It used to be Paul Foster in the 1970's but now it's Ed Straker....My taste has changed with age and I also get a different enjoyment to the story line now.....
Acne scars!? It never occurred to me. I just saw him as another character though that's a really dumb reason to not have someone back on (though he was hired with the face he had, acne scars (?) and all).
@@GNeuman Yeah, but that's something that's always been with us for awhile (only relatively recently have we come to the conclusion that maybe it's not okay).
A few years before his passing, Mike Billington (an absolute gentleman in every sense of the term!) responded to my emails in which I asked about his career- particularly the "UFO" series and if there was a possible role for him in "Space 1999". The word "politics" came up several times in his fascinating replies. He said he loved doing UFO and would have been happy to have been a part of 1999 as well, although he didn't elaborate on if a part had been offered. He went on to explain that acting, at least in those days, was more "do what you need to do," rather than what you "want to do". Understanding how to navigate the politics was as important as remembering your lines and emulating your chatacter. Even if the actors are referred to as "artists" in the credits, its business as usual in the end. I would have loved to have sat down with him in a coffee shop for a couple hours just talking- what an interesting and talented guy!
Mike Billington was Harry Saltzman's preferred choice for James Bond over Roger Moore for LALD, but Cubby Broccoli and UA won out and Moore was given the final nod. However, Cubby kept Mike Billington under contract up until For Your Eyes Only as a stand-in and replacement for Moore should he refuse to sign his contract. Something that Moore did everytime after TSWLM. Personally, I think Billington would've made the better Bond and wouldn't have come with all The Saint baggage that Moore had.
@Simon Leib Indeed he would. Cubby did cast Billington in the role of the Russian spy in TSWLM, seen in the skiing pre-title sequence. I can still recall many people thinking it was George Lazenby at the time sharing his bed with Barbara Bach.
@@danieljudegennis Not only that, but Billington was an easy-going actor that wouldn't have given the producers or studio any problems. I'm mostly a Saltzman kinda guy, and believe it was Harry that made some of the best calls for Bond. Billington would've been a return to a Connery-Dalton type of Bond rather than the tongue-in-cheek Bond that suited Moore.
Very interesting info that I was not previously aware of. George Sewell's character added so much to the series and I think it's no coincidence that most, though not all, of my favourite episodes involve him.
Agreed. George Sewell was a great character actor and he had great presence on screen in UFO. Ed, Michael and George was always a great combination. Alec was 2ic of SHADO. He should never have been let go… however, that move allowed George to pursue other roles and he had a long career in many diverse roles as well as many notable law enforcement roles.
Having watched the series again, I found Sewell incredibly wooden. I got the impression that direction wasn't great because a number of actors seemed to struggle to give their best.
I met George Sewell twice when i worked as stage crew and stage door keeper at a theatre complex.Got his autograph and was one of the nicest actors ive ever met.Great actor and intelligent .could speak fluent German.The thing about casting good looking people still happens in USA programmes.Also rermakes of famous films.Look at the Omen remake .
During the seventies and eighties in shows like Quincy, I was always possible to put CK whodunnit because it was always the only "ugly" actor in the episode.
This is really rather sad. As a kid I was as UFO obsessed as people are with Dr Who. I still think this was the pinnacle of Gerry Anderson's brilliant work. Gerry and Syilvia Anderson literally shaped my childhood and allowed me to escape from what was an otherwise rather bleak life in a dying Midlands industrial town. So sad that, as usual politics got in the way of making more.
George and Peter did fantastic work on UFO - Gardeno did a great job with so little experience in "Identified" along with Sewell who was a consummate pro at all times - too bad they were robbed of more screen time - 🛸👽
Alec Freeman was for me one of the best characters in the show. He didnt say an awful lot. He could do most of it with just a look. Its a pity he wasn't in it to the end.
I always liked George Sewell...he was a great character actor, usually cast as a cop or villain, and a mainstay of U.K film and t.v in the sixties and seventies. What a shocking way to treat him.
I recognised the name Peter Gordeno from Depeche Mode (long time keyboardist for the band) So I googled the name, turns out that the DM one is Gordeno Jnr and Peter Gordeno Snr was his dad. Well I never! Enjoy the silence 😁
Interesting facts of the behind the scenes,a few of them ,I already had read about before and some are new to me.As for George Sewell,as a child watching the series,he seemed the cool guy in the episodes ,I think as a child you don't notice the age of characters or how they aren't Hollywood beautiful ,you notice if they make the stories interesting which George certainly did .The fact that the episodes were shown out of order just made me think that characters were off duty if they didn't appear in an episode and Shado was a much bigger organisation .
I still watch this series regularly when I feel I need an uplift if my spirits,and those characters became my friends in a way. I was always puzzled by so many disappearing,but obviously the actors have new roles to play,so they move on. But UFO lost a lot of its magic when those familiar faces left.
I've just bought the Blu Ray set of UFO. Absolutely lovely package and wonderfully remastered. I used to watch this and Randall And Hopkirk Deceased on Saturday mornings on TV as a kid. Having heard about cast disappearing from UFO though, l hope the Blu Ray set episodes are arranged in the way you don't notice and not in production order.
I’m in Canada and I recall many guys who were my age (9 years old) watched this show back in 1970-71. I’m looking forward to learning more about it in the near future.
Yes! My 9 year old eyes only recall the cool-looking interceptors (with their one big missile) and the random UFOs that just kept popping out of nowhere. Now my adult eyes can appreciate the commanding presence of Straker, the incredible beauty of Lt. Ellis, and those cool looking automobiles that sure weren't around in 1980!
Good video. I saw George Sewell just before he died. He was in a York in a bar on his own & it was sad that not one other person it seemed had recognised him🙁
I had heard this about George Sewell before. Luckily he got an excellent starring role in Special Branch in which he had a romance with a very beautiful lady. What is quite ironic about this is that they used a close up of Sewell's face with sunglasses for the ITC Publicity brochure for selling the series - so whoever designed that clearly felt that his image was striking. I have to say that Wanda Wentham made an excellent replacement lead. I thought that the changing focus on different cast members in different episodes of UFO was a real strength of the show. It gave more variety and more realism than having the one lead character as the protagonist every time as was the case in Space 1999. I know that was at Martin Landau's insistence but it didn't seem credible that he would always be the only person to resist alien mind control.
Image discrimination goes on today. When did you ever see a plain jane in 'Hollyoaks' or 'Love Island?' in fact its worse now. Thank heavens for legends like George Sewell.
Both the examples that you used here, Peter and George , had very prolific careers. Growing up in the 60s I remember seeing George Sewell in may TV shows as cops or London villain, and Peter in shows such as London Palladium as a dancer.
I believe he was in the intro to The Spy Who Loved Me. He's the bad guy Roger Moore shoots and kills with a ski-pole gun. As Barbara Bach's man, it motivates her to seek revenge.
I loved watching UFO when it was first shown.....saw theses episodes in Black and White......I am now watching them in colour on Forces TV...I still get a thrill watching these old episodes....what I now find interesting here are the stories behind the scenes and people etc..... Thank you...I can't wait for you next account....
@andy morris Thanks...I only find out it was on this channel by happy accident....I'm now addicted to it.....When I watched it in the early 1970's my school friend and myself liked Paul Foster like crazy but now Ed Straker is the one who makes my toes curl and I'll be 64 tomorrow...Ha ha ha......
@andy morris I used to be part of the audience for a children's pop music show call Lift Off...it was on Granada T.V. in the late 1960's....Ayshea hosted it.....I got her to autograph an article about UFO in the TV times , she was in the photo.....A lovely lady.,
@andy morris Yes I was these programmes too including Time Slip,.. Yes her dress was nice... I was never that slim to get away with wearing that....ha.ha.ha....watched that episode last night..
@@antoniettabroadhurst1178 so many people seem to forget about Timeslip which was brilliant. I had it all on VHS and now have it on DVD. Also have Follyfoot and UFO. I read somewhere not that long ago that Lift Off with Ayesha was all wiped which is a real shame. I remember that series too. Any recollections of Escape Into Night? That series really creeped me out as a kid.
@@joecaprani5772 Oh no...They did that with a lot of programs.... rerecord over tapes and lossed so many episodes of programs...I remember they did that with Dr. who.....but by some miracle lost episodes were found on promo Australia.......None had VCR at home in the 1960/70's so they are lost forever....Shame....I remember seeing some great artist on Lift Off.... From the The Sweet to Cliff Richard.....
Makes sense that a number of male and female actors pursued other work after the MGM studio closure. There weren't as many openings as there are now, and for some it would have been the difference between paying the mortgage/rent or not.
I still have the box set of U F O & still enjoy the series as avidly as before . Some really beautiful women in that series . When you see some of the ridiculous rubbish , churned out by U S television company’s . It really sums up their thinking . Canned laughter tripe is all you get from American television . Long Live U F O . A great series .
Very good comment..I agree. I love the fact they gave the women high command responsibilities at the moon base. Not only ALL of them were drop-dead gorgeous but took command brilliantly. Won’t get that in America..especially having the black woman at the helm. Way to o England 🏴!
I've heard all the complaints from the ITC New York people about UFO and 1999 that American audiences don't like X, Y or Z. I've never heard any viewer mention these issues. It's possible TV executives don't know what the heck they're talking about! I know, crazy idea!
Sewell was a terrific actor. He played some wonderful villains. Memorable scene in Get Carter facing a naked Michael Caine holding a shotgun. I think the show lost something and even though the gorgeous, sultry Wanda Ventham took his place, she never quite matched up as an ally to Straker.
I always wondered what happened to Peter Gordeno and why he wasn't in more episodes. Back then, watching UFO as a kid, he was easily the coolest character in the series to me and I was always disappointed when he wasn't in an episode.
The final episode ...mindbender...is one of the best Sci fi concepts ever...who can forget Bishop crashing into the moon purple haired girls on a break from "shooting"...Bishop seemed to be able to run like an Olympics champion...does anyone know his sports background?
Could do the same with tone of the series from episode 15 "E.S.P." Getting darker and supernatural as opposed to the lighthearted preventing aliens from landing secret organisation.
I heard about Peter and George before, just confirming what I heard. I heard too, that Peter wasn't originally cast to be the Sky One pilot. That Jon Kelley, who became Skydiver navigator Lt. Masters was first choice to be the Skydiver Captain and Sky One pilot.
If having a craggy face was detrimental to ones career Edward James Olmos would be unemployable. Personally I like the weather-beaten craggy appearance, very gritty and tough.
I still have a fondness for UFO, the re-runs are a great and although all the original flaws remain, it’s a real treat. Leaks face it, it was a kids’ programme and in it’s time I was not one of the target audience but hey, the whole thing was imaginative, original and fun and the ladies were always worth ogling! Likewise the preposterous and highly enjoyable Space 1999 is still something I feel affection for, well, actually, everything Gerry Andersen made is good for me, even Joe 90. I am old enough to have seen the very early stuff and recall watching 4 Feather Falls in black and white. Even Terrahawks went down well with my crows in the 80s, nothing like these shows ever gets made in the UK for kids and big kids like me anymore. Characterful Faces, a lovely analogy, I reckon Parker was lucky to get his gig in Thunderbirds with his fizzle then, luckily the Yanks hadn’t seen the rushes! As for l”The people who hold the purse strings have the final say”, that is highly portentous and rings true of everything in life, thanks how the world is in the current mess it’s in with Bat Flu and Politics, the wrong people who are unqualified are pulling strings, cést la vie,
Thanks again for some more really useful UFO facts, always liked Alec Freeman. You mentioned Keith Ford leaving the series. Do you know the reason why his voice was dubbed over in an episode. I do not know the name of the actor used, but his voice is very familiar with a French accent? and I think has been used in the Prisoner and James Bond films.
It's not that unusual for smaller roles in films or filmed series to be dubbed by another actor. A common reason is that by the time that the locked off picture edit is complete the actor isn't available when needed to post sync one or more of their lines and so all their lines are dubbed by another actor. Lines might need to be post synced for all sorts of reasons which may have nothing to do with the way they were performed, such as extraneous background noise. The only thing that's unusual here is that it's a semi-regular actor in a series being dubbed so it's more obvious. Though don't forget that in the context of TV at the time it might have been some weeks since Ford's voice had been heard beyond the odd word or two and there was no way for the average viewer to re-watch episodes at will. We are able to spot minor details which would probably never have been picked up at the time.
@StolenEyes Thank you for the information and name of the voice over artist used and reason why this may have happened. Always thought it was a bit strange, as Keith's role was a bit of a regular for his voice to be changed in one episode and then back to normal again for the next episode depending on the order of the episodes being played.
@@johnnhoj6749 Thank you for the information and explanation how these programmes are put together and reasons why lines may need to be dubbed by another actor. I agree with you in simpler times before the introduction of Beta, Video 2000 and VHS recorders you could only look forward to next weeks episode.
@StolenEyes The same thing happed with David Niven in one of the Pink Panther films. He had (I believe) throat cancer, but agreed to appear in the film. His voice was dubbed by another actor.
@StolenEyes After you told me Robert Rietty was the voice over artist, I looked him up on Google as well. I now know why his voice was so familiar to me, due to his extensive portfolio of acting work over the years covering all the main TV programmes and films I am interested in, such as Danger Man, The Prisoner and UFO etc. Such a memorable voice!
If you're "not sure those decisions would be made now", you're sadly mistaken. Don't take my word for it, of course - just ask literally any actress who dares to show even the slightest sign of ageing, gaining weight, or daring to reject sexual advances from the 'money men'.
George always seemed to play hard villains and thugs but he could do cops and even comedy-I saw him as a guest on les dawson show and he was funny spoofing his Special Branch character.
Fun fact: Irwin Allen famously issued a directive for Season 3 of Lost in Space: - "Just gimmie a load more stories about the Kid, the Tin Man and the Crazy Old Fruit"! Who could he have been referring to, I wonder?
Great video guys! Alec I miss, he represent guys like my dad, rugged, a life well lived, and I miss the times he differ in attitudes vs Striker! And he's a certified ladies man!!! Also, British shows had more realistic ' the man/woman on the streets ' looking actors, not the Hollywood beauty standard. I really like that!
We're given the impression that SHADO was formed out of some very special people chosen from the military and civilian worlds. Diversity of appearance, background, and personality would have been expected. While not strongly pressed in the series, the characters weren't interchangeable; Lt. Ellis would behave one way and Col. Lake would behave another; in fact, I always got a kick out of how Col. Lake was a bit of a sassmistress. :)
It is a very different show but fans of Boston Legal, the US legal drama (or rather comedy/drama) may recall similar chopping and changing of the cast. As we by then had the internet, everyone, including the dumped characters, knew exactly what sort of capricious decisions were being taken by the producers.
Sheesh -- to call George Sewell ugly is like saying the same about Gene Hackman -- and look at all the recognition he got! I never noticed Sewell as being pockmarked; I thought he was rather handsome, actually. The character relationship between Straker and Alec Freeman was not unlike that between Kirk and Spock. To see the show come back and see some lousy woman replace him was just plain weird.
I've just read a post here in which it's stated that this trend of choosing good looking persons in casting is still an issue for acting people in the states. I shiver at thinking how bad must be treated less than gorgeous actresses in this hypocritically pseudo-feminist world ! By the way, the outstanding beauty of miss Ventham did not compensate for the absence of Sewall.
That's an interesting idea, though I can't quite imagine the conversation. "Quite frankly, we think you're ugly so we've got to write a backstory for your character to explain your ugliness." Then again, some people won't mind so who knows...
I love 👍 this show, wished it had gone on for 5 seasons. I’ve noticed that the entire crew are British (awesome talents) but Ed Bishop is clearly American. What’s the scoop on that if I may be bold as to inquire?
TV gold. I think Ed Bishop was in UFO for overseas markets& the backing for it was American money as it was for Space1999. He was good in it too. The flipside is that the chap who played Foster could have played Bond but lost out to probably Roger Moore. UFO.. If you like it, check out "Journey to the far side of the sun" also called Doppelganger was Andersons best feature film, they used some of the same costumes & sets
THE BIG QUESTION never answered...why did the aliens come to earth in the first place. If they don’t bring back UFO, they should do a feature answering all the questions, like UFO:The Next Generation (continue it 10 years later format)..with inserts from the original show to have consistency. With today’s awesome special effects, it could be a fantastic movie. Even better, the actors who are still living could have surprise appearances..that alone will thrill UFO fans. During the end credits, those surviving actors could have discussions about the movie. This could work!
Problem is this is a 50 year old show! Not many of the cast survive I’d guess... also, “Space 1999” was a follow on from UFO as far as I’m aware, although for me it was UFO or nothing, there was no real link for me given the cast was different etc, which was a big disappointment to me as UFO was one of my favourites as a kid. It’s the same problem with the later “Blake’s 7” which has also been suggested is right for revival, but has no meaningful way to relate to the major members of the original cast, think Montgomery Scott (from the original Star Trek) being escorted to a shuttle by Data in TNG. That’s the sort of connection that becomes impossible. Damn... now you have made me feel both old AND geeky 🤓😳🙄🥺🤪😢
This question was answered early in the seines and maybe even in the first episode identified whee they get hold of an Alien from a UFO shot down by Peter Carlin. The Alien dies under interrogation but Straker postulates based on finding human organs implanted in the Alien body that they might be being driven millions of miles across space to planet earth by the greatest motivation of all,SURVIVAL! Straker's theory tells us that maybe their civilization had reached a point where it is exhausted and it needs revitalization a place he says we might ourselves be in one day. In the episode ESP a man with Psychic abilities is controlled by an Alien and in a confrontation with Straker while under alien control asks Straker why shadow interferes with the Aliens activities on Earth? This smacks of desperation to survive and the view of the human race as just organ donors to assist in the Aliens survival.
My favourite characters were the aliens themselves. It would have been great to know more about them and actually hear one or two of them speak. Wouldn't have minded an Earth language but even more one of their own languages. I did find their, as Angus Deaton put it 'zen like inability to speak' a bit irksome.
Compared to George I found Wanda's character wooden & if you watch she often makes a surprised or shocked face at the camera, which is quite off putting.
There was a video on RUclips were Sylvia (who was behind ALL the actors costume decisions) said she wanted something different for the Moonbase personnel and saw these wigs one day in a shop. It took me a while before I realized that the purple wigs were part of a uniform, like the white caps worn by sailors in the Navy and not part of what made these women creatures from another planet.
@@howardkerr8174 Right. Sylvia Anderson thought that maybe in the 1980s uniforms for women might include wigs the same way men's suits have ties. SHADO had distinctive uniforms for its "service branches" (Skydiver, Moonbase, Earth field operations) and the purple wigs, the silver bits, and the Fender amplifier grille cloth was Moonbase's. :)
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Who was your favourite UFO character? Were you sad to see some of the regulars go? Let us know!
Well, it was Alec - and I always assumed that he and the others had left because they had other work to do! :(
It used to be Paul Foster in the 1970's but now it's Ed Straker....My taste has changed with age and I also get a different enjoyment to the story line now.....
Hard to say they were all part of my childhood and all great, I'm enjoying the reruns on TV right now
Got to say the sound of those UFO'sspinning round always gave me the chills, it was a great sound effect😉
One more thing my favorite episode was the one where time stood still always remember that one the most.
As a little kid, I loved Alec, I didn’t even notice his acne scars. He was the guy whom Straker could depend on.
I always thought Alec would've been the perfect choice for commander of Moonbase Alpha! (And Wanda Ventham as Dr. Russel)
Acne scars!? It never occurred to me. I just saw him as another character though that's a really dumb reason to not have someone back on (though he was hired with the face he had, acne scars (?) and all).
Agree.
Alex Freeman's leching and oogling scenes were an intrinsic part to the future that was to be 1980.
@@GNeuman Yeah, but that's something that's always been with us for awhile (only relatively recently have we come to the conclusion that maybe it's not okay).
A few years before his passing, Mike Billington (an absolute gentleman in every sense of the term!) responded to my emails in which I asked about his career- particularly the "UFO" series and if there was a possible role for him in "Space 1999". The word "politics" came up several times in his fascinating replies. He said he loved doing UFO and would have been happy to have been a part of 1999 as well, although he didn't elaborate on if a part had been offered. He went on to explain that acting, at least in those days, was more "do what you need to do," rather than what you "want to do". Understanding how to navigate the politics was as important as remembering your lines and emulating your chatacter. Even if the actors are referred to as "artists" in the credits, its business as usual in the end. I would have loved to have sat down with him in a coffee shop for a couple hours just talking- what an interesting and talented guy!
I was estatic! He genuinely appreciated my questions and interest in his career as well.
Mike Billington was Harry Saltzman's preferred choice for James Bond over Roger Moore for LALD, but Cubby Broccoli and UA won out and Moore was given the final nod. However, Cubby kept Mike Billington under contract up until For Your Eyes Only as a stand-in and replacement for Moore should he refuse to sign his contract. Something that Moore did everytime after TSWLM. Personally, I think Billington would've made the better Bond and wouldn't have come with all The Saint baggage that Moore had.
@Simon Leib Indeed he would. Cubby did cast Billington in the role of the Russian spy in TSWLM, seen in the skiing pre-title sequence. I can still recall many people thinking it was George Lazenby at the time sharing his bed with Barbara Bach.
@@SmartCookie2022 I agree plus Michael was more athletic and great physical shape. Probably one the best Bonds we never had.
@@danieljudegennis Not only that, but Billington was an easy-going actor that wouldn't have given the producers or studio any problems. I'm mostly a Saltzman kinda guy, and believe it was Harry that made some of the best calls for Bond. Billington would've been a return to a Connery-Dalton type of Bond rather than the tongue-in-cheek Bond that suited Moore.
George Sewell was a great presence and face and as a child he was a stand out actor for me. Terrible way to treat him.
Very interesting info that I was not previously aware of. George Sewell's character added so much to the series and I think it's no coincidence that most, though not all, of my favourite episodes involve him.
Great Fact, although I think Alec Freeman was one of the show's best characters apart from Straker and Foster!
Agreed. George Sewell was a great character actor and he had great presence on screen in UFO. Ed, Michael and George was always a great combination. Alec was 2ic of SHADO. He should never have been let go… however, that move allowed George to pursue other roles and he had a long career in many diverse roles as well as many notable law enforcement roles.
It makes you wonder 💭, if George had stayed in UFO, would he have appeared in the cult gangster movie 🎥 Get Carter..??
Having watched the series again, I found Sewell incredibly wooden. I got the impression that direction wasn't great because a number of actors seemed to struggle to give their best.
Why apart from? They were all excellent characters.
Great show. The guy who played Jackson looks like a young Putin!!!
I met George Sewell twice when i worked as stage crew and stage door keeper at a theatre complex.Got his autograph and was one of the nicest actors ive ever met.Great actor and intelligent .could speak fluent German.The thing about casting good looking people still happens in USA programmes.Also rermakes of famous films.Look at the Omen remake .
Is it really limited to USA programming?
During the seventies and eighties in shows like Quincy, I was always possible to put CK whodunnit because it was always the only "ugly" actor in the episode.
That's horrible, really terrible. George Sewell was a great actor, special branch, the detectives and I remember when he turned up in get carter
This is really rather sad. As a kid I was as UFO obsessed as people are with Dr Who. I still think this was the pinnacle of Gerry Anderson's brilliant work. Gerry and Syilvia Anderson literally shaped my childhood and allowed me to escape from what was an otherwise rather bleak life in a dying Midlands industrial town. So sad that, as usual politics got in the way of making more.
Yeah, I thought Space:1999 was a step DOWN from UFO, especially with the early writing. From day 1, the writing in Space:1999 was horrible.
Funny thing, the other day my Brother and I were watching Diamonds are Forever and we both asked at the same time "is that Straker from UFO? "
George and Peter did fantastic work on UFO - Gardeno did a great job with so little experience in "Identified" along with Sewell who was a consummate pro at all times - too bad they were robbed of more screen time - 🛸👽
I recently saw video here of Peter hosting a Damcing TV show, similar to American Bandstand.
Alec Freeman was for me one of the best characters in the show. He didnt say an awful lot. He could do most of it with just a look. Its a pity he wasn't in it to the end.
Mr. Sewell was an excellent balance to Straker as well as a fine actor.
George Sewell went on to play Mendel in my favourite ever TV series, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
Greatest show on television
I always liked George Sewell...he was a great character actor, usually cast as a cop or villain, and a mainstay of U.K film and t.v in the sixties and seventies. What a shocking way to treat him.
Thank you for the information. This show needs to come back in some form.
I recognised the name Peter Gordeno from Depeche Mode (long time keyboardist for the band)
So I googled the name, turns out that the DM one is Gordeno Jnr and Peter Gordeno Snr was his dad.
Well I never!
Enjoy the silence 😁
Interesting facts of the behind the scenes,a few of them ,I already had read about before and some are new to me.As for George Sewell,as a child watching the series,he seemed the cool guy in the episodes ,I think as a child you don't notice the age of characters or how they aren't Hollywood beautiful ,you notice if they make the stories interesting which George certainly did .The fact that the episodes were shown out of order just made me think that characters were off duty if they didn't appear in an episode and Shado was a much bigger organisation .
Yes, as a child you don't have bs sensors available and look at things differently.
I always thought the same, that the Duty officers of SHADO were just rotated in and out,
The best of UFO or Space 1999 was that the people there looked like people you could meet on the street instead of unreachable people.
Great show still on television.
Absolutely superb episode guys, a very honest and refreshing insight, thank you. I have always wondered what happened to Alec Freeman.
Poor George! We love him!
I still watch this series regularly when I feel I need an uplift if my spirits,and those characters became my friends in a way. I was always puzzled by so many disappearing,but obviously the actors have new roles to play,so they move on. But UFO lost a lot of its magic when those familiar faces left.
I've just bought the Blu Ray set of UFO. Absolutely lovely package and wonderfully remastered. I used to watch this and Randall And Hopkirk Deceased on Saturday mornings on TV as a kid. Having heard about cast disappearing from UFO though, l hope the Blu Ray set episodes are arranged in the way you don't notice and not in production order.
I’m in Canada and I recall many guys who were my age (9 years old) watched this show back in 1970-71. I’m looking forward to learning more about it in the near future.
You’ll really enjoy the book “The Complete Book of Gerry Anderson's UFO”, if you can find a copy.
I’ll definitely look into that. Thank you so much!
I'm from the UK and I was also 9 when I first watched ufo in September 1970.
Yes! My 9 year old eyes only recall the cool-looking interceptors (with their one big missile) and the random UFOs that just kept popping out of nowhere. Now my adult eyes can appreciate the commanding presence of Straker, the incredible beauty of Lt. Ellis, and those cool looking automobiles that sure weren't around in 1980!
In California you couldn't keep up with it because they kept shifting it into different time slots, to the point where you eventually just gave up.
Great stories, thanks! What ever happened to the Space 1999 reboot? Sure would love to learn what happened to the crew of Moonbase Alpha?
George Sewell was one of my favs in UFO and the episodes without him were lacking his acting presence .
George Sewell had real character and complimented Ed Bishop's character very well.
Good video. I saw George Sewell just before he died. He was in a York in a bar on his own & it was sad that not one other person it seemed had recognised him🙁
Some actors prefer it that way. At least then they can go out and about without getting harassed by overbearing fans.
I had heard this about George Sewell before. Luckily he got an excellent starring role in Special Branch in which he had a romance with a very beautiful lady. What is quite ironic about this is that they used a close up of Sewell's face with sunglasses for the ITC Publicity brochure for selling the series - so whoever designed that clearly felt that his image was striking. I have to say that Wanda Wentham made an excellent replacement lead. I thought that the changing focus on different cast members in different episodes of UFO was a real strength of the show. It gave more variety and more realism than having the one lead character as the protagonist every time as was the case in Space 1999. I know that was at Martin Landau's insistence but it didn't seem credible that he would always be the only person to resist alien mind control.
I thought Michael Billington was more of a replacement for Mr. Sewell. Ms. Ventham was a welcomed addition.
They should not have droped George Sewell just because Americans didn't like him.
Image discrimination goes on today. When did you ever see a plain jane in 'Hollyoaks' or 'Love Island?' in fact its worse now. Thank heavens for legends like George Sewell.
Both the examples that you used here, Peter and George , had very prolific careers. Growing up in the 60s I remember seeing George Sewell in may TV shows as cops or London villain, and Peter in shows such as London Palladium as a dancer.
Regarding Peter, your comment contradicts this interview in that they say "his acting career never took off."
@@rudolphguarnacci197 Regarding your comment, did you live through those days?
@@colinp2238
Sorry, just asking where the truth lies.
@@rudolphguarnacci197 I expressed my memories of those two people and Gordeno was more of an entertainer than an actor.
@@colinp2238
It's rather impolite, then, that Anderson's kid would say that.
I always wondered about what happened to Alex freeman and George Sewell was as great actor
If there was ever a program from the past that would make an awesome new series (with a decent budget) then this is it!
I think Mike Billington would been an excellent James Bond.
Dakotaseven.
He was very handsome.
Some gorgeous women on U F O also, such as Wanda Ventham to name but one.
I believe he was in the intro to The Spy Who Loved Me. He's the bad guy Roger Moore shoots and kills with a ski-pole gun. As Barbara Bach's man, it motivates her to seek revenge.
great show and they were all excellent and very believeable
Loved UFO ,brilliant, 64 an still enjoying re runs , every character was great ,an the machine s used, wow what a fantastic imagination 👏
George Sewel was underrated and fantastic in Special Branch.
I loved watching UFO when it was first shown.....saw theses episodes in Black and White......I am now watching them in colour on Forces TV...I still get a thrill watching these old episodes....what I now find interesting here are the stories behind the scenes and people etc..... Thank you...I can't wait for you next account....
@andy morris Thanks...I only find out it was on this channel by happy accident....I'm now addicted to it.....When I watched it in the early 1970's my school friend and myself liked Paul Foster like crazy but now Ed Straker is the one who makes my toes curl and I'll be 64 tomorrow...Ha ha ha......
@andy morris I used to be part of the audience for a children's pop music show call Lift Off...it was on Granada T.V. in the late 1960's....Ayshea hosted it.....I got her to autograph an article about UFO in the TV times , she was in the photo.....A lovely lady.,
@andy morris Yes I was these programmes too including Time Slip,..
Yes her dress was nice... I was never that slim to get away with wearing that....ha.ha.ha....watched that episode last night..
@@antoniettabroadhurst1178 so many people seem to forget about Timeslip which was brilliant. I had it all on VHS and now have it on DVD. Also have Follyfoot and UFO. I read somewhere not that long ago that Lift Off with Ayesha was all wiped which is a real shame. I remember that series too.
Any recollections of Escape Into Night? That series really creeped me out as a kid.
@@joecaprani5772 Oh no...They did that with a lot of programs.... rerecord over tapes and lossed so many episodes of programs...I remember they did that with Dr. who.....but by some miracle lost episodes were found on promo Australia.......None had VCR at home in the 1960/70's so they are lost forever....Shame....I remember seeing some great artist on Lift Off.... From the The Sweet to Cliff Richard.....
Indeed Sir..! My Local Milkman was called Alec and looked exactly like Alec from UFO. He knew this and said "Under Cover For S.H.A
D.W 👍
That was such a bad things that happened to those two actors. I really liked both of their characters!
Borehamwood closed?
That's were they made 2001 and the interiors for "The Prisoner"...
I'm heartbroken...
Makes sense that a number of male and female actors pursued other work after the MGM studio closure. There weren't as many openings as there are now, and for some it would have been the difference between paying the mortgage/rent or not.
UFO was undoubtedly my favourite Gerry Anderson series after the immortal Fireball XL5.🛸🚀
I still have the box set of U F O & still enjoy the series as avidly as before . Some really beautiful women in that series . When you see some of the ridiculous rubbish , churned out by U S television company’s . It really sums up their thinking . Canned laughter tripe is all you get from American television . Long Live U F O . A great series .
Very good comment..I agree. I love the fact they gave the women high command responsibilities at the moon base. Not only ALL of them were drop-dead gorgeous but took command brilliantly. Won’t get that in America..especially having the black woman at the helm. Way to o England 🏴!
I love UFO, too. I'm proud England never churns out ridiculous rubbish.
@@dakotaseven947
Yes, Gene Roddenberry never had a responsible, leading role in ANY of the episodes from the 60s.
I've heard all the complaints from the ITC New York people about UFO and 1999 that American audiences don't like X, Y or Z. I've never heard any viewer mention these issues. It's possible TV executives don't know what the heck they're talking about! I know, crazy idea!
Brilliant FAB fact, I think George Sewell was brilliant as Alec Freeman, Keith Alexander as Lt Ford all the cast was brilliant.
Sewell was a terrific actor. He played some wonderful villains. Memorable scene in Get Carter facing a naked Michael Caine holding a shotgun. I think the show lost something and even though the gorgeous, sultry Wanda Ventham took his place, she never quite matched up as an ally to Straker.
Jack, don't you think you ought to get dressed first?
I thought Billington was more his replacement as he stepped up to fill Mr. Sewell's shoes. Ventham seemed more like a welcomed addition.
@@mike-fj4vd"C,mon Jack put it away you know you won't use it!" Peter: " Ah,the gun he means!" (Mocking laughter)👍
I always wondered what happened to Peter Gordeno and why he wasn't in more episodes. Back then, watching UFO as a kid, he was easily the coolest character in the series to me and I was always disappointed when he wasn't in an episode.
Yes, he definitely had his wits about him, remaining cool as a cucumber under pressure.
The Peter Carlin character was the best secondary role . This was an error.
George Sewell was in 'Manhunt' and also another series (I forgot what that was) at that time. So he could not commit to UFO.
Special branch
The final episode ...mindbender...is one of the best Sci fi concepts ever...who can forget Bishop crashing into the moon purple haired girls on a break from "shooting"...Bishop seemed to be able to run like an Olympics champion...does anyone know his sports background?
Some facts around the series break before moving to pinewood for last few episodes and changing of directors would be interesting.
Canning George Sewell for THAT REASON is ABSOLUTELY STUPID.
Could do the same with tone of the series from episode 15 "E.S.P." Getting darker and supernatural as opposed to the lighthearted preventing aliens from landing secret organisation.
I heard about Peter and George before, just confirming what I heard. I heard too, that Peter wasn't originally cast to be the Sky One pilot. That Jon Kelley, who became Skydiver navigator Lt. Masters was first choice to be the Skydiver Captain and Sky One pilot.
George Sewell had the rugged don't mess with me face. Sad he was removed for that.
If having a craggy face was detrimental to ones career Edward James Olmos would be unemployable.
Personally I like the weather-beaten craggy appearance, very gritty and tough.
Another superb actor with the same condition was Tommy Lee Jones.
Another actor would be Richard Lynch. His face was scarred from being burned.
I loved that show when I was a kid
Thats it. I dont know I can ever watch it again after watching this...
I still have a fondness for UFO, the re-runs are a great and although all the original flaws remain, it’s a real treat. Leaks face it, it was a kids’ programme and in it’s time I was not one of the target audience but hey, the whole thing was imaginative, original and fun and the ladies were always worth ogling!
Likewise the preposterous and highly enjoyable Space 1999 is still something I feel affection for, well, actually, everything Gerry Andersen made is good for me, even Joe 90.
I am old enough to have seen the very early stuff and recall watching 4 Feather Falls in black and white. Even Terrahawks went down well with my crows in the 80s, nothing like these shows ever gets made in the UK for kids and big kids like me anymore.
Characterful Faces, a lovely analogy, I reckon Parker was lucky to get his gig in Thunderbirds with his fizzle then, luckily the Yanks hadn’t seen the rushes!
As for l”The people who hold the purse strings have the final say”, that is highly portentous and rings true of everything in life, thanks how the world is in the current mess it’s in with Bat Flu and Politics, the wrong people who are unqualified are pulling strings, cést la vie,
Thanks again for some more really useful UFO facts, always liked Alec Freeman. You mentioned Keith Ford leaving the series. Do you know the reason why his voice was dubbed over in an episode. I do not know the name of the actor used, but his voice is very familiar with a French accent? and I think has been used in the Prisoner and James Bond films.
It's not that unusual for smaller roles in films or filmed series to be dubbed by another actor. A common reason is that by the time that the locked off picture edit is complete the actor isn't available when needed to post sync one or more of their lines and so all their lines are dubbed by another actor.
Lines might need to be post synced for all sorts of reasons which may have nothing to do with the way they were performed, such as extraneous background noise.
The only thing that's unusual here is that it's a semi-regular actor in a series being dubbed so it's more obvious. Though don't forget that in the context of TV at the time it might have been some weeks since Ford's voice had been heard beyond the odd word or two and there was no way for the average viewer to re-watch episodes at will. We are able to spot minor details which would probably never have been picked up at the time.
@StolenEyes Thank you for the information and name of the voice over artist used and reason why this may have happened. Always thought it was a bit strange, as Keith's role was a bit of a regular for his voice to be changed in one episode and then back to normal again for the next episode depending on the order of the episodes being played.
@@johnnhoj6749 Thank you for the information and explanation how these programmes are put together and reasons why lines may need to be dubbed by another actor. I agree with you in simpler times before the introduction of Beta, Video 2000 and VHS recorders you could only look forward to next weeks episode.
@StolenEyes The same thing happed with David Niven in one of the Pink Panther films. He had (I believe) throat cancer, but agreed to appear in the film. His voice was dubbed by another actor.
@StolenEyes After you told me Robert Rietty was the voice over artist, I looked him up on Google as well. I now know why his voice was so familiar to me, due to his extensive portfolio of acting work over the years covering all the main TV programmes and films I am interested in, such as Danger Man, The Prisoner and UFO etc. Such a memorable voice!
Glad Mr. Sewell had other work. A fine actor.
Loved him,
By summer 1970 George Sewell would have been filming Get Carter , a role that suited him well . So worked out fine in the end .
If you're "not sure those decisions would be made now", you're sadly mistaken. Don't take my word for it, of course - just ask literally any actress who dares to show even the slightest sign of ageing, gaining weight, or daring to reject sexual advances from the 'money men'.
Thank you so much 👌👌
George always seemed to play hard villains and thugs but he could do cops and even comedy-I saw him as a guest on les dawson show and he was funny spoofing his Special Branch character.
Mr. Sewell was a regular guy.
Love this channel
any chance of seeing a UFO reboot preferably made in the UK
Not very likely considering the greed of the Anderson Co.
Where can I see all the episodes?
Buy the DvDs?
George Sewell used to drink in a pub in Chigwell I think it was the bald hind it was years ago, I remember him well
Fun fact: Irwin Allen famously issued a directive for Season 3 of Lost in Space: - "Just gimmie a load more stories about the Kid, the Tin Man and the Crazy Old Fruit"! Who could he have been referring to, I wonder?
I always thought "The Man Who Came Back" was a bit of a lost opportunity -- it should have been a send-off for Alec Freeman.
I love you guys when I have anxiety I listen to you and I feel calm thsnkyou
Excellent thank you
Great video guys! Alec I miss, he represent guys like my dad, rugged, a life well lived, and I miss the times he differ in attitudes vs Striker! And he's a certified ladies man!!! Also, British shows had more realistic ' the man/woman on the streets ' looking actors, not the Hollywood beauty standard. I really like that!
I had assumed Alex was scarred in a battle with a UFO hence why he was so important to the place.
Sewel was good looking, I liked him
We're given the impression that SHADO was formed out of some very special people chosen from the military and civilian worlds. Diversity of appearance, background, and personality would have been expected. While not strongly pressed in the series, the characters weren't interchangeable; Lt. Ellis would behave one way and Col. Lake would behave another; in fact, I always got a kick out of how Col. Lake was a bit of a sassmistress. :)
Don’t panic Alec.
"Get rid of the ugly guy" ......
I reckon that's got to be worth at least £500000 in the employment tribunal court today
He was not ugly,
was really a very good show
Internal politics! Things haven't changed much, have they. Look at Disney Era Star Wars today.
It is a very different show but fans of Boston Legal, the US legal drama (or rather comedy/drama) may recall similar chopping and changing of the cast. As we by then had the internet, everyone, including the dumped characters, knew exactly what sort of capricious decisions were being taken by the producers.
Sheesh -- to call George Sewell ugly is like saying the same about Gene Hackman -- and look at all the recognition he got! I never noticed Sewell as being pockmarked; I thought he was rather handsome, actually. The character relationship between Straker and Alec Freeman was not unlike that between Kirk and Spock. To see the show come back and see some lousy woman replace him was just plain weird.
Like the petty way that Barry Morse was treated on UFO2 whoops, I meant Space 1999.
George Sewell was a very masculine looking guy -- he added credibility to a fantastic premise.
I've just read a post here in which it's stated that this trend of choosing good looking persons in casting is still an issue for acting people in the states. I shiver at thinking how bad must be treated less than gorgeous actresses in this hypocritically pseudo-feminist world ! By the way, the outstanding beauty of miss Ventham did not compensate for the absence of Sewall.
As far as ageing/characterful faces go...I suspect men generally have it easier than women in this regard in the world of entertainment and media.
I actually liked George’s character better than Striker. And I’m an American. Who can figure the logic coming from “up above”.
Straker was always my favourite
I’m surprised that UFO hasn’t been revived for the big screen? George Clooney as Straker? Does Gerry’s family still own the rights and props?😊
I thought all the acting in UFO was very good. Unfortunately, can’t say the same about the acting in Space:1999.
Loved ufo.
It was a big mistake not to carry it on.
ufo could have added a heroic story about how he got hit in the face by some explosion while saving ...
That's an interesting idea, though I can't quite imagine the conversation.
"Quite frankly, we think you're ugly so we've got to write a backstory for your character to explain your ugliness."
Then again, some people won't mind so who knows...
Famously, Mark Hamill was in a car accident so he got smacked in the face by a Wampa.
...his 'nads.
I love 👍 this show, wished it had gone on for 5 seasons. I’ve noticed that the entire crew are British (awesome talents) but Ed Bishop is clearly American. What’s the scoop on that if I may be bold as to inquire?
TV gold. I think Ed Bishop was in UFO for overseas markets& the backing for it was American money as it was for Space1999. He was good in it too. The flipside is that the chap who played Foster could have played Bond but lost out to probably Roger Moore. UFO.. If you like it, check out "Journey to the far side of the sun" also called Doppelganger was Andersons best feature film, they used some of the same costumes & sets
Gabrielle Drake was my first crush when I was a kid 😂
THE BIG QUESTION never answered...why did the aliens come to earth in the first place. If they don’t bring back UFO, they should do a feature answering all the questions, like UFO:The Next Generation (continue it 10 years later format)..with inserts from the original show to have consistency. With today’s awesome special effects, it could be a fantastic movie. Even better, the actors who are still living could have surprise appearances..that alone will thrill UFO fans. During the end credits, those surviving actors could have discussions about the movie. This could work!
Problem is this is a 50 year old show! Not many of the cast survive I’d guess... also, “Space 1999” was a follow on from UFO as far as I’m aware, although for me it was UFO or nothing, there was no real link for me given the cast was different etc, which was a big disappointment to me as UFO was one of my favourites as a kid.
It’s the same problem with the later “Blake’s 7” which has also been suggested is right for revival, but has no meaningful way to relate to the major members of the original cast, think Montgomery Scott (from the original Star Trek) being escorted to a shuttle by Data in TNG. That’s the sort of connection that becomes impossible.
Damn... now you have made me feel both old AND geeky 🤓😳🙄🥺🤪😢
This question was answered early in the seines and maybe even in the first episode identified whee they get hold of an Alien
from a UFO shot down by Peter Carlin. The Alien dies under interrogation but Straker postulates based on finding human organs implanted in the Alien body that they might be being driven millions of miles across space to planet earth by the greatest motivation of all,SURVIVAL!
Straker's theory tells us that maybe their civilization had reached a point where it is exhausted and it needs revitalization a place he says we might ourselves be in one day.
In the episode ESP a man with Psychic abilities is controlled by an Alien and in a confrontation with Straker while under alien control asks Straker why shadow interferes with the Aliens activities on Earth? This smacks of desperation to survive and the view of the human race as just organ donors to assist in the Aliens survival.
@@stephenconnell That's it in s nutshell; yes. The aliens are trying to institutionalize human body-snatching.
My favourite characters were the aliens themselves. It would have been great to know more about them and actually
hear one or two of them speak. Wouldn't have minded an Earth language but even more one of their own languages.
I did find their, as Angus Deaton put it 'zen like inability to speak' a bit irksome.
i wa s amazedto se Harry Baird was in ufo ! and in the italian job with Mr Caine
well remembered.
Compared to George I found Wanda's character wooden & if you watch she often makes a surprised or shocked face at the camera, which is quite off putting.
No really the purple wigs why I've been wondering about this for 40 odd year's, I need to know!!!!!!!
There was a video on RUclips were Sylvia (who was behind ALL the actors costume decisions) said she wanted something different for the Moonbase personnel and saw these wigs one day in a shop.
It took me a while before I realized that the purple wigs were part of a uniform, like the white caps worn by sailors in the Navy and not part of what made these women creatures from another planet.
@@howardkerr8174 Right. Sylvia Anderson thought that maybe in the 1980s uniforms for women might include wigs the same way men's suits have ties. SHADO had distinctive uniforms for its "service branches" (Skydiver, Moonbase, Earth field operations) and the purple wigs, the silver bits, and the Fender amplifier grille cloth was Moonbase's. :)