Rip my beautiful grandma, I will always miss your hugs and kisses and how you always made us crossiants in the morning for breakfast and how you also sent us presents from London I will always love you my beautiful grandma💛
+Kelsey Anderson Such an amazing grandma and her talent brought us so many great shows. We're all very proud of the shows she helped create, especially Space 1999.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Kelsey. Your grandparents have touched so many lives and many generations, all over the world. They will live on forever, in the hearts and minds of those who loved them, and who loved all the beautiful things they created for us to enjoy. Truly gifted and talented family.
Kelsey Anderson your Grandma lives on as part of an incredible couple who wrote their own important chapter of television history. She was also very glamorous and creative. What an amazing woman.
UFO was pure genius and ended way too soon. There was still lots of opportunities to develop the story further. Sad day when that series ended and remains one of my favourites. Space 1999 spoiled during season two. The plot lines were dumbed down from season 1. Real shame as the potential in the series was enormous.
UFO was amazing and the theme tune is still my smartphone's ringtone. Sadly the last series of UFO wasn't that good, so few crew and lots of my faves gone. Space 1999 I loved the first series but two just was rubbish, Space 1999 was going to be UFO 2 in the initial plans by Gerry Anderson where they advance the UFO storyline and have it based more on the larger moonbase. HUGE shame that never happened.. would have been awesome.
So sad to hear the news today!!. Thunderbirds and Space 1999 were my favourite TV programmes to watch when I was a child, they were just so visually stimulating and the storylines were so original you were just hypnotized from beginning to end. You weren't just an amazing creator you was an extraordinary innovator and I thank you for all those happy hours Ive spent watching these amazing programmes and passing on that legacy of your incredible work to my children. May you rest in peace you will never be forgotten!. XX
A very candid and interesting interview to be sure. Thank you for posting this. I find myself in agreement with many here, in that I always felt series one was far superior to series two. The first series of Space was really developing it's own identity with it's focus on the more speculative, metaphysical and even esoteric concepts prevalent in hard Sci-Fi, rather than the action tropes and superficialities of the day. Had Space been allowed to maintain it's identity (though not perfect) from series one I believe it really could have had a great run. "To everything that might have been..."
Sylvia Anderson really was the Power behind the button - what a remarkable lady - and what a legacy. We have so much to thank her for! I suspected everything she says about the main casting of Space 1999 - and she was so right.
Lovely interview. I wish I'd the chance to meet the Anderson's and many others involved with Space. I do not doubt Sylvia's recollections regarding this series. However, the Landau's had their realities as well. Their roles WERE directed, and scripted for the most part. They were perfectly cast in my humble opinion. So was every other actor in Year 1. That year's music... superb. The Feel of that series has not been replicated.
Wow, i'd heard that Martin Landau and Barbara Bain were difficult and egotistical on this series but to hear it from Sylvia herself really rams it home. I didn't know that Roy Thinnes acted like an arrogant git either. I guess that's the difference between working in Hollywood and working on a close knit British made production where some of the cast and crew had known each other for years. I'm glad she said Landau proved he was a very good supporting actor though (Tim Burton certainly thought so) if not a natural leading man. I know Landau and Bain were certainly not her first choices (Robert Culp was) but she was overruled by Lew Grade. Anyway a very insightful and frank interview with one of the true legends of British film and television. Good to know she didn't take any crap off people with ego's bigger than their talent. RIP Sylvia.
I am rewatching Space 1999 and rereading "Destination: Moonbase Alpha" by Robert Wood. He has many of Sylvia's earlier comments on the show and cast but nothing quite as unvarnished as this interview. It takes a lot of time and distance to get showbiz people who often completely depend on their associations with other people to finally reveal their true feelings about said people. Its like peeling the layers of an onion. When a project first comes out and in the first few years, all that is said is either wonderful or at most neutral. But then maybe a decade or two removed, some comments are released that imply that things maybe were not so rosy. Then by 30 or 40 years on, when the actors or producers are retired or at least feeling secure in their identity, they start revealing how they really felt and how things really went down. I see this again and again now about films, tv series and records that I loved from 40 or more years ago. Now that the stakes are very low, the truth comes out. Thank you for posting this great interview with Sylvia!
These people were Top Class all the way! in a time,before all the CGI stuff,you had the likes of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson,two of Great Britain's most expertly multi-talented Film and TV producers,who showed us Americans how it was done- and that spoke very clearly,and loudly,as compared to anything we do today-and there is absolutely no comparison at all! the "Super-Marionation" productions,and the TV series "UFO" and "SPACE:1999" were just really powerful areas of great visual and technical accomplishments,and all done,with precise hand made craftsmanship,is exactly why these two people are real giants in their field! and the fruit of their hard work-longevity! their TV shows and films will live to see a whole new generation of fans in the decades to follow!
Now, reading between the lines here - and call me psychic if you like - I don't think Sylvia Anderson cared much for Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. I just got that vague feeling from the way she spoke.
Barbara Bain may seem wooden , however her humanity shines through as the MoonBaseAlpha doctor. Martin Landau's presence grounded the series in light of the myriad of strange alien encounters. Some may say Martin & Barbara were past their prime and yet that was essential to their characters. Space 1999 is so unique that in no way should it be compared to the 60's Star Trek; both are vastly different in style. Producer Fred Freidberg, (ironically from Star Trek) was forced to appeal to an American audience in season 2 to get ratings. Some episodes were quite excellent. It should be noted that the production values did not suffer much, Mission Control was downsized but performed equally well.
+ThunderZandor I liked Martin, but never felt Barbra was a good fit. I don't think it was ageism, (as personally, I would expect my commander to be a little older, and perhaps wiser than the rest of the kids.) Lorne Greene for example was a fine example of breaking that model in Battlestar Galactica. It just always seemed to me like she was posing for a picture all the time with her one range of emotion.
Yes, interesting take on Miss Bain, i never quite took it that way but she was too wooden. Just saw the Battlestar movie and could not help how good Lorne was as the commander. I only wish the budget for that show was double of what it cost them back in 78". I believe it was 18-20 million for theatrical release but it suffered from that shot for tv look.
I wish I could have worked for her!! 1ST Season Space 1999 was much better than 2nd season. I would have loved to have seen a Space 1999 where Sylvia got her way with casting. I was like 13 years old when the 2nd Season came on and as soon as I heard the new music opening...I just said "WHAT DID THEY DO??? They ruined it!!" LOL!
I'd heard the Space: 1999 stories before, but never in Sylvia's actual words. Very illuminating. About 10 years ago, Achaia Comics launched an adaptation of the show, intended to present all the episodes as graphic novels. At the NY ComicCon panel announcing this, the writer, Andrew Gaska, was asked how he was going to handle Season 2. He said he intended to give it a framing story that all the episodes were the fever dreams of a 13-year-old boy stuck in the medical lab, imagining what was happening out in the station. In the end, they did a great two-issue version of the original two-hour pilot script, with more of the Earth-side action. And then it died on the vine about six episodes in. So, never found out if Mr. Gaska was being tongue-in-cheek, but it's still my favourite explanation for Season Two, rather than just being Freiberger-ed.
I enjoyed this interview a great deal :) Thanks for posting such an honest and down to earth (excuse the pun) from Sylvia Anderson !! Ralph - Melbourne Australia
When I think of Space 1999, I think of the first season. I don't give a sh*t about season 2. Totally agree with Sylvia. Landau and Bain would not have been my casting choice either. On the other hand, Nick Tate was a blessing for the show.
+oblivionuk You think the actors are going to tell you how many tantrums they had on set? I don't think so. Only the producer would be willing to tell that story. Though, most producers don't feel it's their place to do so. I'm glad she opened up here about the set dynamics. I suspected as much about Bain and Landau back then, but it's great to hear it confirmed.
As a "yank," I completely agree. The first season of Space: 1999 was great. I despise everything about season 2, from the new theme to the alphan jackets, to Maya's absurd transformations, to the incidental music and the lighter tone in general . . . Horrible and basically unwatchable.
Absolutely fascinating stories, especially what went on in the production of Space 1999, I was in my early teens when Space 1999 started in the UK (1975) and it was a big deal then, it was on Thursday nights and that was all we spoke about at school the next day, Music was a big thing in our house (dad was a jazz musician) and I always remember watching an episode of season 2 where a favorite Canadian musician of my dad (Gino Vannelli) song (instrumental part) Storm At Sunup was used in this episode, I was gobsmacked as this was an artist not that well known if at all in the UK and sealed that feeling for me that this was something special about the production of Space 1999.... And as for Silvia, what a lovely lady....
I know it's silly to be annoyed on behalf of two people I didn't know, one of whom is now no longer with us, and who in any case would likely never have seen this rather sour interview, but I'm afraid I was annoyed by the horrible things said about Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. Mrs Anderson references something said by Barry Morse - however, in an interview I read he said: "They were and are, both Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, first class real pros, as we always say in the trade." I haven't quoted his whole answer to the question (not sure about copyright) but if anyone else feels sad about the way Mrs Anderson spoke about them, the interview is a Q&A with Barry Morse and he's nothing but complimentary about ML and BB!
Yet Barry would not have to ‘deal’ with them. He only would see them on set playing the scene. Barry wasn’t involved in scripting or handling or what happened being closed doors, so why would he see a bad side to them.
@@andyrob3259 According to Destination Alpha by Robert E Wood Martin, Barbara and Barry often had script meetings at the Landaus' house so there was some involvement. Obviously I wasn't there and didn't know any of them, but throughout the book there is a lot more praise for Martin and Barbara than there is criticism. Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course - Sylvia Anderson seems pretty unkind about the Landaus, and she made no secret about the fact that she didn't want them in the roles of Koenig and Russell. It seems strange to me how she seems to be the only one who is quite so scathing about them, but nobody gets on with everybody I guess :-)
I love unlimited Space:1999 first season! For me, Martin Landau and Barbara Bain are as good as the rest of the cast. Space:1999 without ML and BB it is not Space:1999. They were great! For example, for me, Barbara Bain's acting is not woody. She recited what the stories foresaw: she is a character from the world of science, forced to live situations never seen before. Helena Russell cannot be a frivolous character. Some examples... In Breakaway she is forced to turn off the instrument that keeps astronaut Sparkman alive. She also sees the deaths of other astronauts. Matter of Life and Death: She is widowed. But she finds her husband but she can't have him. Koenig dies. Ring around the moon: She is a victim of aliens. Another Time, Another Place: She sees Koenig dead. Helena witnesses her "own" death Missing Link: She sees Koenig dying. Alpha child: Her first "his" baby is a monster. War Games: Koenig dies. Mission of the Darians: Kidnapped by mutants. And so on in all episodes... In short, a life that necessarily makes you cold, controlled, otherwise you don't move forward. With such a tormented life, she can NOT be a frivolous character. Sorry about my bad english and I hope you understand.
Strange. On the Mission: Impossible set, according to the excellent & in-depth book about the series by author Patrick J. White, both of the Landaus were very well liked by the cast and crew. Space: 1999 shows a very different and negative side to them.
I loved 1999 but there seemed a lot of stress both personal and professional that largely imploded after the series was cancelled she's a very astute woman but she comes of here sounding a bit bitter and perhaps she felt she had a right to people don't mix for various reasons background,attitude what have you but some how they are drawn together it must of been hard working with people you would not have chosen for leads I think Sylvia just gave up to keep peace at h
Season one for me was very near perfect, with some truly fantastic storylines like Mission of the Darians, The End of Eternity and Testament of Arkadia. Season two I thought was mostly awful; poor storylines, weak characters, completely irrelevant asides into the private lives of the people, questionable music etc etc. I thought Martin Landau and Barbara Bain were much better in season one. Barry Morse was a huge loss, as was Clifton James as David Kano. Victor Bergman (probably my favourite character) was effectively replaced with Maya and Kano with...no-one as far as I could see. Pointless characters were introduced like Tony Verdeschi and the oriental girl whose name I've forgotten. All the S2 changes were done for the American market of course, but it spoiled it for us Brits.
That Fred Friedberg producer who worked in the 60's star trek did the same thing for season 3 as the bugets were cut down. Why do intelligent shows get cut down like this is all too common.
I have almost every series of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. I just want to say (something OBVIOUS) - that Hollywood sounds like SUCH a toxic place. I would never want to be in that world. Sickening. Another thing I THINK may be the case (but I may TOTALLY be wrong!) is that I think the greatest actors are damaged people. People who've had some severe trauma (mental, physical or both) in their childhoods or early lives. You just don't imagine an over-protected shy virgin being a GREAT actress. I know that sounds SO MESSED UP, but I think it's probably true...
Wow! What a fantastic interview and a brilliant, intelligent lady, telling it how it was! I could have listened to her talking all day! Sorry to read in the comments below that she is no longer with us. Thanks for posting, this interview has made my weekend!
Sylvia was a no nonsense straight to the point talking lady whether you liked it or not you had to respect her because you know what she says is the absolute truth
I disliked the second season very much. Freiberger did to S1999 what he did to Star Trek. He did not understand science fiction. The metaphysical nature of the first season totally gone. A number of the first season characters, gone with little or no explanation and replaced by uninteresting characters. While I like the actress Catherine Schell, but I intensely disliked her character. If she was to be S1999's version of Mr. Spock, she was an utterly wrong for the series. It will be interesting to see if Space 2099 will ever get produced but I hope they take the best of the first season and run with it.
Spot on, I remember being really confused as a kid & sad that some of my favourite characters had gone with no explanation of what had happened to them. Season 1 to this day still stands up as excellent sci-fi however Season 2 looks an utter car crash & pretty crap.
I always wondered why Space 1999 went downhill. Landau and Bain were great in their roles. I had known that they demanding and troublemakers, figuring that they went to England because they couldn't get jobs in the U.S., demanding that they always worked together. Maybe they thought of themselves as Burton & Taylor. It was ultimately their undoing. Sad situation. If Sylvia had remained with the show, I'm sure that it would have lasted a few more seasons.
Interesting interview.....U.F.O. was a good show interesting episodes....... Space 1999 was good the first season........the second season was horrible ..losing Barry Morse was a disaster.....adding Catherine Schell was a mistake
The only thing I liked about season 2 was the addition of Maya. I've been looking for any interviews with Barbara Bain on this and there really aren't that many. Also, Bain and Landau really weren't that big a thing in America. I think they were good at presenting themselves as a power couple, but neither were "right" for many roles. They were definitely older, and Landau's reliance on wearing a hairpiece must have played a part in his paranoia of newer actor Giancarlo Prete.
What a wonderful, talented and no nonsense lady. It's obvious now that she was the one who wore the trousers and I mean this in a good way. Whilst Gerry was an incredibly creative man, Sylvia was the one who kept it balanced, sensible and wouldn't take any shit from anyone. I never did understand the star casting of Landau as Koenig... even as a child to me he didn't have the charisma or kudos of someone like William Shatner as Captain Kirk... and Sylvia was right lol, about Bane being wooden. I can imagine Landau stomping around like a stroppy child and no wonder Sylvia left after season one... and to be honest, it shows. I've rewatched season one numerous times over the years but found season two to be pretty much sh1t thanks to Freiberger and still unwatchable, even to this day. RIP amazing lady.
Fred Freiberger killed Space 1999. He had no idea when it came to sci-fi. Season 2 was nothing more than a bargain basement version of Star Trek - dumb stories, weak new characters, silly monsters and 'let's all have a laugh and tell a lame joke' at the end of each episode even if that week's story featured the death of an Alphan.
+JimsEquipmentShed I'm afraid so. Series One was intelligent and thought provoking. Series Two was just plain awful. And the loss of Bergman, Kano and Morrow without even an explanation was just plain madness. That Freiberger didn't even think that fans would notice or care proves that he shouldn't have been allowed anywhere near Space 1999. What was Gerry Anderson thinking?????
john west I don't think it was Gerrys call, the bean counters wanted to turn it into startrek. Thats what happens when money comes before art. The money men saw the financial success Startrek was having, and thought they could make the same by using some of that formula. Too bad, I think space 1999 could have had a much longer run had they left it alone.
wow she really goes for it!! I heard Landau fought for Morse to be in the second series but that conflicted with the Maya role. In the second series there was more human connection between the characters as there was less to concentrate on. Landau and Bain weren't always in scenes and sometimes absent from episodes as they demanded time off. I prefered the second season it had more pace action although at times the script let it down.
salfordguy69 it was a very childish attempt to make an "action" series out of a true "science-fiction". If you want action, go watch "the dukes of hazzaard" or "bad cats". NOT "2001 a space odyssey".
allan egleston The second season of "Space 1999" was like childized, lame. and a total fail. The music sounded like someone thought it would be a great idea to lacquer and shellac a dog turd, and then set it proudly in the center of their trophy case. The first season was awesome. The second was not.
I loved the music of the second series and also the first one. I talked with Derek Wadsworth when I was at uni back in the early 2000s. He mentioned doing jazz gigs at my uni and we struck up a few email exchanges where he talked about synthesizers and the like. Sadly, I did not know he had died until I googled just now..
When I was a little kid in the 1960s, I used to think Gerry made TV shows JUST FOR ME, because they were everything that I love, and still do! RIP Gerry (no relation). You made for a lot of very happy hours in the Cinema and in front of the TV set! All your shows and cinema look REALLY great on my new Samsung 50" 4K Telly and 4K Blue Ray player!
Yes it was. The creator, Bruce Geller wrote their roles just for them. Turns out they were the most popular 2 on the show. Barbara won 3 Emmy's in a row.
@@Inglese001 well given Hollywood crawl up each others backsides ‘just in case’ and are all sugar, they have to work for them not sure that’s an indication.
Referring to one of the comments below, Fred Freiberger was in charge of the original Star Trek in its last season, after Gene Roddenberry got sick of NBC telling him what to do and pretty much walked away. Frieberger ruined it. The third season definitely didn't have the quality of the first two. His influence and the show getting moved to Friday ( the death slot)
How refreshing to hear such honest recollection of her her life in movies and TV. I love the woman. Landau and Bain were the worst thing about SPACE:1999. And they were the leads.
Mike Humble I had the same reaction, as did my wife! It’s the hair. I wonder if she has the kind of sense of humour that she made that choice knowingly.
Super interesting, thanks for the upload. That was possibly one of the most succinct descriptions of Martin Landau's abilities when she says how "Martin has since proved to be a very good character actor, but he was never a leading man". He always struck me as an odd casting choice in that role. He must have been very insecure about being a lead character, which would explain that ridiculous jealousy of other male cast members and his line hogging. If Landau was really that awful to work with, it would make Bill Shatner's egocentricities on Star Trek seem trifling in comparison.
Rip my beautiful grandma, I will always miss your hugs and kisses and how you always made us crossiants in the morning for breakfast and how you also sent us presents from London I will always love you my beautiful grandma💛
+Kelsey Anderson Such an amazing grandma and her talent brought us so many great shows. We're all very proud of the shows she helped create, especially Space 1999.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Kelsey. Your grandparents have touched so many lives and many generations, all over the world. They will live on forever, in the hearts and minds of those who loved them, and who loved all the beautiful things they created for us to enjoy. Truly gifted and talented family.
I'm so sorry for your loss. It must have been so cool to have her for a grandmother. I loved watching Space: 1999 in the seventies.
Kelsey Anderson you're related to her? So am I, she's my great auntie.
Kelsey Anderson your Grandma lives on as part of an incredible couple who wrote their own important chapter of television history. She was also very glamorous and creative. What an amazing woman.
UFO was pure genius and ended way too soon. There was still lots of opportunities to develop the story further. Sad day when that series ended and remains one of my favourites.
Space 1999 spoiled during season two. The plot lines were dumbed down from season 1. Real shame as the potential in the series was enormous.
UFO was amazing and the theme tune is still my smartphone's ringtone. Sadly the last series of UFO wasn't that good, so few crew and lots of my faves gone. Space 1999 I loved the first series but two just was rubbish, Space 1999 was going to be UFO 2 in the initial plans by Gerry Anderson where they advance the UFO storyline and have it based more on the larger moonbase. HUGE shame that never happened.. would have been awesome.
So sad to hear the news today!!. Thunderbirds and Space 1999 were my favourite TV programmes to watch when I was a child, they were just so visually stimulating and the storylines were so original you were just hypnotized from beginning to end. You weren't just an amazing creator you was an extraordinary innovator and I thank you for all those happy hours Ive spent watching these amazing programmes and passing on that legacy of your incredible work to my children. May you rest in peace you will never be forgotten!. XX
A very candid and interesting interview to be sure. Thank you for posting this.
I find myself in agreement with many here, in that I always felt series one was far superior to series two.
The first series of Space was really developing it's own identity with it's focus on the more speculative, metaphysical and even esoteric concepts prevalent in hard Sci-Fi, rather than the action tropes and superficialities of the day.
Had Space been allowed to maintain it's identity (though not perfect) from series one I believe it really could have had a great run.
"To everything that might have been..."
To everything that will be.
Season 1, ep4 “Black Sun” my favourite episode
The andersons legends always in our hearts and never forgotten 👍
Sylvia was an amazing lady whose contribution to the success of the AP/Century 21 legacy has been overlooked for far too long.
Sylvia Anderson really was the Power behind the button - what a remarkable lady - and what a legacy.
We have so much to thank her for!
I suspected everything she says about the main casting of Space 1999 - and she was so right.
Lovely interview. I wish I'd the chance to meet the Anderson's and many others involved with Space.
I do not doubt Sylvia's recollections regarding this series. However, the Landau's had their realities as well. Their roles WERE directed, and scripted for the most part. They were perfectly cast in my humble opinion. So was every other actor in Year 1. That year's music... superb. The Feel of that series has not been replicated.
Space 1999 Season 1 ... The Best! .... Such a lovely lady that really knows her stuff! and a highly generous interview ... love her!
Could have listened to her for days. A great storyteller.
Wow, i'd heard that Martin Landau and Barbara Bain were difficult and egotistical on this series but to hear it from Sylvia herself really rams it home. I didn't know that Roy Thinnes acted like an arrogant git either. I guess that's the difference between working in Hollywood and working on a close knit British made production where some of the cast and crew had known each other for years. I'm glad she said Landau proved he was a very good supporting actor though (Tim Burton certainly thought so) if not a natural leading man. I know Landau and Bain were certainly not her first choices (Robert Culp was) but she was overruled by Lew Grade. Anyway a very insightful and frank interview with one of the true legends of British film and television. Good to know she didn't take any crap off people with ego's bigger than their talent. RIP Sylvia.
A lady ahead of her time, a true trail blazer 🔥
11:40 - Good for you Sylvia.
I am rewatching Space 1999 and rereading "Destination: Moonbase Alpha" by Robert Wood. He has many of Sylvia's earlier comments on the show and cast but nothing quite as unvarnished as this interview. It takes a lot of time and distance to get showbiz people who often completely depend on their associations with other people to finally reveal their true feelings about said people. Its like peeling the layers of an onion. When a project first comes out and in the first few years, all that is said is either wonderful or at most neutral. But then maybe a decade or two removed, some comments are released that imply that things maybe were not so rosy. Then by 30 or 40 years on, when the actors or producers are retired or at least feeling secure in their identity, they start revealing how they really felt and how things really went down. I see this again and again now about films, tv series and records that I loved from 40 or more years ago. Now that the stakes are very low, the truth comes out. Thank you for posting this great interview with Sylvia!
This is a great and interesting interview. Sylvia was a legend.
Who knew what was going on behind the scenes, what a wonderful lady, so charismatic & clever.
Fascinating interview,fascinating lady....Thank you.
These people were Top Class all the way! in a time,before all the CGI stuff,you had the likes of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson,two of Great Britain's most expertly
multi-talented Film and TV producers,who showed us Americans how it was done-
and that spoke very clearly,and loudly,as compared to anything we do today-and
there is absolutely no comparison at all! the "Super-Marionation" productions,and
the TV series "UFO" and "SPACE:1999" were just really powerful areas of great
visual and technical accomplishments,and all done,with precise hand made craftsmanship,is exactly why these two people are real giants in their field! and
the fruit of their hard work-longevity! their TV shows and films will live to see a whole new generation of fans in the decades to follow!
Your are right...These are the guys who did Star Wars and Superman Visual Effects. Brian Johnson, Roy Fields. and so on.
good interview.
Now, reading between the lines here - and call me psychic if you like - I don't think Sylvia Anderson cared much for Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. I just got that vague feeling from the way she spoke.
Understandable.
Barbara Bain may seem wooden , however her humanity shines through as the MoonBaseAlpha doctor. Martin Landau's presence grounded the series in light of the myriad of strange alien encounters. Some may say Martin & Barbara were past their prime and yet that was essential to their characters.
Space 1999 is so unique that in no way should it be compared to the 60's Star Trek; both are vastly different in style.
Producer Fred Freidberg, (ironically from Star Trek) was forced to appeal to an American audience in season 2 to get ratings. Some episodes were quite excellent.
It should be noted that the production values did not suffer much, Mission Control was downsized but performed equally well.
+ThunderZandor I liked Martin, but never felt Barbra was a good fit.
I don't think it was ageism, (as personally, I would expect my commander to be a little older, and perhaps wiser than the rest of the kids.)
Lorne Greene for example was a fine example of breaking that model in Battlestar Galactica.
It just always seemed to me like she was posing for a picture all the time with her one range of emotion.
Yes, interesting take on Miss Bain, i never quite took it that way but she was too wooden. Just saw the Battlestar movie and could not help how good Lorne was as the commander. I only wish the budget for that show was double of what it cost them back in 78". I believe it was 18-20 million for theatrical release but it suffered from that shot for tv look.
Are you kidding? She was utterly unconvincing as a doctor quite apart from being a terrible actor.
I did say she seemed wooden. Doctors are for the most part emotionally distant.
Doctors are usually quite distant even in the future of 1999, lol.
I wish I could have worked for her!! 1ST Season Space 1999 was much better than 2nd season. I would have loved to have seen a Space 1999 where Sylvia got her way with casting. I was like 13 years old when the 2nd Season came on and as soon as I heard the new music opening...I just said "WHAT DID THEY DO??? They ruined it!!" LOL!
I'd heard the Space: 1999 stories before, but never in Sylvia's actual words. Very illuminating. About 10 years ago, Achaia Comics launched an adaptation of the show, intended to present all the episodes as graphic novels. At the NY ComicCon panel announcing this, the writer, Andrew Gaska, was asked how he was going to handle Season 2. He said he intended to give it a framing story that all the episodes were the fever dreams of a 13-year-old boy stuck in the medical lab, imagining what was happening out in the station. In the end, they did a great two-issue version of the original two-hour pilot script, with more of the Earth-side action. And then it died on the vine about six episodes in. So, never found out if Mr. Gaska was being tongue-in-cheek, but it's still my favourite explanation for Season Two, rather than just being Freiberger-ed.
I was lucky enough to meet. Sylvia at the Cult TV convention in 2001. She was fascinating to hear on stage.
Great Interview, great legacy. I'm still watching their productions today.
I enjoyed this interview a great deal :) Thanks for posting such an honest and down to earth (excuse the pun) from Sylvia Anderson !! Ralph - Melbourne Australia
When I think of Space 1999, I think of the first season. I don't give a sh*t about season 2.
Totally agree with Sylvia. Landau and Bain would not have been my casting choice either. On the other hand, Nick Tate was a blessing for the show.
What a great interview. She was a an excellent producer. I wonder what she thought about Martin Landau winning an Oscar.
For what
@@tmmartinesq.6216 Ed Wood the film. He portrayed Bella Lugosi. It is a must see film.
Martin and Barbara made the show watchable
So sad to hear what was going on in Space 1999 series 1 which is one of my fave Gerry Anderson series. Series 2 was crap.
Continued from below, these things spelled the end of Star Trek. I'm not surprised that he had a hand in the demise of Space 1999 too.
Wow, that was a bit of an eye opener.
+oblivionuk You think the actors are going to tell you how many tantrums they had on set? I don't think so. Only the producer would be willing to tell that story. Though, most producers don't feel it's their place to do so. I'm glad she opened up here about the set dynamics. I suspected as much about Bain and Landau back then, but it's great to hear it confirmed.
She didn't seem to have a good word to say about anybody - I wonder whether that says more about her or all those people ...
@@janenewman9388 That's the same thought I had!
First class Lady
That wonderful show certainly went downhill after Sylvia departed. Leave it to Freiberger to mess up this show like he did TREK.
brilliant couple . rest in peace gerry.
All I'll say is Barry Morse and Martin Landau were friends before, during and after Space 1999.....
Never forget your shows. R.I.P.
I bet Sylvia was a formidable woman in her day.
The yanks ruined Space 1999 but that's the problem with dancing with the devil he calls the tune.
As a "yank," I completely agree. The first season of Space: 1999 was great. I despise everything about season 2, from the new theme to the alphan jackets, to Maya's absurd transformations, to the incidental music and the lighter tone in general . . . Horrible and basically unwatchable.
The irony is ATV chased the US money, but that ruined so many shows
Rest in peace, Sylvia.
Most enjoyable, love the gossip!.
Absolutely fascinating stories, especially what went on in the production of Space 1999, I was in my early teens when Space 1999 started in the UK (1975) and it was a big deal then, it was on Thursday nights and that was all we spoke about at school the next day, Music was a big thing in our house (dad was a jazz musician) and I always remember watching an episode of season 2 where a favorite Canadian musician of my dad (Gino Vannelli) song (instrumental part) Storm At Sunup was used in this episode, I was gobsmacked as this was an artist not that well known if at all in the UK and sealed that feeling for me that this was something special about the production of Space 1999.... And as for Silvia, what a lovely lady....
I know it's silly to be annoyed on behalf of two people I didn't know, one of whom is now no longer with us, and who in any case would likely never have seen this rather sour interview, but I'm afraid I was annoyed by the horrible things said about Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. Mrs Anderson references something said by Barry Morse - however, in an interview I read he said: "They were and are, both Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, first class real pros, as we always say in the trade." I haven't quoted his whole answer to the question (not sure about copyright) but if anyone else feels sad about the way Mrs Anderson spoke about them, the interview is a Q&A with Barry Morse and he's nothing but complimentary about ML and BB!
Yet Barry would not have to ‘deal’ with them. He only would see them on set playing the scene. Barry wasn’t involved in scripting or handling or what happened being closed doors, so why would he see a bad side to them.
@@andyrob3259 According to Destination Alpha by Robert E Wood Martin, Barbara and Barry often had script meetings at the Landaus' house so there was some involvement. Obviously I wasn't there and didn't know any of them, but throughout the book there is a lot more praise for Martin and Barbara than there is criticism. Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course - Sylvia Anderson seems pretty unkind about the Landaus, and she made no secret about the fact that she didn't want them in the roles of Koenig and Russell. It seems strange to me how she seems to be the only one who is quite so scathing about them, but nobody gets on with everybody I guess :-)
What a lady 👍🇬🇧🏆
Rip Sylvia and Gerry
Fred ruined it. Although I loved season 2 also I was pissed they didn't have half the cast from season 1.
Especially Barry Morse. Season 2 lacked that wiser, older character. Shame.
Yep Fred Killer of good and successful tv series . RIP buddy your can not mess up anything else. 🎥🇬🇧🔥
I love unlimited Space:1999 first season! For me, Martin Landau and Barbara Bain are as good as the rest of the cast. Space:1999 without ML and BB it is not Space:1999. They were great!
For example, for me, Barbara Bain's acting is not woody. She recited what the stories foresaw: she is a character from the world of science, forced to live situations never seen before. Helena Russell cannot be a frivolous character.
Some examples...
In Breakaway she is forced to turn off the instrument that keeps astronaut Sparkman alive. She also sees the deaths of other astronauts.
Matter of Life and Death: She is widowed. But she finds her husband but she can't have him. Koenig dies.
Ring around the moon: She is a victim of aliens.
Another Time, Another Place: She sees Koenig dead. Helena witnesses her "own" death
Missing Link: She sees Koenig dying. Alpha child: Her first "his" baby is a monster.
War Games: Koenig dies.
Mission of the Darians: Kidnapped by mutants.
And so on in all episodes...
In short, a life that necessarily makes you cold, controlled, otherwise you don't move forward. With such a tormented life, she can NOT be a frivolous character.
Sorry about my bad english and I hope you understand.
Strange. On the Mission: Impossible set, according to the excellent & in-depth book about the series by author Patrick J. White, both of the Landaus were very well liked by the cast and crew. Space: 1999 shows a very different and negative side to them.
I loved 1999 but there seemed a lot of stress both personal and professional that largely imploded after the series was cancelled she's a very astute woman but she comes of here sounding a bit bitter and perhaps she felt she had a right to people don't mix for various reasons background,attitude what have you but some how they are drawn together it must of been hard working with people you would not have chosen for leads I think Sylvia just gave up to keep peace at h
Season one for me was very near perfect, with some truly fantastic storylines like Mission of the Darians, The End of Eternity and Testament of Arkadia. Season two I thought was mostly awful; poor storylines, weak characters, completely irrelevant asides into the private lives of the people, questionable music etc etc. I thought Martin Landau and Barbara Bain were much better in season one. Barry Morse was a huge loss, as was Clifton James as David Kano. Victor Bergman (probably my favourite character) was effectively replaced with Maya and Kano with...no-one as far as I could see. Pointless characters were introduced like Tony Verdeschi and the oriental girl whose name I've forgotten. All the S2 changes were done for the American market of course, but it spoiled it for us Brits.
andyrowlands50029 / The S2 changes spoiled it for many Americans, also!
That Fred Friedberg producer who worked in the 60's star trek did the same thing for season 3 as the bugets were cut down. Why do intelligent shows get cut down like this is all too common.
I have almost every series of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. I just want to say (something OBVIOUS) - that Hollywood sounds like SUCH a toxic place. I would never want to be in that world. Sickening. Another thing I THINK may be the case (but I may TOTALLY be wrong!) is that I think the greatest actors are damaged people. People who've had some severe trauma (mental, physical or both) in their childhoods or early lives. You just don't imagine an over-protected shy virgin being a GREAT actress. I know that sounds SO MESSED UP, but I think it's probably true...
Nick Tate was my favorite.
Yup, to me Alan Carter was the hero of the show.
Wow! What a fantastic interview and a brilliant, intelligent lady, telling it how it was! I could have listened to her talking all day! Sorry to read in the comments below that she is no longer with us. Thanks for posting, this interview has made my weekend!
Sylvia was a no nonsense straight to the point talking lady whether you liked it or not you had to respect her because you know what she says is the absolute truth
I disliked the second season very much. Freiberger did to S1999 what he did to Star Trek. He did not understand science fiction. The metaphysical nature of the first season totally gone. A number of the first season characters, gone with little or no explanation and replaced by uninteresting characters. While I like the actress Catherine Schell, but I intensely disliked her character. If she was to be S1999's version of Mr. Spock, she was an utterly wrong for the series.
It will be interesting to see if Space 2099 will ever get produced but I hope they take the best of the first season and run with it.
Spot on, I remember being really confused as a kid & sad that some of my favourite characters had gone with no explanation of what had happened to them. Season 1 to this day still stands up as excellent sci-fi however Season 2 looks an utter car crash & pretty crap.
Freiburger destroyed the 3rd season of star track. His stick was monsters i think
Martin and co sounded like nightmares to work with .
WoW! i believe her. that sucks.
Gerry and Sylvia were top flight. This is a great explanation of why the second season was such utter tripe.
Une grande dame qui a toute mon admiration. RIP.
I always wondered why Space 1999 went downhill. Landau and Bain were great in their roles. I had known that they demanding and troublemakers, figuring that they went to England because they couldn't get jobs in the U.S., demanding that they always worked together. Maybe they thought of themselves as Burton & Taylor. It was ultimately their undoing. Sad situation. If Sylvia had remained with the show, I'm sure that it would have lasted a few more seasons.
Looks as though she was part of the good things in Series one.
Big part of everybody’s childhood RIP Angel interceptor pilot 🙈
Interesting interview.....U.F.O. was a good show interesting episodes....... Space 1999 was good the first season........the second season was horrible ..losing Barry Morse was a disaster.....adding Catherine Schell was a mistake
who should of been the Commander and the Doctor in your opinion Mrreciprocat?
The only thing I liked about season 2 was the addition of Maya. I've been looking for any interviews with Barbara Bain on this and there really aren't that many. Also, Bain and Landau really weren't that big a thing in America. I think they were good at presenting themselves as a power couple, but neither were "right" for many roles. They were definitely older, and Landau's reliance on wearing a hairpiece must have played a part in his paranoia of newer actor Giancarlo Prete.
What a wonderful, talented and no nonsense lady. It's obvious now that she was the one who wore the trousers and I mean this in a good way. Whilst Gerry was an incredibly creative man, Sylvia was the one who kept it balanced, sensible and wouldn't take any shit from anyone. I never did understand the star casting of Landau as Koenig... even as a child to me he didn't have the charisma or kudos of someone like William Shatner as Captain Kirk... and Sylvia was right lol, about Bane being wooden. I can imagine Landau stomping around like a stroppy child and no wonder Sylvia left after season one... and to be honest, it shows. I've rewatched season one numerous times over the years but found season two to be pretty much sh1t thanks to Freiberger and still unwatchable, even to this day. RIP amazing lady.
Fred Freiberger killed Space 1999. He had no idea when it came to sci-fi. Season 2 was nothing more than a bargain basement version of Star Trek - dumb stories, weak new characters, silly monsters and 'let's all have a laugh and tell a lame joke' at the end of each episode even if that week's story featured the death of an Alphan.
+john west Sad.
+john west Yea, that was the beginning of the "formula", sadly, hollywood has retained that model......
+Smith If only they had kept the Season One format.
+JimsEquipmentShed I'm afraid so. Series One was intelligent and thought provoking. Series Two was just plain awful. And the loss of Bergman, Kano and Morrow without even an explanation was just plain madness. That Freiberger didn't even think that fans would notice or care proves that he shouldn't have been allowed anywhere near Space 1999. What was Gerry Anderson thinking?????
john west
I don't think it was Gerrys call, the bean counters wanted to turn it into startrek. Thats what happens when money comes before art.
The money men saw the financial success Startrek was having, and thought they could make the same by using some of that formula.
Too bad, I think space 1999 could have had a much longer run had they left it alone.
Very interesting
THIS IS WHAT LADY PENELOPE OF THE THUNDERBIRD SERIES REALLY LOOKS LIKE.
I was named after her
wow she really goes for it!! I heard Landau fought for Morse to be in the second series but that conflicted with the Maya role. In the second series there was more human connection between the characters as there was less to concentrate on. Landau and Bain weren't always in scenes and sometimes absent from episodes as they demanded time off. I prefered the second season it had more pace action although at times the script let it down.
salfordguy69 it was a very childish attempt to make an "action" series out of a true "science-fiction". If you want action, go watch "the dukes of hazzaard" or "bad cats". NOT "2001 a space odyssey".
the thing i was unable to stomach was that god awful music in season 2 . loved season 1 .
allan egleston The second season of "Space 1999" was like childized, lame. and a total fail. The music sounded like someone thought it would be a great idea to lacquer and shellac a dog turd, and then set it proudly in the center of their trophy case. The first season was awesome. The second was not.
Arthur Cabral For America I thought..
+Arthur Cabral Laquer + shellac a dog turd Series 2? Isn't that a bit unfair? Season 2 was good but SEASON 1 WAS THE BEST!!
@@arthurcabral9561 season 2 was like tasting wood grain cleaner like pledge and thinking it was lemonade lol ...
I loved the music of the second series and also the first one. I talked with Derek Wadsworth when I was at uni back in the early 2000s. He mentioned doing jazz gigs at my uni and we struck up a few email exchanges where he talked about synthesizers and the like. Sadly, I did not know he had died until I googled just now..
When I was a little kid in the 1960s, I used to think Gerry made TV shows JUST FOR ME, because they were everything that I love, and still do! RIP Gerry (no relation). You made for a lot of very happy hours in the Cinema and in front of the TV set! All your shows and cinema look REALLY great on my new Samsung 50" 4K Telly and 4K Blue Ray player!
Great characters of the first season!
The story of David Cano's "Mechanical Brain" alone would make a good novel.
I didn't think Martin Landau was so difficult to work with. It's too bad tho.
Lord Grade(head of ITC Entertainment) loved to smoke cigars, didn't he?
1975 to 1977 from space 1999
Another series if you can
Lol 😆 at all the bitter Americans commenting 🤣
Is it just me or does Sylvia look like Kate Kestrel in the on-set photos of her from back in the day? What insane hair she had!
More like the inspiration for Zelda
great insight
She probably is bitter having been dumped publically by Gerry at the wrap party of Space 1999 Year One and that may colour her memories a little.
Exactly. When your husband is fooling around on you, everything and everyone to do with him becomes awful in your mind.
Would have loved to see Shatner and Landau in same series .Imagine those two egos try to fit in the same studio.
Yes it was. The creator, Bruce Geller wrote their roles just for them. Turns out they were the most popular 2 on the show. Barbara won 3 Emmy's in a row.
Hell on the Moon
Can see the inspiration for Zelda at 09.00
Sylvia is not very nice about Martin Landau. Maybe he was difficult, but I thought he was good as Commander Koenig.
No-one else, throughout his career, said he was difficult to work with, so maybe the problem was with this woman rather than Martin.
@@Inglese001 well given Hollywood crawl up each others backsides ‘just in case’ and are all sugar, they have to work for them not sure that’s an indication.
I knew she was the model for Lady Penelope, but seeing this video I see she must have been the model for Zelda from Terrahawks, too :D
how refreshing and honest..... brilliant
I'm pretty sure the Italian guy they mentioned in Space 1999 died from Cancer. A lot of the one time cast members died from cancer. It's really odd.
And if you look a pics from the set, nearly all of them are smoking cigarettes.
Referring to one of the comments below, Fred Freiberger was in charge of the original Star Trek in its last season, after Gene Roddenberry got sick of NBC telling him what to do and pretty much walked away. Frieberger ruined it. The third season definitely didn't have the quality of the first two. His influence and the show getting moved to Friday ( the death slot)
It's Zelda!
I think Gerry was living in chipping Sudbury till he died
did you know that Netflix is on about buying the rights to Space 1999 in the 21st century did you know that did you
The reason that she is now now so bitter is that she ended-up looking like Zelda from Terrahawks
Pork William I have a horrible feeling that puppet was Gerry's revenge after the divorce.
I could listen to the amazing Sylvia Anderson all day. The Landaus sounded like a pair of fabulous monsters...hilarious!
How refreshing to hear such honest recollection of her her life in movies and TV.
I love the woman.
Landau and Bain were the worst thing about SPACE:1999. And they were the leads.
Lady Penelope speaks...
Bugger me. She looks like Zelda from Terrahawks!
Mike Humble I had the same reaction, as did my wife! It’s the hair. I wonder if she has the kind of sense of humour that she made that choice knowingly.
Same story over and over. Best quote, "people are shit." (My late father).
Super interesting, thanks for the upload. That was possibly one of the most succinct descriptions of Martin Landau's abilities when she says how "Martin has since proved to be a very good character actor, but he was never a leading man". He always struck me as an odd casting choice in that role. He must have been very insecure about being a lead character, which would explain that ridiculous jealousy of other male cast members and his line hogging. If Landau was really that awful to work with, it would make Bill Shatner's egocentricities on Star Trek seem trifling in comparison.
WoW. Thank you for the explanation Sylvia. As an amateur actor, I see no reason to fuss with those in charge. Be kind and thank I you for Space 1999.