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
Marco Tempest the past. He brought those mysteries into our time and performed them for people in everyday situations – on the street, in restaurants, etc. The theme and main character of "The Virtual Magician" have been carried forward in Tempest’s more recent television appearances around the world, particularly in his "Magic of Marco Tempest" television specials in Japan (2006-2007) and Korea (spring 2007). On November 13, 2011, Tempest was featured on an episode of CNN's "The Next List". In 2006, Tempest began posting “Phonecam” magic on YouTube and other popular viral video sites. Initially, the postings were a challenge in response