"Marina... Aqua Marina..."
The production of Stingraymarked more than one turning point for AP Films. First and foremost, the decision was made to shoot the entirety of the serieson Eastmancolor film – making it the first British television series to be filmed entirely in colour. At this point in time, British television was still screened exclusively in black and white, but it was hoped that the introduction of colour would increase the series' chances in the lucrative American market in additionto future proofing it for the UK. In order to facilitate the production of this ambitious series, the decision was also made to move premisesfrom one side of the Slough Trading Estate to another, from the company's small studio on IpswichRoad to a larger set of buildings on Stirling Road. The company would continue to expand here through its biggest successes in the coming years.
FORMAT
It is the year 2065 and the seas are patrolled by the World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP), led by their star submarine Stingray, which protects the world against the evil that emanates from beneath the waves in the form of vicious marine life-forms.
STINGRAY
Futuristic, sleek super-submarine. Capable of speeds of 600 knots. Equipped with automatic boson allowing the craft to pilot without a crew member at the controls.
MARINEVILLE
The WASP’s base, ten miles inland from the West Coast of America. Marineville is a self-contained town, with accommodation for its residents, as well as a supermarket and power station. The control tower dominates the complex and from the top floor operations are directed. When attacked, the entire complex descends into a protected bunker, located deep underground.
(The following biographies are taken from official studio publicity.
It contains certain details not revealed in the series itself, including who Troy really loved…)
CAPTAIN TROY TEMPEST, commander of Stingray, strikingly handsome, fearless, conscientious and everything a man should be. He has dark brown hair and the clearest of blue eyes. His voice is spoken by Don Mason.
MARINA, a dumb beauty who really is dumb, but not in the accepted sense of the word. She is a lovely girl from an under-ocean continent whose race has never learned to speak. She understands what is said to her, however, and makes herself understood by the expressive use of her hands. After being captured and made slave by the leader of an underwater city, she escapes with Troy Tempest and becomes his devoted aide, accompanying him on most of his adventures. She is a lithe, beautiful creature, far more human than fish, with a perfectly shaped human body. Her hair is green, long, silky and glistening. Her eyes, too, are green. She is in love with Troy, but she has a rival.
ATLANTA is the attractive rival, daughter of the Marineville commander. She is the girl who is at the other end of the radio communications with Troy, and she has been in love with him for a long time. And Troy, despite being so attracted to Marina, is really in love with the earth girl, who has lovely red-brown hair and brown eyes. Her “voice” is actress Lois Maxwell.
SAM SHORE, Atlanta’s father, is commander of Marineville, the base controlling the activities of the WASPS organisation and from which Stingray is launched. Despite the fact that he is chairborne, due to his injuries in combat, he is a fine figure of a man, with short, greying hair. His manner is authoritative, and his voice is spoken for him by the well-known Australian actor Ray Barrett.
PHONES is the cheerful hydrophone operator, the second member of the Stingray crew and Troy’s constant companion – a man who can be relied upon under all circ*mstances. He gets his name of Phones because his job calls for him to wear headphones for so much of the time, and even when he is not actually using them they are usually dangling from his neck. His voice is provided by the tall, rangy American actor Robert Easton, who is also the voice:
X-20, the shrewd, ruthless earth spy of the underwater race, the Titans. His apparently innocent home can be changed be pressing buttons, into a fantastic scientific establishment from which he can make direct contract with the underwater continent.
TITAN is the cruel, vicious leader of the underwater city of Titanica, handsome in an evil way, and the brains behind the great underwater organisation which threatens the security of the world. His voice is also spoken by Ray Barrett.
PRODUCED BY
Gerry Anderson
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Reg Hill
DIRECTED BY
Alan Pattillo
David Elliott
Desmond Saunders
John Kelly
TELEPLAYS BY
Alan Fennell
Dennis Spooner
Gerry & Sylvia Anderson
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
John Read
SPECIAL EFFECTS LIGHTING
Ted Wooldridge
LIGHTING CAMERAMAN
John Read
Julien Lugrin
Paddy Seale
CAMERA OPERATORS
Jimmy Elliot
Alan Perry
Julien Lugrin
Paddy Seale
ART DIRECTOR
Bob Bell
SPECIAL EFFECTS DIRECTOR
Derek Meddings
PUPPETRY SUPERVISION
Christine Glanville
Mary Turner
SCRIPT SUPERVISION
Gerry & Sylvia Anderson
MUSIC COMPOSED, ARRANGED AND
CONDUCTED BY
Barry Gray
TITLE MUSIC VOCAL
Gary Miller
PUPPET OPERATORS
Yvonne Hunter
Carolyn Turner
Judith Shutt
Zena Relph
SCULPTORS
John Blundall
John Brown
Wolfgang Manthey
WARDROBE
Elizabeth Coleman
CHARACTER VOICES
Ray Barrett
Robert Easton
David Graham
Don Mason
Lois Maxwell
EDITOR
David Lane
Eric Pask
Harry MacDonald
SOUND EDITOR
John Peverill
DIALOGUE EDITOR
Richard Best Jr.
MUSIC EDITOR
Tony Lenny
DIALOGUE AND CHARACTERISATION SUPERVISION
Sylvia Anderson
SOUND
Maurice Askew
John Taylor
SPECIAL EFFECTS ASSISTANT
Brian Johnco*ck
PROPERTY MASTER
Arthur Cripps
MODELS
Bill James
Eric Backman
Ezra Deering
CHIEF ELECTRICIAN
Albert Scott
An APF Television Production. In Videocolor. Filmed in Supermarionation. In Association with ATV. Westrex Recording System. An ITC World Wide Distribution.
