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Stingray (1964 TV series) facts for kids

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Stingray
Stingray title.jpg
Genre Children's science fiction
Created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson
Written by
  • Gerry and Sylvia Anderson
  • Alan Fennell
  • Dennis Spooner
Directed by
  • David Elliott
  • John Kelly
  • Alan Pattillo
  • Desmond Saunders
Voices of
  • Ray Barrett
  • Robert Easton
  • David Graham
  • Don Mason
  • Lois Maxwell
  • Sylvia Anderson
Opening theme "Stingray"
Ending theme "Aqua Marina"
(sung by Gary Miller)
Composer(s) Barry Gray
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 1
No. of episodes 39 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s) Gerry Anderson
Cinematography John Read
Editor(s)
  • David Lane
  • Harry MacDonald
  • Eric Pask
Running time 25 minutes
Production company(s) AP Films
Distributor ITC Entertainment
Release
Original network ATV
Picture format 35 mm (Eastmancolor)
Audio format Mono
Original release 4 October 1964 (1964-10-04) – 27 June 1965 (1965-06-27)
Chronology
Preceded by Fireball XL5
Followed by Thunderbirds

Stingray is a British children's science-fiction television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and produced by AP Films (APF) for ITC Entertainment. Filmed in 1963 using a combination of electronic marionette puppetry and scale model special effects, it was APF's sixth puppet series and the third to be produced under the banner of "Supermarionation". It premiered in October 1964 and ran for 39 half-hour episodes.

Set in the 2060s, the series follows the exploits of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP), an organisation responsible for policing the Earth's oceans. The WASP's flagship is Stingray, a combat submarine crewed by Captain Troy Tempest, navigator Lieutenant "Phones" and Marina, a mute young woman from under the sea. Stingray's adventures bring it into contact with various underwater civilisations, some friendly and others hostile, as well as strange natural phenomena.

In preparation for the series, APF acquired new, larger studios that it would continue to occupy for the remainder of the 1960s. Filmed at a cost of approximately £1 million, Stingray was the first British TV series to be made entirely in colour, a move intended to increase its appeal to the lucrative American market. The underwater sequences were filmed "dry" by shooting the sets through thin aquaria, while surface shots were filmed on water tanks incorporating lowered back walls to create artificial horizons. Stingray was the first Supermarionation series whose puppet characters had interchangeable heads showing a range of facial expressions.

Stingray' was originally broadcast on the ITV network in the United Kingdom and in syndication in North America. The series has drawn a largely positive response from commentators, some of whom have compared its premise to the Cold War.

Premise

Stingray, a nuclear-powered combat submarine, is the flagship of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP), a branch of the World Security Patrol (WSP) responsible for policing the Earth's oceans in the mid-2060s. Armed with "sting missile" torpedoes, it can travel at up to 600 knots (1,100 km/h; 690 mph) underwater and reach depths of over 36,000 feet (11 km; 6.8 mi).

The WASP is based in the self-contained city of Marineville, located several miles inland somewhere on the West Coast of North America. It is connected to the Pacific Ocean via a tunnel leading to an "ocean door", through which Stingray is launched. General quarters alerts are sounded by rapid drumbeats played over the base's public address system. In emergency situations, the entire base can be lowered into underground bunkers via giant hydraulic jacks while fighter aircraft and interceptor missiles are launched to counter threats. WASP personnel acknowledge commands with the phrase "P.W.O.R." – short for "Proceeding With Orders Received".

Stingray is piloted by the square-jawed Captain Troy Tempest. He is paired with Southern navigator Lieutenant George Lee Sheridan, nicknamed "Phones" for his secondary role as Stingray's hydrophone operator. Troy and Phones board Stingray from the Marineville stand-by lounge by sitting on twin seats that are then lowered into the submarine via injector tubes. They answer to the "hoverchair"-bound Commander Sam Shore, whose daughter, Lieutenant Atlanta Shore, works in the Marineville control tower and is enamoured of Troy.

The series begins with the WASP's discovery that the ocean floor is home to many advanced civilisations. Among these is the undersea city of Titanica, ruled by King Titan. A despot, Titan commands the Aquaphibians, a warrior race who possess a fleet of lethal submersibles called "Mechanical Fish". In the first episode, Stingray is attacked by Titan's forces and Troy and Phones are captured. They are rescued by Titan's slave, Marina, a mute young woman from the undersea city of Pacifica who can breathe underwater. Marina defects to the WASP and becomes a permanent member of the Stingray crew. Troy becomes infatuated with her, making Atlanta jealous.

Furious at Marina's betrayal, Titan swears revenge on "terraneans" (land people) in general and Troy and the WASP in particular. However, his attempts to destroy Stingray and Marineville are always thwarted, often due to the incompetence of his henchman Surface Agent X-2-Zero. Titan's spy on land, X-2-Zero operates from the Pacific island of Lemoy, where he lives in an outwardly dilapidated house whose interior conceals vast banks of sophisticated surveillance and tracking equipment. Some episodes revolve around encounters with other races living under the sea or within the Earth (some friendly and others hostile), or investigation of natural phenomena. The final episode is a clip show in which Troy is named "Aquanaut of the Year" and past missions are recounted in flashback.

Episodes

Episodes are listed in the order of original broadcast in the ATV London region.

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date  Prod.
code 
1 "Stingray" Alan Pattillo Gerry and Sylvia Anderson 4 October 1964 (1964-10-04) 1
When a World Security Patrol submarine is mysteriously destroyed, Troy and Phones are assigned to investigate. However, they are captured by the Aquaphibians and sentenced to death by King Titan of Titanica.
2 "Emergency Marineville" John Kelly Alan Fennell 11 October 1964 (1964-10-11) 11
Marineville is targeted by a series of missiles fired from a seemingly uninhabited island.
3 "The Ghost Ship" Desmond Saunders Alan Fennell 18 October 1964 (1964-10-18) 8
Commander Shore and Phones are captured by an undersea pirate who has turned an antique galleon into a submarine.
4 "Subterranean Sea" Desmond Saunders Alan Fennell 25 October 1964 (1964-10-25) 12
The Stingray crew brave the perils of a newly discovered underground sea.
5 "Loch Ness Monster" Alan Pattillo Dennis Spooner 1 November 1964 (1964-11-01) 13
Troy, Phones and Atlanta are sent to Scotland to solve the mystery of Nessie once and for all.
6 "Set Sail for Adventure" David Elliott Dennis Spooner 8 November 1964 (1964-11-08) 30
While commanding a sailing ship, an admiral is injured and loses his memory, prompting him to turn his cannons on Stingray.
7 "The Man from the Navy" John Kelly Alan Fennell 15 November 1964 (1964-11-15) 19
When Surface Agent X-2-Zero frames a navy captain for a sabotaged torpedo test, it is up to Troy to clear the man's name.
8 "An Echo of Danger" Alan Pattillo Dennis Spooner 22 November 1964 (1964-11-22) 25
Agent X-2-Zero creates false underwater soundings in an attempt to mislead Phones and have him dismissed from duty.
9 "Raptures of the Deep" Desmond Saunders Alan Fennell 29 November 1964 (1964-11-29) 16
Injured during a rescue mission, Troy passes out and imagines that he is the lord of an undersea palace.
10 "Titan Goes Pop" Alan Pattillo Dennis Spooner 6 December 1964 (1964-12-06) 29
Titan orders Agent X-2-Zero to kidnap a pop star who is visiting Marineville.
11 "In Search of the Tajmanon" Desmond Saunders Dennis Spooner 13 December 1964 (1964-12-13) 28
While searching for the submerged temple of Tajmanon in Africa, Troy and Phones encounter an old enemy.
12 "A Christmas to Remember" Alan Pattillo Dennis Spooner 20 December 1964 (1964-12-20) 37
In the run-up to Christmas, Phones is captured by an undersea warrior and forced to lay a trap for Troy, who has befriended the son of a dead WASP aquanaut.
13 "Tune of Danger" John Kelly Alan Fennell 27 December 1964 (1964-12-27) 31
Agent X-2-Zero plots to bomb a jazz group's performance at Pacifica, the undersea city ruled by Marina's father.
14 "The Ghost of the Sea" David Elliott Alan Fennell 3 January 1965 (1965-01-03) 10
When a new cobalt mining rig is completed, Commander Shore relives the ordeal that left him paralysed.
15 "Rescue from the Skies" Desmond Saunders Dennis Spooner 10 January 1965 (1965-01-10) 32
Agent X-2-Zero plants a bomb on Stingray while a lieutenant is using the vessel for target practice.
16 "The Lighthouse Dwellers" David Elliott Alan Fennell 17 January 1965 (1965-01-17) 38
The Stingray crew investigate a disused lighthouse emitting unexplained signals.
17 "The Big Gun" David Elliott Alan Fennell 24 January 1965 (1965-01-24) 6
An undersea civilisation creates a weapon capable of obliterating the West Coast of America.
18 "The Cool Cave Man" Alan Pattillo Alan Fennell 31 January 1965 (1965-01-31) 33
Troy falls asleep and dreams about meeting a group of undersea cavemen who have looted a vessel carrying radioactive cargo.
19 "Deep Heat" John Kelly Alan Fennell 7 February 1965 (1965-02-07) 27
While investigating the disappearance of a probe, Troy and Phones are captured by the survivors of a ruined subterranean city.
20 "Star of the East" Desmond Saunders Alan Fennell 14 February 1965 (1965-02-14) 24
Eastern dictator El Hudat wants to join the WASP but kidnaps Marina after he is overthrown in his home country.
21 "Invisible Enemy" David Elliott Alan Fennell 21 February 1965 (1965-02-21) 26
Troy and Phones rescue an unconscious man who wakes up and uses a mysterious device to hypnotise everyone in Marineville.
22 "Tom Thumb Tempest" Alan Pattillo Alan Fennell 28 February 1965 (1965-02-28) 21
Falling asleep on duty, Troy has a dream in which Stingray and her crew are inexplicably shrunk and stumble across preparations for a meeting of all of the WASP's undersea enemies.
23 "Eastern Eclipse" Desmond Saunders Alan Fennell 7 March 1965 (1965-03-07) 36
Agent X-2-Zero frees the former dictator El Hudat from the Marineville brig by replacing him with his twin brother.
24 "Treasure Down Below" Alan Pattillo Dennis Spooner 14 March 1965 (1965-03-14) 5
When Stingray becomes trapped in a whirlpool, the crew face off against undersea pirates.
25 "Stand by for Action" Alan Pattillo Dennis Spooner 21 March 1965 (1965-03-21) 17
Agent X-2-Zero poses as a film producer in his latest scheme to eliminate Troy.
26 "Pink Ice" David Elliott Alan Fennell 28 March 1965 (1965-03-28) 22
Stingray is caught in a patch of pink slush created by an unidentified vessel.
27 "The Disappearing Ships" David Elliott Alan Fennell 4 April 1965 (1965-04-04) 18
Three disused freighters mysteriously disappear shortly before they are due to self-destruct.
28 "Secret of the Giant Oyster" John Kelly Alan Fennell 11 April 1965 (1965-04-11) 15
Troy is assigned to recover a giant pearl from an ocean cave, but the task is not as simple as it seems.
29 "The Invaders" David Elliott Dennis Spooner 18 April 1965 (1965-04-18) 14
The Stingray crew are captured by undersea villains attempting to obtain information on Marineville's defence systems.
30 "A Nut for Marineville" David Elliott Gerry and Sylvia Anderson 25 April 1965 (1965-04-25) 34
The WASP brings in an eccentric professor to develop a super missile capable of neutralising an indestructible enemy submarine.
31 "Trapped in the Depths" John Kelly Alan Fennell 2 May 1965 (1965-05-02) 35
Intending to destroy Marineville, an insane professor kidnaps Atlanta and hi-jacks Stingray.
32 "Count Down" Alan Pattillo Dennis Spooner 9 May 1965 (1965-05-09) 9
Agent X-2-Zero poses as a teacher for mute people in another plot to destroy Marineville, leaving Marina in mortal danger.
33 "Sea of Oil" John Kelly Dennis Spooner 16 May 1965 (1965-05-16) 3
While investigating the destruction of an oil platform with Troy and Phones, Atlanta is captured by undersea warriors.
34 "Plant of Doom" David Elliott Alan Fennell 23 May 1965 (1965-05-23) 2
Outraged by Marina's defection to the WASP, Titan plots revenge by having Agent X-2-Zero to deliver a toxic plant to her father Aphony.
35 "The Master Plan" John Kelly Alan Fennell 30 May 1965 (1965-05-30) 23
Troy is poisoned by the Aquaphibians and Titan, who possesses the antidote, demands Marina in exchange for saving his life.
36 "The Golden Sea" John Kelly Dennis Spooner 6 June 1965 (1965-06-06) 7
Titan plots to sabotage the work of scientists who are converting ocean minerals into gold.
37 "Hostages of the Deep" Desmond Saunders Alan Fennell 13 June 1965 (1965-06-13) 4
An undersea being kidnaps a World Navy admiral and his wife.
38 "Marineville Traitor" Desmond Saunders Alan Fennell 20 June 1965 (1965-06-20) 20
All the signs point to Commander Shore when a vital component is stolen from the Marineville control room.
39 "Aquanaut of the Year" Alan Pattillo Gerry and Sylvia Anderson 27 June 1965 (1965-06-27) 39
Named "Aquanaut of the Year", Troy sits before a live TV audience as a selection of his adventures are recalled as flashbacks.
Clip show episode including flashbacks to "Emergency Marineville", "Raptures of the Deep" and "Subterranean Sea".

In a first for a Supermarionation series, Stingray included a Christmas episode, "A Christmas to Remember", and a clip show finale, "Aquanaut of the Year". The latter incorporates elements from This Is Your Life, for which APF was required to obtain approval from the programme's creator, Ralph Edwards. Negotiations with Edwards were slow to progress, so work began on an alternative clip show in which the main characters watch film recordings of some of Stingray's past missions. Production on this episode was halted when APF received permission to proceed with "Aquanaut of the Year".

Special episodes

APF used the framing scenes from the abandoned clip show to create a Stingray feature presentation. Written and directed by Alan Pattillo, this comprised four complete episodes and was privately screened for visiting Japanese TV executives. It has never had a TV broadcast.

The linking material from the feature presentation was re-discovered in late 2000 or early 2001 and subsequently included on Stingray DVD releases. Several years later, BBC Wales and Granada International condensed the feature presentation to create a new Stingray clip show episode. Titled "The Reunion Party", this included material from three episodes and was broadcast on BBC Four as part of a "Gerry Anderson Night" in 2008.

Title Compilation of Original air date Length
"Stingray (Feature Presentation)" Four complete episodes: "Stingray", "An Echo of Danger", "Raptures of the Deep" and "Emergency Marineville" Unaired 99 minutes
"The Reunion Party" Clips from "Stingray", "An Echo of Danger" and "Emergency Marineville" 2 January 2008 (2008-01-02) (BBC Four) 29 minutes

ITC compilation films

In the early 1980s, two Stingray compilation films were produced by ITC New York. These were made for American TV and later released on home video. They were televised as part of an ITC package branded "Super Space Theater", which also included compilations from other Supermarionation series. Each of the Stingray films consists of re-edited versions of four of the original episodes. The second film, Invaders from the Deep, was broadcast as the first episode of movie-mocking TV comedy series Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 1988.

Title Compilation of Released Length
The Incredible Voyage of Stingray "Stingray", "Plant of Doom", "Count Down" and "The Master Plan" 1980 94 minutes
Invaders from the Deep "Hostages of the Deep", "Emergency Marineville", "The Big Gun" and "Deep Heat" 1981 92 minutes

Characters

Voice cast
Voice actor Main characters voiced
Ray Barrett Commander Shore
Lieutenant Fisher
King Titan
Robert Easton Phones
X-2-Zero
Aquaphibians
David Graham Admiral Denver
Oink the Seal
Aquaphibians
Don Mason Troy Tempest
Lois Maxwell Atlanta Shore
Sylvia Anderson Marina

WASP personnel and allies

  • Captain Troy Tempest: pilot of the WASP's flagship submarine, Stingray.
  • "Phones": a WASP lieutenant, Stingray's navigator and hydrophone operator, and Troy's best friend. His real name, George Lee Sheridan, is mentioned in the series' publicity material but never used on-screen.
  • Marina: a young woman from under the sea who joins the Stingray crew. She was enslaved by King Titan of Titanica but defects to the WASP in the first episode and quickly becomes Troy's love interest. She can breathe in or out of water and is mute like the rest of her race.
  • Commander Samuel Shore: head of Marineville. Unable to walk, he is confined to a hoverchair. The reason for his disability is revealed in the episode "The Ghost of the Sea": as a security agent for an ocean mining platform, he was injured when the facility was attacked by a hostile submersible.
  • Lieutenant Atlanta Shore: Commander Shore's daughter, assistant controller in Marineville Tower and Marina's rival for Troy's affections.
  • Sub-Lieutenant John Horatio Fisher: junior assistant controller in Marineville Tower. In "Rescue from the Skies" he is training to be an aquanaut.
  • WSP Commanders: three commanders at WSP Headquarters in Washington, D.C. They appear in various episodes to brief the main characters.
  • Admiral Jack Denver: president of the WASP underwater research division. He went to college with Commander Shore and enjoys debating with him.
  • "Doc": Marineville's doctor, who appears in the episodes "The Master Plan" and "Invisible Enemy".
  • Aphony: Marina's father, ruler of the peaceful underwater city of Pacifica. He appears in the episodes "Plant of Doom" and "Tune of Danger".
  • Oink: a seal pup that becomes Marina's pet after he saves the Stingray crew from a bomb in the episode "Sea of Oil".

Recurring villains

  • King Titan: the tyrannical ruler of the underwater city of Titanica who wages war on the WASP.
  • Surface Agent X-2-Zero: Titan's inept agent on land, based in a dilapidated house on the island of Lemoy.
  • The Aquaphibians: a race of undersea warriors who serve Titan. Their language resembles a series of gurgles.
  • Teufel: Titan's pet, a large fish with supernatural powers that Titan keeps in a tank in his throne room and worships as a god.
  • El Hudat and Abu: the dictator of the country of Hudatvia and his aide. They appear in the episodes "Star of the East" and "Eastern Eclipse".
  • Grupa and Noctus: a pair of undersea beings who appear in the episodes "A Nut for Marineville" and "Trapped in the Depths".
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