Jeff Tracy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeff Tracy
Thunderbirds character
The original puppet character
First appearance	"Trapped in the Sky" (30 September 1965)
Created by	Gerry and Sylvia Anderson
Designed by	John Brown (puppet sculptor)
Portrayed by	Bill Paxton (2004 live-action film)
Voiced by	Peter Dyneley (original series) Lee Majors (remake series) Jon Culshaw (2021 audio series)
Information
Occupation	Head of International Rescue Business executive Colonel, US Air Force Astronaut (formerly)
Family	"Grandma" Tracy (mother)
Children	Scott, John, Virgil, Gordon and Alan
Home	Tracy Island

Jeff Tracy is a super cool character from the TV show Thunderbirds. He's the smart and brave leader of a secret organization called International Rescue. This group helps people all over the world when they are in big trouble. Jeff is also the father of five amazing sons, who are all part of the team! He was first seen in the show in 1965.

The voice for Jeff in the original Thunderbirds show was done by Peter Dyneley. In the live-action movie from 2004, actor Bill Paxton played Jeff Tracy.

Jeff Tracy's Early Life and International Rescue

Jeff Tracy's story begins in the future, around 2026 or 2065, when he is 56 years old. He was born on January 2nd on a wheat farm in Kansas, USA.

• Jeff joined the U.S. Air Force and became a colonel.
• Later, he became an early astronaut and traveled to the Moon.
• He married and had five sons: Scott, John, Virgil, Gordon, and Alan. They were born between 2000 and 2005 (or 2039-2044).
• His sons were named after real American astronauts like Scott Carpenter and John Glenn.
• Jeff raised his five sons after his wife passed away.
• He built a very successful business in engineering and construction. This made him one of the richest people in the world.
• Because he wanted to help others, he used his money to start and pay for International Rescue.

As the main leader of the Tracy family, Jeff spends most of his time on Tracy Island. This secret island is located somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. From there, he helps plan and guide all the rescue missions.

Some people think the Tracy family is like the Cartwright family from the old TV show Bonanza. They also suggest that the puppet for Jeff Tracy looks like Lorne Greene, the actor who played Ben Cartwright.

Jeff Tracy is a very important character. Along with his sons Scott and Virgil, he appears in all 32 episodes of the original Thunderbirds series.

Jeff Tracy in the 2004 Live-Action Film

In the 2004 live-action movie, Bill Paxton played Jeff Tracy. Bill Paxton said that Jeff is like a teacher and a father figure. He has to teach his sons, especially his youngest son Alan, important lessons. These lessons are about being honest and always doing the right thing.

Jeff Tracy in the Remake Series (2015)

In the newer Thunderbirds Are Go series, which started in 2015, Jeff Tracy disappeared. This happened six years before the show begins. It is shown that a bad guy called the Hood was involved in his disappearance.

After Jeff vanished, Scott, the oldest Tracy brother, took over leading International Rescue. Grandma Tracy also changed a bit from the classic series. She became the new head of the Tracy family.

The new series slowly explains how International Rescue first started. Jeff was originally the only member. He had one super-fast rocket ship called the TV-21. His goal was always to be the first one to any rescue. But when he lost the TV-21, he decided to create the five amazing Thunderbirds ships instead. This way, they could be ready for any emergency.

Jeff finally appears again in season 3 of the remake series. At first, he is only seen in old recordings. These recordings show that he was trying to stop the Hood from stealing the Zero-X spaceship. When the Hood's actions almost caused the Zero-X engine to explode, Jeff took the ship into space. Everyone thought the ship exploded, and Jeff was gone.

However, later, Brains (the team's inventor) discovers a secret message from Jeff. Brains realizes that the explosion was actually the ship's super-fast engine working. This engine sent Jeff far into deep space.

At the end of one episode, Scott almost falls into space. A mysterious hand catches him, and Scott looks up to see it's his father, Jeff Tracy! In the next episode, Jeff finally reunites with his sons after Scott brings him home. After they defeat the Hood, Jeff is back with the whole team on Tracy Island. Lee Majors provided the voice for Jeff in this revival series.

See also

In Spanish: Jeff Tracy para niños