The Complete Book of Thunderbirds

First Edition[]

Complete-Book-pb — 1st Edition, paperback.

Author: Chris Bentley
Copyright: 1965 and 1999 Carlton International Media Limited.
Dedicated to: Everyone at A.P. Films / Century 21. Especially Reg Hill, Christine Glanville, and Derek Meddings.
Format: paperback
Invaluable assistance provided by: Gerry Anderson, Mary Anderson, Stephen Brown, Terry Curtis, Derek Dorking, Martin Gainsford, Adrian Hinchliffe, David Lane, Lesley Levene, Jon Lucas and the designers at AdVantage, Jenny Olivier, Andrew Pixley, Russell Porter, Robin Quinn, David Ross, Ralph Titterton, Ken Turner, Nick Williams, Keith Wilson, and Joan Bentley (Chris' mother).
Original retail price: £12.99 (UK)
Production: Garry Lewis
Published by: Carlton Books Limited 2000, 20 Mortimer Street, London, W1N 7RD.
Page count: 128 in full colour.
Contents: A foreword by Gerry Anderson, Introduction, 5 Chapters and an index.
Chapter 1: "The Making of Thunderbirds" covers before Thunderbirds, Pre-Production, The Voice Artists, The Half-Hour Episodes, Seasons One, Two and the feature films.
Chapter 2: "The World of Thunderbirds" has sections on Dateline 2065, International Rescue, The Vehicles and The Characters.
Chapter 3: "Screen Adventures", A detailed look at all the episodes and films.
Chapter 4: "Spin-off Adventures", A section on merchandise
Chapter 5: "Beyond Thunderbirds". A section on all the spin-offs, Thunderbirds 2086, The stage show, Turbocharged etc.
Additional info: on page 4 is a photograph of Gerry Anderson. Taken against a space backdrop, behind Anderson is Thunderbird 2, and in the background is a fiery explosion. In regards to this picture, Chris Bentley, David Finchett, The Magic Camera Company, and Richard Gregory received credit for their work - design and art direction; photography; digital composition; and the TB2 model respectively.

40th Anniversary Edition[]

This is basically a hardback reprint of the 2000 Edition, published to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the making of Thunderbirds.

Original Retail Price: (?)

The Complete Book of Classic Thunderbirds[]

The word Classic was added to the title of this 2005 reprint edition so that people wouldn't think it was about the 2004 movie

Author: Bentley, Chris
Publisher: Carlton Books Ltd
ISBN: 1844424545 / 9781844424542
Format: Hardback
Pagination: 128 pages, 150 colour & b/w photos
Dimensions: 276 x 216 mm
Country of Pub.: United Kingdom
Pub Date: 05/09/2005
Availability: Out of print
Price: £16.99

"Everything that the Thunderbirds fan needs to know about the cult series from character profiles and a comprehensive episode guide to fascinating behind-the-scenes information about the making of the models."

Goofs[]

Despite priding itself as having all that one needs to know about the Thunderbirds franchise, The Complete Book Of Thunderbirds has made a lot of misleading mistakes over the years.

First Edition[]

In the foreword, Gerry Anderson says that Jenny Olivier is the senior executive editor of Carlton Book, as opposed to Carlton Books.
On the Pit of Peril page, the Guest Voice Cast lists David Graham as Colonel Sweeney even though Ray Barrett played the part.
On The Mighty Atom page, the Guest Voice Cast omits the Tannoy Voice (Sylvia Anderson) and the scientists (Ray Barrett/John Tate, David Graham and David Holliday).
On the Operation Crash-Dive page, David Holliday is misspelt with only one "L".
On the Martian Invasion page, Gordon is not listed in the Regular Cast list.
On the Brink of Disaster page, John is not listed in the Regular Cast list. Stan is also listed in the guest voice cast as "Stan (Patrol 304)" even though his helijet number is Patrol 538.
On The Perils of Penelope page, the TV Reporter (Matt Zimmerman) has not been credited in the Guest Voice Cast.
On the Day of Disaster page, Security Hazard should have also been listed among the other episodes to use The March of the Oysters (as it reuses the same bit of footage; the Fireflash, Captain Hanson and Commander Norman got mentioned on the Trapped in the Sky as returning in SH so the music should have been too).
On the Cry Wolf page, it says that Southern from 30 Minutes After Noon plays a Satellite HQ operative although he is nowhere to be seen.
On the The Duchess Assignment page it lists that Brophy is played by Ray Barrett, even though he is played by John Tate.
On the Attack of the Alligators! page, Pod 4 is not listed on the Major Equipment list despite being used instead of Pod 6 which was listed even though it was only mentioned in the episode.
On the Security Hazard page, Tin-Tin is not listed on the Regular Cast List.
On the Security Hazard page, it lists in the Mistakes blurb that the puppet for Chip's Father was previously used for Dave Clayton in Day of Disaster, which is clearly not true and Sylvia Anderson has been credited as the voice of Chip Morrison instead of Christine Finn.
On the Atlantic Inferno page, it erroneously lists the W.N.S. Reaper as the W.N.S Reefer. The Atom Sub Reaper Captain and Lieutenant are also listed in the Guest Voice Cast list as Atom Sub Reefer Captain and Atom Sub Reefer Lieutenant.
On the Path Of Destruction page, the Guest Voice Cast lists Ray Barrett as the Security Guard, even though John Tate played the part.
On the Ricochet page, Gordon and John are not listed in the Regular Cast list.
On the Thunderbirds are Go page with the credits on, Ron Ashton is listed as a visual effects second unit camera operator. In fact, Ian Wingrove is adamant that Ashton worked for A.P. Films as an effects technician and electrician - not a cameraman.
On the Thunderbirds Are Go and Thunderbird 6 pages, the Voice Cast says that David Graham played Kyrano, even though he was not in either of the films and was not listed in the Regular Cast lists above.
Page 118 incorrectly credits the Thunderbirds 2086 character Gran Hanson as Greg Hanson.
The subsection for Turbocharged Thunderbirds refers to the puppet cast as "simulated life forms". While the series did have a simulated life form called S.A.L. (a computer program which assisted the Hack Masters during their missions), the rest of the cast were still always treated as human beings.
On the last page, Thunderbirds: Volume 8 is listed as Volume 6.