Synopsis

Tony and Bob Williams unwittingly call out International Rescue while playing and their story brings unwanted publicity for their father who is engaged in top security research for the military. The Hood intends to steal spy satellite photos from Williams' tracking station and trapping the boys in a disused mine is just the first part of his plan...

Characters

Jeff Tracy, Scott Tracy, Virgil Tracy, Alan Tracy, Lieutenant Lansfield, Gordon Tracy, Brains, Colonel Jameson, Sergeant, John Tracy, The Hood, Williams, Tin-Tin Kyrano, Grandma Tracy, Tony Williams, Bob Williams

Credits

Directing

Director: David Elliott

Producing

Producer: Gerry Anderson
Associate Producer: Reg Hill

Writing

Writer: Dennis Spooner

Voices

Voice: Peter Dyneley (Jeff Tracy), Shane Rimmer (Scott Tracy), David Holliday (Virgil Tracy), Matt Zimmerman (Alan Tracy, Lieutenant Lansfield), David Graham (Gordon Tracy, Brains, Colonel Jameson, Sergeant), Ray Barrett (John Tracy, The Hood, Williams), Christine Finn (Tin-Tin Kyrano, Grandma Tracy, Tony Williams), Sylvia Anderson (Bob Williams)

Music

Music: Barry Gray

Crew

Cinematography: John Reed
Special Effects: Derek Meddings
Visual Effects: Sylvia Anderson

Production notes

Thunderbirds was the most expensive Supermarionation series up to that time. Although it had resemblances to the live-action CBS series Mission: Impossible, it actually premiered on British TV a year before Mission: Impossible was first seen in the U.S.

Gerry Anderson repeated the characters and plotlines for "Thunderbirds 2086," an animated series which ran on U.S. cable TV in 1984, then entered syndication a year later.