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
Stingray (1964 TV series) Stingray (1964 TV series) Stingray is a British children's Supermarionation television series, created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and produced by AP Films for Associated Television and ITC Entertainment between 1964 and 1965. Its 39 half-hour episodes were originally broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom and in syndication in the United States and Canada. The series was written by the Andersons, Alan Fennell and Dennis Spooner. Its music was composed by Barry Gray and its special effects were directed by Derek Meddings. It was filmed in Eastmancolor at a cost of approximately £1 million. "Stingray" was the first Supermarionation