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We have attempted to track down and trace those involved in the production of Space Patrol. Some are still alive and active but considering forty years have passed, most have retired or some have regretably passed away. Here is our latest update of the production team: Created & Produced by Roberta Leigh With an extensive list of credits to her name, the story of Roberta Leigh can be found here. Cameraman/Co-Producer Arthur Provis An interview with Arthur Provis, outlining his career, can be found here. Directed by Frank Goulding Frank Goulding started out in Sound, credited on the films The Gamma People in 1956 and Batchelor Of Hearts (aka The Freshman) in 1958. He cut his teeth on directing with Sara & Hoppity, helming the entire series as he did on Space Patrol, and also directed two further Roberta Leigh puppet series Send For Dithers and Wonder Boy And Tiger. He returned to the role of Supervising Editor on Roberta Leigh's live action pilot The Solarnauts. Goulding went on to edit When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth in 1970, and is credited as Sound Editor for the film versions of Nearest & Dearest and Steptoe and Son in 1972,Steptoe And Son Ride Again in 1973 and The Legend Of The Seven Golden Vampires (aka The Seven Brothers Meet Dracula in the US) in 1974. Sadly he died in 1991.  Puppetry by Martin & Heather GrangerMartin & Heather Granger were extremely talented puppeteers who ran their own marionette act for cabaret and variety shows all over the world in the 1950s and 1960s. This featured, among other things, two indians ('Geronimo' & 'Phoebe' - see left), one of which actually fired an arrow which landed in the other's backside, and marionettes actually working a diabalo and playing a double bass. These were 'for real' and not simulated or mimed to a recording. When the original puppets for Space Patrol proved problematic, Martin Granger revamped them, with Heather creating new characters. With this development, the Grangers also made and operated the puppets on the pilot film for Paul Starr. After the completion of the film and the effective end of their contract, the Grangers continued their puppetry and theatre work all over the world. Sadly, however, Martin Granger passed away in 1986. Heather Granger was kind enough to talk to Space Patrol - The Website and you can read her interview here. Known appearances: The London Palladium (11.05.57) The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS/US - Tx: 16.03.58) The Hollywood Palace (ABC/US - Tx: 10.10.64) Jugglers and Acrobats (Film by Richard Haim - 1964) The Basil Brush Show (BBC TV - Tx: 08.12.73) Puppetry by Joan Garrick  Joan Garrick was a puppeteer (though credited as an 'animator') on the Associated-Rediffusion series The Adventures Of Chippy (right) which was screened as part of Small Time around 1960. Before Space Patrol she also worked on Sara and Hoppity, and she continued operating puppets for the pilot film Paul Starr, and Wonder Boy And Tiger, also made by National Interest Pictures & Wonderama.Joan Garrick also worked on the pilot of The Telegoons for BBC Television. A Joan Garrick can be found in credits (Foam Laboratory Technician) for the film Labyrinth by Jim Henson productions, a not unknown career move from puppetry to animatronics but we are unsure if this is the same person. The Great Muppet Caper (1981) ... Muppet designer/builder Bananaman (1983-4) ... Animator Electronics (Music & Effects) by F. C. Judd  Frederick Charles Judd was born in 1914, and became a pioneer of electronic sound and music in the 1950s and 1960s. As well as writing books on the subject (Electronic Music and Musique Concrète, 1961) and producing records of stock effects and atmospherics (such as Haunted House, Mystery Sounds & Music - left), he was also a devoted amateur radio enthusiast, famous for his book The Two Metre Antenna Handbook - considered a bible on the subject. Sadly, he died a few years ago.Selected bibliography: Electronic Music and Musique Concrète (1961) Radio and Electronic Hobbies (1963) Electronics in Music (1972) Guide to Amateur Radio Wave Propagation (1980?) Space Consultant Colin Ronan Astronomer Colin A. Ronan was born in 1920 and aspired to the position of President of the British Astronomical Society in its Centenary year, 1990. He wrote a number of books on the subject and made regular appearances on the long-running astronomy programme The Sky At Night. He died in June 1995, just before his 75th birthday. Selected bibliography: Changing Views Of The Universe (1961) Man Probes The Universe (1964) The Encyclopedia Of Astronomy (Consultant Editor, 1979) The Practical Astronomer (1981) Deep Space (1982) The Skywatcher's Handbook (with Storm Dunlop/Brian Jones, 1985/88) The Natural History Of The Universe (1991) The Universe Explained (1994) Script Assistant Denise Kaye We have been unable to trace Denise Kaye, but her filmography reveals she wrote the screenplay of a film called Nudist Paradise (aka Nature's Paradise in the US) in 1958. Recordist Cyril Brown Cyril Brown worked in the Sound Department for Action Stations (aka Pasaporte al infierno) in 1956, and also worked as Dubbing Editor on The Telegoons for BBC Television during the time Space Patrol was in production but we have no further details. Editor Roy Hyde Roy Hyde went on to be a editor on the films The Reptile and Rasputin the Mad Monk but his main credits were as Sound Editor on a great many others:
Editor Len Walter Len Walter moved on to AP Films, latterly Century 21, the production company of Gerry Anderson: Thunderbirds - Editor (Episode 1, with David Lane) Captain Scarlet - Editor (Episode 1), Supervising Editor Joe 90 - Supervising Editor Doppelganger/Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun - Film Editor UFO - Editor Editor/Dubbing/Sound Editor John Beaton John Beaton also moved on to AP Films and Century 21: Thunderbirds - Sound Editor Captain Scarlet - Editor Art Director Roland Whiteside We have been unable to trace Roland Whiteside but Martin Hutchison interviewed him for his Cult TV feature which you can read here. Models Derek Freeborn Derek Freeborn is one of the most prolific and respected model makers in the industry, working on the Pathfinders science fiction series, the Gerry Anderson productions and Doctor Who in his long and varied career. Derek, along with his wife Pat, set up their own company not far from the new Teddington studio of ABC Television and found themselves involved with the productions. Desperate for work in lean times, Derek agreed to take on work in special effects for a Spike Milligan pilot. He was introduced to Roberta Leigh through Arthur Provis, and asked to provide models for a new space series while Pat agreed to produce the costumes. After Space Patrol, he also provided the models for the pilot film Paul Starr. After feeling limited by the time and financial constraints of television, Derek Freeborn moved onto films such as Alien, as well as producing work for museums and exhibitions. Derek Freeborn was kind enough to correspond with Space Patrol - The Website and you can read his account in his own words here. Further comments by Derek Freeborn can be read in Martin Hutchinson's Cult TV feature. Special Effects & Animation Bill Palmer We have been unable to trace Bill Palmer. It would appear Arthur Provis set up PP (Provis/Palmer) Productions with him, taking the role of Art Director to film Sara and Hoppity. National Interest Pictures had an animation department at Soho Square in London, and it is possible Bill Palmer headed this during Space Patrol and afterwards. It is believed he passed away some years ago. Special Effects & Animation Brian Stevens After Space Patrol, Brian Stevens provided the titles and animated effects for the pilot fim Paul Starr, and the film The Darwin Adventure in 1972. He went on to form his own animation company, Brian Stevens Animated Films Ltd, based in London, and they have been actively involved in films like All Dogs Go To Heaven and Space Jam. He recently retired. Special Effects & Animation Bert Walker Bert Walker set up his own animation company, Zephyr Films, based in Kew, and he is credited for Rostrum Camera for the 1985 Peter Greenway film The Falls. It is believed he retired to Spain several years ago. 2nd Unit Cameraman Jimmy Hopewell We have been unable to trace Jimmy Hopewell. Unsung Heroes Space Patrol - The Website has added a section for people not included in the actual credits but who were involved with the production of the series. Costumes Pat Freeborn With a background in theatrical costume design, Pat Freeborn was asked to produce the costumes for the puppets in Space Patrol. Regrettably, like her husband Derek Freeborn, after forty years she is unable to expand much upon her work for the series. Art Direction Ken Ryan Martin Hutchinson's Cult TV feature now confirms Ken Ryan's worked as Art Director on the pilot film before an offer of work at Bray Studios meant he handed over the position to Roland Whiteside for the rest of the series. Assistant Carpenter Norman Hornby Norman Hornby worked with Roland Whiteside on the production of the Space Patrol sets, and you can read more in Martin Hutchinson's comprehensive Cult TV feature. While he sadly passed away in 1991, his daughter Lesley - now world famous model and actress Twiggy Lawson - kindly gave us these comments: "My Dad was a brilliant craftsman and over his long career he worked on many wonderful projects, films, TV and commercials etc. I remember when he was working on Space Patrol which he enjoyed immensely and I know it was a very happy time for him. He was a fantastic Dad and I know he loved his work and I remain immensely proud of him". We thank Ms Lawson, and her PA Juliette Leinweber, for sharing this with us.  © Wonderama Ltdit is now believed that Wonderama was formed by Roberta Leigh as her own company, to establish copyright for Space Patrol and subsequent series, as her earlier agents/licensees were Scribe Associates. The earlier series Sara & Hoppity is publicised as A Rediffusion Production, though it was actually made for Roberta Leigh by P.P. Productions, and their comments in recorded documentation suggest the series was made specifically for them. After Space Patrol finished, Wonderama filmed a new pilot Paul Starr but this did not lead to a new series. Two further short puppet series, Send For Dithers and Wonder Boy And Tiger, followed which also came under Wonderama, while the live action pilot The Solarnauts did not. National Interest Picture Productions A film company who were in existence at least during the Second World War - as the name implies, they may have been initially set up to produce propaganda for newsreel features. After the war, they continued to make training and information films for the Armed Forces but also branched into freelance film production, involving themselves in commercials, animation and documentaries. Producer Arthur Provis was, according to a brief advertising interview, a Director of Photography for NIP. It would appear that he was the producer for them with regard to Space Patrol, while Wonderama was Roberta Leigh's own company. It would seem that just after making Space Patrol and Paul Starr, the company have became just National Interest Pictures, with offices based in Soho Square. They continued their association to Roberta Leigh with Send For Dithers (1966), Wonder Boy And Tiger (1967?) and The Solarnauts. It is not known what happened to the company but their film archive may reside with French media corporation Canal+ at Pinewood Studios, who hold the rights to most of the ABC (Associated British Picture Corporation) material. Some material, of military interest, resides at the Imperial War Museum. Of course, if you know the whereabouts of any of the production team still alive, or can fill any of the gaps in this listing, please contact us so we can update it in the future. |
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