Stanley Unwin contract

[Deep Joy]

Some time ago I met with Stanley's family and one of the wonderful things they let me borrow and scan was Stanley's original Secret Service contract. You can download a pdf copy of it by clicking here (http://www.stanleyunwin.com/documents/SS%20contract.pdf) - it's a two page scan, about 350k.

As you can see, originally he signed for 13 eps with an extension of a further 13, so it looked as though they were looking fairly optimistically at a second series.

[Picasso61]

Many thanks for uploading this Gerry Anderson signed contract from August 1968 for Stanley Unwin to appear in the next production to be called The Secret Service.
This is a truly wonderful item to post onto the forum - as you can tell from my thread on The Secret Service I'm a big fan of the programme and of course the gobbledegooking Stanley Unwin.
It's a great pity that this proposed 26 episode series was cancelled after only 13 were made and we all know the reason for the cancellation.
Thanks again Deep Joy - it's a super item.:D

[Deep Joy]

You're welcome, Picasso61.

I've always been a huge fan of Stanley Unwin and I've often thought that The Secret Service was sometimes a bit of a forgotten show (not round here - or in the Fanderson mag - obviously!).

There was a Gerry Anderson documentary on a few years ago that just completely skipped over TSS and went straight from Joe 90 to UFO without so much as a nod.

Ah well. At least the memory's in safe hands here. :)

[TonyB]

That was an interesting read, thanks for sharing.

[Picasso61]

No It's not a forgotten show on here - and it's great to see the first part of that comic strip story on the back of FAB 64.
I remember watching that documentary you mentioned and I was annoyed that The Secret Service wasn't even mentioned as though it never existed.:mad:
Looking forward to the rest of that story about how Father Unwin first acquired The Minimiser in subsequent issues of FAB.

[Masterspy]

Some time ago I met with Stanley's family and one of the wonderful things they let me borrow and scan was Stanley's original Secret Service contract. You can download a pdf copy of it by clicking here (http://www.stanleyunwin.com/documents/SS%20contract.pdf) - it's a two page scan, about 350k.

As you can see, originally he signed for 13 eps with an extension of a further 13, so it looked as though they were looking fairly optimistically at a second series.

A further 13 wouldn't have been a second series - it would have still been the first. Shows like this were often commissioned in batches of 13s. A provisional order of 26, but a cancellation clause at 13 episodes. All Lew Grade would have done is used his get out clause.

A lot of the contracts for items like music clearances would obtain rights for up to 52 episodes. For every Supermarionation show, however, 39 episodes or fewer were deemed sufficient.

[miger]

I always assumed they commissioned series liike seasons of the year (4 seasons of 13 weeks =52wks/one year). So, Fireball XL5 say,would run for 39 weeks (9 months) & Thunderbirds first block of 26 weeks (6 months)

[DukeDexter]

As you can see, originally he signed for 13 eps with an extension of a further 13, so it looked as though they were looking fairly optimistically at a second series.

I wonder if any of the further 13 scripts had been written at the time it was cancelled...?

[Masterspy]

I wonder if any of the further 13 scripts had been written at the time it was cancelled...?

It's possible. However, I think they knew the end was in sight anyway. UFO was in production and The Secret Service clearly wasn't Thunderbirds. I'd be amazed if they were thinking too far ahead...

[Picasso61]

Still we have 13 fascinating adventures to enjoy - that's the main thing. Sadly it was the last Supermarionation series.:(

[DukeDexter]

It's possible. However, I think they knew the end was in sight anyway.

Yes, they didn't waste any time doing the dream episode, IMO often a bit of a filler.

[air terrainean]

Would probably depend on how quickly they completed the first episode. Location work would suggest that about half a dozen epsiodes must have been ready to shoot by the summer of 1968. Autumn had arrived by the time Deadly Whisper and More Haste, Less Speed were shot. If a first cut of A Case For The Bishop had been shown to Lew around this time, it's possible further scripts may not have been completed. Could have been some story ideas in the works though.

[air terrainean]

Autumn had arrived by the time Deadly Whisper and More Haste, Less Speed were shot.

The location sequences for these episodes, that is.