Straker’s wig and watch, flaunting them at conventions till he popped his clogs in 2004.
Straker’s Motor: A Proper Swanky Ride
Straker’s **Gull-Wing Car**, a sleek orange two-seater, was a stunner. Designed by Reg Hill and effects wizard Derek Meddings, it was built on a Ford chassis with a 2.8-litre V6 engine. Its futuristic look, with gull-wing doors popping up via hydraulics, made it a proper eyeful. Inside, it had (in the story) a computer and SHADO comms, though they were just props. Filmed zipping through Burnham Beeches for the UFO attack in *Identified*, it was a bit sluggish but looked nippy thanks to clever camera work. Two cars were made: one for driving, one for close-ups. One got scrapped, but the other’s still with collectors. Sylvia called it “Straker’s soul on wheels—cool, sharp, and ready for a scrap.”
Production and Lasting Clout
Shot between 1969 and 1970, *UFO* was a pricey do, backed by Lew Grade, but ITV’s higgledy-piggledy broadcast schedule mucked up its ratings. The 26 episodes, helmed by Gerry and chaps like Ken Turner, had cracking effects by Meddings, with models like the Skydiver and Interceptor inspiring *Star Wars* and *Battlestar Galactica*. Barry Gray’s jazzy score, with its spooky end credits, was pure class.
Despite one season, *UFO*’s a proper cult classic. It paved the way for *Space: 1999* (reusing sets) and games like *X-COM: UFO Defense* (1994). Big Finish revived it with audio dramas in 2022. Fans on X, marking its 55th anniversary in September 2025, rave about its gear and gritty tone. Blokes on Reddit (*r/scifi*) reckon it shaped *The X-Files* and *Men in Black*.
Ta-Ra: A Timeless Triumph
*UFO* wasn’t just a product of its time—it was a bridge from the playful sci-fi of the ’60s to the darker stuff of the ’70s. Born during the Apollo buzz, it caught the hopes and fears of a world peering at the cosmos. The Andersons, with their wizard ideas, turned budget woes into pure magic, crafting a show that’s still a belter. Whether it’s Straker’s flash motor or the Moonbase lasses saving the day, *UFO* shines like a beacon in sci-fi’s starry sky.
Sources
- Bentley, Chris. *The Complete Book of Gerry Anderson’s UFO*. Reynolds & Hearn, 2003.
- *The Making of UFO* documentary, available on YouTube.
- *Gerry Anderson: The Authorised Biography* by Simon Archer and Stan Nicholls.
- Wikipedia (English and Italian): “UFO (TV series)” and related pages.
- *UFO Monthly Magazine*, 1971, interviews with Ed Bishop.
- *ufoseries.com* for production details and fan discussions.
- *Gerry Anderson Fandom Wiki* for episode guides and trivia.
- X posts (September 2025) celebrating the 55th anniversary.
- Reddit threads (*r/scifi*, *r/RetroFuturism*) on *UFO*’s influence.
- Big Finish *UFO* audio dramas (2022) production notes.