Supermarionation "Thunderbirds", who closely resembled Sylvia Anderson, and Captain Blue in "Captain Scarlet", who looked like Ed Bishop (the similarity was reportedly coincidental). Other characters were based on well-known film actors: Troy Tempest of "Stingray" was based on James Garner, Scott Tracy of "Thunderbirds" on Sean Connery and Captain Scarlet on Cary Grant. "Stingray" also featured the only non-speaking Supermarionation puppet: the water-breathing woman Marina. Occasionally, close-ups of a live actor's hand would be inserted to show actions such as turning keys and pressing buttons. This was affectionately parodied in the 2004 live-action feature film "Thunderbirds", with a brief shot of
Pierce Tempest Pierce Tempest Pierce Tempest (1653–1717) was an English printseller, best known for the series "Cryes of the City of London". Born at Tong, Yorkshire, in July 1653, he was the sixth son of Henry Tempest of Tong by his wife, Mary Bushall, and brother of Sir John Tempest, 1st Baronet. It is said that he was a pupil and assistant of Wenceslaus Hollar, and some of the prints which bear his name as the publisher have been assumed to be his own work; but there is no actual evidence that he ever practised engraving. Tempest died on 1 April 1717,