Fireball XL5 | |
---|---|
Released by | ATV |
Producer | Gerry Anderson |
Directed By | Gerry Anderson David Elliott Bill Harris John Kelly Alan Pattillo |
Music Director | Barry Gray |
Special Effects | Derek Meddings |
Medium | Black and White |
Episodes | 39 |
Duration | 25 Minutes |
Original Air Date | 28th October 1962 |
Previous | Next |
Supercar | Stingray |
Fireball XL5 is a science-fiction television programme; it had a run of 39 episodes during 1962 and 1963. It was the third of Gerry Anderson's shows to be Filmed in Supermarionation and also his final black and white show; it is also notable as the only show to feature the voice talents of Anderson himself (as Robert). Set in the 21st century, the show follows the adventures of protagonist Steve Zodiac and the crew of the space ship XL5 as they patrol Sector 25 of the galaxy on behalf of the World Space Patrol.
Fireball XL5 featured strong science fiction plot lines using plot devices such as time travel, teleportation, hypnosis, and alien possession. This was juxtaposed with the poetic license taken when dealing with real scientific concepts which saw characters able to live and speak in a vacuum after taking an oxygen pill; this was presumably to do with the difficulty and cost associated with changing the puppet's costumes, articulated by Gerry Anderson in various DVD commentaries.
Production[]
Fireball XL5 had a rather colourful origin as far as Gerry Anderson shows are concerned. The initial name of the show and indeed the titular spaceship was 'Century 21', which would later become the name of Gerry's merchandising company. The premise would have been set 200 years into the future as opposed to the 100 years forth the show was actually set, and the production was intended to be made in full colour. At the same time, Gerry Anderson had a different but very similar pitch going on. The concept would have involved a live action american boy called Joe who would have dream segments about being a handsome astronaut named 'Joe 90' who flew around with a crew in a ship known as Space Patrol Vehicle 1-0. These dream segments would have been made entirely using puppets. Despite the similar premise, The only common element between the two show concepts was the character of Professor Mathew Matic.
While the Century 21 pitch was the one taken on for a full series, the name 'Joe 90' would survive in the form of Lieutenant Ninety and would later be reused for a future production, Joe 90.
While the show was entering production however, a very similar rocket ship was featured in a 1962 Supercar Annual called 'Super R', which also took off from a launch rail much like Fireball. It is unknown whether Super R was merely one of many potential names for the ship during production, or if Super R is intended to be a fictional in-universe prototype for the later Fireball XL crafts.
Theme Music[]
The ending theme to this classic series, "Fireball," was released as an HMV single in 1963. Sung by Australian Don Spencer, Fireball reached no.32 on the UK top 50 in April 1963. It was arranged and conducted by Barry Gray with accompaniment directed by Charles Blackwell.
Fireball XL5 Characters[]
Regular Cast[]
Recurring Cast[]
Episodes[]
(Production Order)
- Planet 46
- Hypnotic Sphere
- Planet Of Platonia
- Space Magnet
- The Doomed Planet
- Plant Man From Space
- The Sun Temple
- Space Immigrants
- Space Monster
- Flying Zodiac
- Spy In Space
- XL5 To H2O
- Space Pirates
- Last Of The Zanadus
- Space Pen
- Convict In Space
- Wings Of Danger
- The Triads
- Sabotage
- Prisoner On The Lost Planet
- Flight To Danger
- Space Vacation
- Mystery Of The TA2
- Robert To The Rescue
- The Forbidden Planet
- The Granatoid Tanks
- Dangerous Cargo
- 1875
- The Robot Freighter Mystery
- Drama At Space City
- Whistle For Danger
- Faster Than Light
- The Day The Earth Froze
- Invasion Earth
- Ghosts Of Space
- Trial By Robot
- A Day In The Life Of a Space General
- Space City Special
- The Fire Fighters
(Broadcast Order)
- Planet 46
- The Doomed Planet
- Space Immigrants
- Plant Man From Space
- Spy In Space
- The Sun Temple
- XL5 To H2O
- Space Pirates
- Flying Zodiac
- Space Pen
- Space Monster
- Last Of The Zanadus
- Planet Of Platonia
- The Triads
- Wings Of Danger
- Convict In Space
- Space Vacation
- Flight To Danger
- Prisoner On The Lost Planet
- The Forbidden Planet
- Robert To The Rescue
- Dangerous Cargo
- Mystery Of The TA2
- Drama At Space City
- 1875
- The Granatoid Tanks
- The Robot Freighter Mystery
- Whistle For Danger
- Trial By Robot
- A Day In The Life Of a Space General
- Invasion Earth
- Faster Than Light
- The Day The Earth Froze
- The Fire Fighters
- Space City Special
- Ghosts Of Space
- Hypnotic Sphere
- Sabotage
- Space Magnet
Audio Adventure[]
Spacecraft[]
XL Craft[]
- Fireball (craft)
- XL5
- Space Rescue Craft
WSP Fleet[]
- EF-Z4
- Mayflower 3
- S.S Thor
- Freighter 2X4
- Liberty-Class Space Freighter
- Q-Ship
- Explorer EX10
- TA2
- LP22
- Robot Freighter
- SCS Valiant
- Freighter A14
- Tanker G (for George)
Alien Vehicles[]
- Subterrain Fighter
- Flying Saucer
- Invaders Ship
- Granatoid Tanks
- Hypnotic Sphere
- Gamma Ship
- Type 37H Spacecraft
Unseen Vehicles[]
- Space Train
- C21 Craft
- Interstellar Liner
- VTOL Transporter
- Expedition Craft
- Astran Saucer
Theme Songs[]
- (Singer):
I wish I was a spaceman
The fastest guy alive
I'd fly you round the universe
In Fireball XL5
Way out in space together
Conquerors of the sky
My heart would be a fireball, a fireball
Every time I gazed into your starry eyes
We'd take the path to Jupiter
And maybe very soon
We'd cruise along the Milky Way
And land upon the Moon
To a wonderland of stardust
We'd zoom our way to Mars
My heart would be a fireball, a fireball
'Cause you would be my Venus of the stars
Trivia[]
- The idea to use oxygen pills as a substitute for spacesuits on the puppet sets was suggested to Anderson by Terry Nation, the creator of the Daleks.
- Contrary to popular belief, the practice of using closed circuit TV monitoring for the puppeteers and lip sync artists to work from originated with Fireball.
- Venus' flying car was seen in Stingray as Troy Tempest's car and Lt Fisher's car in the Stingray episode Invisible Enemy.
- One of the alien spaceships was reused as Gadus' submarine in the Stingray episode Hostages of the Deep.
- Most of the music from Fireball XL5 was heard in later Gerry Anderson series.
- LP22 space patrol ship was reused as Commander Shore's submarine when he had his accident in the Stingray episode The Ghost Of The Sea.
Gallery[]
Fireball XL5 Characters[]
Preceding series: | Fireball XL5 | Following series: |
Supercar | Stingray |