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Administrator
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Hi all,
The TIMELASH commentary track with Sylvia Anderson and Wanda Ventham
was recorded back in June by Jeff Smart, who also did the one
with Mike Billington and Alan Perry. At the time, we came up
with a list of questions for Mike and Alan prior to the recording
of the commentary. However, since the Wanda and Sylvia commentary
was top-top secret, I had to come up with a list of potential
questions/subjects myself. Here's what I sent to Jeff -- hopefully
at least *some* of these will be discussed on the commentary track:
Wanda:
How did you get cast for the UFO pilot episode?
How is it that you were called back later in the series?
Were you called back to be a guest character for THE MAN WHO CAME BACK,
or did they already plan on you being a regular at that point?
(it's said that Gary Raymond was also being considered as a
replacement second-in-command)
Were most of your episodes scripted as a generic "second-in-command"
or "computer expert"? Were you a bit frustrated by this?
Any funny stories from on the set? I hear that Gerry Anderson
edicted that you unbutton your blouse further for TIMELASH.
Also you got a surprise visit on the set from Roger Moore
and Tony Curtis...
In some of the latter episodes, there seemed to be a bit of
a flirtation between your character and Ed Bishop's. At least,
some fans saw it this way. Did you?
Any comments on your costars & directors on UFO? (especially
Ed Bishop, Mike Billington, Vladek Sheybal, Grant Taylor,
David Tomblin)
Might be good to comment on how those "time freeze" effects
were done, and note that they walked in slow motion instead
of being filmed in slow motion.
Sylvia:
You're credit on UFO was "Century 21 Fashions". But you
did more than just this on UFO, didn't you? What exactly
were your day-to-day responsibilities?
Straker started out the series behind an unlikable guy
who sat behind the desk. However, in the latter episodes
he's quite likeable and out running around like a superhero!
Any comment on why the change?
Wanda Ventham's character essentially was a replacement for
George Sewell's character. The folks in charge at ITC didn't
really like George ("the man with the pock-marked face"), did
they?
UFO seemingly alternates between very sexist towards women
and giving women a position of power, with Gabrielle Drake
and Wanda Ventham in high positions. Did you fight to have
women in high positions?
In the episode MINDBENDER, there is a lady during Straker's
hallucination scenes who is working with the film crew named
"Sylvia". Some fans speculate that this was in fact you
playing this part. But it wasn't, was it?
In some of the latter episodes, a giant white hand is seen
being moved around on the Pinewood grounds. Any story behind
this?
Sylvia might want to comment on the fact that a few years
after UFO finished filming, it was broadcast in America, and
a preliminary go-ahead was given for a second series, but
this was eventually cancelled and the pre-production turned
into Space:1999.
And since both Wanda and Sylvia have travelled down to Italy
to meet with the Italian UFO fan club, they might want to
comment on how much fan mail or fan contact they still get
for UFO.
Any funny behind-the-scenes anecdotes?
That's it!
Marc
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