'Thunderbirds' Creator Gerry Anderson Dies

Gerry Anderson, the creator of the hit TV puppet show 'Thunderbirds,' has died at age 83.

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5 months ago

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Gerry Anderson

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United States of America

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Gerry Anderson, the British creator of the popular science fiction TV show "Thunderbirds," died at the age of 83 on Wednesday (December 25) after suffering from Alzheimer's. The puppet master started his television career in the 1950s and had since created a string of hit shows including "Captain Scarlet" and "Stingray." After making their British TV debut in 1965, the marionette puppets of "Thunderbirds" became a sensation that won international audiences with high-tech tales of adventurers rocketing around the world, and even into space, to fight evil-doers. After its cult status was bolstered by years of running in syndication, "Thunderbirds" was remade as a U.S. live-action film in 2004. In the same year, it also inspired the film "Team America: World Police." Anderson's iconic visual style and use of "Supermarionation" and scale modeling were seen as technical landmarks in TV and film production.