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Features On Space Patrol - Part Two

Features on Space Patrol were something of a rarity but the rediscovery of the series in 1996 prompted a spate of new articles. We'll list them along with any other features of note here, with a supplement of other mentions. If you know of any we have missed, please do contact us.


Time Screen Issue Nine
March 1987
Yabba Rays On!
Time Screen 21 ImageWriters: Andrew Pixley, with thanks to Neil Alsop, Simon Coward, John Lowndes, Anthony McKay & (uncredited) Dave Palfreyman & J.Jeremy Bentham

At the time of its writing, this was the most comprehensive feature written on the series, aided by the availability of copies of the Super 8mm versions of The Swamps Of Jupiter, Mystery On The Moon & The Miracle Tree Of Saturn, with comprehensive notes available of The Robot Revolution. Illustrated by the photographic endpapers from the TV Comic Annual 1966, the final TV Comic strip and a publicity shot of Larry Dart, the eight page feature included an episode listing based on the ABC Midlands screenings. While some assumptions about the series were inaccurate, being based on merchandise available or imprecise publicity, on the whole it remains one of the best ever written.

Two letters written in response to the feature, by Mike Metherell and Graham Bates, appeared in Issue Ten (Winter 1987) prompting an update in the regular Errata section.


Cult TV Appreciation Weekend
1994
Space Patrol
Writer: Martin Hutchinson

A stunningly comprehensive feature that Martin had been researching for some time prior to being asked to write. Martin and Cult TV have kindly permitted us to reproduce this in its entirety, and you can read it here


Time Screen Issue Twenty-One
Time Screen 21 ImageSpring 1995
Super Space Patrol/Yabba Rays On!
Writer: Andrew Pixley

The final issue of Time Screen saw the publication bowing out in considerable style with possibly the most comprehensive history of comics relating to British telefantasy ever. With such a broad overview, Space Patrol got three paragraphs (pages 5 & 6) and a single frame from Issue 715 of TV Comic but the supplement issue of a complete comics listing (available by order only from the editorial address, and now on-line at The Mausoleum Club) gave a brief overview of each of the eleven TV Comic strips and their publication dates.


TV Zone Issues 85, 86 & 87
December 1996 - February 1997
Letters Page
A letter from a Mrs Mackenzie in issue 85 of TV Zone prompted a brief flurry of correspondence concerning Space Patrol, and why there were no features on the series when a multitude of other sci-fi programmes were covered. TV Zone responded it was on their list of series to feature.
The next issue featured a reply from Gerry Hughes, a local broadcaster with BBC Radio Wiltshire. He had made many contacts in the broadcasting profession and found - to the horror of many - that all 39 episodes were missing, feared destroyed. Having had the chance to interview series co-producer Arthur Provis a few years previously, Gerry had undertaken his own world-wide search and turned up nothing in America or Australia.
In response to this, Graham Smith replied that he believed the series did exist but was mislaid and and probably stored in a vault somewhere. Graham also added information about the 8mm home movie releases.


TV Zone Issue 96
November 1997
Yobba Rays Are On Again!
Writer: Martin Cater

The first 'post-discovery' feature appeared in TV Zone a few months before the first video releases. Superbly illustrated by photos (credited as coming from the collection of series co-producer Arthur Provis himself), the four page feature gives a broad overview of the series and what to expect. Which was nice.

Issue 97 featured a letter from Susan Rose, thanking TV Zone for the article and proving - as anyone familiar with our Gabblings page will know - that "it was not a figment of my imagination",


Time Screen 21 ImageTV Zone Special 27 (Yearbook 1997/98)
November 1997
Space Patrol - The Complete Series
Writer: Martin Cater

At the same time as Issue 96 appeared, TV Zone published another special. The Yearbooks covered, on the main, features relating to the previous year's events in cult television and with Space Patrol about to be released on video we were treated to the first fully informed episode guide. Writer Martin Cater, like Space Patrol - The Website, adopted the Associated-Rediffusion (London) screening order as the one which 'makes the most sense' (with a few alterations). The eight page feature is again superbly illustrated with photos from the collection of Arthur Provis, giving full production credits and a brief overview implying the scripts for the series may still exist....


Starburst Issue 232 (20th Anniversary Issue)
December 1997
Space Patrol (pages 11 & 22)

Celebrating their twentieth anniversary in style (oh my gawd - I remember buying issue one back in 1977!) this issue came with a CD-Rom that featured a seventy-five second clip of the landing sequence from the episode The Dark Planet. While not exactly Space Patrol at its best, for many this would have been the first glimpse of the series prior to their release on video the following year. A nice teaser if nothing else. A couple of brief articles plus some photos featured in the magazine itself.


DWB FeatureSatellite Times
February 1998
Space Patrol (page 186)
Writer: Alex J Geairns

In his semi-regular feature on various cult television series, Alex Geairns gives an informative overview of the series, and the other recently discovered Roberta Leigh films, with input by Tim Beddows and the newly formed Network Video. The following issue featured a response from John Huchinson of Leeds, who recalled seeing 'Sarah and Hoppity' (sic) on Tyne Tees around 1964.
Once more, Alex and Cult TV have kindly permitted us to reproduce this in its entirety, and you can read it here


DWB Feature
DreamWatch Issue 47
July 1998
Star Beat
Writer: John Ainsworth

Written to coincide with the 35th anniverary of the series (for the London region at least), the three page article features comments by Roberta Leigh and Dick Vosburgh about their experiences on the series and is again illustrated by some very nice publicity photos - with an especially nice one of the Space Headquarters model on its table. Where did you dig that one out, boys?

DWB Feature
Planet X - The Outer Space Issue
2001
Space Patrol - The Lost British Series
Writer: Catherine Arbuthnott

An interesting and honest four page overview of the series, illustrated with publicity and merchandise photos, as well as some high quality screengrabs from the videos and DVD.


Book Features
Husky's Technical Manual
Galasphere
Freighter
Missiles
Interceptors
Confectionery
Robots
New York
UGO HQ
UGF HQ
We close on the blazing sun in space before fading to a view of ringed planet Saturn. A gyroscope-like ship, enclosed in a flickering bubble of energy, speeds past us and beyond accompanied by almost musical radiophonic tones. We see it pass the Moon before spinning away to the twilight of the Earth's curved horizon... As we hear a grinding rhythmic electronic score, we see scenes of a futuristic city under a dramatic sky. Some buildings and antennae rotate, light pours from other structures as bullet-shaped and spherical vehicles move rapidly back and forth... 'This is Earth - the year 2100. New York is the headquarters of Space Patrol and men from Earth, Mars and Venus live and work there as guardians of peace. This is the story of those men, whose courage and daring make the universe safe for us all.'
We close on the blazing sun in space before fading to a view of ringed planet Saturn. A gyroscope-like ship, enclosed in a flickering bubble of energy, speeds past us and beyond accompanied by almost musical radiophonic tones. We see it pass the Moon before spinning away to the twilight of the Earth's curved horizon... As we hear a grinding rhythmic electronic score, we see scenes of a futuristic city under a dramatic sky. Some buildings and antennae rotate, light pours from other structures as bullet-shaped and spherical vehicles move rapidly back and forth... 'This is Earth - the year 2100. New York is the headquarters of Space Patrol and men from Earth, Mars and Venus live and work there as guardians of peace. This is the story of those men, whose courage and daring make the universe safe for us all.'
We close on the blazing sun in space before fading to a view of ringed planet Saturn. A gyroscope-like ship, enclosed in a flickering bubble of energy, speeds past us and beyond accompanied by almost musical radiophonic tones. We see it pass the Moon before spinning away to the twilight of the Earth's curved horizon... As we hear a grinding rhythmic electronic score, we see scenes of a futuristic city under a dramatic sky. Some buildings and antennae rotate, light pours from other structures as bullet-shaped and spherical vehicles move rapidly back and forth... 'This is Earth - the year 2100. New York is the headquarters of Space Patrol and men from Earth, Mars and Venus live and work there as guardians of peace. This is the story of those men, whose courage and daring make the universe safe for us all.'