‘There was another thing I thought was pretty funny… We had a fire next door to the studios at Burnham Beeches. It was on fire. Our lot was right next to it, and the wall was right next to where it was burning. We were coming back from lunch, and the cars were all parked there. So, someone told me when I was in about fourth grade that you can’t have cars near fire; they’re going to blow up, right? So we walked in, and we ran into Reggie [Hill], and I said, “Has anybody called the fire department?” He said, “Oh, someone will come along.” I said, “You know something, I want an American hysteric here right now.” I didn’t want an Englishman telling me, “Oh, it will be all right,” with the flames burning about ten feet high! “Someone will come along,” he said. I said, “An American hysteric,” that’s what I asked him for. I didn’t get one, but they did come along and put the fire out.’
Of their producers, Christopher Penfold recalled: ‘Of course the person who has most reason to be proud of what we achieved in Space: 1999 is not here, and that’s Gerry Anderson himself. What was really quite unusual in my experience in television – and I’ve had a lot of it – was the way in which Gerry Anderson, and Sylvia, too, was so open as an Executive Producer to the kinds of ideas and storylines we came up with. And Gerry and Sylvia came up with some of them themselves, which made the series so distinctive. It was a privilege to work under those circumstances, and it’s not something that you often get in this business.’
Barbara Bain also reflected on the Andersons: ‘Sylvia had a marvellously ebullient personality, and she had that kind of “up” thing. You can’t argue about that with anybody, actually. She did have that. She had a kind of fun and light feeling. Gerry was very serious. Very serious. At least in my estimation. That’s what I saw.’
Prentis Hancock recalled an unproduced concept for an episode: ‘There was an interesting idea that Gerry ran past Nick and me, and we thought we were going to do at one time. There had been a camera attachment to a helicopter that allowed it to work as a steady-cam for the duration of a nine-minute [film] magazine, and he wanted to have a planet surface that was all water. There’s one area – I think above Swansea – where you can find spots on the horizon where there are no ships in the range of the camera shooting all the way around. So Nick and I would be in a rubber dinghy in the middle of this area, and the helicopter would come in and we could play a nine-minute scene using the whole magazine of the camera. And this would save them building a planet surface of water on L stage, which would be rather difficult. You’d have to build a bloody big tank to put it in. It never came to fruition, but he was considering it. It would have used the latest technology that was available for aerial shots, and our incredible acting abilities, against the water.’
The second season of Space: 1999 continued – as always – to raise points of contention, as when Martin Landau said: ‘I was never happy about Freddie [Freiberger] [getting rid of Barry Morse] … Catherine was a wonderful girl, but you know – having her be a metamorph and all that – some of that was not my favorite stuff. I think the second year was not as good as the first year, for a lot of reasons: Prentis not being there, Nick being there less … All of that. I felt the family was breaking up, for no decent reason, and I think it hurt the show. I always felt if we had kept that first year going, in the way it was going, we would have had a third year. It was being tampered with for the wrong reasons. Too many cooks, and not enough palatable food.’
Nick Tate agreed: ‘I sensed this was going to be huge. I just thought the thing was going to be bigger than Star Trek. And as you know, it hasn’t been. But personal triumphs within it, yes, it was wonderful. And there are many people around the world who still love the show ... It was science faction; it wasn’t science fiction. That whole premise. That’s what went wrong with the second year, when they tried to make it into all the fanciful crap. Freddie Freiberger was the worst thing that ever happened to the series, quite frankly. But there wouldn’t have been a second series without him. Well, there might have been, and it would have been a much better second series. But he was commissioned to do the hatchet job that he did. He axed all the original players, and he was wrong: totally wrong. I think the series would have gone on and been an equal to Star Trek if we’d stuck with the original premise that it was science faction. That’s what people loved about it, and I think it’s what drew most people to it originally … The first season was just so wonderful and exciting, and we all felt a huge responsibility in a sense that we were bringing this new form of science fiction … This was the first big series that – they said – was going to rival the popularity of Star Trek, and that was very exciting for all of us. And we knew that we were doing it more in terms of fact than fiction; that we would use scientific principles that we understood [were plausible], and that there wouldn’t be any pantomime characters appearing, which is what went wrong with the second series.’
When asked about fan mail, Anton Phillips said: ‘I only get fan mail from Space: 1999, and it always comes as a bit of a surprise when it does come; a pleasant surprise, by the way. It’s funny, because there are a whole load of people – friends of mine – who don’t know that I was in Space: 1999. At the gym I go to, there was one guy there who was a real fan of Space: 1999. He worked in the building; he wasn’t working out. He was retiring, and he had one of the Space: 1999 books, and he brought it in for me to sign. I was signing it and someone else came by and said, “What are you doing?” I said, “I’m just autographing his book for him.” He said, “Why?” I said, “Well, because I was in the series.” He said, “What, you were in Space: 1999?” I said, “Yes.” He said, ”I never knew that!” And this was someone who had been a friend of mine for six or seven years, and knew the series. But that was when I had the [big] hair and the moustache, and the … slim [waist]. The surprise is when people do recognise me, which occasionally happens.’
Martin Landau also talked about the show’s enduring impact on its viewers: ‘Buzz Aldrin – the second man on the Moon – is a friend of mine, and he mentions the fact that a lot of people he knows were addicted to Space: 1999. And he watched it. John Glenn watched it. I learned this years later. It’s kind of flattering, really. These were the real guys. And Neil Armstrong watched it. We had an interesting audience out there ... It was before Star Wars, and after Star Trek, and both of those things were taken pretty well. We wanted to go on network; we never did. We were syndicated. In fact, Norman Lear picked up our thread and put Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman into syndication when the networks turned that down, and we inspired him to do what we did; what Lew Grade did. Which was to not allow the rejection by the networks to stop our show from going on the air. So we started our own network, in a sense, which was groundbreaking.’
In summing up his recollections of Space: 1999, Christopher Penfold said: ‘What I really have liked about looking back [at Space: 1999] is to see how brave and original many of the ideas were.’
Perhaps the final summary should go to Martin Landau, Space: 1999’s Commander, who said: ‘In doing a science fiction show – or anything that demands effects and post production – you often work with lots of things that aren’t there. That’s what’s good about these actors and their imaginations. It’s like a child playing Cowboys and Indians or Cops and Robbers. When their mother calls that child and says, “It’s time to …” that interruption is enormous. A lot of these actors believed in a crazy, wonderful way that we were out in space. When you walked onto that set and put that suit on you really felt you were hurtling through space, in an odd and strange and wonderful way ... I’m asked to sign a lot of things from Space: 1999, and I’m always amazed at how zealous the Space: 1999 fans are. They seem to have more energy than fans of other things I’ve done. I love this show, and we had a good time doing it.’
A RETURN TO MOONBASE ALPHA?
News reports broke in late May 2009 that legendary Hollywood producer Robert Evans (Chinatown, Marathon Man) was revamping Space: 1999’s immediate predecessor
, UFO, as a new major motion picture. Evans was quoted as saying, ‘We know the importance of the UFO series brand to ITV Global, and we will work closely with them to build this into a franchise.’[38] Unfortunately, despite the passing of five years since that announcement, there has been no further news about the UFO movie, and it is widely considered to be dead in the water.
A similar announcement in February 2012 saw ITV Studios America and HDFilms trumpet Space: 2099, intended as a reboot of Space: 1999. Although few details were divulged publicly it quickly became clear this project would be a radical departure from the original series premise, as when Executive Producer Jace Hall said: ‘Will the Moon play the same role that it did in Space: 1999? The answer is that it will not. It will be present, and it has a purpose, but it will not play the exact same role that it did in Space: 1999.’ A large proportion of fans were turned off by this and other tidbits of information, resulting in Hall meeting a significantly negative reception when he made a public appearance at the Alpha: 2012 convention.
On 23 January 2014 a new statement was released by Hall updating fans with news that considerable background and script development had taken place, along with visual effects tests, and that ITV had ‘initiated discussions with various networks/distributors/ destinations in regard to what will be the right home for this tremendous series.’ Included in Hall’s statement were the comments: ‘To be clear, Space: 2099 is not Space: 1999. It is not a continuation of Space: 1999 in any way … Space: 2099 is much more serialised in story than Space: 1999. Character progression and storytelling can now have meaningful long arcs and significant impact.’ Hall also indicated that fan input has had an impact on the development of the series: ‘We have gained some insight by reading and listening to the Space: 1999 community in terms of some thoughts, concerns, fears, and assumptions that can and will be made as the Space: 2099 story is digested. Knowing some of this has helped us craft an even more compelling story and universe, putting in twists and turns that specifically will tap into some of these fan assumptions and then suddenly shatter them with a completely unexpected turn of events. It’s exciting stuff.’
Fan response to Hall’s new statement was once again largely negative, with concerns remaining focused on the perception that Space: 2099 will have only tangential connections to its predecessor. It remains to be seen if this perception is accurate, or if Jace Hall and ITV really have listened to the fans’ concerns.
But another hope remains for a return to Moonbase Alpha. The first project known as Space: 2099 was begun by Eric Bernard as a remastering of the original Space: 1999 series, incorporating new and augmented special effects and select edits with an eye towards improved pacing. This project evolved to a second phase: the development of a sequel series known as Moonbase Alpha: Legacy, picking up the story of the Alphans approximately 40 years later. While extensive details have not yet been made public (as the project is not yet authorised by ITV), a huge amount of work has been completed, including a feature-length pilot script, first season story outlines, a detailed series bible, and pre-production design artwork. Test special effects footage of Eagles and Moonbase Alpha, created by Wes Sargent (the Stargate franchise), have met with an enthusiastic response from fans. In addition, fans are pleased to know that the Moonbase Alpha: Legacy team includes original series story editor Christopher Penfold and model-maker Martin Bower, who has designed and built his first ship in the Space: 1999 universe since the original series ended; a one-off craft called the Vulture. Along with Christopher Penfold, the writing team includes Steve Warnek (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Gregory L Norris and Laura A Van Vleet (Star Trek: Voyager), as well as the author of this book, who guarantees fans that everything being done for Moonbase Alpha: Legacy is respectful and inclusive of the original series, while also bringing it forward in a very modern and exciting way.
Artist and designer Eric Chu (Battlestar Galactica) made the following tantalising comment: ‘Cearly the various titles in the Gerry Anderson catalogue are prime candidates for making a comeback as well as being a designer’s wet dream. Hopefully, you’ll see a little more of that.’[39]
Only time will tell if audiences and fans may yet make a return trip to Moonbase Alpha …
AFTERWORD
Barry Morse
Not many television shows have accumulated and kept such a loyal body of supporters, for so long, as our old Space: 1999 has. When I mention that I am about to attend another gathering of Space: 1999 fans in the United States or England or France, or wherever, sceptical people in our trade will often say to me, ‘That old Space: 1999? It wasn’t much good, was it? What is it that keeps all these people enthused?’
The fans are drawn together by a supposition of the human race confronting an impossible situation – and that, in a curious way, is what kept inspiring us while we were doing it. The philosophical impact of Space: 1999 has resulted in such a remarkable union of human beings. I’m always greatly touched and moved at the conventions I’m able to get to, to realise that this has been brought about by the philosophical commercial, as you might call it, engendered by such people as Johnny Byrne and Chris Penfold. They, first and foremost and pre-eminently, are the ones who delivered the philosophy of Space: 1999. And George Bellak, of course, in his original treatment of ‘Breakaway’, tried to assemble a kind of humanist philosophy, which should permeate the whole of the series, and to a very large extent did.
I like to think – and I believe – that one of the ingredients that welds us all together and compels those dear young people to gather together at conventions around the world to this day is the awareness of how human beings can be drawn together and can – forgetting all their personal differences or temporary problems – work positively, hopefully and constructively towards a common end for good. And, please God, I hope it’s catching, because our planet needs it.
This species of ours is not notable for great successes in many areas. The last time I looked, there were 32 wars going on around this planet; almost all of them in the name of so-called religions. That’s why when I’m asked about my religious faith I always say, ‘I’m a born-again agnostic.’ Your friend and mine, George Bernard Shaw, used to say the greatest accomplishment of the human species was destruction. And when one looks at the planet as we presently deal with it, one is inclined to think that he was rightBut the fans of Space: 1999 have obviously sensed and felt in our old series, that there is something Above and Beyond, and Better than those infuriating, meaningless squabbles. That means a great deal to me, and gives me hope for the future of our world.
Finally, I would like to put forth these thoughts from ‘Black Sun’: ‘To everything that might have been … To everything that was,’ and add, ‘To everything that might yet be!’
Barry Morse
APPENDIX
SPACE: 1999 BOOKS AND MERCHANDISE
NOVELS AND NOVELISATIONS (1970s)
Numerous novels and novelisations have been published based on Space: 1999. The first of these even appeared on bookstore shelves prior to the premiere of the series in 1975.
The novels based on Year One are as follows:
1. Breakaway by E C Tubb. Published in 1975. (The UK Orbit edition was released in February 1975 – months ahead of Space: 1999’s worldwide television debut, while the US Pocket Books edition was released in September 1975 – the same month the series premiered.) Featuring adaptations of the episodes ‘Breakaway’, ‘Matter of Life and Death’, ‘Ring Around the Moon’ and ‘Black Sun’.
2. Moon Odyssey by John Rankine. Published in 1975. (February 1975 by Orbit in the UK; September 1975 by Pocket Books in the US.) Adaptations of ‘Alpha Child’, ‘The Last Sunset’, ‘Voyager’s Return’ and ‘Another Time, Another Place’
3. The Space Guardians by Brian Ball. Published in 1975. (Its August 1975 release by Orbit in the UK made it the last book published prior to the premiere of the series on television. Pocket Books didn’t release the novelisation in the US until November 1975.) Ad
aptations of ‘Missing Link’, ‘Force of Life’ and ‘Guardian of Piri’.
4. Collision Course by E C Tubb. Published in October 1975 (Orbit, UK) and February 1976 (Pocket Books, US). Adaptations of ‘Collision Course’, ‘The Full Circle’, ‘End of Eternity’ and ‘Death’s Other Dominion’.
5. Lunar Attack by John Rankine. Published in November 1975 (Orbit, UK) and March 1976 (Pocket Books, US). Adaptations of ‘War Games’, ‘The Troubled Spirit’, ‘The Last Enemy’ and ‘Space Brain’.
6. Astral Quest by John Rankine. Published in December 1975 (Orbit, UK) and April 1976 (Pocket Books, US). Adaptations of ‘The Infernal Machine’, ‘Mission of the Darians’, ‘Dragon’s Domain’ and ‘The Testament of Arkadia’
7. Alien Seed by E C Tubb. Published in June 1976 (Pocket Books, US) and August 1976 (Orbit, UK). This is an original novel. Back-cover plot synopsis: ‘The fantastic intergalactic odyssey of the courageous men and women of Moonbase Alpha comes to a terrifying climax when the space wanderers confront the ultimate alien world. A silent planet of never-ending night, its smooth, mysterious surface is thick with an ancient space dust. And buried under the cloak of darkness are innocent-looking pods. Are they the seeds of new hope for Alpha, or of an incredible nightmare no one has ever before dared to imagine?’
Destination: Moonbase Alpha Page 61
