![]() The range also saw several 12″ compilation releases, including this disc combining Thunderbird 1 (Trapped in the Sky) with Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. These releases gave eager fans the chance to revisit classic episodes of the television series whenever they wanted, in an era before regular repeats and home video releases. Each of these titles would be narrated by a member of the Thunderbirds cast, reprising one of their television roles. ![]() This was a smart decision, as aside from editing the original episodes down to around twenty minutes the only other requirement would then be the recording of new narration to cover any gaps in the story. The popularity of the Thunderbirds television series led to sixteen further audio titles, each featuring the abridged soundtrack of an episode of the television series. ![]() In addition to Graham’s narration, extra sound effects and music were added – some of which will be familiar to Anderson fans! Other popular children’s puppet characters of the day, such as the mouse Topo Gigio and koala bears Tingha and Tucker, would also be heard in the range. This was an edited version of The Planet of Decision, part six of the television story The Chase, narrated by David Graham (who had voiced many of the Daleks in the original production). MA 106 saw the only Doctor Who title of the range, no doubt possible thanks to the same deal that put the Daleks comic strip on the back page of TV Century 21. (later to become more commonly known as The Abominable Snowman) and The Stately Homes Robberies, which also heavily focussed on Penelope and Parker. This was followed by two more original Thunderbirds audio dramas, F.A.B. With Thunderbirds launching on television shortly before the range launched, it wasn’t long before International Rescue took centre stage in the mini albums collection starting with Introducing Thunderbirds, in which Lady Penelope and Parker are given a tour of Tracy Island just prior to International Rescue becoming operational. Across the life of the range five albums were released spotlighting the music of Barry Gray, featuring new cover versions of some of his most popular works – or in some cases, cover versions of tunes Gray enjoyed but didn’t compose, such as the themes to The Monkees, Man in a Suitcase and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. It wasn’t only audio dramas that the mini albums offered. Of the three Stingray stories however, of most interest to long-time fans is Marina Speaks, in which Marina (in the voice of Sylvia Anderson) recounts the events that led to the destruction of her home and her subsequent enforced silence, which would later be fleshed out still further in the Marina strip featured in the Lady Penelope comic. ![]() Into Action with Troy Tempest even saw the fledgling range experiment with an interactive element, offering listeners the chance to perform the roles of Troy and Phones in a story that took sections of the soundtracks to the episodes Deep Heat and Subterranean Sea and added additional newly-recorded framing dialogue from Ray Barrett as Commander Shore and Lieutenant Fisher. Journey to the Moon saw the Fireball XL5 crew appearing in the dream of a small boy named Danny, while A Trip to Marineville featured a small boy named Johnny taking a tour of the installations from Stingray. In the beginning, the range appeared to be working hard to appeal to the child audience it was no doubt mostly aimed at. The Marina strip, as seen in the Lady Penelope comic, would flesh out the story of Marina Speaks still further. These releases would be extremely authentic to the television shows they were based on, incorporating many of the voice artists from their respective series as well as all the familiar sound effects and Barry Gray music viewers were familiar with. The bulk of the range’s output would be audio versions of the popular Supermarionation series that were then airing on television, with either narrated soundtracks of television episodes or brand new audio adventures proving equally popular. For just eight shillings, you could choose one from an assortment of audio titles, each running to around twenty-one minutes. Launching in October 1965, the label was one way fans could continue to enjoy Thunderbirds, Stingray and Captain Scarlet during that long week between new episodes (or, once the show went off the air, to fill the void left by their cancellation) thanks to the range of thirty-seven 7″ extended play vinyl records they would release over the next two years. In 1965, the merchandising arm of AP Films entered into a partnership with Pye Records to establish a children’s audio label named Century 21 Records. ![]()
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