NUMBER OF EPISODES:
YEAR OF PRODUCTION:
COMPANY:
CREATED BY: 		 26
1969-1970
CENTURY 21 / ITC
GERRY & SYLVIA ANDERSON

 
BACKGROUND

Gerry Anderson's first foray into live action on tv (he had just made the science
fiction film Doppleganger (a.k.a Journey to the Far Side of the Sun) and a show
that now is considered one of the best of it's kind.

The series focused on the activities of SHADO (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence
Organisation) who defended the Earth against an alien threat to rob humans of body
parts for their survival.

Commander Ed Straker ran SHADO from the bottom of a film studio in England and
was responsible for a fleet of craft that were Earths defence against the invaders.

A fast paced show that also addressed many adult themes such as bereavement
and drug usage. Unfortunately, the ITV network were unsure who the audience was
it catered for and stuck it away in late schedules. A second series did start to enter
production called UFO:1999 which of course materialised into Space:1999.

 
Sky One airbourne

 
CAST
Commander Ed Straker ED BISHOP
Col Alec Freeman GEORGE SEWELL
Col Paul Foster MICHEAL BILLINGTON
Col Virginia Lake WANDA VENTHAM
Lt Gay Ellis  GABRIELLE DRAKE
Lt Nina Barry DOLORES MANTEZ
Lt Joan Harrington ANTONIA ELLIS
General Henderson GRANT TAYLOR
Dr Jackson VLADEK SHEYBAL
 

 
Interceptor Launch Stringing up a UFO at Bray Studios

 
EPISODE GUIDE
SEASON 1

IDENTIFIED 
EXPOSED 
THE CAT WITH TEN LIVES 
CONFLICT 
A QUESTION OF PRIORITIES 
E.S.P. 
KILL STRAKER! 
SUB SMASH 
DESTRUCTION 
THE SQUARE TRIANGLE 
CLOSE-UP 
THE PSYCHOBOMBS 
SURVIVAL 
MINDBENDER 
FLIGHT PATH 
THE MAN WHO CAME BACK 
THE DALOTEK AFFAIR 
CONFETTI CHECK-A-OK 
THE SOUND OF SILENCE 
REFLECTIONS IN THE WATER 
TIMELASH 
ORDEAL 
COURT MARTIAL 
COMPUTER AFFAIR 
THE RESPONSIBILITY SEAT 
THE LONG SLEEP 

 
Commander Ed Straker (Ed Bishop)

 
TRIVIA FAX

Ed Bishop provided the voice of Captain Blue in 1967's Captain Scarlet. 

After the series was cancelled, Century 21 sold off most of it's models and
props which found it's way to the BBC and ended up in the Doctor Who story
Frontier in Space in 1973. 

Micheal Billington screentested for the role of James Bond in 1971. Although
he was unsuccessful, he did have a small role in 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me. 

Apparantly, a new TV version is in development from America.

Vladek Sheybal played a SPECTRE operative and champion chess player in the second
James Bond movie From Russia With Love (1963).