Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lady Penelope |
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| Thunderbirds character | |
The original puppet character
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| First appearance | "Trapped in the Sky" (30 September 1965) |
| Created by | Gerry and Sylvia Anderson |
| Designed by | Mary Turner (puppet sculptor) |
| Portrayed by | Sophia Myles (2004 live-action film) |
| Voiced by | Sylvia Anderson (original series) Rosamund Pike (remake series) Genevieve Gaunt (2021 audio series) |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | Penny |
| Occupation |
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| Family | Lord Hugh and Lady Amelia Creighton-Ward (parents) |
| Home | Creighton-Ward Mansion, Kent |
Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward is a super cool character from the classic British TV show Thunderbirds. This show was made in the 1960s using special puppets called Supermarionation. Lady Penelope also appears in the Thunderbirds movies and the newer computer-animated show Thunderbirds Are Go.
In the world of Thunderbirds, Lady Penelope works for a secret group called International Rescue. She is their special agent in London. Her job is to help save people around the world.
The original puppet character was voiced by Sylvia Anderson. In the live-action movie, she was played by Sophia Myles. In the newer animated series, Rosamund Pike voices her.
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Creating Lady Penelope
The people who created Thunderbirds, Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, wanted a character that people in America would like. Sylvia Anderson thought Americans saw British people as either working-class or fancy ladies from big country houses. So, she created Lady Penelope as a glamorous, posh lady and her driver, Parker, as a working-class Londoner.
Sylvia Anderson wanted Lady Penelope to be a secret agent. She loved the idea of a character who seemed one way but had a secret, exciting life. She felt that women's roles were changing, and Lady Penelope needed to be as important as the male characters in the show. Sylvia Anderson wanted her to be daring and stylish, like a secret agent, but also graceful and elegant.
The look of Lady Penelope was actually based on Sylvia Anderson herself! At first, they tried to base her on a model from a fashion magazine. But after many tries, the puppet designer, Mary Turner, decided to make the puppet look like Sylvia Anderson.
Lady Penelope's clothes were inspired by the latest fashions from London and Paris. Designers used fancy silks, leathers, and furs for her outfits.
Lady Penelope's Story
Lady Penelope is 26 years old. She is the daughter of Lord Hugh and Lady Amelia Creighton-Ward, who are part of a noble family. She grew up in a big house called Creighton-Ward Mansion. When she was young, her parents went to India, and Penelope stayed in England with a kind governess.
She went to a famous school called Roedean and was very good at her studies. She was even chosen as the head girl! After that, she went to a special school in Switzerland. There, she became a great skier and learned to speak French, German, and Italian very well.
Most people think Lady Penelope is just a rich socialite and a fashion icon. But after finishing her education, she decided she wanted more than just parties. She became a secret agent! She worked for a group called the Federal Agents Bureau (FAB). This is where she met Jeff Tracy, who started International Rescue. She quickly joined his team as their special agent in London.
Lady Penelope is always very stylish. She is a famous model and celebrity. Her clothes are made by top fashion designers. She even has her own special perfume! She loves drinking tea and uses her fancy teapot to talk to International Rescue.
Who She Works With
Lady Penelope's loyal butler and driver is Aloysius "Nosey" Parker. Parker used to be a criminal, known for being very good at opening safes. Lady Penelope found out about his skills and offered him a chance to work with her for International Rescue. Now, he is a very important and trusted helper to Penelope and International Rescue.
Penelope also has a cook named Lilian (or Lil), and a gardener named Perce, who is a friend of Parker's.
Her Cool Vehicles and Home
Lady Penelope has a super cool pink Rolls-Royce car called FAB 1. Parker is usually the one who drives it. FAB 1 has many secret features to help Penelope on her missions. It has machine guns, bulletproof windows, and can even turn into a boat with water skis!
She also owns a private yacht called FAB 2 and a champion racehorse named FAB 3. She has a cruise ship called Seabird, but these ships often get destroyed during missions, so she has had several of them.
Lady Penelope's main home is Creighton-Ward Mansion. It's a very old and grand house in Kent, England. The first house on this spot was built a long, long time ago. The current mansion was built in 1730. When Penelope became a secret agent, she added many secret features to her historic home. She put in a satellite dish, video screens to talk to International Rescue, and a super secure safe. She even built a secret lab where the old servants' rooms used to be. There's also an underground river with a boat beneath the estate. This allows Penelope to meet Parker secretly if she thinks someone is watching her house.
Penelope also owns a large sheep farm in the Australian outback called Bonga Bonga. It has over 200,000 sheep! This property has a very modern style, which is different from her old mansion.
The Amazing Penelon Fabric
"Penelon" is a special fabric created by a fashion designer named François Lemaire. He named it after Lady Penelope because she was his favorite model. This fabric is amazing because it can be changed into any costume design. It can also be squeezed into a tiny space, like a matchbox, and can be made to look like any other material.
Other designers wanted to steal the secret of Penelon. Lady Penelope found out they were spying on Lemaire's office. So, she suggested that Lemaire show off his new Penelon collection on board the Skythrust aircraft, which was designed by International Rescue's engineer, Brains.
Lady Penelope in Other Shows and Comics
From 1965 to 1969, Lady Penelope's adventures were also told in comic books. She first appeared in the comic TV Century 21, and then she got her very own comic book called Lady Penelope.
Lady Penelope, again voiced by Sylvia Anderson, also appeared in a dream scene in an episode of the TV show Absolutely Fabulous in 1994.
Named After Lady Penelope
In 1994, a real airline called Virgin Atlantic named one of its huge Boeing 747 airplanes "Lady Penelope". The plane's special registration number was G-VFAB, which was inspired by her car, FAB 1. This plane was used until 2015.
In 2003, Virgin Trains West Coast named one of their trains "Lady Penelope". This train kept its name even when it was sold to another company in 2013.
See also
In Spanish: Lady Penélope Creighton-Ward para niños
