*******UFO Made 40 years ago*****

-- Griff stated:

Hi All :)

Well, it's 40 years ago that UFO was in production. In a few days time (June 19th) it would in fact be exactly 40
years ago that "Exposed" was in production.

40 years! I can't believe it. It seems just like yesterday to me.

I was at school (I actually loved my primary school) when I heard some of my friends talking urgently away in a
huddle, just before leaving for home.

"It's 'SHADOW', not 'SHAYDO', dummy", I heard one of them say. I had no idea what they were talking about. I
listened in, then joined them while I was doing something, can't remember what. Then, my best friend (for all my
school years) said to me, "Have you seen it?"
"Seen what?"
"It's fantastic. It's brilliant... UFO on TV"
I did vaguely remember seeing what we would call now a 'flyer' in a comic I was getting at the time, "Do UFO's
exist", I didn't even know what a UFO was then, I was only about 7, but I do distinctly remember (and can see it
now burnt into my minds-eye) that distinctive, sinister and iconic silvery spacecraft, hurling, spinning through
darkest space...

That was the very moment, the very second that changed my life. Even though I had never seen UFO on TV, knew
nothing of SHADO, Ed Straker, or the intriguing Gay Ellis, it put in motion a change of events, attitudes and
interests that have stays with me ever since. Hearing that seemed to "throw a switch in my brain"

>The genius of UFO is what it leaves out, rather than what it explains. The capacity, capability and power of a
>child's mind to extrapolate, expand and make tangibly real are faculties that Gerry Anderson's productions take
>full advantage of, either by design or serendipity. Either way, UFO and indeed most if not all of Anderson's
>sublime productions had and have had a huge impact and resonance with me.

>The build up at school that week was huge. Everyone was talking about UFO. Most had never seen it, we knew that,
>but it didn't seem to matter. All the talk built up a massive expectation of what was to come. I was SO excited
>when Saturday finally arrived that I and some of my friends sat down to watch the TV, some of us were literally
>sick with excitement...

>Thank you Gerry, Sylvia, Reg, Barry, Derek and indeed every single person that made UFO and all the other
>productions possible.

>You changed my life, and I can't thank you enough for that!

>Best to all :)

>Griff


I am very aware of the anticiptaion and obsession you refer to Griff.My memories of The sort of experience
you describe resonate exactly with my own.

The exact point of my involvement with UFO is as clear to me as yours is.It was ATV Wednesday 17th February
1971 ,the episode was TIMELASH (after this episode,it was transfered to a Saturday afternoon slot)
The destruction of the UFO at the end with the Molly baptised me,and from that point on I was spellbound by the
show and in particular with the model UFO,which at the time was almost a religious object in my eyes.

It has fascinated me,obsessed me and occupied my thoughts ever since.


Mark UK




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