Fwd> UFO's cancellation

Here's an e-mail from Kelly Lannan. Please note that
week 17 of UFO's broadcast in the USA was 6 January 1973.

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From: Kelly Lannan <[hidden email]>
Subject: UFO's cancellation

Hi Marc,

I don't have access to the group right this moment
so you might like to post this:

Regarding the revival / cancellation of UFO:2, Gerry in
the past, (via taped interviews etc.) has said that he received
word of the possible second season whilst he was away in
Europe, on location filming on the (second? I can't recall...)
season of The Protectors, so this would fit in around the
1971 / 1972 period perfectly. When they returned from the
shoot about a week or 2 later, he received news (from ITC NY)
that UFO (at week 17) had dropped dramatically in the ratings
and that the plans to revive were to be scrapped.

Yes, you're right, Century 21 was no more by that time.
The last project I know of their involvement on, (as a
full team), was providing the superb volcanic effects of the
destruction of Pompeii in the Frankie Howerd comedy,
"Up Pompeii" (the feature film version of the 1969 series),
and that was produced in 1970 or 1971 (just off the top of
my head, I'd have to check my video copy). Given the change of
the company from Century 21 to Group 3 (GA, Sylvia
and Reg Hill), if they'd have been given the go-ahead for
UFO:2, it would have been a *massive* operation to
re-assemble for shooting, especially in such a short time
frame.

Derek Meddings had already moved off, working
on the European film "ZPG (Zero Population Growth),
and then Live and Let Die and The Man With The Golden
Gun.

Ed Bishop also mentions on one of my tapes somewhere
that he was in the US living and trying to work at the time
when UFO was airing and rating well, when he was
informed about the possibility of re-assembling the cast,
which he was excited about because of the blocks he's
had trying to find work, (he says on the tapes that he was
painting and wallpapering people's homes at the time!!).

I guess given the panic that must have ensued following
the initial "revival" rumours, it must have come as some
relief to Group 3, (even though the concepts and artwork
had been blocked out), to hear that the idea had been
dropped, whilst at the same time disappointing that it
wasn't going to be picked up, (as it is for any company
when a concept finally falls through).

Given that they were developing "The Investigator"
as a workable concept whilst filming "The Protectors",
("The Investigator" was shot on location in Malta, in parallel
to an episode of "The Protectors"....I forget which one just
for the moment), it was certainly still a busy time for the
(now) small company. Particularly after Gerry suggested
they take the UFO:2 designs and re-furbish them into
the 1999 concepts they eventually became. And although
I would have loved to have seen an extension of the UFO
concepts for the second series, but in hindsight it
probably was for the best that the overall concept was
re-worked completely, as it may very well have been a
disaster.....

Kelly

Kelly Patrick Lannan
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