UFO 

The missions of the Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organization, which defends Earth from extra-terrestrial threats.

Creators:

Gerry Anderson, Sylvia Anderson

Stars:

Ed Bishop, Dolores Mantez, Michael Billington

Cast

Series cast summary:
Ed Bishop	...	Cmdr. Ed Straker 26 episodes, 1970-1973
Dolores Mantez	...	Nina Barry 23 episodes, 1970-1973
Michael Billington	...	Col. Paul Foster 21 episodes, 1970-1973
Ayshea Brough	...	SHADO Operative / ... 19 episodes, 1970-1973
George Sewell	...	Col. Alec Freeman 17 episodes, 1970-1973
Keith Alexander	...	Lt. Keith Ford 15 episodes, 1970-1973
Antonia Ellis	...	Joan Harrington 13 episodes, 1970-1973

Storyline

In 1980, the Earth is threatened by an alien race who kidnap and kill humans and use them for body parts. A highly secret military organization is set up in the hope of defending the Earth from this alien threat. This organization is named SHADO (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organization) and operates from a secret location beneath a film studio. They also operate a fleet of submarines and have a base on the moon as well as an early warning satellite that detects inbound UFOs. UFOs can be destroyed in space by Interceptors which are launched from Moonbase. If one gets through it can be attacked in the Earth's atmosphere by a high altitude aircraft launched from one of the submarines. If a UFO also avoids this and manages to land it can be tracked and destroyed by a number of Mobiles (armored vehicles) which are deployed throughout the world.

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Plot Keywords:

ufo | submarine | satellite | 1980s | moon base | 

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 September 1970 (UK)

Also Known As:

Alerte dans l'espace

Filming Locations:

MGM British Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Century 21 Television, Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min (26 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Initially Ed Bishop's hair was bleached for the series. As time wore on they decided to switch to a blonde wig instead to avoid damaging his hair with repeated bleaching. Bishop used to own this wig and would bring it with him to sci-fi conventions.

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Goofs

Although set (and filmed) in England, all the futuristic cars are left-hand drive, and everyone drives on the right-hand side of the road. Several other series by the Andersons featured the same driving system, presumably because England was predicted to switch over sometime before the future events depicted. Flashback scenes showed the "normal" English driving arrangement.

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Quotes

Dr. Doug Jackson: Ya, I have a theory but I must warn you, it's pretty wild.
Ed Straker: Go ahead, doctor. Try me.
Dr. Doug Jackson: A human body. Muscles, brain. Operates in a series of minute electrical charges flowing around the complex of low voltage electrical circuits. The nervous system. Sometimes the electrical balance is disturbed.
Ed Straker: Mental disorder.
Dr. Doug Jackson: Imagine the situation where for some reason the balance swings violently off centre. The body becomes supercharged. A thunder cloud before a storm. If such a charged being could exist, it...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Guest stars are credited as "guest artists."

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Connections

Referenced in Free Enterprise (1998)

User Reviews

Some unfair comments

I remember this show when I was a kid in the late 70's. Every so often it was on during Saturday afternoons. Always a fan of spaceships and such, I was hooked. I couldn't remember much other than the various vehicles and Ed Straker's hair.

I recently got the entire thing on DVD and yes it's kind of campy but it's so fun to watch. I love retro stuff. I love British programming. I love SciFi. For me this was a hit.

I can echo the comments of another poster who said that he must be the only American to have seen and remembered it. I felt the same way. All through the years I when the topic came up I would describe it and the series name and NO ONE would remember it to the point of questioning if there was such a series ever on American TV. There was. U.F.O.

As far as the criticism goes... Yes some of them are a bit true but that is part of what makes this a SciFi cult classic.

I love the series with all of it's campiness and am so happy to own it on DVD. I received it as a Christmas present and still haven't watched the entire thing. I take it in small doses in order to savor every last drop.

My favorite female is Joan Harrington (Antonia Ellis - what a beautiful lady) and although Ed Straker (Ed Bishop) is an awesome character I really enjoyed the "James Bond" like smoothness and eye for the ladies of Alex Freeman. (George Sewell)

My favorite prop was the liquor dispenser in Straker's office and how they are all smoking cigarettes. I don't smoke cigarettes but it's so 60's/70's.

I LOVE IT!