WE’RE ALL ALIENS UNTIL WE GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER

STORIES OF THE SPACE: 1999 FAMILY

CHARLENE SCOTT

CONTENTS

Dedication

Preface

1. David Acheson

It Was the Home I Always Wanted

2. Bill Altenberg

This Show Got Me into Technology

3. Colleen Bement

Holy Shit, the Moon’s Gone!

4. Robert Bernardo

I Love the Diversity

5. Roy Bjellquist

Hooked From the First Time I Watched It

6. Brian Boskind

I Was Doing an Impression of Helena as a Waitress

7. Terry S. Bowers

This Fantastic Journey

8. Aaron Carlson

We’re Just There to Have a Good Time

9. Ryan Case

Barry Morse Just Saved Me on Stage

10. Sue Cole

How Could You Choose?

11. Claudia Combs

It’s All Barry Morse’s Fault

12. Kathryn Riley Cuglietta

I Was Not, in Fact, the Only Weirdo Like Me

13. Mona Delitsky

Lucky You!

14. Anthony DiPietro

My Space: 1999 Life

15. Eston Dunn

I Loved the Metaphysical Aspects of the Scripts

16. Nancy Ehle

The First Sci-Fi Show I Remember Watching

17. Rebecca Eisenhuth

Great Chemistry, Great Characters

18. Adrian Flores

I’m Very Grateful to Barry Morse

19. Warren Friedrich

Helena, Change the Paper in the Typewriter, Please!

20. Dallas Hadaway

The Most Bone-Crunching Handshake Ever!

21. Debbie Hansford

Asking Martin Landau to Dance

22. Christine Hantzopulos

Freak Out the Mundanes

23. David Hirsch

I Was Immediately Hooked

24. Isobel Hoy

The Penny Finally Dropped!

25. John Hurles

Commander Koenig Was a Hero of Mine

26. Jeff Jones

It Was the Perfect Series

27. Tammy Klein

A Professional Dork

28. Phillip A. Leavenworth

Responsibility to Keep the Spirit Going

29. Terry Lee

My Favorite TV Show of All Time

30. Nicholas Lemarignier

It Was Another Time, Another Place

31. Albert Leon

I Love Wearing Turtlenecks!

32. Ellen Celeste Lindow with Michael Lindow

I Knew I Was Going to Marry Him

33. Jenny Lobb

Eating Fish Sticks and Watching the Show

34. Tim Mallett

It Brought the Room to Tears of Joy!

35. Phil Merkel

I Just Loved the Sound of the Eagles

36. Judy Moore

These Are Our Summer Outfits!

37. Jeffrey Morris

The Eagle. The Eagle. The Eagle!

38. Todd Morton

Let’s Connect and Get to Know Each Other

39. Katy Nicholls

Catherine Schell, Catherine Schell, and Catherine Schell Again!

40. Christopher Paulsen

It Changed My Life

41. Arlette Payne

It Contributed to the Fabric of Who I Am

42. Janet Schill

Darth Vader Took Me to Meet Nick Tate!

43. Charlene Scott

A Show That Changed the Course of My Life.

44. Ken Scott

Incredible Style and Excitement

45. Darrell Simmons

No Effect on Me or My Family, Whatsoever!

46. Vivian Stanley

I Want You to Be There

47. Anthony Taylor

In Comic Books, No One Ever Gets Any Older

48. Liz Therkildsen

I Most Enjoy Meeting Old Friends

49. Raja Thiagarajan

My Favorite TV Show of All Time

50. Frieda Verbaenen

Hanging Out with Fellow Fans and Friends

51. Martin Willey

It Felt Like the Near Future

52. Robert E. Wood

We Regard Each Other as Family

53. Anthony Wynn

It’s Okay, We’re All Professionals Here!

54. Bonnie Yoman

Getting Together with Friends and Being Goofy

55. Keith Young

You, You, You!

Appendix One: Fandom in North America

A Brief History of Space: 1999 Fandom in North America

Appendix Two: Conventions in North America

Appendix Three: Notable Fanzines

Appendix Four: In Memorium

Appendix Five: Fan Photo Gallery

Acknowledgments

About the Author

We’re All Aliens Until We Get to Know One Another

© 2025 Roadrunner Journeys. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopying, or recording, except for inclusion in a review, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the USA by:

Roadrunner Journeys

Mobile, AL

www.RoadrunnerJourneys.com

Edited by Anthony Wynn

Cover Art by Kenneth Scott

Ebook by Raja Thiagarajan

DEDICATION

This book is for all the fans of Space: 1999, wherever they may be. Our community may be small, yet it has endured for some 50 years. We have called one another family for most of those years.

Consider this a family memoir that retells some of the precious moments we fans have shared with this unique, short-lived TV show that brought us together. Without this show, we would never have met.

The purpose of this book is to preserve and honor the stories of the Space: 1999 family.

We owe Rosie Badgett and all those we have lost over time a debt of gratitude for helping to bring many of us together. Your spirits are missed.

And for Margaret, we know you are always watching over us.

Arra, Queen of Atheria, at Main Mission, 2000

PREFACE

Moonbase Alpha

Several people have asked why I wanted to compile a book about Space: 1999 fans. First and foremost, it is because the show had such a profound impact on my life, and secondly, because the people within this fandom have meant so much to me over the past 50 years. I thought it was time to hear from them, their likes and dislikes, and why this particular television show resonated with them. No other books have explored the fan experience in depth, so here fans get to tell their own story.

I have treasured memories with many of the people who contributed to this book. Several of those individuals share secrets with me that will never be known. I wish I could have found everyone that I have encountered throughout these 50 years of fandom to have some input here, but it would have been an opus.

Nothing else that I have done has brought me more joy than spending time with my friends from the Space 1999 fandom. We understand each other, and that is a rare thing.

Charlene Scott

Mobile, Alabama 2025

1

DAVID ACHESON

IT WAS THE HOME I ALWAYS WANTED

David and Richard

Where are you from?

I currently live in Brampton, Ontario, Canada (an Ontario boy all my life).

What’s your background?

I am a fifth-generation Canadian from both sides of the family (UK/French mix). Grew up lower middle class in a paper mill town. I graduated from college and am a retired accountant, and I recently married my long-time partner.

When did you become a fan of the show?

Since episode one premiered in September 1975.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

Eleven.

What drew you to the show?

I believe it was the combination of a cool-looking technological world and exciting actors that made Moonbase Alpha unlike anything I had seen up until that time. It was the home I always wanted.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Space: 1999 was the first. Others came along later. I was not really into Star Trek at the time. They were all short-lived but mainly from the 1970s/1980s (Logan’s Run, Fantastic Journey, Battlestar Galactica, The Bionic Woman, and Star Trek: The Next Generation). Two mini-series stood out: The Martian Chronicles and V.

Did you participate in any fandom for the show? How specifically?

Yes. Attendance at conventions, with the one in 2001 in Tampa being the first. It was where I also met some of the actors and production people for the first time. As a kid, I had the Moonbase Alpha, Eagle, and Hawk models. Poor Alpha, I used to throw soap bubbles at it and play “Space Brain”. It also had batteries around the base and a plastic table cover on it to resemble Bergman’s force field from “Black Sun”. I was essentially a closet fan for years, as I believed I was the only one who remembered the show.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

Yes, in Tampa, Burbank, Peterborough, UK, and Calgary.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Having talks with other fans. We truly became a space family.

Have you met any of the actors from the show?

Yes. Barry Morse, Nick Tate, and Barbara Bain. I also remember Anton Philips, Prentis Hancock, Catherine Schell, Judy Geeson, Sarah Bullen, and Pam Rose.

What was that experience like?

Anton was a joy – a very intelligent man. I spoke to the others a little and enjoyed hearing from them. One exception, who I thought told us too much of her life and turned my husband off (with naming names, the initials were PR).

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Barry Morse (his views on politics and religion are the same as mine, and he became Space Grandpa), Nick Tate (everyone’s favorite Eagle pilot), Barbara Bain (very intelligent – and I forgive her for calling me Steve instead of David!)

My favorite memory was seeing Barry and Nick on the couch watching “Black Sun” with us – something in a million years I never thought would ever happen.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Barbara Bain. The cool ice queen of season one was not quite as icy as I expected. The one I probably made fun of the most growing up, I learned to appreciate her acting skills in both seasons as an adult.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

I’ve met Christopher Penfold and Brian Johnson. Both contributed to the feel and look of the show.

How has the show affected your life?

It was the first show I took in as a family. Alpha was a fantastic home away from home, wandering the cosmos. The philosophies and the topics explored helped shape the way I react to the world I live in. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about the show.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

It helped me enjoy science, but I never became an astronaut. My career path went in a different direction.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

Moonbase Alpha – I wanted to live there.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

Yes, “Another Time, Another Place”.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

Watching the pilot “Breakaway” and seeing the moon blast out of Earth’s orbit.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

I grew up playing it in the schoolyard, and then it disappeared. Attending cons made real friendships possible.

What is your relationship with those friends?

Mainly con friends.

Do you see them regularly or correspond with them regularly?

There are a few I regularly email or chat with online, and we keep up on our lives. I have visited some outside of cons.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What?

I had the Moonbase, Hawk, and Eagle models. I currently have the entire Blu-ray collection of episodes. Oh, and the book The Making of Space: 1999 showed up at my mother’s house when we cleared out her place after she passed away. I thought I lost that forever.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I only have the book and the Blu-rays left. I temporarily grew up and threw away the models when I went off to college – stupid move! The remainder I will probably take with me and be buried with.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

Moonbase Alpha. I always regretted getting rid of the model, but it does help to have a collection of all 48 episodes at home to watch.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because of, or regarding the show?

Years later, as an adult, I discovered that there are indeed other fans who remember the show. Space: 1999 Pride! Connecting with such was a joy to discover.

2

BILL ALTENBERG

THIS SHOW GOT ME INTO TECHNOLOGY

Bill Altenberg and Jeffrey Morris, Calgary, 2023

Where are you from?

I’m from Dryden, Ontario.

What’s your background?

Living in the bush of Northwestern Ontario, I grew up fascinated with technology. I am married with three grown daughters and three grandchildren.

When did you become a fan of the show?

When it first came out back in 1975.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I would have been 7 or 8 years old.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

The premise and the tech. That’s what got me into sci-fi and tech.

What other sci-fi shows have you enjoyed over the years?

Star Wars (of course), Alien, and Battlestar Galactica are the biggies.

Did you participate in any fandom for the show?

No, because I live in the middle of nowhere. I have only recently become more involved with events, other fans, and so on.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

Only the one in Calgary, so far.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show?

No, but that would be great! Brian Johnson would be at the top of my ‘to meet’ list.

How has the show affected your life?

It made me who I am. This show got me interested in technology, computers, and more. I have been in IT for 30 years.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

Absolutely.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

“Dragon’s Domain” scared the pants off me!

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I anxiously waited for it to start every Saturday, even though we only had a Black and White TV.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

A LOT of online friends.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show?

I create models for others to enjoy. I make items that you cannot buy off the shelf or online.

3

COLLEEN BEMENT

HOLY SHIT, THE MOON’S GONE!

Colleen, Anthony, Robert, Ellen, and Terry, Tampa, 2005

Where are you from?

Littleton, Colorado.

What’s your background?

I grew up in Southern California, just three miles from the beach. Paradise! Then I found a new life in Denver, Colorado, at the age of 28.

When did you become a fan of the show?

In 1976.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was 12 years old.

What drew you to the show?

The casting of Barbara Bain – a woman – playing such an important and powerful role.

Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

The premise.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs?

Absolutely. My mom was into Space Patrol and got me hooked on sci-fi at an early age.

If so, what other sci-fi shows have you enjoyed over the years?

Firefly, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Supernatural, everything Star Trek, and Quantum Leap.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

Once I found out about Breakaway Con in 1999, my fandom world changed forever!

How specifically?

Writing fan fiction and attending conventions. Fan fiction has been a source of joy for me over the years. Inspired by Space: 1999, I began writing fan fiction in the 7th grade. That led to writing short stories and a blog, Nerd Alert News, which I’ve been running since 2016. As far as conventions, they absolutely changed my life. I have met the most amazing friends who share my love and passion for Space: 1999.

What conventions have you attended? How many and where?

I attended the Breakaway Con in 1999. Sadly, it was for just one day, but it was absolute bliss! I attended two cons in Tampa and one in Austin. I LOVED every minute, and I cherish the friendships that came out of them.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Hang out and chat with my fellow Space: 1999 enthusiasts. Meeting the actors is amazing, but hanging with my friends has been the most memorable.

Who was your favorite guest to interact with?

Hands down, Barry Morse!

Have you met any of the actors from the show?

Yes, Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, and Nick Tate.

What was that experience like?

Surreal!

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Barbara Bain. She helped to pave the way for powerful roles for women on television. Besides my mother, she has always been my inspiration.

How has the show affected your life?

Space: 1999 has been one of the greatest joys in my life. Besides my husband and daughter, this British show, which only lasted two seasons, made such an impact on me. I have the fondest of memories with my mom and brother sharing Sunday nights together with the crew of Moonbase Alpha. We still swap memories of watching it to this day, and I never miss reliving my passion with at least one episode on Breakaway Day – September 13th!

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

I owe my passion for writing to Space: 1999. Fan fiction evolved into short stories, which in turn led to freelance writing, and ultimately, running my blog, Nerd Alert News. 

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

As a kid, I used to imagine what it would be like to live on the moon.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

Yes, and it’s a close tie. I cannot break the tie: “Journey to Where” and “Black Sun”.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

Yes, I used to record the episodes with my little old cassette tape recorder and re-listen to them over and over.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Absolutely! I cherish the friendships I have made. 

What is your relationship with those friends?

Some I’ve only met once or twice, yet I feel like they’re family.

Do you see them or correspond regularly?

No, but I think of them often and try to stay in touch via social media.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

I did, but I’ve lost much of it over the years. Soundtrack vinyl records, books, and trading cards. Very few items now. I’m so sad that I’ve lost so many of them.

What will you eventually do with those items?

Donate them.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

My soundtrack vinyl records.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, event, or happening that occurred about, because of, or regarding the show?

Running a panel called “MST3K: 1999” with some of my Space: 1999 besties. There might have been some alcohol involved. There was definitely laughter and memories I’ll keep forever! OH, and I’ll never forget the classic line, “Holy shit, the moon’s gone”!

4

ROBERT BERNARDO

I LOVE THE DIVERSITY

Robert Bernardo and Nick Tate, Breakaway, 1999

Where are you from?

South San Francisco, California, United States.

What’s your background?

Government communications and law enforcement.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I saw it when it premiered on television in 1975.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

Age 7.

What drew you to the show?

At that age, it was the special effects, the aliens, and the action sequences that dazzled me.

Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I liked everything about the show: the costumes, the set designs, the stories, and the special effects, including the sound effects.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Yes. My earliest memory of science fiction was watching reruns of The Outer Limits with my late mother. I also enjoyed the TV series Planet of the Apes, Logan’s Run, and Battlestar Galactica.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

Yes, I’ve participated in Space: 1999 conventions as well as in online fandoms. I attended two Space: 1999 conventions, Breakaway in September 1999 in Culver City, California, and Journey to Where in 2010 in Austin, Texas.

How specifically?

I particularly enjoy meeting and catching up with fellow fans and old friends.

Have you met any of the actors from the show?

Yes. It was magical because I would have never dreamed of meeting these celebrities when I watched the show as a child.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Nick Tate, definitely. He is my favorite because he is just as fun, charming, and witty as the character he plays in Space: 1999.

How has the show affected your life?

Watching this show as a child taught me the importance of celebrating diversity and finding beauty in the natural world. Every alien on the show—good or bad—had something to teach. The show forced young viewers like me to put ourselves in the aliens' shoes and view the world from their perspective. This added to the sense of wonder when watching the show. As a young viewer, I traveled to faraway planets, saw the world through alien eyes, and learned more about human nature than I could ever dream of, and at such an early age. The show helped me grow up and mature faster.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

The show inspired me to study science, but unfortunately, my brain wasn’t made for science. I’m not a math or chemistry person, so I studied the humanities instead.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

I loved the diversity, from the human characters to the aliens—so much diversity! Growing up as a gay Asian kid who was bullied in elementary school, I always felt foreign and alien. This show taught me that it was normal to be different. Being different is something to be celebrated, not ridiculed. I genuinely believe Space: 1999 helped me “come out” as a gay man.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

My favorite is “The Mark of Archanon.”

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

My favorite memory was watching the episode “Rules of Luton” as a child with several classmates, and how engrossed we were. The idea that plants would one day rule the world was mind-blowing. There is also nail-biting suspense and great moral lessons.

Have you made friends through your association with the show? What is your relationship with those friends?

Yes. I made lifelong friends from the Breakaway convention in Culver City. We stay connected on social media platforms.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What?

I collect Space: 1999 toys.

How many items?

I have several treasured items.

What will you eventually do with those items?

Eventually, I leave them with certain friends I know will love and appreciate them as much as I do.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

My 2.5-foot-long Mattel Space: 1999 Eagle One toy.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, an event, or an event that occurred about, because of, or regarding the show?

My most treasured moment was finally meeting actor Nick Tate in 1999. Everything about the moment was magical—the date, our conversation, and his kind words.

5

ROY BJELLQUIST

HOOKED FROM THE FIRST TIME I WATCHED IT

Roy Bjellquist

Where are you from?

I was born in Teaneck, New Jersey, about 20 minutes from New York City. I’ve lived in New Jersey most of my life. I was born in the same hospital as my dad.

What’s your background?

I graduated from high school in 1984 and attended community college for a couple of years. I have worked in banking and customer service my entire life. I was a manager in the restaurant industry at Outback, and then I worked for a pharmaceutical company for 16 years. However, I wanted to move out of pharmaceutical management. Now, I work for a roofing company as an office scheduler. I like dealing with people. I've always had a lot of patience, but I think as I've gotten older, my patience has dwindled.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I was nine years old when I started watching Space: 1999 in September 1975. I remember WPIX Channel 11 was doing a big blitz before the show aired about this new show that was coming on. One thing that really stuck out was that they were showing the scene where Alan Carter was in the Eagle and said, “Alpha, can you hear? Do you copy? The moon has gone out of its orbit.” Then, they announced, “Stay tuned for this new science fiction series premiere, Space: 1999.” That was what grabbed me, and I was drawn into it right from there.

What did you like about the show, the premise, the actors, the technology?

The premise, definitely. I really enjoy science fiction. It was something that fascinated me. It ties into some of the shows I like. It was dealing with something on the moon, and it was based on the moon; at that time, it was just 24 years in the future. I’ve always had an appreciation for science fiction. My birthday is July 20th, and I was born in ‘66. And, of course, there is July 20, 1969, the day of the moon landing. I always thought that was cool and felt a kind of connection to that.

What other sci-fi shows have you enjoyed over the years?

I started watching Star Trek around 1972. My aunt was a big fan of William Shatner. I remember being at my grandparents’ and seeing advertisements in the TV Guide on Channel 11; they were advertising Star Trek. I remember my aunt sitting with my grandparents, parents, and me. My aunt talked about how much she loved William Shatner and watching the show. That is my earliest recollection of coming across it and then starting to watch it. I distinctly remember the Star Trek animated series on Saturday mornings. Those stories, although animated and half an hour long, contained very adult material. There were only 22 episodes, and the series premiered on September 8, 1973, when I was only 7. I remember getting the model kits they sold for Star Trek, and I loved the stories. I was hooked from the first time I watched it, and it's 50 years later. We all shared a common interest in sci-fi, which led us to watch Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

I always liked the shows when they were in space. I didn't like the corny shows; I wasn't a big fan of silliness. Even as a young kid, I was always serious. In the third season of Lost in Space, the producers sought to return to the show's original roots, aiming to make it more family-oriented and less focused on the Smith family. It was a downward spiral. I enjoyed The Bionic Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man, and the first Galactica. I was a Buck Rogers fan, but more for the first season. Buck Rogers went through a similar experience that 1999 did, where the premise changed with the second season, but with 1999, it was more tolerable.

I became aware of another show around ’74 or ’75. I had friends who were probably only a couple of years younger than me, and I remember being over at their apartment when UFO was on TV. I thought this was cool, and it had a moon base and everything. I thought that was interesting, and I saw subsequent episodes where they would sometimes be on Earth, as opposed to the moon. I never saw the whole premise. I just saw it passing when the shows were on.

I did like SeaQuest, though it was much later. I only liked the first season. I hate it when they change things. If it's not broken, don't fix it!

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

I started getting the early Starlog magazine because of a close friend of mine, Joe Metz. I would go to his house, and he had Starlog #2 and #3, the early ones with Martin and Barbara on the cover. He had #6 with the Destination Moon rocket on the cover. That's when we heard about the cancellation in 1999. I was interested in Starlog magazine. My first issue was #12 with C3K. It was a bimonthly issue. Our friend David Hirsch created a column called Gerry Anderson Space Report. I used to look forward to those because they covered 1999. Unfortunately, after the show was canceled, things started to dry up. I think in Starlog #17 or #18, there was a mention of the National Save: 1999 Alliance and the first convention. I remember reading “Save: 1999”. What does that mean? That was my first impression of the title, and then, after reading it, I realized they were referring to the convention. It was in Columbus, Ohio, and I remember thinking that a convention should have been held in England, California, or New York City. That always stuck with me. I looked forward to the information tidbits that would be in there.

By 1987, I was still collecting Starlog, and I had always had an interest in 1999. I remember seeing John and Kathy Van Kamp's names in an issue. I looked up their information in the phone book or called directory assistance (this was before the Internet!) and got their phone number, then called them. I talked with Kathy Van Kamp about the club and how it was organized. She said there was a Northeast representative that I could connect with since I was in New Jersey. His name was Lew Place. She gave me his information. I reached out to Lew. He is one of my closest friends to this day, 38 years later! It’s a direct result of Space: 1999.

That's how it began with my connecting that way. We were on the phone for at least three hours just talking about everything 1999. He told me about the conventions. Lew is a wonderful guy who was so willing to share; he is very creative and talented. He made a videotape for me, which I still have. He introduced himself to the camera and personalized the tape. He showed me his collection of photographs from the show, the conventions he had attended, and the various people he had met. He had a lot of black-and-white photos, and he went through them. He showed me his collection. He had one of the rocket guns from Beta Cloud. He showed me a section of Moonbase Alpha, the Year One promo book, and everything he had. He had built a 44-inch Eagle that he made for his movie Voyage to Meta. And he sent me a copy of the movie. That's how all that came about.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

My first convention was in 1999. Lew had sent me copies of the video he did from the 1986 convention in LA. I saw Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, and Barry Morse in that video. I still have a copy of it. I remember Barry coming out and Martin seeing him for the first time, and they were catching up. Martin apologizes; we haven't seen each other in 11 years since the series was canceled. It was a nice moment. I was very inspired and wanted to attend the convention. I had almost gone to the convention in California in 1992. The Breakaway convention was the first one I attended, and Lew was my roommate. That was my first time in California. It was an incredible experience. I took so many photos. There were exactly 311 people registered for the convention, if you can believe it.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

That's a tough one. It's just being around and interacting with the people. It's just connecting with everyone, and it's like a big family. It's almost corny, but you hear many people say it, and it's so true; it really is like a family. When you think about it, it's a show that lasted for two seasons, and few shows have endured as long as 1999. We all had many of the same experiences, and I think many of us were all around the same age, which has a lot to do with it. Star Trek is huge, and there are numerous types of Star Trek shows, but this show struck a unique niche.

I remember attending my first convention, a Creation convention in New Jersey, near Rutgers University, in 1986. I drove down on a Saturday and was in the audience when they showed images from different science fiction shows. They put up a slide for 1999, and I started clapping. I was almost the only one in the audience who did. I liked the show and knew many people who didn't know about it. I like Martin Landau, and I wanted to meet him. When he did an interview, he never talked about 1999. It wasn't until later that he embraced it, especially in his later years. When 1999 disappeared, it just seemed to dry up. It wasn't like Star Trek being off the air. It was only two seasons and wasn't being shown or even remembered. David Hirsch said it was tough because it wasn't something they would pick up in first-run syndication, because it was very limited.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

I have spent a lot of time with Nick and gotten to know him. Nick was always a hero; his character, Alan Carter, was always a hero. They say, 'don't meet your heroes.' I must agree that some people I've met were kind of a downer, but with Nick, it was certainly a pleasant experience. I've met so many nice people – like Suzanne Heimer. I've become good friends with her, and we keep in contact since she came to the convention in 2017. I probably talked to her almost every week or every other week. She just became a good friend.

I got to know Yasuko Nagazumi after the Calgary con. She had invited me to stay with her at her home, which was nice. She's such a lovely person. I've had the privilege of interviewing different people at the conventions or on my show. Like Anton Phillips, I don't talk to him on a regular basis, but when I do talk to him, I connect with him. Anton is a wonderful person. I know he's been through so much, too. It's the whole quantity vs quality thing. I have had the opportunity to connect with people from the series and built up some different relationships that I treasure. I had the privilege of interviewing Brian Johnson on my show, Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner, almost five years ago. When I was sick, having Brian Johnson reach out to me was just to check in with me; that's another example of the connections you make with people.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

It's going to be Martin. I really appreciate Martin Landau as an actor. I love watching him in Space: 1999, Mission: Impossible, and other episodic television. I was thrilled when he won his Academy Award, as I felt he truly deserved it. I thought he was always so great with the different characters and the different performances he gave. I got to meet him at the Chiller Theater conventions. The first time I met him in person was at a play he performed in 2003 in Hartford, Connecticut, called Sixteen Wounded. It was about the Israeli vs. Muslim conflict. That was the first time I met him in person.

My friend Vince and I went to the play on a Friday night and almost didn't make it. We saw the show, and it was fantastic. They had a question-and-answer session with the cast on stage. Martin was not part of that. I got backstage, and I got his autograph, and that's where I met him. Then my camera didn't work; this was before cell phones. Martin did another convention in 2011 in New Jersey, an hour from my house. I went all three days, and my wife Shari went with me on one day. I was just tickled pink to meet him, and I had all my stuff that I was getting signed. I remember Shari said, “You're making him feel like a little kid again”. He looked at her and smiled; I made him feel like a kid. I was talking about the promo book I got from Lew in 1992. I brought it to show Martin. He pulled out a marker to sign it. I did not intend to have him sign the book, so I had to make a split-second decision: do I tell Martin Landau I don't want him to sign my book? I said no, I will keep this, and he signed it. I also got Barbara to sign it later, but unfortunately, I never got Barry because he had passed away.

I saw Martin at two different appearances with Bob Kotsopoulos. The first was in October 2016, the year before he died. I brought the Fanderson music soundtrack, and he signed the box. He looked through the booklet, which listed the episodes, music, and guests. He went through the booklet, saying this person is with us, and then he came to Tony Anholt, and he said, “Tony's not with us.” Then he said, “Barbara is,” and followed up with, “I don't know about me.” I said, “You're doing good.” He looked at me, “Do you know how old I am?” I replied, “I think you're 88.” He said, “Yeah.”

He came across Peter Bowles' picture in the booklet, and he remembered him, and it was a nice reflection. He said, “I know you're a fan, I want to show you something.” He pulled out his cell phone. I had talked about being a Star Trek fan and how much I enjoyed Space: 1999. He showed me a picture of him with Barbara and Leonard Nimoy. He said, “I just want to show you this because you're a fan.” It was a nice moment, and I really appreciated it. Sadly, that was the last time I saw him.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

The special effects in Space: 1999 were always incredible. I'd say 90% of the effects hold up today.

Some effects could be better, but some shots are just amazing, and they were just part of the incredible production values. I've had the opportunity to interview Brian on my show. I heard about his career and how things started with him. Everything that was involved with his work on The Empire Strikes Back. How George Lucas had approached him about doing the special effects for Star Wars, but he had just signed his contract for the second year of Space: 1999, or else George Lucas could have had Brian Johnson. Fortunately, we didn't lose out on that. I also had the opportunity to meet Johnny Byrne. It was a late night, and ten or twelve of us were sitting in a circle and listening to Johnny tell the stories of working on the show. I believe Prentis Hancock was there. I know Chris Penfold was, and I think Nick Tate, too, so that was really an incredible experience. Johnny Byrne was even talking about trying to bring back Space: 1999, because, at that point, the show was only 25 years old. It's on such a grand scale because I have met and made so many friendships with different people.

I worked on the conventions in ‘17 and ’19; there were three of us who put them together, and that's a huge task. It comes down to the people, and that we've all stayed together.

Over the last week or two, I've been reflecting and realizing that Space: 1999 has been a part of my life for almost my entire life. I'm 58 years old, and the show has been on for 50 years, so it's had a huge impact on my life.

I also remember watching Mission: Impossible as a kid because my mom and I especially liked it. My dad would watch it with my mom, but it was my mom who really loved Mission: Impossible. I prefer those earlier episodes, the first three seasons. Martin's leaving was such a loss to the series, and then it really went downhill.

Regarding Barbara Bain, I attended her Star ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and then, once again, we were all there, all of us who knew each other from Space: 1999 or Mission: Impossible. It is about the people. I remember hearing stories about Barry when people would be taking his picture, and then he'd pull out his camera and start taking their pictures. I saw that in 1999, people started laughing because he was doing it. He was sincere about it. It was wonderful.

Shane Rimmer was a cool guy. He was at a Chiller convention, and I took my photo with him. He was very nice and laid-back, showing no stress at all. I told him I was a 1999 fan, and I mentioned Gerry, and he said, "Gerry, yeah, Gerry.”

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

I thought the whole concept of the show, with a moonbase and the potential for it to happen in the future, was cool. Reading the novelization was easy, and they concentrated on the whole format. In the novelization, it's explained more. You had a base established that was potentially going to be the future.

Growing up in the 1970s, knowing that the first moon landing occurred on my birthday, I always had that connection, thinking maybe this was something that could happen. I thought the whole aspect of that was cool. It interested me because there was science, not that I'm a big science guy, but I always thought the whole thing about establishing a presence on the moon was just so cool! I was a big fan of the space program and still am.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

There are so many of them. “Breakaway” sets up the premise, and “Dragon's Domain” has always been a favorite; it always scares me. “Black Sun”, “Guardian of Piri”, “Death’s Other Dominion”, “Collision Course”, and “War Games” are some favorites. There are many more that I enjoy. Things have changed from childhood to adulthood, and the philosophical aspects of “Black Sun” mean more now than it did years ago. It's an episode with very deep meaning.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I remember watching “Breakaway” with Nick Tate in 2014. In the UK, we watched “Beta Cloud” with him, and he was not happy! I remember thinking, "This is rubbish," but we watched “Breakaway” with him, and he lit up like a balloon. That is a pleasant memory. Watching an episode with somebody, watching it with Nick, or watching it with Yasuko Nagazumi, who said to me, “I was so young!”

My dad has always been more of a sports guy, but he knew I'd love anything related to Space: 1999. He would pick up the first Starlog magazine for me, then take me to the bookstore to get the various Starlog issues. My mom would watch the shows with me, and she enjoyed them, too.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

I've collected the 1612 Eagles. I have the Year One promo book. I remember how excited I was to get the Year Two promo book. I had a Year Two promo book that was beat up. I was at a Chiller convention and was walking through when I came across a guy selling a Year Two promo book. I asked him how much he wanted. He said $20, and I was like, what, really, $20? Done! I was ecstatic. I had one that was not in good condition, and another that was in decent condition. One person's trash is another person's treasure.

I have the record album, the Starlog magazines, the Fanderson soundtracks, all the novelizations from back in the day, the Year One and Year Two promo books, and the 44-inch Eagle that Lew Place built. He gave it to me about eight years ago; he wanted me to have it. He said if anybody is going to appreciate it, you will. It's in my office. He built it from scratch by looking at photos from the show.

What are your most treasured pieces of memorabilia?

The 44-inch Eagle that Lew built. The promo book is very special because only a limited number was produced. And the Commloc that was made by 1612.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or an event that occurred about, because of, or regarding the show?

I’ve had a bunch of them. One treasured memory is related to the 2019 convention: Celebrating Barbara Bain’s birthday and seeing her share the celebration with the fans. Knowing that it impacted her emotionally, she was so touched by the birthday celebration. That was something that made me happy because it made her happy. If she didn't already know, I think she knew how much the fans cared. That she was there on her birthday to celebrate with the fans was very special.

Roy Bjellquist and Lew Place back in the day

6

BRIAN BOSKIND

I WAS DOING AN IMPRESSION OF HELENA AS A WAITRESS

Brian and the Dragon at Main Mission 2000

Where are you from?

Baltimore Maryland.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I remember seeing ads in the TV Guide (the black and white artwork of Koenig, Helena, and Bergman) on our local UHF channel before the premiere.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

Almost 11.

What drew you to the show?

The opening montage and music hooked me right from the start. There was a true feeling of being in space, and that there was something bigger than us out there.

Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

All the above. The mood of the show was so different from the sci-fi I had seen up until that time. Watching the characters actually question how they made it through a crisis. The Alphan sets had a nice, uniform futuristic look.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs?

Yes. The “what if?” aspect of sci-fi always appealed to me as a young child.

If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Lost in Space and the other Irwin Allen TV shows – the original Star Trek series. All of them had unique, interesting design schemes for the sets and vehicles.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

Living on the East Coast, I attended science fiction conventions (Balticon here in town) and sci-fi conventions during the 70s. So, there were Space: 1999 things to see in the dealer's room and episodes screened, even if Trek fans bristled at the mention of the show. I was very envious when I would see ads for a Space: 1999 convention in Starlog magazine. It was only in adulthood that I finally got to attend any actual Space: 1999 cons.

How specifically? Attendance at conventions, fanfic writing, model building, video creation, meeting the actors, fan clubs for the actors?

I’ve done all those things. I did several watercolor paintings for the art show at Breakaway and built a Moonbase Alpha model to display at the Main Mission: 2000 con. I also made a giant strobing eye of Triton, a backlit figure of Arra, and little Piri tree centerpieces for the dance floor. I painted two photo op backdrops for Alpha: 2012 (one of Arra’s throne room and one of the “Dragons” from “Dragon’s Domain”. Christopher Penfold signed that canvas. Meeting the actors and writers at both the Breakaway and Main Mission cons was an amazing experience, as they were all friendly and down-to-earth.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

At the general sci-fi cons, it was the dealer's room – trying to find anything on Space: 1999, and then, when finally attending Space: 1999 conventions, meeting the actors or crew from the show. Getting to tell them in person how their contributions to the show made such an impact on me.

Have you met any of the actors from the show?

I’ve met Barry Morse, Nick Tate, Prentis Hancock, Zienia Merton, Johnny Byrne, Catherine Schell, and Christopher Penfold.

What was that experience like?

At Breakaway, I had a cool experience with Zienia. I had gone out of the big room with the Main Mission set, and Zienia was out smoking by a balcony. We chatted a bit, and she told me I should go back in because a surprise was coming. I went in and found a seat just before they premiered the "Message From Moonbase Alpha" short film. It was so unexpected, and people were blown away.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

They have all been gracious, funny, and easy to talk to. This has been a very nice aspect of this show’s conventions. None of them made you feel hurried or like “just a fan.”

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

I really like them all for different reasons. I guess Nick Tate because he was a pilot, an affable character, and (as a closeted kid) an early actor crush. As an adult, it was nice to see that he was such a cool guy in real life, too. But then all the actors and crew I’ve met were. I really liked how Catherine Schell portrayed Maya. Her portrayal was probably the best aspect of Year Two.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

Yes. Johnny Byrne, Chris Penfold, and Keith Wilson. All of them were gracious and fun.

How has the show affected your life?

As a kid, it gave me an understanding of the concepts of destiny and self-sacrifice, as well as a love for futurism.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

I believe the show helped me refine my approach to creating artwork and photography.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

I guess I was hoping that space exploration would lead to a similar sense of wonder. Moonbase Alpha was a place I wanted to live in. As a kid, I never thought it was sterile or uninviting, as it is sometimes described. It had a sleek look to it.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

“Black Sun” and “Collision Course” are tied for me. In “Black Sun”, I liked seeing the characters deal with their impending demise with dignity. The solemn “survivors’ guilt” that the people in the Eagle lifeboat had. Particularly, with no dialogue, you saw how the Angela Robinson character responded when her name was read on the survival list. John and Victor toasting “To everything that was”.

In “Collision Course”, I like the idea of a larger destiny seeing you through a crisis, even when most lose faith. John and Alan have a shared fantastic experience of having to get their fellow Alphans to trust them. I love the epilogue, when Helena, Alan, and John are seen through the window, pondering what has just happened. Helena apologizes, but John says, “Who would have guessed that a planet on a collision course would not collide, but simply touch?” The other favorite for its eerie mood is “Dragon’s Domain”. The alien dragon that pulled in and then spat out desiccated bodies was something we had never seen on TV as kids and talked about in the school lunchroom the next day.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I would sometimes watch the show with my dad, and he would explain some of the loftier concepts to me. The concept of self-sacrifice or the philosophy. He also built and meticulously painted the model of the Eagle for me.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Yes. I met many people at both the Breakaway and Main Mission cons. Most here in the States and some in the UK. The first friend I met was Chris Paulsen, because he saw me doing an impression of Helena as a waitress. It was her main credit turn/pivot as if holding a tray of food. We laughed and became friends.

What is your relationship with those friends?

I consider them kindred spirits. It's always fun to meet people who like the show for the same reasons as I do.

Do you see them regularly or correspond regularly?

We keep in touch on Facebook. I’ve had a few visits.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What?

The entire paperback series. It was so exciting to go into the local 7-11 store and see a new paperback with its familiar logo. All the trading cards, the Viewmaster, the Eagle model, the big Eagle playset, and the Moonbase Alpha model. The stun gun, the big color publicity book for Year One, and the two Power Records story LPs. Also, during my only visit to the UK, I found some of the hardbacks in a store in Blackpool. Also, some of the recently released diecast Eagles.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I am not sure. Consider contacting a TV or pop culture museum that might be interested.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

I think it would be the RCA soundtrack LP. After getting the two Power Records story LPs, my aunt took me to the record section of a department store, and I saw the RCA album. I assumed it was another dramatized story.

However, once I got home and opened the gatefold with all the great color photos, and then put the record on, I realized it was music. My aunt said we could take it back since it wasn't a story record, but I said no. Hearing the music by itself made me aware of the soundtrack. It was the first of a lifetime of collecting scores. Barry Gray’s music was such a big part of the mood of the show. I would sit in my beanbag chair and then listen to the album as I watched the changing light colors of my Radio Shack light organ/disco light.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because of, or regarding the show?

Going to the Breakaway convention and disco dancing with the actors and fans I had met in that big, beautiful recreation area in Command Center.

7

TERRY S. BOWERS

THIS FANTASTIC JOURNEY

Terry Bowers with Barbara’s star

I began watching Space: 1999 in early September 1975. I was 18 and just starting my first quarter as a first-year student at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls. River Falls is also my hometown. I was planning to major in English/Literature and minor in Art, which I did, graduating five years later with a Bachelor of Science degree. I had been seeing adverts for the series for much of the summer of ‘75 and was immediately struck by how different it seemed. I thought it would be a nice change from all the interminable Star Trek reruns. I was not disappointed. After only a few minutes of “Breakaway,” I was sure I wanted to see more of the series, even though I wasn’t a ‘tech’ person. The Eagles were cool, and all the gadgetry interesting, but I had always been more focused on the characters of any given series than on devices or technology. Then came the scene in the Medical Centre where Helena visually checks John out, and I thought, “Oh, this is going to be an attention-getter!” I was glad I had tuned in.

Before I knew there was such a thing as fan fiction, I began writing little scenarios in my head, filling in scenes for each episode and building on character points that I thought, for my own satisfaction, needed further development. None of these were written down and have long been lost to the black hole that is my memory, but I enjoyed adding to the depths and layers I was seeing evolve with each new episode. I was also unaware of the existence of Space: 1999 fandom until perhaps six to eight months later, when I received a little booklet in the mail from one of my Star Trek pen pals, which I believe was called a “Slam.” People who wanted to contact other fans would add their name and address to the first empty page of the small booklet, list the series they were interested in, and then send the booklet on to someone else. One of the people in the book listed Space: 1999, specifically John and Helena. I decided I had to get in touch with this person, and even though I was, at that time, rather shy, I composed a brief introductory letter and sent it off to Debbie Phares. Deb wrote back, and we soon started regular correspondence. My life went in a direction I had never known could exist. I was over the moon (sorry!) to have contacted someone who enjoyed the show as much as I did.

Within a very short time, I was in communication with additional fans. I somehow managed to find time to write as many as seven or eight letters per week, in addition to working and maintaining a grade point average that kept my parents happy.

It wasn’t long before I was encouraged to start writing fan fiction and sharing it with others. I was unsure about allowing others to read my fiction efforts, but I took a chance and wrote my first short story. Thankfully, it no longer exists, and I am the first to admit it was terrible! However, I found I immensely enjoyed exploring the characters further and crafting my own adventures, so I persevered. Slowly, with lots of practice and over the course of months, I could see an improvement in the finished products and became more confident when sharing the fiction with a very limited number of fellow fans.

As I explored the Space: 1999 universe more fully through my fan fiction and continued to expand my circle of 1999 friends, I became aware that fandom was taking on a more organized form. Clubs dedicated to the show began to pop up here and there, as well as fan clubs for the various actors. Deb Phares started a club for Martin Landau and Barbara Bain; Phyl Proctor and Eileen Skidmore headed Nick Tate’s fan club, and Vivian Stanley ran the fan club for Barry Morse. Steve Eramo began “Alpha Newsletter,” and The International Space: 1999 Fan Alliance took form under the guidance of John and Kathy Von Kamp, who organized the very first convention for the show. I was unable to attend the initial convention in 1978, but I made sure to be one of the many attendees at the second con in 1979. I have a very sharp recollection of the excitement I felt when meeting people in person with whom I had been corresponding for months. A vivid memory is of several of us gathered outside the Dealer’s Room, waiting for it to open, and talking with Rosie Badgett, asking her about “Blutsauger,” the fanzine she and Paul Bens were publishing not long after the convention. Their zine got me thinking about the possibility of publishing some of my own fan fiction, and not long after that, I began submitting stories to Space: 1999 fan publications. Once my first story was accepted, I was off and running and found that writing fan fiction was my ‘therapy,’ my way to escape the stress of college life.

Fan fiction was to become a huge part of my participation in fandom. I not only wrote and submitted stories for publication, but I also began editing stories for others. From there, the natural progression in my mind was to start editing and publishing my fan zines. I did this on a semi-regular basis for many years, while still working on my own projects, I added another responsibility to my self-appointed list of tasks: editing and producing the con zines.

I quite enjoyed that aspect of fandom as it gave me the opportunity to work with authors and artists I already knew, those who shared my interest in John and Helena. It also allowed me to branch out and work with authors whose focus was on other characters, such as Victor Bergman, Alan Carter, Tony Verdeschi, Maya, Sandra, and more. In later years, I felt confident enough to step outside my comfort zone of writing John and Helena fan fiction and try my hand at writing fiction for other characters, such as Victor and Sandra. I can honestly say that fan fiction was my favorite aspect of the series, second only to newly aired episodes and new adventures.

Like many fans, especially in the early days of fandom, I began collecting memorabilia from the show. I owned the novelizations, jigsaw puzzles, action figures, magazine articles, annuals, stickers, coloring books, artwork, and so much more. I have kept a few things that are especially important to me, but in recent years, I have been passing my collection on by donating items to the con auctions. I know those treasured items have gone to good homes and have also helped the charities.

Through convention attendance, I was also fortunate enough to meet many of the people involved in the creation of Space: 1999, including both actors and behind-the-scenes talent. I always smile with delight when I recall how Barry Grey showed us how he could play the Year One theme song on his pocket calculator, or when Barry Morse stopped by a room party and happily entertained us with stories of his decades long career while enjoying a glass of wine. It was a fascinating hour or so as we listened to Gerry Anderson recount his efforts to bring Space: 1999 to the screen, and heard Johnny Byrne describe his creative process in developing a script. One of the most enjoyable meals I ever had was when I was seated at Zenia Merton’s table during the convention’s banquet and listened to tales of her career adventures.

One of the things that struck me about Space: 1999 fandom early on, and has continued to this day, was the sense of acceptance from everyone I met. I experienced no judgment from anyone. I was accepted for who I was and what I liked. There was a slight rivalry between fans who favored Year One versus those who favored Year Two, but never any ostracism or belittling. In my experience, the politics of fandom were never a significant factor in the workings of our group. We all came together to celebrate our shared love of the same show, and we were all pleased to share it.

We understood one another and did not have to defend or justify our appreciation of the show or a specific character, as we sometimes were in other fandoms and even with our own families in some cases. Over the years, I have watched and enjoyed other science fiction programs, including Doctor Who, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Firefly, and Red Dwarf, but none have captured my fascination the way Space: 1999 did and still does.

My fandom participation continued long after I graduated and entered the working world. I found that I enjoyed my responsibilities in fandom and continued to welcome the stress relief it provided. When Deb Phares found she could no longer head the fan club for Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, I volunteered to take over, eventually changing the name to the Landau-Bain Fan Association (the LBFA), and later still, separating the club into two organizations, one each for Martin (“Martin Landau Aficionados”) and for Barbara (“Barbara Bain International”). I also became more involved with the conventions, transitioning from simply attending to being part of the organization of the cons, being a member of the con committee. I think the pinnacle of that involvement was the gala that accompanied the Space: 1999 convention in 1999, held over the weekend of September 13, 1999. It was a hectic, stressful, fun-filled weekend, and one of the most enjoyable events of my life.

Another incredible memory for me was meeting Barbara Bain for the very first time. As members of the “Landau-Bain Fan Association,” Charlene Scott, Rosie Badgett, and I, along with many others, were hoping to set up a mini convention in Los Angeles, a day during which the club members could meet Martin and Barbara in a more relaxed setting than a formal convention. First, we had to get Martin and Barbara to agree to the event. Barbara was appearing in Seattle, Washington, at the Intiman Theatre in Neil Simon’s A Long Day’s Journey into Night. Rosie, Charlene, and I traveled to Seattle to meet Barbara and see the play. We arranged to meet Barbara following the play's Friday night performance and were waiting for her in the lobby. I just happened to glance over toward the stairs, and I saw her descending them. I whispered to the other two, “Here she comes,” or something like that, and then felt as if I were in a swirling vortex and my knees were about to give way. My knees held, and I recovered quickly, and our mission began. I am delighted to say we were successful. Barbara agreed to the event. Then, we had to obtain Martin’s agreement, which was not long in coming.

We were fortunate that Charlene was living in the Los Angeles area at the time, and it was largely due to her tireless efforts that the event came about. LBFA Day was a success. It was an unforgettable few hours for those members who could attend, and I hope it was also an enjoyable experience for Martin and Barbara.

It was through my involvement in the Space: 1999 fandom that I discovered my love for travel. Thanks to friends I had made within this friendly and welcoming group, I was able to travel extensively, both domestically and internationally. I went to places that may not have been popular tourist destinations, but I was with my Space: 1999 friends and we always had a most enjoyable time.

Unfortunately, my participation in fandom was curtailed in the early 2000s by changing personal needs. Once the Landau and Bain fan clubs I had been running for many years were disbanded, I backed away from fandom to take some much-needed downtime for myself, but I never regretted the time I spent in the Space: 1999 fandom, and I treasure the friendships I made because of it. Sadly, I have lost touch with some friends. Still, there are others with whom I am in regular communication, and I am gratified to know that while fandom may have been the reason we became friends, we have found common ground based on other interests to sustain those friendships. I marvel at the thought that if I had made one decision differently, had I not responded to that “Slam” booklet so many years ago, events in my life would have been far less interesting and exciting.

Thank you to everyone who has been and continues to be part of this fantastic journey.

8

AARON CARLSON

WE’RE JUST THERE TO HAVE A GOOD TIME

Aaron Carlson

Where are you from?

Seattle, Washington.

What's your background?

I was born and raised in Seattle, not necessarily in Seattle proper, and I worked with Microsoft for 25 years, although I now work somewhere else. It's not terribly exciting, but I am an IT professional.

When did you become a fan of the show?

In 1992, the Sci-Fi Channel started airing Space: 1999 at 2:00 or 3:30 pm. That was around the time I was coming home from high school. I would have been a sophomore. This was decades ago, when there weren't a million channels, right?

I've always been into sci-fi. I was a Star Trek fan primarily. That's where my gateway was since I was little. Space: 1999 was on; that was the first time I saw it. I distinctly remember the episode “Alpha Child”. That's not necessarily the strongest episode to pull you in. I remember thinking that this kid grows up quickly, and it was kind of like the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Child” from 1988. I don't think they were showing them in broadcast order, necessarily. Eventually, they showed “Black Sun,” and I thought, “I'm into this show!” I liked the show and was trying to catch up on all the episodes. The second season hadn't aired yet, so I had no idea what would happen. And boy, did it! I didn't see “Breakaway” until months after discovering the show. It might have been one of the last new episodes for me. The interesting thing about the Sci-Fi Channel episodes is that when they were in syndication, they cut five minutes out of every episode. Eventually, I bought all the laserdiscs because they were on sale for a clearance price of $10, and each disc included two episodes. I collected all the episodes and was able to see them uncut. They're all still pristine for the time, so that was great. Eventually, I ran across the Year Two episodes, which threw me off. I appreciate both seasons, but I don't have a love-hate type of relationship with them. I understand that they are two different shows.

What drew you to it? Was it the actors, the stories, or the technology?

Being a sci-fi fan, I like the angle of it. There weren't many space shows around at the time. You have Star Trek TOS, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers, and Space: 1999. Much later, when you got all the other Star Trek series, Babylon 5, and the Battlestar reboot, the list goes on and on. I always appreciate it, and I still do. The older programming, whether it was movies or television, that I experienced in 1992 and 1993 seemed like ‘old shows’ because they were from the 1970s. I was born in 1976.

I was 15 and 16 at the time, but to me, those seemed too old! That's different now. I think it was because I was 15. I was drawn into it by the sci-fi aspect of the story and the special effects. All that kind of stuff, because it was a variation of something I liked, which was Star Trek.

I didn't catch Battlestar or Buck Rogers in their original runs because I would have been like three years old. I bought them in the late 80s. It was an extension of legacy sci-fi.

Have you participated in the fandom of the show, like attending the conventions?

I attended three conventions: 1997 in Portland, 1999 in California, and 2000 in New York. My first convention was in Portland in 1997. It was a small convention, and I had never experienced anything like it. At the time, I'd attended Star Trek conventions, which typically drew several hundred to a thousand people, the type of event known as a Creation Con. Being in Portland, it wasn't far for me to drive to. I was 19 or 20 years old, so I felt like a baby at this convention. Most of the attendees knew each other because they had attended conventions before. The previous convention was in California in ‘92. I had a great time and met people with whom I'm still friends. Barry Morse was the guest. Anthony Wynn was producing the convention with others. There was a play with Barry Morse (“Merely Players”), and Grace Lee Whitney was also there. It was a lot of fun, and I ended up staying an extra day because, after the convention, a bunch of us went to the coast and took Barry Morse with us on a little day trip. It was a great time, and so there was that sense of family within the fandom.

I recall writing a report for the ‘97 convention, possibly the one in ’99 as well. I detailed everything that happened. Remember, we did that back in the day because that was cool! I have a whole book of everybody's experiences, like a diary, with thoughts and other things. I have that in storage somewhere, so I must dig it out. I connected in ‘97 with an email group where I found out about many things. That's how I discovered the conventions and how to connect with people. That's how I met Anthony and Robert Wood, Janet Schill, Barry Scannell, and others.

I'm not sure if it's true or not, but it seemed smaller because there wasn't a Facebook group where 100 people were discussing it. It was a smaller group of people, and you felt like you knew everybody. It was more like a family-type setting as far as fandom is concerned. Other fandoms, like Star Trek or Star Wars, are so huge that you don't really know the names of the fans. It was good to talk with like-minded people because at the time, you say Space: 1999 to people, and they’d say, “What's that?” It was out of public sight, aside from the Sci-Fi channel, in the 90s.

Did you participate in any fandom for the show? How specifically? Attendance at conventions, fan fic writing, model building, video creation, meeting the actors, or fan clubs, for the actors?

I was very into merchandising and the collectibles from the show. The production aspect behind the scenes is what appealed to me. I have costumes from the show and have shown them publicly. That’s what's unique about my takeaway, or what the legacy of the show is to me.

I’ve also connected with guys in England; a fan named Andrew Frampton has a bunch of stuff. I also know a guy who works with models – the Eagles and similar things. But in the United States, as far as costumes, it's me. I had, at one point, over a dozen costumes from the show. I decided not to keep the extra ones. Now I have Martin Landau's first-season costume, Barbara Bain’s second-season costume, and Catherine Schell’s Maya costume. I have her dress and Mentor’s robes from “The Metamorph”. I also have some costume drawings from the show, which were used during the design process.

I have some production drawings. At the end of the New York Convention, I acquired some of the wall panels used in the Alpha room, which were originally from the 1999 convention. They're in my garage. I have what they had at the convention. It's four of the panels and then a set of main mission doors. At some point, I’d like to do my next house and want to put those in a room, then put the costumes in front of them. I displayed a lot of it at the New York Convention in 2000.

What’s your favorite thing at the conventions?

It's an experience. When I go to the next convention, it's not going to be to see the actors; it's going to be to see all the people that I haven't seen in 20 years. We've lost so many of the actors now. I have autographs and all that kind of stuff. I'm not saying I don't want to talk to them or hear their stories. I haven’t met Nick, but I've seen him a couple of times. He's one of a kind. From the character’s standpoint, he's the one who carries the plan, especially with all the Eagle stuff that goes on.

The legacy of that ship and that design is fantastic. You can still go into almost any store in any city and find a model kit and an agle. I was in Walmart one day, and there were Eagles and Hawks, and I thought, “Wow, so bizarre!” That wasn’t available five years ago. We're fortunate that people were passionate enough for the original material to exist still. It could have gotten thrown out after the show ended. However, they displayed all the items in an exhibition in England for several years, and it was always open to the public.

Who is your favorite actor in the show?

Barry Morse.

Have you interacted with any of the production crew, the writers, directors, or producers?

Only at conventions, with Johnny Byrne and Freddie Freiberger. That was surprising. I'm very happy because I had a script there and everybody signed it – “The Metamorph” year two script. I think Barry Morse signed it, too!

How has the show affected your life?

It positively affected my life. From the perspective of my younger life, specifically my high school and college years, it was always very present. It didn't drive me, but from the standpoint of things that I'm passionate about collecting, yes. I have a very large collection of costumes and props from sci-fi, overall. Space: 1999 was the impetus. I started buying Star Trek and stuff from other franchises. That's one of the greatest things about collecting something from a show: you know that if you have it, it's in front of you, and you can touch it.

I have a home theater, and Commander Koenig’s first season tunic costume is in there. I see it every day. It's just one of those things that I had to be the custodian of – it’s a great thing, and that's pretty cool.

What’s your favorite episode?

That’s a hard one to come up with. One that always stuck out for me was “Earthbound”. That's cool, and that's a dark ending. I like “Breakaway”, of course. I can list off all the ones that most people will list: “War Games” was cool, just from the special effects standpoint. “Dragon’s Domain” because of all the cool ships and the scary monster. In the second season, I don't watch those as much, but I enjoy them. It's a different show, but I'm glad we have it. Although you think, what if we didn't have it? Would the show be more highly regarded? I don't know the answer to the question. If you think of it, what if UFO only got the one season? What if they had gotten the second season, and it was all screwed up?

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

My favorite memory is coming home from school, cooking up something to eat, and settling in to watch the show. That’s always a fond memory of coming home in the ‘90s. It was new to me, so I would watch for several months, coming home and seeing a new episode every day. Also, getting into fandom and meeting like-minded people.

Have you made friends through the association with the show?

They're probably more acquaintances now because we don't talk that often. I'm a curmudgeon on Facebook. I have a profile and read it, but I don't interact with or post on it. As far as any fandom is concerned, it is the people who matter. There might be a couple I know at a Star Trek convention with thousands of people, but with Space: 1999, it's like a family reunion. Trek is more commercial. With Space, we're just there to have a good time.

What’s your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

I really like, and I'm not sure why, the dress from “The Metamorph” with the feathers on it. To me, it's one-of-a-kind. If the house were on fire, that would be one of the first things I would grab. It displays very well, and it's just so unique. I love the other stuff, too. I suppose that when you see something every day, it becomes like gold. It’s in a different room, on display. It's still cool because it's just her and Mentor standing next to each other, and there's a signed photo of them right below it, as well as the costume drawing that the costume designer created for the dress and the script. It's a little “Metamorph” corner of the house.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, regarding the show?

I've had some interesting interactions with some of the people. My most treasured experience was attending that first convention, meeting Barry Morse, and spending time with him. After the convention, I saw other fans in a nonconvention environment, just doing normal things. Forming a bond that was based on the show but wasn't all about the show made all the difference.

9

RYAN CASE

BARRY MORSE JUST SAVED ME ON STAGE

Barry Morse and Ryan Case

Where are you from?

I am from Winchester, Kentucky, located in central Kentucky, with a population of about 19,000 people. It’s a small town.

What's your background?

I've always grown up on a farm. I spent 35 years working in the theater and nonprofit organizations. Presently, I'm just spending time on the farm. I'm making art. I don't do a project unless it's right or it makes sense. I want to sit here on the farm, take care of my animals, paint, and do sculptures. I'm also being artistic, and that's another reason to do this: to do something a little more creative.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was born in 1975; I turned 50 as the show is turning 50. My journey to Space: 1999 takes a long trip around the barn because I was a fan before I even saw the show, and because I heard the show before I saw it. I finally saw it in 1988, which was about four or five years after I had already become hooked on it through audio cassettes. I finally got visuals, and from then on, I was hooked.

In the summer of 1988, the TV Guide announced that Space: 1999 would be shown at 1:00 a.m., so I had to find a friend who could access this channel. I would stay over at my friend’s house and sneak up at one in the morning and watch the television show!

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

It was what I had hoped it would be; even at 12 or 13, it sounded like quality to me, so that's what drew me in. When I finally saw it, which was a Season Two episode, it was very adventurous. It wasn't like “Earthbound” or “Breakaway”, but it was something different. It was very bright and visually appealing, and everything I liked, so I absolutely enjoyed it.

Depending on the season, I see some as masterpieces. It was its intellectualism, its esoteric approach to certain subjects, the acting, and the production values – everything was fabulous, but then you must look at it from another lens. I also love the second season; certain episodes were wonderful, while others were better than others. I mean, it was the imagination of it all, because I heard it first. Since I didn't have the visuals, I had to imagine them, which made me think – it was creative. It sounded top-notch, and it made me think, made me use my imagination. As an actor, imagination is what feeds me. The possibilities of what could be explored, the possibilities of what could be written, or the characterizations that present themselves, which is what drew me in. So, it's not like the typical, or maybe even the right way to approach material, but it’s what drew me in. If you just shut your eyes and listen – I’ve done this many times over the years. I often don't even really watch the episodes. I listen to them. I also think of it from an acting standpoint. You must listen to your other actors; it’s the timing of things, the flow. That's what I say to myself when I listen to it, and it's comforting to me.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi shows have you enjoyed over the years?

At 13 or 14, I was interested in Star Trek, Star Wars, and Buck Rogers, and I loved them. I also liked B-movie science fiction, things like The Green Slime, Robinson Crusoe on Mars, Forbidden Planet, and stuff like that. I was a big fan of those; they stimulated my imagination.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

“Black Sun” and “Collision Course” are fantastic, and I'll always love “Seance Spectre” because Carolyn Seymour enchants me. I do like some of the darker episodes: “Force of Life”, “Testament of Arcadia”, “The Exiles”, “Journey to Where”, “One Moment of Humanity”, “The Infernal Machine”, and “Earthbound”.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

When I saw my very first episode of “Seance Spectre”.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

I have attended and performed at several of the conventions. Portland in 2003, that's where I first met Barry Morse. In Tampa, he and I performed the play Contact in 2005. Calgary in 2008 was beautiful, and I participated in a script reading. We sat around and read something from somebody. We were all playing some part, and I thought, “This is kind of crazy, but why not?” In Austin in 2010, I met and did a Q&A session with Carolyn Seymour. I love Carolyn! She is quite good and was in the first episode I ever saw. How serendipitous was that, right? I asked the worst questions because I had been enthralled with her ever since I saw her in that first episode, and then suddenly I was standing next to her, asking questions, and I couldn't believe it. We've kept up since then. Then there was New Jersey in 2017, and I got to read a script. There, we didn’t do the reading until 1:00 am! I've been involved since my first convention, having worked, read, or been involved in some capacity other than just attending. I've been invited to participate in things I love, and it's a lot of fun.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

I never met Martin, nor have I yet met Barbara, but Barry was my mentor. He was fantastic. The times we spoke and the time we worked together, you know, it was fantastic. It's tough to say because you know I love Carolyn Seymour. She's cool. She's an animal lover. She's a fantastic intellect and is an amazing talent. She also keeps up with Suzanne Peterson, who is great. We keep up on holidays and things like that.

Suzanne chimed in during my wedding, which is funny because she didn't put her phone on mute. It was during the pandemic, and so we held the wedding on Zoom. I'm up there at the altar getting married, and I hear her voice; she's on the other line with someone, and she goes, “Oh, I'm sorry, darling, I have to go; Ryan's getting married.” I'm up there giving my vows, and I look over at the camera like, “Well, don't mute the phone! Then I thought no one would know who I was talking about; it was like God-like, ‘I have to go. Ryan's getting married.’ I mean, here's Suzanne, who was Barbara's stand-in, crashing my wedding!

How has the show affected your life?

Once I learned about Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, and Barry Morse, I wanted to become an actor and study at the Actors' Studio. I never got there, but I took Barry Morse's route and went straight into the theater. I started performing at 14 and eventually ended up running my own theater company, so I thank them for giving me that dream and that roadmap that changed my life.

It’s great getting to meet and spend time with others. All because of this series. I'm working with the people from the show, whether it's a Q&A or if it's in a play with Barry. Having breakfast with one of them or standing outside with Carolyn Seymour, looking at turtles in Austin, TX, and having a conversation – it’s been an unbelievable trip that I've taken on this journey with 1999. I really appreciate it, and not just the people, but the stars as well; we're not even talking about the friends I've made. Those friendships have lasted years and haven't stopped; they're terrific, no matter how much time passes between them and the bonds this show has brought. It's unbelievable what kind of influence it has had on my life, even going into the theater and deciding to become an actor. Eventually, running my own theater company and touring and things like that, and this is all inspired by this show in a way. It all comes down to a root, and that's to be honest with you, upon reflection, where it stems from.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

You know, I was always interested in 1999, and at the time, I thought no one knew about it, and I felt I took ownership of it. It was a secret. Eventually, you discover I'm not alone; there are many other people who are into this. I remember the first time my brother showed me a website. I asked him to look up Space: 1999, and the Cybrary site came up. I was blown away! I thought no one else in the world knew about this. I even contributed some sound files, I mentioned earlier, it’s how I grew up with Space: 1999 – through sound. From there, I went online and found people. I think I found the GayBase Alpha discussion group, and I was like, Oh my God! I am not alone – other people share this interest. It was amazing, it was fantastic.

What is your relationship with those friends?

I can literally not see somebody for years, and we pick up where we left off. I don't know if I do that with anyone else other than people that I have regular dealings with, but it's just a unique thing, and I don't know if it's all like that for all fandoms because I've never really been a part of any other fandom. It's like Christmas cards from my friends from Space: 1999 to this day. I mean, it truly is.

When we attend conventions, one of the best parts is arriving first. Second is seeing where your friends are, meeting them again, hugging them, and having a good time, laughing as if a day hadn't passed. There's a shared experience among all of us, and that's because when I said I didn't think anyone knew about this show, it's mine. It's just me and this show. No one else in the world knows it, but once you get into the fandom and you meet and make friends with other people who have had different or similar experiences, you get to share something. There is this shared interest and ideal. There's a shared spirit and celebration with all of us in the room, and everyone has always been very welcome, open, and friendly.

These are friendships that last a lifetime. They've lasted my lifetime. This is the great little journey I've taken with this. I thought no one else knew what this was. This was me exploring and discovering what it was. I appreciated it, loved it, and delved into it. I found that there were others like me, and those relationships have continued for decades.

That also includes working with the talent and the stars of the show. To get to know them, to get to speak with them, to get to work with them, to get to celebrate New Year's and holidays, and to send and receive messages. Your friends are constantly in contact with each other; it's this wonderful community, and suddenly, you're not alone anymore if you’re in the Alphan community. I mean, it's the most wonderful thing. No one may know what the show is around here, but it's certainly opened the world for me, and I think that's not an uncommon feeling.

It's a shared experience we've all had —a feeling of kindness towards this show because, for whatever reason, it spoke to us. Even when we sit down and watch the episodes together, and we all know the dialogue like the back of our hands, yet sometimes we misquote it.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

My mom and aunt always took me to yard sales when I was a little boy. I had bought the Eagle toy, and I had no context for it. It was just a spaceship. I was always a kid of science fiction! This was back in the days of Intergalactic Trading Company and their publications, or the Star Tech Science Fiction Collectable Catalog, where you could buy the most unimaginably wonderful science fiction items. Somehow, I saw a sticker in one of those publications that said “Alpha Moonbase” was on it, so I started playing Alpha Moonbase on the farm; I had no idea! Then I found out the actual name of the show, which was Space: 1999. You could order things in these catalogs, like audio sets of episodes. I asked for Christmas if I could get a set. They were “Breakaway” and “Earthbound”. Then I ordered an Eagle blueprint, the one with the little bitty man on it. Then, I found the episode guide, which allowed me to identify the characters, and that gave me more room for my imagination.

The following year, I saved enough for the technical manual, and then all bets were off. I had photographs, blueprints, and everything else that I studied every day. I was listening to the “Breakaway” tape, and being the geek that I was, I would listen to it and transcribe it on a typewriter into script form. I still hadn’t seen the show, but I could hear it. It sounded expensive, interesting, and intelligent. It was everything I wanted it to be. I was hoping it would be wonderful, and it sounded great, but I'd never seen it, and I didn’t until I was 13 or 14.

I ended up with about four more Eagles. Other people have cool collections, and I envy them; they're wonderful. I remember when I was in Austin for the 2010 convention, I had little outfits made for the Space: 1999 dolls. I have some of those, the playsets and the little Mego dolls. It's a healthy selection, but nowhere near what others have.

What will you eventually do with those items?

My Space: 1999 items will be auctioned off for a Space: 1999 charity. I mean, who knows what'll happen, but if I go, they’ll end up in some auction somewhere and get passed down. But I'll never part with my Space: 1999 stuff while I’m alive.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

When Barry Morse signed a little Professor Bergman doll, he raised the shirt and put a little heart on his chest, which means a lot. The script that we performed, Contact, means a lot. But the biggest thing is, to be honest with you, the friends I've made and getting to work, the entire experience. It's all one thing to me, and so it means a lot, it really does.

What is your most treasured memory of a person or an event that occurred regarding the show?

It was at the Tampa convention that I performed with Barry. That was one of the best moments I've ever had performing. I met Barry at the Portland convention, and he was so kind and gracious and welcoming, and he embraced me for some reason, I suppose, because I was young then and I was in the theater, and we really had a wonderful time there. I recall having dinner with him and having the opportunity to sit with him.

I sat with him on the bus trip back from Mount Saint Helens, and we spoke about our upbringing and experiences in the theater, and talked about where we were from. At the time, I had never thought I would ever meet anyone from the show, and then there I was sitting with him.

Never in my life did I think I would act with him. He played the role of basically God or some celestial being, and I was receiving the transmission. We were discussing a life-and-death conflict, and it was fantastic because not only did I get to perform with him, but I also got to rehearse with him. I remember we were sitting on the stage, and he was standing out front, watching me. He then gave me some notes, and I couldn't believe he was directing me. During the performance, he was backstage with a microphone and a script while I was on stage, gazing out into the audience and trying to remember my lines. I had gone up on a line; I was lost, internally scrambling to remember where we were and what we were doing. Barry is backstage, and I'm really fluffing, and I've never done it before, but I remember because his voice was coming over the speakers, and I could hear him, and he started saving me. He began saying lines to prompt me to the next thing.

The people could see that we were working as a team, and we got through that rough moment, and then we landed it. I'll never forget it: Barry Morse just saved me on stage. He was always so wonderful; he was a good friend. He understood theater, artists, and young artists, and he was very nurturing in that way.

I'll never forget him. There's a video clip on YouTube where he mentions me. He said some nice things, and I'll always treasure them. I'll always treasure him as a friend. Before he passed away, I believe I was given permission, either by him or his son, to perform his one-man show. When he passed, I also received some nice items to remember him by. Some scripts and things like that. The production we did was one of his last; he might have done something after, but it was possibly one of his final performances. I was one of the last people to perform with him. I mean, it's just immeasurable how special that was.

10

SUE COLE

HOW COULD YOU CHOOSE?

Sue Cole and Nick Tate, 1978

Where are you from?

I'm originally from the Chicagoland area in Illinois, having lived at four different locations from 1953 until late 2002. In December 2002, I relocated to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and then moved to Menasha, Wisconsin, in late 2007, where I currently reside.

What’s your background?

When I became a fan of Space: 1999, I was a photocopier repair technician. Later, I worked in customer service and various office roles for several companies.

In 1995, I began working in the meetings production industry. These companies produced materials for marketing, conventions and conferences, videos, software, and materials related to product launches and other business meetings. I was responsible for managing the shipping, receiving, and supply departments, as well as working in accounts payable and video duplication for our clients.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I can’t give an exact date, but I was 22 when the show first aired. I was already a fan of Barbara Bain and Martin Landau from their time on Mission: Impossible. At the time, I was collecting a lot of TV shows, and to stay up to date on what my favorite actors were doing, I read and collected numerous movie magazines.

What drew you to the show?

As I said before, I was a fan of Barbara and Martin. I liked the fact that they were going in a different direction than just trying to copy Star Trek.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs?

I've liked sci-fi programs most of my life, and I guess I could say I got hooked on watching our local TV station's weekend morning and overnight programming.

What other sci-fi shows have you enjoyed over the years?

Rocky Jones Space Ranger, Science Fiction Theater, One Step Beyond, Outer Limits, Stingray , Star Trek, Time Tunnel, The Invaders, The Land of the Giants, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, UFO, Planet of the Apes, Space: 1999, The Fantastic Journey, Logan’s Run, Quark, Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica (1970's version), Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, V (1980's version), Max Headroom, Something Is Out There, War Of the Worlds, Seaquest, Babylon 5, Sliders, Star Trek: Voyager, and Torchwood.

Also, movies like Them, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Forbidden Planet, War of the Worlds, Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, Kronos, The Day of the Triffids, The Satan Bug, and Doctor Who (there were two released in the 1960s with Peter Cushing), to name a few. After the 1960s, I paid more attention to TV than to movies.

I could go on and on about the shows and movies that got me interested in sci-fi!

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically?

I did attend some of the conventions. I also subscribed to the International Space: 1999 Alliance newsletter and collected books, photos, scripts, press books, fanzines, toys, magazines, and other related items. At other sci-fi conventions, I met other Space: 1999 fans and discussed the show. I passed out convention information fliers, and if I had a dealer's table, I almost always had some related items to sell.

What conventions for the show did you attend?

I only attended a few conventions held in the US for Space: 1999 (I never travelled outside the country): 1978 - Columbus, OH; 1979 - Pittsburgh, PA; 1980 - Columbus, OH; 1981 - Atlanta, GA; 1982 - Springfield, MA; 1983 - Cincinnati, OH; 1985 - Arlington, VA; 1986 - Los Angeles, CA; and 1992 - La Mirada, CA.

After the 1983 convention, I focused most of my time and energy on the newsletter and conventions for The Man from U.N.C.L.E. TV series.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

I was a dealer at eight conventions I attended, selling books, magazines, buttons, photos, stationery, and more.

I entered five of the convention costume competitions. In 1978, I won first place (creature from "The AB Chrysalis"). In 1979, I was part of the group that won first place (I was Taybor). In 1981, Pat Feldman and I won first place with our performance, "The Maiden and the Unicorn”. In 1982, Pat and I entered as a Maiden and her Winged Dragon but did not place. In 1985, I tried to be a barmaid/princess on my own, but I failed. (In 1980, my "Bringers of Wonder" costume started to fall apart, so we used him as the maître d' for our party room, overseeing those who came in!)

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

I really didn't have a favorite guest; how could you choose? I think meeting Gerry Anderson and Barry Gray must top the list.

I do have favorite photos of me with the guests (I've shared many of these on the Fandoms Facebook page and with the 50th Anniversary Celebration convention/website).

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

I've only met the actors who attended the conventions I've attended. I was in awe at first, but then I realized that many of them genuinely enjoyed meeting the fans and seemed more down-to-earth than other celebrities I had met. Who would have thought that in 1980, when we held our room parties, the convention guests would attend and act like they'd known us for a long time?

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

I never really favored one actor over another. Each actor brings their own something special to the show.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I can remember being on vacation in 1975 at a dude ranch in Arizona and worrying about missing the next episode. Thankfully, they did have it on one of their stations.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Over the years, I've made a few friends who like the show, but I've lost touch with almost everyone I knew back then. The ones I stayed connected with the longest were also fans of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., but as we aged and real life took over, we lost touch.

Back in 2020, Rosie Badgett persuaded me to join the Space: 1999 Fandom page on Facebook. On that group's page, I have posted photos and shared memories from attending the early conventions. Through them, I have reconnected with some of the fans who knew me back then and also met other fans who never had the chance to meet me.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

Over the years, I have amassed a collection of various items related to the show, including books, magazines, toys, photos, newsletters, press books, program books, and more.

What will you eventually do with those items?

In 2007, I sold more than half of my collection because I was out of work. In 2024, I donated more of my collection to the 50th Anniversary Celebration for their auction. The rest of the items will be listed in my online store for sale, as I am trying to simplify things as I get older. (I did make PDFs of some of the material for reference and to share.)

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

The cards and letters I received from Barry Gray.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

I won the first costume contest and had my picture taken with all the guests. Later, I discovered that a photo of me in the costume was featured in Starlog Magazine. (I believe it was issue 18.)

11

CLAUDIA COMBS

IT’S ALL BARRY MORSE’S FAULT

Where are you from?

I was born in Montana and grew up there and in New Mexico. I currently live in West Virginia.

What's your background?

I joined the U.S. Navy in 1984 and served eight years, stationed on two Destroyer Tenders and two years of shore duty. On my first ship, the USS Sierra, I made two deployments: one to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and another to the Mediterranean Sea. On my second ship, the USS Shenandoah, I made a second deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. I have also worked in retail, first for Walmart and West Building Materials in Florida (now out of business), and for 20 years at Lowe's Home Improvement, primarily in the Paint and Electrical departments.

When did you become a fan of the show?

In 1975, with my first episode, “End of Eternity”.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was 12 years old.

What drew you to the show?

In the summer of ‘75, I saw one of the short station promos and thought it looked very interesting. I only saw it once, and at 12 years of age, I was busy with my friends and missed “Breakaway”. The day I was home flipping channels, I landed in Balor’s cell. They were getting ready to take him to Alpha. “Hey, that's the show I wanted to see.” By the end of the episode, I was hooked. I found the premise fascinating. The whole look of the show, Moonbase Alpha, the Eagles, and the Alphans, I knew this was going to be an adventure.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other Sci-fi shows have you enjoyed over the years?

Yes, before Space: 1999, there were reruns of Lost in Space and Star Trek. My second favorite is the original Battlestar Galactica. There was Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Planet of the Apes, Logan's Run, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Airwolf, Knight Rider, all Star Trek (Deep Space Nine is my favorite), Babylon 5, Stargate SG-1, and Atlantis.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically?

Yes, after discovering Starlog magazine, I learned that I wasn't alone. I answered the letter from Jeff Jones on the mailbox page in an issue to join the International Save: 1999 Alliance – and the rest is history.

I’ve attended the Alliance conventions, written fan fiction, and built the Eagle and Hawk models. In addition to the International Space: 1999 Alliance, I was also a member of Main Mission: Alpha, the Landau-Bain Fan Association, and a member of Fanderson for a short time.

I attended the Alliance conventions in 1979 (Pittsburgh), 1980 (Columbus), 1981 (Atlanta), 1982 (Springfield), 1983 (Cincinnati), 1984 (the first unofficial Relax-a-Con in Covington, Kentucky), and the 1987 Relax-a-Con in Sandusky, Ohio. I missed the ‘85 and ‘86 conventions because of deployments in the Navy. I also attended the 1984 Landau-Bain Fan Association meeting, “A Day with Barbara Bain and Martin Landau” in Los Angeles, the 2000 Main Mission: 2000 in New York, and the 2001 Tampa convention.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

I remember the feeling I had at my first con in Pittsburgh: that I was surrounded by Alphans just like me. There was no name-calling or insults, just love and understanding for the show and each other. Great friendships were made.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

Through the conventions, I met all the main cast from the show (except for Tony Anholt and Clifton Jones), as well as David Prowse, Sarah Douglas, and Suzanne Roquette. My favorites were Nick Tate, Prentis Hancock, and John Hug, who hugged me. My favorite was meeting Barry Morse in Springfield. He had as many questions for us as we had for him.

Have you met any of the production crew?

I met Barry Gray in Pittsburgh and Atlanta. Johnny Byrne, Christopher Penfold, and Keith Wilson were also present at Main Mission: 2000.

How has the show affected your life?

It helped me cope when my mother passed away as a 14-year-old in 1978. I missed the first convention, but my dad said, “Maybe next year.” He knew that I was obsessed with the show, and I showed him all about it. True to his word, in July of 79, in Gallup, New Mexico, he put me on a Greyhound bus bound for Pittsburgh, and my adventures began. The conventions have given me friends and great memories. I did not choose a career path because of them.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

In the second season, I identified with Maya, being an only child, especially after losing my mother. Fortunately, my father lived much longer. Also, when I discovered that filming began on December 3rd, 1973, on my 10th birthday, Space: 1999 has always been my best birthday present.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

It’s “Black Sun,” and it's all Barry Morse’s fault! He was a great actor who brought Victor Bergman to life. The scarf, cigar, and brandy were his ideas.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

Finding it flipping channels in the middle of “End of Eternity”. “War Games” is another episode. I had a sinking feeling that it was all over, that my favorite show had been canceled way too soon. I couldn't believe it, and then the surprise ended.

Have you made friends through your association with the show? What is your relationship with those friends?

I made friends at the conventions, more like family, but like all families, through time and distance, we drifted apart. I have contacted some on Facebook, and Rosie Badgett was one of them.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What?

Oh yeah! I have books, posters, music, DVDs, calendars, magazines, models, props, a binder full of 8x10 and 3x5 photos sold by the Alliance, fanzines, and autographs.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I hope to pass them on to some of the newer, younger fans so that they can enjoy them as much as I have. As Arra said, “Your journey shall know no end.”

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

The 1977 Moonbase Alpha Technical Notebook. I remember the exact moment, flipping through Starlog on a shopping trip with my parents, when I saw the advertisement, and thought, “OMG, I have got to have this!” It has traveled with me in my seabag halfway around the world on my three deployments. It's not in mint condition, but it's not bad for its age. It's also full of autographs. It's one of the items I would grab if the house were on fire.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

Wow, there are so many. The ‘80 Columbus Con comes to mind. It was on Sunday after the Closing Ceremonies, and everyone was breaking out for dinner. The word was passed that the Dead Dog party would be in the film room, and to bring blankets and pillows with you. The chairs were all pushed back, making room for us, and we watched Star Wars camped out on the floor. At the end, during the awards ceremony scene, a loud booing and hissing started coming from the back of the room. What in the world! The lights were off, and when someone turned them on, there was David Prowse in the back of the room, feet propped up, a girl in each arm, just booing and hissing away. After saying good night, I believe he had an early flight in the morning. We wondered what to watch next. To our surprise, The Empire Strikes Back started. Wait, what! It was still in the theaters. David brought us his copy to watch.

I must share this one, too, from Tampa in 2001. There was an episode watch party in one of our rooms. The room was packed, and we were about to start when Barry Morse popped up in the doorway, asking what was happening. “We’re getting ready to watch our favorite episode, “Black Sun”. He responded, “It’s my favorite episode, too! Can I join you?” So, we made room in the center of the bed and surrounded Victor Bergman himself as we explored the mysteries of the “Black Sun” together.

These are just two of the times when I had to stop and pinch myself to make sure this was really happening.

Anton Phillips and Claudia Combs, 1978

12

KATHRYN RILEY CUGLIETTA

I WAS NOT, IN FACT, THE ONLY WEIRDO LIKE ME

Kathryn and Barbara Bain

Where are you from?

Florida.

What’s your background?

I graduated with a history major. (I never used it) and worked in the health insurance field.

When did you become a fan of the show?

When it first aired.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

About 15 years old.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I was a fan of Mission: Impossible as a child. If Martin Landau and Barbara Bain had not been in the show, I’m not sure whether I would have watched it or not. I do like some sci-fi shows/movies, but it’s not the main genre I watch.

What sci-fi programs have you enjoyed over the years?

Star Wars, Star Trek, some Battlestar Galactica, Lost in Space (as a child; other Dr. Smiths have not appealed to me after Jonathon Harris’ take), The Andromeda Strain, and Alien (the first two).

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

I had no idea there was a fandom until about 2010. One day, I did an internet search for both shows and found there were other people like me. I discovered I was not, in fact, the only weirdo like me, as my husband contended.

I discovered fan fiction fairly quickly and thought, "I can do that." And so, I did under a “nom de plume”. I found the old Yahoo groups. Some were fun and informative, some not so much. But that’s where I first made contact with people who would become dear friends. I don’t know what I would have done without many of them during the past few years.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

Yes – Los Angeles, 2012; New Jersey, 2017; Pennsylvania, 2019; and London, 2024.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Staying up late, drinking, talking, and laughing with friends I don’t get to see nearly often enough.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Barbara Bain, Nick Tate, Anton Phillips, Yasuko Nogamuzi, Suzanne Peterson, and in London, Clifton Jones, Jack Klaff, Suzanne’s son, Justin, Tony Anholt’s son, Christian, and all too briefly – Julian Glover and Isla Blair were adorable and delightful.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Barbara Bain is, and always will be, my favorite. She was my idol when I was six. I wanted to be a spy. I did not achieve that goal (and if I did, I wouldn’t say it here). Thanks to being lucky enough to become acquainted with, and then friends with, Rosie Badgett, Paul Bens, Becky Eisenhuth, and Karen Chiello, I was in the right place at the right time to get to meet and spend time with Barbara on what has now turned out to be multiple occasions. I will go so far as to say that we are friends, which is not an outcome I would ever have imagined at age six.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

Thanks to my friend Robert Wood, I was able to spend a fair amount of time with Christopher Penfold at the 2019 Con. What a lovely gentleman he was! He was still so excited all these years on about the show, about writing in general, and enthusiastic about hanging out with the fans. He was very sweet. I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to know him even briefly.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

I am very fond of “Black Sun”. I know most people pick that one, but for good reason.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

As already mentioned, I have made friends through this fandom that I would never have had otherwise. And all of those already mentioned, plus Charlene Scott, Katy Nicholls, Anita Frackenpohl, Isobel Hoy, Dallas Hadaway, MaryEllen Campbell, Frieda Verbaenen, Patti Boechler, Warren Friedrich, Roy Bjellquist, Chris Paulsen, Franny Goldstein, Karen Cheshire, Diana Campisi, Steve Warnek, and Bob Koutsopoulsos, have all been instrumental over the past six months at varying moments as I have tried to regain my equilibrium after losing my husband to his years-long battle with depression. Each of these people has been there in different ways, several of whom were at a particular event I attended as well, to help take my mind off things. I am blessed to have several nearby friends and wonderful neighbors, but the time I spent with my Space family has meant the world and been priceless. I am in contact with most of these people over Zoom, but nothing compares to the all-too-rare time we spend together.

What is your relationship with those friends? Do you see them or correspond regularly?

Not nearly often enough. I also treasure the time (years ago) when Charlene Scott, Tony Wynn, Ellen, and Michael Lindow, along with me, all attended a show together in downtown Clearwater, Florida. Yet another lovely night out that I would never have experienced if not for finding this fandom.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items? What will you eventually do with them?

Autographed photos, several books, a couple of Eagles, including the old, large playset with action figures. Hell, I don’t know what I’m going to do with any of it eventually! Probably try to palm it all off on Katy (Nicholls).

What is your most treasured memory of a person, an event, or a happening that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

The second time I had lunch with Barbara Bain, she recognized me and recalled a great deal about me. However, it had been two years since our first meeting! Getting invited to sit in on a class at The Actors Studio in Los Angeles that Martin was teaching (thanks to Charlene Scott). His insights and instructions to the students presenting their work were genuinely fascinating. More recently, it’s been Barbara telling me multiple times that I’m a good writer. (No, she has NOT read my fanfic!)

13

MONA DELITSKY

LUCKY YOU!

Dr. Mona L. Delitsky

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in New York City.

What’s your background?

My professional background is in science. Chemistry fascinated me from a very young age, and I decided I wanted to be a chemist when I was 10 years old. I attended college and graduate school, where I studied chemistry and atmospheric science, including the atmospheres of planets in the solar system other than Earth.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I became a fan of the show when it was first broadcast in 1975. I was a poor college student at the time and watched it on a black-and-white television.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was in my 20s.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I had been a fan of Star Trek (The Original Series), and when I heard there would be a new science fiction show, I watched it and fell in love with Space: 1999. I loved the characters, the actors, the stories, the drama, the humor, and the setting of the Moonbase. And I thought Martin Landau was a real hottie in his Commander Koenig uniform!

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

I was mainly a fan of Star Trek (The Original Series). I watched it as a kid when it was originally broadcast in 1966-1969. Star Trek inspired me to be a scientist. The idea of the Moonbase and all the scientists working and living together in space was an exciting prospect for the future.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically?

I started publishing COSMOCONNECTION, a science fiction fanzine, around 1975. It had stories and articles from a few different science fiction shows. Star Trek (The Original Series), Space: 1999, The Prisoner, and other shows. My writers wrote all the fiction stories using the characters from the shows. I was the editor, but I wrote some stories, too. I also had four to five artists who did terrific space art to illustrate the fanzine, drawings of aliens, spaceships, Star Trek and Space: 1999 characters and settings; the Moonbase, the Eagles, etc. This was all volunteer work – nobody got paid. We did art and writing because we loved all these shows. I had to fit in all the work of assembling the fanzine while I was very busy in graduate school. There were five issues of COSMOCONNECTION published between 1975-1980. We had subscribers all around the country.

At that time, Chuck Raue published a letter zine in Alabama. This was a fanzine where he would include your name and address at the top of your letter, and you could discuss any aspect of Space: 1999. Your favorite episodes, actors, anything. It was called Comloc. That is how I met Chuck Raue, Ted Hruschak, and Jeff Jones. I called all of them on the phone (there was no internet in those days). You had to call Information at the phone company to get numbers. We eventually became friends and formed the committee to organize the first Space: 1999 convention in Columbus, Ohio, in 1978. We had never met each other! We all lived in different cities. We organized everything remotely, with Jeff making all the local arrangements since he lived in Columbus.

In 1977, I went to England for the first time on vacation. I stayed in London. I contacted several of the actors from the show and actually met some of them!

The description of this trip was published in an issue of COSMOCONNECTION and in Comloc. I met up with Prentis Hancock and Clifton Jones one afternoon at a restaurant. They were great! We talked and laughed for hours. Photos from this meeting are in the fanzine. A few days later, I called up Barry Morse. (Amazingly, phone numbers for all these actors were in the phone book or could be gotten from an operator.) He invited me to their flat in Pall Mall, where I had tea and scones with Barry and his wife. It was incredible. They were so kind. I had a lovely conversation with them. After a while, I told Barry I was heading to a venue nearby to hear a free classical music concert that evening by the “Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields”, a small, well-known chamber orchestra. Barry was impressed. As I headed out, I remember him saying, “Lucky you!”.

I contacted Suzanne Roquette (who played Tanya), and we met and had lunch at a restaurant. Very nice lady. Then she helped me find my way to Zienia Merton’s house. Zienia had invited me to come over, and we had dinner, talked, and laughed for hours. It was amazing. She was so funny and personable. We had a very enjoyable dinner. Zienia’s voice is a pure British accent, which was amusing to hear. On Space: 1999, she said she had to use a mixed European/Asian accent for her character, Sandra Benes. I also spoke with Tony Anholt and Anton Phillips on the phone that week, but didn’t get to meet them. They were both nice and provided a lot of information about their experiences on the show. When I returned from the trip to England, I had generated interest from most of the actors I had met or spoken to about attending the 1978 Space: 1999 convention we planned for the following year. My trip and contacts were real. The reason we had so many British actors there was that I had met them personally.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

I attended at least three conventions. In 1978, I produced the convention in Columbus, Ohio, along with the other three convention committee members, Jeff, Chuck, and Ted. I attended the Breakaway Space: 1999 convention in Los Angeles in 1999. That was so cool. And the Space: 1999 convention in Los Angeles in 2012.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Listening to the panel discussions with the actors and writers. Watch my favorite Space: 1999 episodes with other fans there.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

It was so exciting to see Martin Landau at the 2012 convention. He was great on the panels. He was incredibly funny and entertaining at the 1978 convention, telling great stories about the show. Gerry Anderson was there at the first convention and was also very funny and entertaining. We also had Barry Gray there. He was the composer who did the music for Space: 1999. He was very nice. I enjoyed seeing Prentis Hancock at the 2012 convention. He remembered me! He recalled the lunch I had with him and Clifton Jones in 1977.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

Yes. At the three conventions. Just wonderful.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Martin Landau was my favorite actor in the show. He had so much charisma and presence as Commander Koenig, and he was also so loving and romantic with Dr Russell, played by Barbara Bain (his true-life wife). I also loved Barry Morse, who played Professor Victor Bergman. I love the scenes where he is writing equations on his transparent blackboard.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

We met some writers. I remember talking to Johnny Byrne, who was very nice.

How has the show affected your life? Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

I was already studying chemistry, as well as atmospheric and planetary sciences, in graduate school. I eventually became a space scientist doing research related to the solar system. I loved the idea of scientists living and working together on a Moonbase.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

Professor Victor Bergman was a kind of role model to me. He was very enthusiastic about science, and that inspired me to keep studying and eventually become a space scientist.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

“The Black Sun” (hands down, the best episode), “Breakaway”, “Missing Link”, “Voyager’s Return”, “Collision Course”, “The Last Sunset”, and “War Games”.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

Watching the show on the big screen at conventions with other fans was so enjoyable. Everybody oohed and aahed at the same time at the dramatic or exciting scenes. It was great to finally be with others who share my love for this show.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Yes, I made some friends at the 1999 convention in Los Angeles with whom I am still friends. We all love Space: 1999. We live in distant cities, but we have met up in their city or my city many times since then.

What is your relationship with those friends? Do you see or correspond with them regularly

We still keep in touch 25 years later. We keep in touch by email and phone. And occasionally, we have been able to meet up.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? If so, what?

I still have the Space: 1999 paperback books from the 1970s, published after the show was on, which had some of the episodes written out as novels. I have some of the little “baseball cards” that have Space: 1999 scenes on them. I have a foot-long Eagle spacecraft model made out of metal on my windowsill, so I see it every day. I have multiple copies of the fanzine that I published with Space: 1999 stories and art. I have a commlock made from wood that I bought at a convention years ago, and I have glossy photos of the actors in scenes from Space: 1999.

What will you eventually do with those items?

Have always saved them. I have no plans to give them away or sell them.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

A glossy photo of Martin Landau as Commander Koenig that he autographed for me.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or an event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

I remember Martin Landau being very kind at the 1978 convention. He hugged everybody on the committee that had organized the convention and thanked us. He was a great hugger.

14

ANTHONY DIPIETRO

MY SPACE: 1999 LIFE

Anthony DiPietro

I want to share my Space: 1999 life with you. I currently live in a small town about 50 miles south of the city I grew up in, and where I first watched Space: 1999. Oddly, I don’t recall seeing any advertisements for the show back in the day. My best friend at the time was into everything movies and TV (he probably still is!), so I’m guessing he told me about the series. And am I glad he did; I became a fan of the show right from the start!

I can’t pinpoint precisely what initially drew me into the series, but being 11 years old in 1975, my best guess is the Eagles and the explosions! The stories also enthralled me. They were quite good (for the most part). The best combination was a solid story supported by superb special effects. You could have a solid story without superb special effects (“Voyager’s Return”), but the opposite was hardly true (“Space Warp”).

BEFORE SPACE: 1999

Before we go any further into my Space: 1999 story, I think I should discuss my general love for science fiction. I consider myself more of a visual guy, so a good deal of my science fiction interests lie in movie/TV science fiction. My first sci-fi crush was Lost in Space. I loved the Jupiter 2 spacecraft and the B9 Robot (still do!). The characters were all on point, except the overbearing Doctor Smith. I was less thrilled with the stories as time passed, but it was a fun adventure series through and through. And the music – wow. Land of the Giants was another favorite series. Batman ‘66 was a huge favorite of mine (and still is). I loved the Saturday morning fare, especially the science fiction stuff like Ark II and Space Academy, but also superhero shows like ISIS and Shazam. Of course, many of the classic science fiction movies of the time, like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Planet of the Apes, are high on my favorites list. In general, if it had a sci-fi/fantasy feel to it, I was there. I did do some reading – I recall Lucifer’s Hammer among a handful of sci-fi books I read. A lot of the books I read back then were the novelizations and/or the original source material of the TV shows and movies I had seen.

Okay, that gives you some grounding of where I was pre-Space:1999, so let’s get back on track.…

SPACE: 1999 – THE EARLY YEARS

When Space: 1999 first aired, there was a lot of excitement, which garnered extensive coverage. As a result, I became somewhat immersed in Space: 1999 from magazines to books to fan clubs. I scrounged up Starlog #2 with the now iconic Space: 1999 cover. I continued to purchase the magazine until after they dropped Gerry Anderson’s column. I joined fan clubs as my limited funds would permit – most notably the International Save: 1999 Alliance, which later became the International Space: 1999 Alliance after our efforts to save the series failed miserably. There’s an amusing story related to this fan club. After reading a Starlog article on special effects in the movies, I thought I could be a columnist answering fans' questions about how the special effects were done in Space: 1999 (I would “simply” refer to this Starlog article and answer the question!). I sent in my letter with a sample column, but sadly, it was rejected as I made some mistakes in my sample column (uh oh!). I wish I had saved all that material, as it would make be a fun memory to revisit. By the way, I have several issues of the “Main Mission” newsletter. They are a real hoot to check out on occasion.

In seventh grade (12 years old), we had to do an oral report, and I chose Space: 1999! My favorite school magazine, Dynamite, had just done a cover and story, with pictures, about Space: 1999. I cut up the magazine (UGH!) and pasted the pictures on a cardboard poster. I don’t recall if I put any captions or other wording on it. I used that as a prop for my speech. I remember answering some questions from the class – I think one of the students asked where they (Alphans) got their food, and I think I mentioned that they grew it.

I also made my fair share of models in those days, and Space: 1999 was part of the collection – I recall making an Eagle, Moonbase Alpha, and a Hawk. If I remember correctly, the Eagle was the one that lasted the longest, the other two having long been discarded. I think there was an alien mobile or something that was being passed off as a Space: 1999 model, but I don’t recall if I bought it or not. And for those of you old enough to remember, there was a Gerry Anderson model called the “Starcruiser 1,” supposedly based on a new series Gerry was creating. It was a fairly cool model – Google it!

In 1982, a convention was hosted in my state. Imagine the excitement when I found out about it! My older sibling drove us to the convention site, and it turned out to be a bit of a disaster! I didn’t know anyone and was very introverted, so I didn’t make any connections. As I tried to sleep that night, I heard some commotion in the hallway. I checked the “peephole” and saw people dressed in costumes, and it freaked me out! We left the next morning. I still have the poster, though, and I got a post-con report, which I think I still have (I hope!). I wish there were a way to retrieve any memories I might have – I would want to know if I attended the opening ceremony, at least?

SPACE: 1999 – THE MIDDLE YEARS

Fast forward about 10 years... It’s the early 90s. The fan clubs have largely folded as the Internet has taken their place. I got an Alliance mailing about the upcoming J2 VHS release of the series. How exciting! I checked some local stores and found them. I hadn’t seen the episodes in years (I had the Sybil Danning VHS tapes, but those weren’t as treasured as these). Only four episodes were released before they stopped. I think the premature end was partly due to the episodes they chose (“Voyager’s Return”, “Matter of Life and Death”, “Earthbound”, and “Guardian of Piri”) – with the exception of Guardian, the others are “duds” in the sense that they don’t really showcase the strengths of the series – namely, SFX and groovy story lines.

Just before the dawn of the new millennium, Columbia House Video released the series on VHS in a more proper manner – here, we received two episodes per tape (Year One and Year Two), uncut and complete. While the Year Two episodes chosen were all pretty good, the Year One episodes were a mixed bag of good (“Breakaway”, “Black Sun”, “Mission of the Darians”) and “bad” (“Earthbound”, “Ring Around the Moon”, and “Alpha Child”). Sadly, only 10 tapes (20 episodes) were released. Needless to say, I grabbed all of them (only to later sell them off in favor of the DVD sets).

I almost forgot! Image Entertainment released nearly the entire series on Laserdisc! I had been interested in this newer video format for some time, but pricing held me back. With the release of Space: 1999, there was no longer an excuse not to plunge headfirst into laserdiscs. I eventually bought the entire collection (Bringers was never released) – at quite a price! It was the best home video release yet of our beloved series. With technology constantly changing, all things Space: 1999 were about to go light speed….

SPACE: 1999 – THE MODERN ERA

As the new millennium dawned, Space: 1999 would see a rebirth of sorts. First, A&E released the entire series on DVD! Exciting times – again, a new format I was eager to try out. Unfortunately, it was not the best remastering of our favorite series, but it was better than nothing. And Space: 1999 being released at all was something short of a miracle. Later, we got the first season on Blu-ray – WOW! The series never looked so good – perhaps not even this good on its first transmission all those decades ago. As I write, fandom eagerly awaits a 4K release due in the fall.

I should mention that I was very active in the online discussion groups that emerged to replace the “snail mail” fan clubs of the 1970s. At one point, I served as the moderator of the Yahoo! group “Online Alpha.” I've moved the group over to Facebook, so please check us out! The online groups were certainly centers of heated emotions back in the day – I made friends and enemies at lightning speed! These days, things are a little more sedate for the most part. The modern Era has also seen a surprisingly resurgent Convention movement, so I may as well tell you about my modern Con experiences.…

THE CONVENTIONS – 1999 TO PRESENT

Sometime in the late 90s, I received a mailing from the (then semi-defunct) International Space: 1999 Alliance – they had previously mailed members about the J2 VHS release (see above). Now, they were mailing with more exciting news – a Space: 1999 Con to celebrate “Breakaway Day” in September 1999 – on the actual dates the series takes place! Wow! I was part of an online discussion group, and many members were excited to attend this upcoming Con. I ended up making some friends off this list (more on that later) and was scheduled to attend the Con, but unfortunately couldn’t make it.

The next Con was being held the following year in New York City – I doubled down and made sure I attended this one! The friends I had made online earlier were also attending, so it was going to be something special to finally put faces to names (the internet was still young, and uploading pictures was a pain in the butt). This Convention was a far cry from the 1982 Convention. I had reached out and made friends with whom I could do things and hang out during the Con. I was slightly (ever so) more mature this time around, so things went much more smoothly. Thanks to everyone I encountered that weekend for making this “first” Con a positive memory for me.

I followed up 2000 in New York with 2001 in Tampa. This was a much smaller, intimate Con but no less enjoyable – it may have been a little more enjoyable because it was small. My group of friends was together more than we were in NYC (fewer places to hide in a small Con!), and the laughs barely stopped all weekend.

In 2002, three of us boarded a bus bound for New York City to see Gerry Anderson, who A&E was hosting to promote the various Anderson DVD sets. We met up with two other fan-friends, and the five of us went to Virgin Records, where Gerry was seated at a table signing memorabilia. Our small group took some photos of the event, got some memorabilia signed, and enjoyed dinner. The store had Thunderbirds playing on multiple monitors simultaneously. As an aside, the three of us who arrived by bus stayed overnight in the same hotel that hosted the NYC Con a year earlier.

I missed 2003, but I was back in 2005, in Tampa, followed by 2010 in Texas, and 2012 in Burbank. I had a small Con pause until I went to 2017, NJ, and 2019, PA.

CON – Q & A

Give me a spotlight and there’s a real danger I could go on for days. To prevent that from happening, I thought I’d conduct a Con Q&A to summarize my experience.

What is your favorite thing to do at the Conventions?

As I mentioned earlier, reconnecting with fellow fans and forming new connections is my favorite thing to do.

Why do you attend the Conventions?

I attend the Cons to reconnect with the fan friends I have made over the years. Yes, it’s fun to sit and listen to the Con Guests tell us their stories about working on the series, but honestly, I’m not much of a “fanboy,” and there’s a real disconnect for me seeing the stars 50 years later from when they appeared on the show. I can’t wrap my head around it for some reason. Plus, how much does one remember from 50 years ago? It’s also a good excuse to travel – sadly, I haven’t done any cons outside the US, but there’s always hope. And there have been times when new products are announced, etc., which is always a treat.

Who were your favorite Guests to interact with?

I really don’t “interact” with the guests; I usually blend into the background. Even though I’m not a fanboy, I do get nervous around the Guests (maybe I am a fanboy?) and tend not to interact with them much. Overall, they have been a solid bunch of folks. It was nice to “meet” them, even from afar. Actually, this is not quite accurate, as I have met and interacted with Suzanne Peterson. Such a nice person and guest!

Who is your favorite actor from the show and why?

Let me say that all actors on the series did a fine job with the material they were given to work with, though the more I watch him, the more impressed I am with Barry Morse. Barry seemed to inhabit the character of Professor Bergman unlike any of the other cast members. It’s almost like Barry wasn’t acting – he WAS Professor Bergman. That’s the best way I can describe it.

Have you met any of the Production crew?

Yes, again, as guests of the various Conventions over the years – not one-on-one (except Suzanne Peterson). They’ve all been wonderful to hear from and are usually passionate about the work they did on the series, which is heartwarming considering they worked on it so long ago. I do regret missing the one chance to see Sylvia Anderson live at the 2014 UK Con, as she was someone I was really interested in hearing from.

SPACE: 1999 – THE COLLECTION

No fan story would be complete without mentioning the memorabilia that one usually collects along the way. And my story is no different. My collection is a collection of collections, really – with the one common theme being Space: 1999. I’ll provide a brief background where necessary.

Books:

Starlog Tech Manual – this has been one of my prized collectibles from the start. When I saw it advertised, I knew I had to get it, and luckily, I did! I have held on to it for all these years. While I don’t look at it often, just knowing it’s there is heartwarming.

Novelizations – I grabbed these paperbacks almost as soon as each one came out. From the color picture on the cover with the iconic Eagle hovering above to the absolutely fab picture section in the middle (even in black and white, the pictures are awesome!), these books were warmly treasured – until I was 17, that is. Believe it or not, I was fully mature at 17 and decided that I didn’t need “kid” things anymore – including a rather large collection of paperback books I had acquired over the years. So, I began ripping and tossing them away, including the complete set of Year 1 and Year 2 Space: 1999 novelizations! UGH! I really could go back and slap myself silly over that decision! I ended up buying the Year 1 books at used bookstores decades later, when I decided that I was still a kid!

I’ll also mention The Making of Space: 1999 book here, as it was released around the same time as the novelizations. Believe it or not, I tossed THAT book out too – ARGH!! I did manage to find a copy to buy back.

Italian Picture Books – Back in 1979, I visited Italy for the summer and saw a Space: 1999 hardcover book filled with pictures and Italian words – I just had to have it! I still have that book along with the other books in that series (I acquired them in the ‘90s through online contacts) – they are a nice addition, but truth be told, the pictures are very pixelated. But, with little visual material back in the day, these were worthy enough for the collection.

Fan Club Newsletters – I have a small collection of Main Mission newsletters that I have held on to over the years. If I get a chance, I’ll check them out again. They’re fun to read, and it’s surprising to see one or two fans from today in these old newsletters from 40+ years ago!

The Vault – I bought this book a few years ago when it was released, and, believe it or not, I have yet to open it! I must do that soon.

Trading Cards:

Topps – This set holds a special place in my heart and s probably the most nostalgic thing I have (besides all the other nostalgic collectibles!). Way back in the day, I remember visiting a small corner store just a few blocks from where I lived. When I saw the box of these card packs for sale, I immediately grabbed a pack or two! IIRC, the series was either off the air at the time or Year 2 hadn’t been broadcast yet. I’m pretty sure I went back to that store to grab a few more packs. I don’t think I ever had a complete set until the 2000s when I got back into trading card collecting (ironically via a set of Lost in Space card packs I saw at the local mall!) and was able to finish it off. I’ve since bought two more sets via eBay. I even bought a complete box! I opened all the packs – the gum slightly ruined the top card in each pack, though. But what fun! With all the various cards I had left over from the box, I was able to help a fellow fan complete her set.

Unstoppable Cards – I bought a complete box of Series 1. I think I only purchased sets of Series 2 and 4. Sadly, I missed out on Series 3, and it has been a real challenge to acquire it. It’s made up of mostly behind-the-scenes photos, and few fans are selling sets – and if they are, the price is out of this world. If you have a spare Set 3 that costs less than an arm and a leg, let me know!

Visual Media:

VHS – I mentioned above the several VHS tape sets I had of the series (besides, of course, the ones I made myself when superstation WPIX broadcast butchered episodes in the early '90s).

Laserdiscs – I mentioned these before. At one point, I sold off the Year 2 set. I still have Year 1, but if anyone wants to buy them... let me know! I also found the one-off disc that was released by Image Entertainment to test the waters.

DVD/Blu-ray – When the A&E DVDs were announced, anticipation ran high. I remember my online group of fan-friends letting each other know when the next set was available for pre-order. Sadly, much of the excitement was dashed when viewing the episodes – they were generally dark and muddy. Colors were off, etc. They corrected a few episodes and released them on a special disc, but the damage had been done. Learning from this, A&E remastered Year 2, and it looked a whole lot better! The Blu-ray release of Year 1 blew everyone away! This was the best the series had ever looked! Colors were sharp and accurate, etc. It was like watching the series as if it had never been watched before. These episodes can also be found streaming, so if you get a chance, stream them and see for yourself (if you don’t have the Blu-rays, of course!). I have also acquired the Shout! Factory sets – both the DVD and Blu-ray sets.

Audio:

RCA LP – Another item from back in the day – this one is a beauty. Well, the jacket and gatefold are – the record itself is “so – so”. Some of the music featured is not from the series. Weird.

Silva Screen LP – A few years ago, Silva Screen released another set of music from Gerry Anderson’s series. Several of the releases were available in both vinyl and CD formats. I thought it would be neat to have another 1999 LP 40+ years later, so I scooped one up. I have yet to open it, but online images look good.

Fanderson CD – The first proper release of Space: 1999 music came from the UK-based Fanderson fan club, way back in 1998, I believe. I joined just to get this CD and helped a few others get it as well. Although I don’t listen to it often, it remains a landmark release in fandom.

Silva Screen CD – I have all the Silva Screen CD releases. They’re a nice, low-cost way to get the music.

Lost Collectibles/Misc.:

Are they collectibles if I no longer own them? You decide, but in the meantime, I’ll tell you what I had:

Pictures – These were available from one of the fan clubs back in the day. I can’t tell you how many I bought, but it was quite a few. For some reason, I pasted them to a posterboard (not the one I mentioned above) and hung them up, and then later decided I didn’t want it that way, so I peeled them off the board, and the backs had the posterboard paper on them! I think they got tossed in the “Great Purge of 17.” I do have a signed Barry More picture that my fan-friends sent to me after the 2008 Convention.

Magazines – I had all the Starlog magazines from back in the day that covered Space: 1999, including the one that had the Eagle blueprints! I had a few others that had Space: 1999 coverage. I have the model magazines that covered Space: 1999. A long-lost online fan-acquaintance sent me the Starlog with the Eagle blueprints! If you’re reading this – thank you!

Sales brochure – The same fan who sent the Starlog sent me this. It’s the smaller of the sales brochures used to sell the series in the US.

Poster – Speaking of Eagle blueprints, I have the big poster that has the cutaway Eagle on the launchpad. This was made and sold by an Italian fan way back in the ‘90s or early ‘00s. It’s framed and hanging on a wall!

Wow! I didn’t realize how much I had. Of course, there are fans that have double this, but I liked what I got and got what I liked. So there. If I missed out on anything, I’ll add it to the second edition of my Space: 1999 story coming out soon! Not sure what I’ll do with it when the time comes, but if anyone is interested in it – put your dibs in now!

SPACE: 1999 – THE PERSONAL SIDE

I thought I'd get a little more personal before I wrap up my Space: 1999 life story.

As you may have guessed, Space: 1999 has held a special place in my heart for the better part of 50 years. My interest in the series has waned at times, but the spark has never completely gone out. I have met many fan friends over the years – a small subset of whom have become close friends. Although we don’t communicate as often, we were a tight-knit group in the early 2000s. I miss those times – they hold another special place in my heart. And, speaking of friends and treasured memories, there’s an event from some time in the past that greatly affected our group’s dynamics from that point forward. I won’t get into any details here, but calling that particular time “bittersweet” would not begin to describe it. But such is fandom life.

My fascination with science fiction, computers, and technology led me to work with computers, which I did for a fraction of my working life. However, things didn’t go quite as planned (or unplanned, in my case!), so I’m no longer in the technology field.

My favorite episode sometimes varies, but “Black Sun” is usually in the top five. I truly believe that “Black Sun” encapsulates everything that Space: 1999 was meant to be – a solid story (series) about a group of humans unexpectedly thrown into deep space, having to deal with a life-threatening event, and ultimately succeeding. While later episodes would bring their own awe and wonder, nothing topped “Black Sun” in that regard.

Two memories that stand out from my childhood viewing are: 1) the birth of baby Jackie in “Alpha Child”, and 2) the opening scenes on Ultima Thule when Jack and Dr Rowland contact Moonbase Alpha in “Death’s Other Dominion”. I still get the “warm fuzzies” when viewing those scenes.

Speaking of “Death’s Other Dominion”, I’d love to see a stage performance of this episode. The dialogue is so crisp and Shakespeare-like that I think it would make a great stage play.

Like many fans, I love the Eagle, especially the medical version, but I hate the Lab Eagle with a passion! The Mark IX Hawks are another favorite. All the alien ships were equally good, so I don’t have a standout favorite in that group.

I want to thank you for taking the time to read my Space: 1999 Life story. I hope to add to it for many years to come! In closing, I wanted to share a quote I created that I feel describes my 50-year relationship with Space: 1999….

“I came for the special effects but stayed for the stories.”

15

ESTON DUNN

I LOVED THE METAPHYSICAL ASPECTS OF THE SCRIPTS

Barry Morse, Terry Lee, and Eston Dunn, Breakaway, 1999

Where are you from?

I’m originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, but I have lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, and Manhattan, New York. I now live in North Miami Beach, Florida.

What’s your background?

I’ve been a professional actor since the age of seven and a professional writer since the age of 14. I hold a BFA in Fine Arts and a BSE in Exercise Science and Wellness from Florida Atlantic University, as well as an MS in Health Science from Stafford University. I am a licensed massage therapist in Florida and a Continuing Education Provider. I am currently a professor of biomedical science at the Atlantic Institute of Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and an instructor of massage therapy at McFatter Technical College in Davie, Florida. I also participate in online continuing education for Allied Health through Universalclass.com.

When did you become a fan of the show?

When it premiered in the USA in 1975.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was 11 years old when I started watching Season 1.

What drew you to the show?

I adored the cinematography, sets, costumes, and international cast. The plot lines as well. And let’s not forget the look of Moonbase Alpha and the Eagles! I also remember Barbara Bain and Martin Landau from Mission: Impossible, and I remembered Catherine Schell from her appearance in the James Bond Movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, as well as Barry Morse from The Fugitive – they also drew me to the show, too.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs?

I was drawn to sci-fi with Lost in Space (the first season) and Land of the Giants. Prior to that, I was hooked on Westerns with shows like The Big Valley.

Are there any other sci-fi shows you have enjoyed over the years?

Since Space: 1999, other sci-fi shows that I’ve enjoyed (and was involved in as a spec writer) were the original Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Science fiction shows are the first to draw my attention, second only to comedies. But that’s not to say that if I wasn’t ‘involved’ in a show, I was not enjoying it, such as Planet of the Apes (1974), Mork & Mindy (1978), ALF (1986), the Stargate franchise, Sanctuary, Terra Nova, Almost Human, SeaQuest DSV, V: The Final Battle (1984), the Star Trek franchise, and The Orville (2017)… just to name a few.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

I joined (I am not sure if the first) Space: 1999 fandom club and the Facebook group Gaybase Alpha. I was also one of the ‘behind the scenes’ staging actors for Main Mission: 2000 in NYC, where I had the honor of meeting Catherine Schell, Christopher Penfold, Prentis Hancock, John Hug, Zienia Merton, Barry Morse, and Keith Wilson.

Attendance at conventions, fan fic writing, model building, video creation, meeting the actors, fan clubs for the actors?

In addition to Main Mission 2000, I have also attended Space: 1999 conventions in Calgary, Canada; Tampa, Florida; and Burbank, California, in the USA. I was also honored to participate in the Pinewood Studio Convention, where I was fortunate enough to meet Shane Rimmer (and his wife), Gerry Anderson, and Johnny Byrne, as well as reconnect with Zienia Merton and Barry Morse. Even though I could not attend London: 1999, I was part of the preliminary planning of that convention.

How has the show affected your life?

Because of Space: 1999, I have continued being a professional actor and writer.

Since writing spec-scripts for the 3rd season of Space: 1999, I’ve taken those storylines (and those also not purchased by Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers) and morphed them into my own stories into a 14-book series entitled Echelon’s End – of which a good portion is dedicated to Space: 1999 actors and fellow fans. I’ve also expanded into playwriting with two anthology play books with individually released plays from them.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

Yes. It’s propelled me in the entertainment industry as well as the biomedical field.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

I loved the metaphysical aspects of the scripts (especially Season 1). I also wish I had a superpower: metamorphosis!

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

Not just one… several. Here’s my Fav List:

S1. Breakaway

S1. War Games

S1. Death's Other Dominion

S1. Dragon's Domain

S1. Mission of the Darians

S1. Black Sun

S1. Guardian of Piri

S1. Earthbound

S1. The Last Sunset

S1. The Troubled Spirit

S1. The Testament of Arkadia

S2. The Metamorph

S2. One Moment of Humanity

S2. New Adam, New Eve

S2. The Rules of Luton

(The scenes between Maya and Koenig when they discuss their histories.)

S2. The AB Chrysalis

S2. The Beta Cloud

S2. The Lambda Factor

S2. The Séance Spectre

S2. Dorzak

S2. The Immunity Syndrome

S2. The Dorcons

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Yes. Many associations, from Shane Rimmer and his wife to Johnny Byrne and Keith Wilson (and his partner) to other major players in the Space: 1999 fandom, such as Christopher Crowley-Paulsen, Tim Mallet, Ken Scott, Warren F. Friedrich, and Charlene Scott, to name a few. I listed my fellow ‘Alphans’ in Book 9’s dedication page within my Echelon’s End book series.

What is your relationship with those friends?

Of late, distant. I keep in touch with a few via Facebook.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show?

Yes. I have too many Eagle models and their supporting pieces, such as two launch pads and a hangar bay, to name just a few of my collectibles. I also have the action figure dolls, all the books, and even a refurbished Mattel Eagle.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I’ll have to donate them to a science fiction museum in my will.

What are your most treasured memorabilia items?

I have autographs from several of the leads in the show, such as Zienia Merton and Catherine Schell.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or an event, that occurred about, because of, or regarding the show?

Participating in Main Mission: 2000 Convention’s Space: 1999 Writer's Summit, acting with Barry Morse at the Tampa, Florida, convention in a reading of Christopher Crowley-Paulsen’s Space: 1999 remake script. Another treasured memory is the entire experience at Pinewood Studios – conferring with Johnny Byrne on a remake script for Space: 1999 (a revival script entitled Space: 2099, Breakaway) and going to Windsor to tour Keith Wilson’s home and studio (along with Christopher Crowley-Paulsen).

Eston and the boys at Main Mission in 2000

16

NANCY EHLE

THE FIRST SCI-FI SHOW I REMEMBER WATCHING

Nancy in the Eagle cockpit in London 2024

Where are you from?

I grew up on a farm in northwest Saskatchewan, Canada, near a village called Pierceland. I currently reside in Calgary, Alberta.

What’s your background?

After high school, I attended a business college in Lloydminster, Alberta, where I obtained several diplomas, including an Accounting Technician diploma. I worked as a bookkeeper for several years for an auto-industrial parts supplier and a trucking company. I spent four years working in administration for a drug and alcohol recovery centre before relocating to Calgary in 1993. Calgary has been my home since then. I’ve worked in various industries in an administrative capacity, including janitorial, wholesale window and door supplies, and I spent 15 years working for one of Canada’s two Class 1 Railways. In 2012, I obtained a certification as a group fitness instructor. I started my own fitness business, which I run, and I also work part-time as an Administrative Support Specialist for a commercial trade printer.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I watched the show when it aired in Canada in the mid-70s. I used to sneak downstairs under the guise of needing to use the washroom and watch from the living room doorway until one of my parents ordered me back to bed!

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I would have been around 8-9 years old, but I’m guessing, as I don’t know what specific year it was broadcast in my area.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I could hear the sound effects and the Series 1 music from my bedroom—the sounds of Eagles lifting off, Commlocks opening doors, the travel tube… That’s what initially grabbed my attention, and I was intrigued when I came down and saw what my parents and older siblings were watching. A base on the moon! The launchpads! The Travel Tube! Main Mission! The corridors of Alpha! The EAGLES! It was all so different from anything I’d seen before, and I was hooked. The sets were amazing, and all these years later, I still wish I could have seen them firsthand.

The whole concept of having the technology in place to put a working base on the lunar surface was food for my young imagination—and I had a VERY vivid imagination! One thing I remember noticing, even as a child, was the diversity in personnel - people from a variety of nationalities working together, which makes perfect sense given the nature of the operation. I loved hearing the different accents as a child.

When the show was moved to a Saturday afternoon timeslot, I never missed an episode, and I was crushed when it went off the air. It stayed with me for many, many years, perhaps because I was so young and impressionable when I watched it, and as I said, it fed my imagination! In the early 1990s, I was thrilled beyond belief when a Canadian TV network announced that it would be airing the series on Saturday mornings, and I bought my first VHS machine to record it. I never imagined that I’d ever see it again… and now look at us—we have access to so many classic TV shows today.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Space: 1999 was the first Sci-Fi show I remember watching, and in some ways, I felt spoiled having been exposed to such amazing sets and special effects given the time it was made. I saw Star Trek after Space: 1999 and thought, “What the heck is this?” The special effects were nothing in comparison, save maybe the transporter effect—that was cool. I do enjoy watching them now with an appreciation for what they had to work with back in the day.

Years later, I was thrilled when I heard that Star Trek: The Next Generation was being released, knowing that by then, special effects would have advanced significantly from the original. I loved it—especially Patrick Stewart—he was the perfect choice to play Captain Picard. I wasn’t into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as much, but I enjoyed that series as well.

Next up was Star Trek: Voyager, and once again, I was excited, this time because I remembered Kate Mulgrew in Mrs. Columbo and knew she would ROCK the role as Captain Janeway. It remains my favorite of the Star Trek franchise, and I can’t imagine anyone else in that role—she owned it from the moment she stepped onto the set. She’s one of my favorite actors of all time.

The original Battlestar Galactica was one of my favorites, mostly because I adored Lorne Greene!

The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman are among my top favorites of all time in the science fiction/action genre. Both shows featured an excellent supporting cast, as well as notable guest stars. There were guest characters from individual episodes that I would have loved to see come back as regulars. Regarding regular cast/characters, Dr. Rudy Wells (played by Martin E. Brooks) was such a likeable guy, and Jennifer Darling had some standout scenes, such as when she found out about Steve’s bionics—her reaction was priceless, as was the way she delivered the line when asking him if he had to oil his arm… She had such a good rapport with both Lee Majors and Lindsay Wagner on screen, and she really exhibited her talent when she had to flip back and forth between Callahan and playing a Fembot (those things still creep me out!). I still enjoy watching these shows to this day.

Of course, I’ve seen the many iterations of Doctor Who over the years. If asked to choose a favorite actor as The Doctor, I’d be torn between David Tennant and Christopher Eccleston for the modern series and Tom Baker and Jon Pertwee for the classic series. One thread I enjoyed very much in the modern rendition was the addition of the character River Song, played by Alex Kingston. The character of River brought an interesting twist to the show, and Alex was superb in the role.

My Mom introduced me to UFO when she taped a few episodes for me—this would have been in the late 80s, and I hadn’t seen or heard of it. I loved it and still do! She remembered the purple wigs from when the series originally aired and knew I liked sci-fi. I eventually ordered the series on DVD. The UFOs were so cool, and I loved hearing sound effects that reminded me of Space: 1999. My two favorite characters were Alec Freeman and Virginia Lake. The show sparked a search for more productions by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, and I discovered Terrahawks (I get such a kick out of the Zeroids!),

Captain Scarlet, The Thunderbirds (of course!), and The Protectors (not Sci-Fi, but I enjoyed it nevertheless!).

Another sci-fi series I enjoyed was Babylon 5, which a fellow I was dating introduced to me. We watched a few episodes together, and I ended up buying the entire series on DVD. Others I have watched over the years include Sapphire & Steel (loved Joanna Lumley), Farscape (loved Claudia Black, especially in Stargate: SG-1), The X Files, V, Andromeda, Stargate: SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis, and Sanctuary.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically?

Thanks to social media, I only became aware of the fanbase's extent when I heard about the 2019 event in Bethlehem, PA. I couldn’t attend, but I almost broke into cartwheels when I heard a convention would be held here in Calgary in 2023. I loved every minute, taking photo after photo of the Eagles (me in a room full of Eagles? HEAVEN!). Meeting fellow fans was amazing, and finally, I had an outlet to discuss my love of the show with people who understood exactly what I was talking about and who shared my enthusiasm for the production. Given the technology available then, I have a deep appreciation for the quality of the SFX, sets, music (especially music composed by Barry Gray), props, etc. Of course, meeting Nick Tate and Yasuko Nagazumi was a highlight! I had a wonderful chat with Yasuko, who lit up like a Christmas tree when I told her I am a huge fan of Patrick Macnee and that I remembered her guest role in an episode of The New Avengers. She told me so many stories—she and her former husband, Ray Austin, were very good friends with Patrick. I never imagined that I would ever meet someone who knew Patrick Macnee personally (I adored him!)!

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

Just two: Calgary: 1999 (2023) and London: 1999 (2024).

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

I love taking photos of the displays - the models, props, costumes, and sets; Eagle 6 was definitely a highlight in London. What a work of art! It also amazes me that merchandise is still being made after all these years. I lost count of the number of times I went around the room in Calgary, shooting video footage and taking photos of the Eagles. The Eagle is my favorite ship of all time!

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

At Calgary: 1999, a bunch of us went to the airport to meet Nick Tate and Yasuko Nagazumi when they arrived—Yasuko’s reaction was priceless! She was so touched that we were there holding up her banner. We set up a photo op with the two of them in front of a bronze sculpture of five horses nearby, and someone noticed the nameplate for the statue on the floor, which read: “Breakaway.” What are the odds?

I had the honor of spending some special moments with Yasuko on the excursions, offering her my arm to cross a glass floor in the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, and seeing her awe at the dinosaur displays in the facility. We spent a few minutes together at the top of Sulphur Mountain in Banff, where she expressed, over and over, how incredibly beautiful the views were and that she had never experienced anything like it. I consider Banff to be in “my backyard,” so to speak, and it was precious to see her reactions. It made me appreciate having access to such a gorgeous place even more than I already do!

At the London 1999 event, I had the honor of sitting with Julian Glover and Isla Blair to help with photo signing and had a delightful chat with them. I had no idea they were married, and he got such a kick out of that. Isla is one of my favorite British actors, and I’ve seen her in MANY television shows over the years. We chatted about New Tricks and how well that show was cast (such talented actors!), among others. Of course, I remember Julian from his guest roles in The Avengers, one of my favorite TV shows of all time, next to Space: 1999. Julian spoke about his role in the show and his conscious decision to have the character never blink. He said that in all the years since, no one has ever mentioned it to him. Did YOU notice?

Also in London, Clifton Jones was at our table at the banquet, and it was a thrill to hear him talk about his career in the theatre. I asked him about the transition from theatre to television back in the ’60s and how actors from the theatre reacted to others moving over to television. He shared that when William Roache accepted the role of Ken Barlow in Coronation Street, everyone said, “He’ll never work again.” Of course, we are all aware of what happened, and he has remained in the role for all these years. I believe that as of this writing, Mr. Roache is in his 90s and still on the show. This led to a conversation about classic Coronation Street characters — Ena Sharples, Mini Caldwell, Annie Walker, and Elsie Tanner—what a hoot! I don’t know many people who are familiar with those characters, so it was great to chat with him about the show. I love classic television, especially from the UK!

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Yasuko Nagazumi, Isla Blair, Julian Glover, Brian Johnson, Nick Tate, Suzanne Peterson, and Clifton Jones.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

That’s a tough one! I adored Barry Morse as Victor—his accent, calm demeanor and intelligence—he was a solid character. However, I think Zienia Merton would be my top pick, mostly because she was “little and cute”—like me! Actually, I could see myself in Sandra’s role on Moonbase Alpha and thought she contributed well to the operation of Main Mission and Command Centre. I loved Zienia’s accent and her character’s competence in the show. She was treated with respect, participated in command conferences, and wasn’t afraid to speak up when she had something to contribute. She also had a great scream! I have never been able to scream like that, and I have always admired those who can do it.

One thing that puzzled me originally was why Sandra fainted in Black Sun when Mike’s Eagle was destroyed. I mean, I got it on the surface, but it wasn’t until years later when I watched it on DVD that I realized a scene was cut when it originally aired in my region. It was the scene when Mike spoke to her from the Eagle, and she said, “I will be waiting.” It was obvious they had a relationship, but that didn’t come across clearly without the missing scene—no wonder she was so upset! It also impressed me that she was back on duty in no time, and even though Dr. Russell wanted her to have more rest, she insisted on remaining at her post. Even as a child that stood out to me and demonstrated the character’s level of competence, integrity, and dedication to duty. Sandra was a great supporting character, and Zienia played the role well.

I’d have to say Barbara Bain is right up there with Barry Morse and Zienia. I came to really admire Dr. Russell in Series 2. Her character softened, and Barbara did a superb job of conveying a deep sense of compassion for her fellow Alphans. She did something that strikes me to this day: small gestures referred to as “meaningful human touch.” She often placed a hand on someone’s arm while talking to them, which I didn’t see as much in Series 1, and it conveyed a deeper level of care for the people around her. I appreciate that to this day, when watching the show.

Helena had a true soft spot for Sandra. I love the scene in Black Sun, where the two of them are in the Eagle, and Sandra confesses that she was afraid of doctors when she was little. Dr. Russell looks at her and smiles. Both actors played that scene well. I also enjoyed Helena’s friendship with Maya. I also appreciated the playful rapport that developed with Koenig. One of my favorite scenes featuring the two of them together is from The Bringers of Wonder, when she delivers the news that people from Earth have landed and are taking them home. The subsequent interchange walking down the hallway together shortly afterward, when they’re talking about Diana Morris. Still cracks me up!

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

I met Brian Johnson in London: 1999 in September 2024. What a sweet man! He told me about scribbling a drawing of a spaceship concept on a piece of paper that had a girder structure and such… and that he threw it out. When he was asked to design a craft for Space: 1999, that girder structure came to mind, and over time, he came up with the Eagle. It was cool to hear him tell the story!

How has the show affected your life? Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

The show inspired me to write science fiction stories when I was in junior high, something I did just for sheer enjoyment. I wrote off and on over the years and eventually wrote a full-length sci-fi novel that was published in 2012. It features a team of scientists who travel through time to study historical events firsthand, and of course, the Timelab in the story is located at a base on the lunar surface!

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

An international team working side by side in Main Mission was always a highlight for me, and I came to identify with that firsthand as an adult. On February 1, 1999, I started a new job working in the main Operations Centre for a Class 1 Railway, and when I was escorted into the room for the first time, I was stunned. There, right in front of me, was a live version of Main Mission! Giant computer screens on the front wall, rows of workstations facing the screens, staffed by various personnel who were monitoring operations, and the people were from various nationalities, just like Moonbase Alpha. I felt like I was coming home. It was a great feeling!

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

That’s a tough one, and I would have to split it between the two series. Series 2 is easy – “The Bringers of Wonder”, parts one and two. There were so many interesting concepts explored in series one! Episodes that stand out are “The Troubled Spirit”, “Force of Life”, “Testament of Arcadia”, and “Black Sun”, I have always loved “Breakaway”, mainly because it was foundational and set the course for the series (and the moon, literally!). It was action-packed and kept the viewer in a state of suspense throughout as the mystery of the virus infection deepened. Nick Tate gave a fine performance at breakaway as Alan Carter tried to contact Alpha from the Commissioner’s Eagle in orbit. He conveyed the gravity of the situation so well; his shock at what he was seeing, along with the realization that the moon was moving away from Earth, not knowing if his friends and colleagues were alive on the base, then his relief at hearing the Commander’s voice. What a great actor! That’s still my favorite scene from the episode, and I got chills even thinking about it as I’m writing this.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I recall watching “The Metamorph” for the first time as a child, having no idea that there had been complete changes in so many aspects of the show, and I remember my excitement at the addition of Maya. I loved her character right from the get-go and ran out to tell my mom all about the episode immediately afterward – it was harvest season, and she was unloading grain into the auger from a 3-ton truck with me rattling on a mile a minute. As a child, I preferred Series 2 over Series 1 mainly for the addition of Maya and found it more ‘exciting,’ but as an adult, I prefer the ‘depth’ of the Series 1 episodes—and I adore Victor!

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Definitely! My first convention was in Calgary in 2023, and I met so many great people who became fast friends. I had a great time with Ruth, Martin, Heather, Christine, Mary Kay, and everyone who joined us on the excursions. Those in the van riding out to Banff can probably still hear my ‘GPS voice’ directing Mary Kay along the way—we laughed so hard! “At the next corner, turn right.”

What is your relationship with those friends?

We interact mostly in fan forums on social media, and I “see” them on the live broadcasts from time to time when I can tune in. I’ve kept in touch with Warren and Roy through social media and joined them a couple of times on their weekly This Episode discussion forum, along with other fans, which I enjoyed very much!

Do you see them or correspond regularly?

I hear from a couple of people regularly on Messenger, often about the show or other events or concerts they’ve recently attended. It’s always good to hear from them; we sometimes compare notes about the show. Seeing many of them again in London was like going home to see family.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What?

If I had known that merchandise was available when I was younger, I’d have a room full of stuff! As it is, I only recently made some purchases. That said, back in the mid-90s, a co-worker who knew I liked sci-fi brought a box of books to the office and said I could go through them and take anything of interest. I started pulling books out one by one and suddenly flipped right out upon discovering The Making of Space: 1999 and several Space: 1999 pocketbooks that I had NO IDEA existed! Bear in mind that these were pre-Internet days. Until then, I had only a few back issues of Starlog magazine that I had ordered at some point, and I had created some artwork from fuzzy photos taken of the TV screen (two of these pieces have since been signed by Nick Tate!). Getting my hands on those books was like finding buried treasure. My co-worker got a huge kick out of my reaction, and I’m sure he wasn’t expecting that!

My current collection includes four 5-inch Eagles, each with a different passenger/cargo module, a Launch Pad; a replica of Commander Koenig’s Commlock; a stun gun; a pre-assembled 12-inch Rescue Eagle; a 22-inch Rescue Eagle Model Kit; a Commlock and Stun Gun Model Kit; a Moon buggy Model Kit; and a Moonbase Alpha Technical Manual.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I will keep them on display and cherish them always! I’ll likely leave them to one of my sisters in my will, as my whole family enjoyed the show back in the day. I won’t go as far as having them buried with me, as she plans to do with her Jann Arden CDs (true story), because I want someone else to continue enjoying them.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

My 5-inch Rescue Eagle. She’s my traveling companion! The ship fits perfectly in a sturdy case for my sunglasses, and I take photos of and with her on my travels. I have MANY shots of her at various locations in London and elsewhere, including on the street that was used as the exterior of John Steed’s flat in The Avengers! The Rescue Eagle also landed at Stonehenge, Avebury, Stratford-Upon-Avon (home of Sarah Douglas, btw), Windsor Castle, and even Diddly Squat Farm Shop near Chipping Norton!

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

Honestly, volunteering at the London: 1999 event, having my photo taken in Eagle 6 (thank you, Darrell Simmonds & Team!), getting to know fellow fans, taking part in the festivities and excursions, and visiting pubs with others was a true treasure. I have ALWAYS wanted to visit the UK, and what a perfect way to do it. It was a trip of a lifetime for me, and I will cherish the memories!

Nancy Ehle’s Eagle at Stonehenge

17

REBECCA EISENHUTH

GREAT CHEMISTRY, GREAT CHARACTERS

Becky and Barbara

Where are you from?

I was born in Pennsylvania, with a stop-off in Omaha, Nebraska, but I lived most of my life in sunny Southern California. I am currently living in Kentucky.

What’s your background?

I was a simple kid with a simple life. Middle class, not too exciting, but it was nice living close to Anaheim (Disneyland) and Los Angeles. My first job out of high school was in the security division of a high security company. I learned how to shoot a gun and potentially take down an armed assailant if ever necessary (it wasn’t, thank goodness). Later, as an adult, I worked for 15 years as a clerk for Kaiser Hospital. Currently, I live in Kentucky and am employed as an agent with a private import-export company.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I discovered Space: 1999 when I was in elementary school, entering junior high school. The Summer before it premiered, I was watching reruns of Mission: Impossible, with Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. At the time, I did not know they were married, but later discovered this and was intrigued. When I discovered they were going to be in a new show I decided to watch it.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

Pre-teen? Teenager? I caught the show on its first run.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

It was the actors, first off, but I’d always been interested in science fiction.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs?

I would watch Star Trek, and other 70s shows like Logan’s Run, Fantastic Journey, Planet of the Apes, and the original Battlestar Galactica TV series.

Are there any other sci-fi shows you’ve enjoyed over the years?

Currently, I’m into The Mandalorian. But I was also a fan of Lost and a few of those zombie/end-of-the-world shows, i.e., The Walking Dead, The Last of Us, etc.

Did you participate in any fandom for the show?

Oh, yes, and I must give the now-out-of-print sci-fi magazine Starlog credit for my involvement in everything fandom. I did not know organized fan appreciation of any kind existed (aside from going to movies with friends) when I was a young girl. Until I saw this magazine with ads for conventions and fan clubs, I was pretty ignorant!

Then, somewhat quickly, I joined clubs, started writing stories, and eventually flew to strange and exotic places like Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Springfield for conventions.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

I love to get together with friends I’ve met along the way. There is just a special connection between those of us who enjoy the same things, without condescension and judgment. It’s also nice to meet (or re-meet) the actors and see all the artwork, photos, and merchandise.

Who are your favorite guests to interact with?

Barbara Bain is amazing! It was a pleasure to meet her and talk with her; I respect and feel respected by this special lady. I feel I have a special bond with Barbara – I was on the committee that helped her receive a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, an honor I was privileged to be a part of.

Martin Landau was also special; he truly cared for his fans – then there was Barry Morse, who was everyone’s favorite “grandpa.” Zienia Merton was warm and wonderful; Prentis Hancock, smart and easy; Anton Phillips, ageless and so dear; and Nick Tate, so witty, honest, and friendly. Oh, and let’s not forget Pam Rose and Suzanne Peterson! Two very down-to-earth ladies! So yeah, a lot of great guest interactions.

Who is your favorite character from the show, and why?

They each had their own special qualities. I was a big fan of the Commander and Dr. Russell. He was the strong, dashing leader, but also flawed, was quick to temper, but calmed by his friends and a sense of responsibility. Helena was so smart and calm, especially in the early months; later, she became warm, lovely, and open to the oddness as they traveled into deep space. When they, John and Helena, interacted together, it was true magic for this fan. Great chemistry, great characters.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show?

I was very pleased to meet Johnny Byrne and Christopher Penfold. Both were friendly and very clever men. I loved listening to them talk about their careers.

How has the show affected your life?

I’ve met some of my best friends through this TV series.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

I’ve always enjoyed writing and using my imagination, and I started fan-writing with this show. As a result, I’ve written short stories for magazines and have also written a book, Such a Pretty Face, now available on Amazon. I wouldn’t exactly call it a “career path,” but it certainly added to my life.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

So many. I do love ‘War Games’, ‘Mission of the Darians’, ‘Testament of Arkadia’, ‘Journey to Where’, ‘The Exiles’, and yes, ‘Brian the Brain’. The last being a guilty pleasure.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

My favorite memory is watching an episode during my first convention with a friend I had met through letter swaps and phone calls (before the internet), and knowing we were all enjoying the same things. Honestly, I cannot recall the episode, but I truly felt at home with these fans.

Have you made friends through your association with the show? What is your relationship with those friends? Do you see or correspond with them regularly?

Yes, many friends. Some of the best. We wander in and out of our lives, but none are long out of my mind. Let’s see: Terry, Judy, Charlene, Robbie, Bonnie, Jeff, Lew, Tony, Bob, Kathryn, Patty, Francine, Todd, Chris, Sandra, Paul, Erwin, Karen and so many more! And let’s not forget Rosie Badgett, a convention legend who was my condo mate for the last 9 years of her life. A very lovely lady and a first-tier fan.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

Oddly, most of my collections consist of fan-made things like drawings, paintings, fan fiction, and shirts. But I do have many of the DVD sets, music (the original album and a great CD set), and my favorite item is something I got when I was very young …. a Dinky Eagle! Oh, and I also have a set of comics packed away somewhere.

What will you eventually do with those items?

Oh my. I may eventually, when I feel the end is near, donate what I have to a convention charity that is still active. Mind you, I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon! And yes, I still expect conventions to continue after I am gone!

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

I currently have a painting of Barbara Bain. It was created by Robbie Perkins and owned by Rosie Badgett. I loved both these ladies, who are now gone, and I think they would be happy knowing I have this creation and it will be safe and sound for some time.

Back row: Becky Eisenhuth, Pam Rose, Nick Tate, Suzanne Peterson, Anton Phillips, Prentis Hancock Front row: Todd Morton, Gordon Moriguchi, Roy Bjellquist, David Hirsh, Rosie Badgett, 2017

18

ADRIAN FLORES

I’M VERY GRATEFUL TO BARRY MORSE

Barbara Bain and Adrian Flores

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in a small town on the coast of Texas called Palacios. It is a shrimping community with a population of around 5,000 people, predominantly white, Hispanic, and a small Vietnamese community. I lived there until my mid-20s when I moved to San Antonio. I also lived in Houston for a time.

What’s your background?

I’m a third-generation Mexican American, born in 1973. I've a bit of artistic talent and illustrate as a hobby, which I’ve turned into a side job. I met my husband, Anthony Wynn, through the show in 2014, when I was living in San Antonio. I moved to Portland, Oregon, to be with him, and we’re now living in California.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I was very young when the show came out and was on the air. I didn’t grasp everything about it: the concepts and the stories, but the visuals did immediately appeal to me. I know I watched the first season episodes, because there are bits and pieces I recall from that very early age, particularly Balor, because he was creepy! I also remember liking Victor Bergman and others from the first season cast. We watched Houston affiliate stations in Palacios, and I believe the show aired on a channel called 39 GOLD. The series syndicated 39 GOLD, which aired programs of this type, including Star Trek reruns and later Star Trek: The Next Generation. I believe Space: 1999 aired on Saturdays in the afternoon. I would have been two to three years old while the show was airing, so it’s amazing to me that I recall it. It must have left an impression on me to be able to remember that!

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

It all appealed to me – I liked the aesthetic, the costumes, and the Eagles, of course. I was fascinated by the miniature work and the models on display in the show; I enjoyed those scenes very much. I thought Maya was a fantastic character. The fact that she could use molecular transformation to turn into any creature or alien (or plant life!) was exciting and thrilling to me. I initially liked the action aspects; I enjoyed the deeper concepts later when I was older and became aware of what was being conveyed. It’s ironic, because I don’t think the first season was particularly action-oriented; it was more about the metaphysical aspects and where the Alphans were going, but Year One certainly had its moments for me as a very young child.

I’ve always enjoyed the music in various TV programs and movies; for me, it's a key part of my enjoyment. As a child, I always loved the theme for the second series with Derek Wadsworth’s music, but as I matured in my enjoyment of the show, I began to realize just how fantastic the series one theme music by Barry Gray is. The whole concept of using “This Episode” sequence in the titles was clever and a sure-fire to get you hooked into what was going to happen on the episode. Those clips paired with the electric guitar riff were just masterful. The incidental music throughout the episode was also always well-done. The music, particularly in the first series, was just excellent.

The model work and the production for the alien worlds were very cool, often trippy, particularly in episodes such as “The Guardian of Piri”. This episode is a favorite of mine, featuring Catherine Schell as The Guardian, and it's also notable for having half the Alphans shirtless.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

I’ve always enjoyed science fiction, fantasy, comic books, and horror. I also enjoy dramas and documentaries very much. I am a fan of Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century – anything remotely similar to those types of shows is what I gravitated toward. I didn’t like Star Trek at the beginning. It wasn’t until I was older, when I watched Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, which came out in theaters in 1986, that I realized the significance of the quote.

I found the concept of aliens trying to communicate with whales to be both intriguing and interesting. Outside the box, if you will. That movie got me more into that franchise.

Did you participate in any fandom for the show? How specifically?

Unfortunately, no. I didn’t participate in any fandom activity for Space: 1999. When I was young, I was very shy. This was also before the internet, in the 1980s. In the mid-1980s, I became interested in comic books and enjoyed reading them. I think I had heard about science fiction conventions, at least Star Trek conventions, but once I got into junior high and high school, Space: 1999 kind of fell by the wayside because the reruns were no longer airing. It wasn’t that I had lost interest or anything; it was just something that wasn’t available or that I had access to anymore.

Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted in 1987, my freshman year of high school. I became a fan of a character in the show, ‘Dr. Beverly Crusher’ portrayed by actress Gates McFadden. By the third season, I learned about a fan club called the “Beverlyophiles” started by a female fan named Kimberley Junius. I became involved with that group, and Kimberley also produced fanzines dedicated to Beverly, and I provided some illustrations for those. It was very exciting because I had never had anything published prior to that. Kimberley also created a group for Nana Visitor’s character ‘Kira Nerys’ on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine called “N.V”. She eventually did a fanzine in honor of her called “Nine”. I provided some illustrations for that, and around that time also drew a crossover cartoon of ‘Odo’ and ‘Maya’ for publication. I think that was my first and only illustration done of anyone from Space: 1999.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

Not for Space: 1999, no. My first one was a Star Trek convention in Houston at some hotel, and Marina Sirtis was the guest. My brother dropped me off, and I spent the day alone. From morning to late afternoon, I was there. I met some fans and got Marina’s picture and autograph; she was a lovely lady. This was when The Next Generation was still airing, probably during the fourth or fifth season. I was just taking it all in because, like I said, it was all new to me and I just didn’t know what to expect.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

I enjoy visiting the Dealer’s room and looking for items that might not be readily available elsewhere. It can be fun to find things that I didn’t know existed! I enjoy fan-created art and crafts. I also appreciate the cosplayers, their attention to detail, and the amount of work that goes into their homemade costumes. I appreciate the creativity, and I suppose that appeals to me since I’m artistically inclined as well. I recognize the hard work that people put into things like that. I enjoy attending panels and hearing from actors or other behind-the-scenes professionals who share their experiences working on projects I'm interested in.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Yes, I have. My husband and I went to The Hollywood Show in Los Angeles, and Barbara Bain was there. She was very sweet and very gracious, and I got an autographed photo of her as ‘Dr. Helena Russell’ and was able to take a photo with her. I also had a brief encounter with Joan Collins – I didn’t actually speak with her, but we did have a photo opportunity with her and Stephanie Beacham. My interaction was brief and basically consisted of me saying, “Thank you so much.” I don’t think she said anything back to me; she was almost like a mannequin – taking a photo with a living mannequin! But Stephanie was very kind, and we later went to her table to chat and get an autographed photo.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

As a gay man, I’ve always fancied Nick Tate. I think he’s handsome, and ‘Alan Carter’ was a bit of an action hero, too, so it was always fun to watch him piloting the Eagles. My favorite character is ‘Maya’, played by Catherine Schell. I haven’t met her, but I do have an autographed photo of Catherine Schell that a friend gave me many years ago. My friend was gay, too – not that it matters, but I mention it because it seems like Space: 1999 has a huge gay fanbase.

How has the show affected your life?

It’s affected me in a significant way. One evening, back in 2014, I was on Facebook, trying to kill time and browsing pages that I could become a fan of. One page that I came across was dedicated to Barry Morse. So, I “liked” it, and next thing I knew, I got a message from the moderator, a man named Anthony Wynn, who reached out to me. We started talking – and now I’m married to him! Because of Space: 1999, my life has been changed in a very big and positive way, and I’m very grateful to Barry Morse, specifically! I never got the chance to meet him, but I feel like, in spirit, he was responsible for bringing my husband and me together.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

I’d like to separate the two series since they’re so different. Although Maya is my favorite character, I prefer the first series because it was more realistic and sophisticated. I believe Sylvia Anderson played a significant role in creating a mythology, and I appreciated the look and feel of it. Of course, and it’s probably been mentioned ad nauseam, how Main Mission is vastly different from Command Center in the second series, for example. The one I really enjoy, and this stems from my love of horror, is “Force of Life”. I know a lot of fans pick “Dragon’s Domain” because of the horror aspects in it. The “Force of Life” is one of those episodes that is tragic because two people who love each other deeply are separated due to circumstances. It’s a well-done episode and I feel the stronger of the two, where the Alphans are stuck on the base with Anton Zoref, and they can’t get away.

In the second series, I like “The Bringers of Wonder”, “The Beta Cloud”, and “The Metamorph”. I also like “Dorzak” and “The Dorcons.”

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

As a child, I wanted nothing more than the Mattel Space: 1999 Eagle playset. My cousin had it, so every time I went over to their house, all I wanted to do was look at it. But I was young and, in someone else’s house, and was too shy to ask. I remember looking at it longingly. I always wanted an Eagle. I was never able to get a Dinky diecast metal Eagle, either.

Recently, my husband and I had a lot of fun obtaining the Eaglemoss version and the Eagles produced by Anderson Entertainment. They are all very nice scale models. We also have all the books, the technical manuals, and the Commlock and Stun Gun prop replicas that were produced a few years ago. I also like the signed photos that I’ve received from most of the main cast members, including an autographed photo of Catherine Schell as Maya that my friend Michelle gave me.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred regarding the show?

My experience with Space: 1999 fandom is rather limited. I must say that my most treasured and happiest memory is meeting my husband through the Barry Morse Facebook page. It’s changed my life for the better knowing someone as caring and loving as Anthony. I hope to attend a convention in the future and meet other fans, as well as some of the actors, such as Nick Tate and Catherine Schell. That would be a lot of fun and something I look forward to.

19

WARREN FRIEDRICH

HELENA, CHANGE THE PAPER IN THE TYPEWRITER, PLEASE!

Barbara Bain and Warren Friedrich, 2017

Where are you from?

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

What’s your background?

Sales and marketing professional and small business owner.

When did you become a fan of the show?

In 1975, the first Canadian airings.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

Five years of age.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I was fascinated by all science fiction at the time, along with the (then) recent NASA Moon landings. Space: 1999 was a natural and logical extension of this reality, as opposed to the far-distant universe of Star Trek.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Yes! 1999, Star Trek, UFO, Battlestar Galactica, and even the Canadian tragedy known as The Starlost, shaped my childhood. Oh, and Star Wars, of course!

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

My first mini-convention was in 1995, when I traveled to Portland to meet Barry Morse.

How specifically? Attendance at conventions, fan fic writing, model building, video creation, meeting the actors, fan clubs for the actors?

I think everyone had an Eagle model, or two!

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

Yes. Portland – 1995, Burbank – 2012, Peterborough – 2014, Parsippany – 2017, Bethlehem – 2019, Calgary – 2023, London – 2024, and Los Angeles – 2025.

After Robert Wood and I announced London in 2019, the uphill challenges that ensued, largely due to Covid, finally paid off in September 2024 and will continue in 2025 as part of the big anniversary. We’ve accomplished many great things together, including two highly successful virtual events, as well as events in Calgary, London, and now Los Angeles. After 50 years, Covid likely could’ve been the death knell for many small fandoms. But in the case of Space: 1999, it only seemed to spark a renaissance of interest with not only conventions, but book projects (like this one), the books by Robert Wood and David Hirsch, plus merchandise, fan-films, and an abundance of artwork!

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Hoping to see Chris Paulsen in pajamas – no, wait… errr I mean reconnect with fellow fans!

Have you met any of the actors from the show? Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Nick Tate, Anton Phillips, Prentis Hancock, and Yasuko Nagazumi.

What was that experience like?

Meeting and hearing behind-the-scenes tales from Nick Tate on my favorite episode, “Dragon’s Domain,” in 2012 melted my brain.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show?

Christopher Penfold. It was an extreme honor to consult with him on a recent project just before his passing.

How has the show affected your life?

Ask my sister Heather!

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

It inspired me to dream of space exploration and expansion into the nearby solar system – again, based more in a “nearby” reality, as opposed to warp drive and light-speed travel. This motif also drew me to other television series, such as Babylon 5 and The Expanse, both set in a local neighborhood rather than “way out there.”

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

The short list is the tone, mystery, look, and aesthetic of Year One. Specifically, the designs, props, Moonbase interior sets, and the “alien-ness” of certain planet depictions. Oh, and the DRAGON! Plus, the music, special effects… not enough room here to list everything. Helena, change the paper in the typewriter, please!

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

Dragon’s Domain was nightmare fuel and also led to my love of the sci-fi horror genre, with films like Alien emerging a few years later.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I recall the series having such a visual impact on me as a child that I used to watch it every week on the French CBC network in Canada, without understanding a word – this led to several arguments between my two sisters and me!

Have you made friends through your association with the show? What is your relationship with those friends?

Yes, multiple. I hate some of them, but not many!

Do you see them regularly or correspond with them?

Semi-regularly; a lot easier now in the digital age.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

I think everyone had an Eagle model, or two! I likely also have one of the largest Space: 1999 autograph collections.

What will you eventually do with those items?

They’ll likely all go to Katy!

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

An original Command Centre panel.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

Hosting Nick Tate and Yasuko Nagazumi in Calgary, Alberta, and taking them to Banff and Lake Louise.

Nick Tate, Roy Bjellquist, Warren Friedrich, Suzanne Peterson, and Clifton Jones, London, 2024

20

DALLAS HADAWAY

THE MOST BONE-CRUNCHING HANDSHAKE EVER!

Dallas in the Eagle cockpit, London, 2024

Where are you from?

Gillingham, Kent, England.

What’s your background?

I am the only child of parents who were in show business. My parents divorced when I was 18, and I remained with my mother until her death, first working with her and then as her carer. I then went to university and became a qualified social worker.

When did you become a fan of the show?

It was from the first screening of the second episode, so late 1975.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

Fifteen years of age.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I saw previews of the show on TV and was blown away initially by the special effects. Once I started watching it, I loved every aspect of the series: the actors, special effects, sets, music, storylines, models (especially the Eagles), and the amazing guest stars.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Yes. As a young child, I remember watching the Andersons’ puppet series, especially Thunderbirds, Stingray, and Captain Scarlet. I also loved the classic Doctor Who and then Star Trek. Basically, I would watch any sci-fi show that came along – and still do.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically?

I joined fan clubs and attended conventions. I joined Fanderson and the Nick Tate Fan Club in the UK. In the US, the International Space: 1999 Alliance and the Landau-Bain Fan Association.

Have you attended any conventions for the show?

Around 10, both in the UK and the US, plus Fanderson conventions, which feature all of Anderson's shows.

The early conventions I attended were dedicated to the work of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. My first Space: 1999 convention was in Washington, DC, in 1986. I have attended many conventions since then, both in the UK and the US. Early on, I wrote some fan fiction, though I haven't done this for a long time.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Over the years, I have made many friends through fandom. The best thing about attending conventions now is meeting up with those friends. I also love meeting the actors and behind-the-scenes people who worked on the show. Just being with like-minded people is brilliant. It is a relatively small fandom, and we are spread around the world. So, any chance to get together and chat about our favorite show is wonderful.

Have you met any of the actors from the show?

Most of them. Sadly, I never met Tony Anholt, though I have met his son.

What was that experience like?

Just great. They have all been very generous with their time over the years.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Barbara Bain, Zienia Merton, and Martin Landau.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Barbara Bain. I have always been drawn to strong female characters on TV, especially as there weren't that many when I was growing up. I remember Barbara from Mission: Impossible, the only adult show I watched as a child. Cinnamon Carter took no nonsense and was a fully-fledged member of the Impossible Missions Force, just like Helena Russell on Moonbase Alpha. Barbara has portrayed very strong characters.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

Yes, lots. Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, Christopher Penfold, Barry Gray, Brian Johnson, Martin Bower, Derek Wadsworth, Keith Wilson, and Bob Kellett, to name a few.

How has the show affected your life?

It has had a huge impact on my life. I have met nearly all my friends through Space fandom. We have a huge collection of merchandise, etc., and we still love watching the show. It holds up so well, even 50 years later.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

Not really, apart from finally seeing women in science fiction who weren't just cooking and cleaning, like Maureen in Lost in Space.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

There are too many to mention. But I especially love “The Full Circle” for the fun factor. “Dragon's Domain” is also a favorite because I love Helena's narration, and we get to see her as a doctor on Earth before Breakaway. The monster was also just terrifying. The first season’s storylines were so thought-provoking.

The idea that a Mysterious Unknown Force was somehow guiding the Alphans in their odyssey was intriguing.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I remember audio-taping an episode (“The Last Sunset”) and trying to keep everyone in the background quiet, including my cats!

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Many, many friends.

What is your relationship with those friends?

I met my wife through our shared love of the show. We were both members of a fan club called Omicorn in the UK. It was a joint Star Trek and Space: 1999 club. I eventually took over the running of the Space: 1999 section. We have known each other for 44 years.

Do you see or correspond with them regularly?

Yes. We meet up with fellow fans at conventions and other events. We also visit one another and stay in contact through social media. Before Facebook, we would write letters (snail mail) or record audio tapes for each other.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

YES! I have spent a small fortune on collecting anything related to the show and its stars. We have a den in our house dedicated to the show, with all the memorabilia we've collected since 1975. We need a bigger room now! A downstairs den was a significant factor in our decision to purchase our current house three years ago.

There are too many items to list. We have 44’ Eagle models. Books, audio tapes, comics, scripts, photos, games, trading cards, costumes, drawings, magazines, model kits, etc.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I have no idea! We might sell some items. We could give them to a much younger friend who also loves the show.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

I have a 10x8 black-and-white promotional photo of Martin Landau and Barbara Bain that they autographed in 1976 when I wrote to them at Pinewood Studios.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

Meeting Barbara Bain for the first time at a convention in Los Angeles in 1986. I'm not normally nervous about meeting celebrities, but on this occasion, I was. I met Martin Landau quite by accident in Beverly Hills in the late 1970s. My mother and I went shopping in Beverly Hills, and as we were walking along, my mother said to me, "That's Martin Landau." I didn't believe her at first, but we followed him into a drugstore, and indeed it was Martin. We briefly went over to chat with him, and he was very charming. The most bone-crunching handshake ever! Two fantastic memories.

21

DEBBIE HANSFORD

ASKING MARTIN LANDAU TO DANCE

Debbie Phares (Hansford) and Martin Landau

Where are you from?

I am from Nederland, Texas, and have lived here most of my life.

What’s your background?

My background is a simple one. I’ve worked various jobs. I lived in California for a year, possibly in the early 1980s; I don't recall exactly when. I have been working for Hobby Lobby for 10 years.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I don’t really recall when I became a fan of the show. My area didn’t have cable for a while, and the show was only available from Houston. It sounded interesting, and I really wanted to watch it. I remember reading a write-up about the episode “Journey to Where”, and since I like time travel-related stories, it sounded like a great episode. I was intrigued.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was probably about 19-20 when I was finally able to watch the episodes over cable.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I have always liked sci-fi shows (though I was never a Trekkie). I thought the show was unique in that the moon was blown out of Earth’s orbit, which would lead to many adventures. I remembered both Martin Landau and Barbara Bain from Mission: Impossible and looked forward to seeing them again.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi shows have you enjoyed over the years?

I have always been a fan of Sci-Fi shows and fantasy. I watched Lost in Space, Time Tunnel, Land of the Giants, all Godzilla movies, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, etc.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically?

Yes, I did participate in fandom for the shows. I attended the first-ever Space: 1999 convention in 1978 and a few more in the following years. They were a lot of fun, and I always had a great time. I wrote a 1999-related story several years ago called “Yesterday Once More.” It is available on Fanfiction.net for anyone who would like to read it. I have always wanted to do a sequel, and maybe one day I will get to it.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

I was fortunate to meet several actors from the show. Barry Morse and Prentis Hancock, who told me I had a lovely accent, I’m from Texas. Of course, both Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. In its original form, I started a fan club for Martin Landau and eventually handed it over to Terry Bowers, who carried it on for many years. I remember asking Martin about it at the 1999 convention, and he would like to have more information about it. He gave me the name of his agent to write to. I still have that address somewhere.

What conventions have you attended? How many and where?

I attended four or five conventions. I enjoyed meeting all the guests. Barry Morse was always very kind. I remember having a shirt that said, “Martin Landau fan”, and Nick Tate passed me and said, "Hey, where’s my shirt?" We laughed together, and he walked away. My favorite things to do were, of course, the dealer room, displays, and meeting other fans, some of whom became long-time friends.

I believe that in 1994 (I'm not sure of the year after so long), I hosted a small 1999 convention in California called the Command Conference. My very dear friend Judy Moore helped me out with it. Nick Tate was my only guest star, and I still remember getting his phone call before the event. He told me he would speak to Martin on my behalf, and perhaps he could attend. Starlog magazine also interviewed me at that convention, and in a future issue, a nice two-page article was written about me and the show's fandom. I have fond memories of that convention. I remember Rosie Badgett being there, and we discussed the convention, agreeing that we should have more.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

I would have to say my favorite actor was Martin Landau. I always thought it would be cool to stand and talk to him alone, but that never happened. If I remember correctly, there was a big 1999 convention in California in 1986. That was the year Rosie Badgett introduced me to my dear, late friend Candace Olsen. We formed a friendship immediately. As for interacting with the guests at the ’86 convention, I asked Rosie Badgett if she thought Martin would dance (this was during the costume show/dance event). She told me she didn’t know and that I would have to ask him. That was not the answer I wanted, so after about 15 minutes, I got up enough courage to ask him. He was off to one side, talking to Barry Morse. So, when I asked, he told me he would have to decline because he had hurt his ankle playing tennis a couple of days before. I was disappointed, but then I thought I might trip and embarrass myself, and I ended up asking him for a hug, which he was happy to do. I remember that like yesterday.

How has the show affected your life? Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

The show has had a lasting impact on my life, leaving me with memories that I cherish to this day, including the friends I’ve made over the years through fandom and the actors I’ve been fortunate enough to meet. The show never guided me down a specific path in life; it was simply a very enjoyable time. I wouldn’t change any of it.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

That’s a hard one because there are so many. I guess “Collision Course” for one. I thought it was intense, especially toward the end when you didn’t know what the outcome would be.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I guess watching episodes at conventions with fellow fans. Good times.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Throughout my years of being a Space: 1999 fan, I have made many friends. Forgive me if I leave off your name: Charlene Scott, Rosie Badgett, Jenny Lobb, Terry Bowers, Keith Young, Rebecca Eisenhuth, Doug Pelton, my dear friend Judy Moore, and my late friend Candace Olsen. And I know there are many others. I keep in touch through social media these days, although I miss the days of writing letters back and forth. I frequently stay in touch with my longtime friend Judy Moore.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

At one point, I did have some memorabilia from the show. I'm not sure what happened to some of it, but I do know I sold a few pieces to fan collectors and donated an item or two to past conventions. I probably have a few magazines left.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I'm not sure what I’ll do with what I have left. I'll probably pass them on to other fans of the shows.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

My most treasured pieces of memorabilia are my autographed photos from Martin Landau. They mean a lot to me.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

My most treasured memory was meeting my late friend Candace Olsen. She was a wonderful artist, and we had a bond as she was also a huge fan of Martin Landau. A treasured memory was asking Martin Landau to dance and getting a big hug instead.

22

CHRISTINE HANTZOPULOS

FREAK OUT THE MUNDANES

Christine with Nick

It’s difficult to encapsulate the many years of joy that Space: 1999 has given me. I could probably write a book! To begin with, suffice it to say that I first saw the show when I was 13 years old. My main experience with sci-fi at that time was being an avid fan of Lost in Space. At the age of 12, I attended my first Star Trek convention.

But there was something special about Space: 1999 that drew me in; I loved the concept, the characters, the actors, and the storylines. While I had a deep crush on Nick Tate, I loved Martin and Barbara both onscreen and off. As a daughter of divorced parents, I was a real romantic and was captivated by their onscreen chemistry; the fact that they were married in real life made it all the more exciting. I had dabbled in fan fiction but became obsessed with writing John/Helena stories. I watched the show with my first-grade best friend, Deb Sarria. Together, we wrote a fanfic that was 99 pages long and typed on an old manual typewriter. When an arrogant eighth-grade teacher who didn’t like the show gave us an assignment to write a sci-fi story of at least six pages, we handed in our 1999 fanfic.

The first convention I attended was Space: 1999 Con, held in 1978 in Columbus, Ohio. It was the thrill of my life! I was fifteen and finally met Nick Tate! When he sat at our banquet table, I took home the spoon he had used to eat his apple pie, saving it in plastic for years!. At the following conventions in Pittsburgh (1979), Columbus (1980), and Atlanta (1981), I made many friends, which was a significant part of my teenage years. Most notable would have to be George Eichler, who, like me, lived in Brooklyn, New York; Shimane Oderkirk from Iowa; Jenny Orsi from Florida; as well as Linda Nault, Rosie Badgett, Rene (Karen) Domain, Charlene Scott, Becky Eisenhuth, Dave Hirsch (from Long Island), and too many more to name! These were people I kept in touch with for many years.

George, Debbie, and I called ourselves the “Brooklyn Delegation”; after all, there was the Boston Delegation (run by Mary Bloemker), the Kentucky Delegation (run by Rosie), and the Georgia Delegation (run by Ann Hester). The Brooklyn Delegation would often get together to watch the show or hang out. We wrote filk songs and fan fiction, and George published some in his fanzine, Peripatetic. When I saw Rene Domain at LA Con (’92), she still remembered my song “CopaCaMaya”, and we were singing it together.

In those years when it all started, Kathy and John Von Kamp, the co-presidents of The International Space: 1999 Alliance, asked me to be the Northeast Rep for the group. I became a cosplayer before “cosplay” was even a word. We used to call it walking around the city in costume to “freak out the mundanes”. I dressed as Maya in her lamé gown and Kara from “Mission of the Darians”. (My uncle, the florist, made the huge headpiece while Ann Hester made my dress.)

However, my first time winning (second place) was in my Ursa costume, alongside Ed Mierecki and Larry McIrvin, who played the other two supervillains from Superman II. No one recognized me in a short wig since my hair was wild and long like “Roseanne Roseannadanna” from Saturday Night Live. The following year, Larry and I dressed as Spock and Saavik from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. My mom made most of my costumes, and for that one, she had to come to see the movie in theaters to see how the jacket opened, as we had no videotapes back then and little access to pictures. For Ursa, my uncle handmade every medal she snatched from other characters in the movie.

In terms of meeting the actors, Nick Tate was the number one choice. Meeting Martin Landau and telling him how I lived near his old high school was a thrill! It was great to finally meet Barbara Bain in ’92. All the guests were so nice! It was amazing to be the handler for Sarah Douglas in Springfield (’82). She loved my costume, and we had some fun times together. My involvement waned after high school when University took up most of my attention. In those days, maintaining correspondence with people who lived far away required a great deal of effort. Unfortunately, I have lost touch with many people over the years. I was thrilled to reunite with some in ’92, especially in 2019 in Pennsylvania, where I saw Rosie, Becky, Charlene, Linda, and her husband, Ron Butler, as well as Dave Hirsch and his wife. Unfortunately, George had passed away in a way that still haunts me to this day. I can’t watch Space: 1999 or listen to Duran Duran without thinking of him. I feel blessed to have seen Rosie and Lin in 2019, as we’ve now lost both of them. Social media has helped me reconnect with many of my old friends (like Shimane, who now lives in Alaska!)

Space: 1999 did, in a way, inform many of my pursuits in life. I wanted to become an astronomer, but even after switching to the study of language, I remain interested in science. I have watched almost every sci-fi and horror show that has come out since with my grown son. I went on to do a lot of fanfic, most notably in Forever Knight fandom (the vampire show from the '90s). I was lucky enough to have someone show the publisher of Innovation Comics my work, and I was hired to write two scripts for comic books—Quantum Leap and Lost in Space. Now that I am retired, I hope to continue writing.

Coincidentally, my most treasured piece of memorabilia is an original script of “Journey to Where”, my favorite episode, maybe because of the J/H kiss. If I were to do something with it, I would auction it off to donate to a suicide prevention organization in George’s name.

Meeting Nick Tate, Anton Phillips, and Barbara Bain again in 2019 was just as exciting as the first time. Everyone was quite nice, and I hope to attend another 1999 con in the future. But the memories of Space: 1999 fandom remain some of the best of my life. I hope some of my other old friends who may read this will reach out.

Christine with Barbara

23

DAVID HIRSCH

I WAS IMMEDIATELY HOOKED

David with an Eagle in 1982.

Where are you from?

I was born in Forest Hills, NY, where I currently reside, but I spent much of my childhood in Syosset on Long Island.

What’s your background?

When I left high school, I wanted to get into film and TV production. While studying film in my first year of college at New York State University at Cortland in the fall of 1975, I wrote a paper on Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and the shows I grew up on. With no internet or reference books available, I walked into the New York City offices of ITC Entertainment, where I was introduced to Robert Mandell, son of company president Abe Mandell. Robert provided me with everything I needed to write my paper. When Starlog magazine needed someone to advise on Geoffrey Mandell’s Eagle Blueprints for issue #7, Robert remembered me. Through his introduction, this led to a summer internship in 1977, followed by a full-time job where I worked my way up to Associate Editor.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I was hooked when I saw the first ad for the show in a November 1973 issue of Variety. As a lifelong fan of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, I was immediately hooked.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I first saw the show when it premiered in September 1975. I was 18 years old and in my first year of college. Until I got my TV in my dorm room, I had to convince other students to let me watch it on a campus TV. The show was broadcast from Syracuse, NY, but when I was home, I watched it on Channel 11, WPIX, out of Manhattan.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

After years of watching Anderson puppet shows like Thunderbirds and their transition into live-action with the feature film "Journey to the Far Side of the Sun" and the TV series "UFO," I knew "Space: 1999" would be something special.

Back then, I didn’t think I gave much thought to the premise, but I thought the show was feature film quality with visually lavish sets and eye-popping visual effects. The stories were also quite unusual, unlike the “pulp fantasy” stories that appeared in other shows (Star Trek being an exception, in terms of story).

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs?

Yes. I grew up watching the Anderson puppet shows and animated series, such as Astro Boy.

What other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

I still watch many of the shows of my youth, such as The Outer Limits, Star Trek, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Time Tunnel, Lost in Space, Ultraman, Thunderbirds, Fireball XL5, UFO, and all the other Anderson shows.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

Not really. Nothing happened locally to me. Once I started working at Starlog magazine, I was exposed to various fan groups.

How did you participate specifically? Attendance at conventions, fan fic writing, model building, video creation, meeting the actors, fan clubs for the actors?

While working at Starlog magazine, I frequently attended Creation Conventions in New York City on their behalf, selling merchandise in the Dealer’s Room and presenting various episodes of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson shows thanks to 16mm prints loaned to me by ITC New York.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

While working at Starlog magazine, I was contacted by John and Kathy Von Kamp, who ran the National Save: 1999 Alliance. They asked me to help with the first convention in Columbus, Ohio, in 1978. I served as a liaison with ITC New York, where I gathered materials from their vaults for the charity auction benefiting Columbus Children’s Hospital. This included scripts and actual costumes. I also created the program book. This is a list of the conventions I’ve attended:

1977-82 Various Creation Conventions, New York City, New York

1978 Space: 1999 Convention, Columbus, Ohio

1979 Space: 1999 Convention, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1981 Space: 1999 Convention, Atlanta, Georgia

1982 Space: 1999 Convention, Springfield, Massachusetts

1982 Fanderson, London, England

2017 Alpha 2017 Space: 1999 Convention, Parsippany, New Jersey

2019 Breakaway 2019 Space: 1999 Convention, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

2021 Space: 1999 Virtual Convention

2022 Space: 1999 Virtual Convention

2023 Calgary: 1999 Space: 1999 Convention, Calgary, Canada

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Talking with people who share the same interests.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with at the conventions?

Martin Landau was a pleasant surprise. He was a big sci-fi fan who frequently called me at Starlog to ask for recommendations on the best novels to read. Gerry Anderson wanted me to be on the podium with him to help answer fans' questions. Barry Gray was always a great pal to hang with. Suzanne Roquette and Yasuko Nagazumi were delights. While visiting Los Angeles, they took my wife and me out to lunch in Beverly Hills.

Have you met any of the actors from the show?

I’ve met most of the main cast (Catherine Schell is the exception). Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, Nick Tate, Prentis Hancock, Zienia Merton, Clifton Jones, Anton Philips, Suzanne Roquette, Yasuko Nagazumi, Suzanne Heimer, Pam Rose, and guest artist Shane Rimmer.

What was that experience like?

Many of them are terrific people in real life.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Tough question. Nick Tate is always fun to talk to, but I really enjoyed talking to Martin Landau.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

I was friends with Gerry Anderson, Barry Gray, model-maker Martin Bower, and, more recently, Christopher Penfold, who collaborated with my co-author, Robert E. Wood, and me on our first book together. At Starlog magazine, I frequently consulted on projects with Gerry Anderson. During a visit to Pinewood Studios, I was talking to the studio barman and met Brian Johnson. Later, during pre-production on Terrahawks, I met producer Reg Hill.

How has the show affected your life?

I owe my writing career to the show. If I hadn't been a fan, I wouldn't have had the courage to walk into ITC New York and ask for help writing a school paper, which led to an invitation to Starlog magazine’s office and a job.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

No, it was just great entertainment.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

One episode? That’s a tough question. Once, I would have said “Dragon’s Domain” or “Black Sun” but having done a deep dive into the writing of “Breakaway” for our book, I’d also say that’s a favorite because I now better understand writer George Bellak’s intent.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I remember many failed attempts to keep the family quiet while I recorded the audio to a cassette recorder. Getting a TV with a headphone jack was a blessing.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Yes, many.

What is your relationship with those friends?

Some I’m still in contact with; others have moved on.

Do you see or correspond with them on a regular basis?

Most live far away, so social media is a blessing.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many?

I still collect memorabilia, but a lack of storage has curtailed that. They included original props, models, video, audio, books - too many to count over the years!

What will you eventually do with those items?

No immediate plans.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

A screen used an 11-inch Eagle model that appears in the end title and many episodes.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

Meeting Gerry Anderson. ITC New York got me his contact information. With the money I was paid for writing “The Official Moonbase Alpha Technical Notebook,” I flew to England and met him at his office at EMI Elstree Studios. It was a chilly December evening; I arrived very early and sat on a freezing bench outside the studio until our meeting. Gerry kindly drove me back to my hotel after our meeting.

David with Nick in 2019.

24

ISOBEL HOY

THE PENNY FINALLY DROPPED!

Isobel Hoy and Barry Morse with drinks

Where are you from?

I was born in Coventry.

What is your background?

I was a civil servant and remained in that role for the rest of my working life.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was 14 when I became a fan and was still at school.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I saw a ‘coming soon’ advert for the show, and there was a particular shot in which something exploded in front of Helena Russell's face, and she was shocked. I wanted to know more about her. It looked interesting, like fun, and there was something familiar about her. I don't know if I'd ever seen Mission: Impossible, but I wanted to know more about it. I decided to watch it.

It tends to be the female characters that I enjoy watching. Growing up in the UK, I had seen Anderson's TV shows, and this was one by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. I was always more into their female characters. If you go back to the earliest ones, one of the first was Fireball XL5; there was a blonde doctor in that one, and she was a good character. One of the first series I remember of theirs was Stingray.

Then there was Joe 90; it featured no female characters and was about a boy. I wasn't into that one at all. UFO was a bit later; I was too young to appreciate it, so Space was on at the right time for me. Because I lived near Coventry at the time, I was in the ATV region, which was in the Midlands. We were one of the first ones in the UK to get the series. It was shown at 7:00 p.m., which was prime time for the family on Thursday. It was directly opposite Top of the Pops, which was problematic because my sister wanted to watch Top of the Pops, and I wanted to watch Space. Every week, there'd be an argument. I'd continue to argue until she would sulk, and I'd watch what I wanted to.

The second season was on Saturday afternoon. It clashed with Doctor Who, but my sister didn't want to watch it. I liked Doctor Who, so I had to make a choice, but by then, I was already a fan of Space: 1999, so I watched Space.

In terms of science fiction, I grew up watching Doctor Who. When I was 5 years old, I wanted a Dalek on my cake, so my mum made me a Dalek cake. I've grown up watching these shows. Batman from the States, then Star Trek, which arrived in the UK in 1968, and all the Gerry Anderson stuff. That was another reason it appealed to me, because I'd always grown up watching that sort of show.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

It was weird how I got into it. Because there wasn't a lot, you could buy books over here, obviously, and you've got the Dinky toys that you would have to save up for. I went weekly to look for things. I'd go to college, so I was 17, far too cool, and too old to look for the comics. It was called The Junior TV Times. I didn't want to buy them because they were for children. Still, I used to see it up in the local newsagent and I would sneak a look every week to see if there was anything in it, or a column by Gerry Anderson. I flipped through all the pages, and there wasn't anything. The only thing was an advert for a fan club called Omicorn, which was a dumb name. I didn't understand why, but since it was cheap, I got the address and wrote it off. I thought it didn’t matter what it was about; I was going to read it. I won't participate; nobody will need to know that I'm a fan. When it came, it was mainly a Star Trek thing, with a Space: 1999 section, and I started reading it. I realized that the people who were participating were my age. By the second one, I had gotten something in there. I wrote articles, composed crossword puzzles, and did some drawings. That was when the first stories were published, around ‘78 or ‘79. It turned out the name was a misspelling that stuck. It was supposed to be called “Omicron”, but there was a printing error.

I got to know many other people in Omicorn. Dallas was a member, and Martin Willey joined it. The gal who ran it went to the same school as he did. I think Paul Stankovich was also there. These are the fans today who started there. David Callister is a friend on Facebook. He also used to write stories for it. Loads of us were there first. I also got Starlog magazine.

In 1979, we were planning to hold a convention in the UK, and it was at that time that I saw the first advertisement for Fanderson. The first fan convention didn't get off the ground until 1981 in Leeds and was hosted by Fanderson. I went to that. Eileen Skidmore and Phyl Proctor were there; we’d met at a previous convention for Star Trek in Coventry, my hometown.

I was hanging out in the bar (like you do) chatting, and this girl, Julie, was there dressed as a yeoman from Star Trek. I chatted with her, and I told her – to be honest, I'm more of a Space: 1999 fan! She said, "I'll introduce you to my friends." They were Eileen and Phil! And they became some of my first Space friends.

In 1982, the second Fanderson convention took place in London. John and Kathy Von Kamp were there from America, along with Rosie Badgett. She was dressed in costume as Helena Russell. I went to say hello to her and compliment her on the uniform. She encouraged me to join the International Space: 1999 Alliance and, I think, Prentis’s Fan Club run by Mare Fitzgerald.

What's your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Other than hanging out at the bar (because that's where I always catch up with my mates), the guest talks are good, especially when you get somebody on a roll and talking about different things. At the recent convention in London in 2024, they set up one with Christien Anholt and Justin Barry. They were sitting there, and nobody was in the room. They beckoned us in. “Join us and ask us questions,” they said. So, in we went and sat in the front row. They were talking about their memories of being on set when they were kids, and they said it was normal because they didn't know any differently. After all, it was what their parents did. Another talk featured Julian Glover and Isla Blair, who were particularly amusing due to their banter. I like going to the talks.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

Barry Morse was always good value. Zienia was lovely and so friendly. I first met her at a Psychon in Manchester, where I was asked to help out with the guests. Zienia and I were hanging out in the bar, having a cigarette and a drink, and Suzanne Roquette was there. All these people who smoked (that was when you could still smoke inside, which tells you how long ago that was). Zienia remembered that Suzanne used to smoke smelly, awful, cigarillos back in the day! Zienia was really good value.

The first time I saw Martin Landau and Barbara Bain was in LA in ‘86. Barbara was talking about something that had happened, she caught my accent and knew we were from the UK. She talked about a time when she heard something on the news. A woman had been trapped in the tube, and all she wanted was a cup of tea. She joked about the fact that British people always want a cup of tea, and I said, “You're joking,” which is something you say when you know you agree. She just looked down at me, the woman who was practically the same height as me, but she managed to look down at me and said ‘No, I’m not.” It was fitting and quite funny. I’ve since gone over to America and had lunch with friends, organized by Rosie, a couple of years ago. The year before that, we were just hanging out and had lunch with Barbara. I have met her many times since, and she's always been lovely.

Martin in ‘86 was chatty. A funny thing about LA in 1986 was that we were going to the con with a friend from Canada named Candace Olson. She thought we'd organized the hotel room, and we thought she had, because she was at least on the same continent! We had the room organized for the days of the convention, but we hadn’t organized it for the time before the con. We arrived, Rosie picked us up, and she's like, “Where are you staying?” We didn’t have a place to stay, so we slept on Rosie’s floor for a couple of days.

Rosie was still trying to finalize the arrangements for Martin and Barbara to attend the convention, but it wasn't yet finalized. Rosie had to go to work, and she said that if the phone rings, it could be Martin or Barbara, because we're trying to get them organized. So, take the call and tell them I'll ring them back. Okay. The phone rings, and Candace, a massive Martin fan (who, unfortunately, passed away some years ago) looked at me, and I looked at her.

She said, “If that’s Martin, I'll kill you.” I answered the phone, and it was a man on the phone. He asked who I was. I told him. By then, Candace knew it was Martin, and she was excited. I told him a friend of mine wants to speak to you, and he's said, “No, I'm really busy, I've got to go. I just want to say…” He continued, blah blah blah blah, and I swear to God, I was on that phone for ten minutes while he was giving me information!

But he didn't have time to speak to Candace. He even put me on hold at one point, for God’s sake, because he said he had a call from somebody else! Martin then said he wanted to attend on Friday, which would be better for him than Saturday, but he needed to negotiate with Barbara. Funnily enough, he went on Saturday, and she was on Friday. So that negotiation must have gone well.

After we spent the day in Rosie’s apartment, I was starving, and the others went out for snacks. The phone rang, and I said, “Hello.” I knew immediately it was Barbara. Again, it was like, "Sorry, Rosie's out," and she said, "Okay, I'll ring back," and then she was off. She was very businesslike. That call was on Rosie's birthday, so I told Rosie that Barbara wanted to speak to her on her birthday, so that was fun.

Have you met any of the production staff from the show?

Gerry Anderson was very quiet, and Reg Hill was gentlemanly. Barry Gray and Derek Wadsworth were at a convention I went to, and both were interesting and quite quiet. Sylvia Anderson was old, kind of frail and small, but there was nothing frail about that woman's intellect. She was on the money. She was very intelligent, very focused, and quite interesting. It would have been fun to have a chat with her in the bar.

One of the really fun things was visiting Pinewood Studios. Fanderson organized it, and we were split into two groups to be taken around the studio. Our group went with Keith Wilson, and that was really good fun. He showed us where the dressing rooms were; unfortunately, the L and M stages (where Space was shot) were closed. We went for a drive around and had a meal. It was interesting to get those behind-the-scenes stories.

What's your favorite episode?

It would be easier to list the ones that are not my favorite episodes. One of the ones that I have watched the most is “Dragon's Domain”. Early on, I had a limited number of videos, and it got to the point where my mum would say, “Not ‘Dragon’s Domain’ again!” So that's got to be one of my favorites purely because I've watched it so many times. In the good old days before video, some clever people audio-taped it, and that was a really good one to audio. I didn't. Someone would sell them in the fan club, so I bought some of those audios. “Testament of Arkadia” really worked because of the narration, and the music is lovely. “Full Circle” is one of my favorites because it’s just a fun episode, and it looks quite different. Recently, on Facebook, there was a poll where you could list your favorites, and I listed 13.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

One of the ones I really liked was the Town Mook Japanese photo guidebook, because it was difficult to find. We just happened upon it, and it looked nice. I also liked The Making of Space: 1999 because it gave details about the behind-the-scenes workings, so I liked that book. We've got quite a bit of stuff. We have a whole 1999 room!

Is there one particular thing that you identified with the show?

I always liked the characters, but I also enjoyed the stories, especially those about the search for a home. It was fun to write fan stories and to fill in the gaps.

How has the show affected your life?

Friendships, obviously relationships, clearly. I was pen-pals with a girl who lived in Malta, and she told me about another fan who was going to LA soon, who had an autographed photo of Martin and Barbara. So, I put pen to paper and wrote to this fan, she was called Dallas Hadaway, around March 1980. Dallas said she was off to the States and sent me a postcard back. When she returned, she responded with a letter, and on the final page, she said, “We met Martin while we were there. I'll fill in more in the newsletter.” No, don't tell me that! How can you leave it like that?

We started corresponding, and then she put an address sticker with her phone number on the outside of the envelope – so I rang her. Because obviously, why wouldn't one? She later said it never occurred to her that I would do that. We arranged to meet up and go to the Forbidden Planet bookshop. We went to lunch and went book shopping, trying to find merchandise. She then invited me to her house; and after that we’d meet up occasionally. Dallas had gone to Fanderson ’82 and then we went to conventions together in ’84 – in fact, we did a whole big, long trip in 1984.

It was only after we’d known each other for 24 years that the penny finally dropped! We got married in 2009. It would have been on September 13th had it not been for the fact that we wanted my niece and nephew to be there, and they would have been at school. So, we brought it forward a couple of weeks so they could attend.

Dallas and Isobel

25

JOHN HURLES

COMMANDER KOENIG WAS A HERO OF MINE

Martin Landau and John Hurles

Where are you from?

Glasgow, Scotland.

What’s your background?

I lived in Glasgow, Scotland, for 26 years before moving to Houston, Texas, in 1996.

When did you become a fan of the show?

Since the show's first airing in the UK in 1975, I have been a fan ever since.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was six years of age.

What drew you to the show?

The premise. From a young age, I have been fascinated by science fiction. The actors. I thought they played a great group of characters, and just like Star Trek, I liked that they were mostly from different backgrounds. The technology. Moonbase Alpha looked absolutely amazing and like something that was possible in the future. The Eagles have always been my favorite ship in any sci-fi series or movie.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise, and Babylon 5.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically?

I have attended four conventions for the show:

• Breakaway: Los Angeles, CA, 1999

• Main Mission: New York, NY, 2000

• Journey to Where: Austin, TX, 2010

• Alpha 2012: Burbank, CA

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Meet the guests, look at the models and costumes on display, peruse the Dealer’s Room, and catch up with friends.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, Catherine Schell, Nick Tate, and so many more.

What was that experience like?

I found them all to be extremely nice to the fans and genuinely grateful that fans remember them and continue to show interest in their work on the show after so many years.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

If I have to pick one, I will have to say Martin Landau. Commander Koenig was a hero of mine when I was a kid, so it was a real pleasure to meet him after all those years finally. He was just wonderful – such a nice, kind, and genuine man.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

Johnny Byrne, Christopher Penfold, and Keith Wilson.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

The show did not change my path during school or the various positions I have filled in my career.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

Not one thing in particular. I just loved the premise, as it had never been done before.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

I have many favorites, and like many other fans, I favored the action-oriented episodes of the second season when I was young. As I got older, I appreciated the dramatic, thought-provoking episodes of the first season more. One episode that I really enjoyed as a child, which I still enjoy as a guilty pleasure as an adult, is “The Last Enemy”. I always remember that I loved how my hero, Commander Koenig, saved them all at the end of the episode. I also remember that when I was a kid, I had a large poster of the Eagle and the Satazius on my bedroom wall.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I just remember the show bringing me a lot of enjoyment in my childhood. I watched it, read the annuals and Look-In magazine, played with the Dinky Eagles and the Palitoy figures, interacted with friends and schoolmates by role-playing the characters and episodes, and swapped the various collectors’ cards.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Yes, I have made many friends, most of whom I met at the Breakaway convention in 1999.

What is your relationship with those friends?

Good friends. We discuss Space: 1999 and many other sci-fi shows that interest us.

Do you see them or correspond regularly?

I don't see them regularly, but I try to stay in contact with them, mainly through Facebook.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

When I was younger, it was the Dinky Eagles, the Annuals, the Palitoy figures, and the Airfix models. In later years, it has been the DVDs, Blu-rays, and some of the newer releases of the Eagles. I still have the John Koenig and Paul Morrow Palitoy figures, as well as two of the Dinky Eagles. I also have 8 of the newly released Eagles, the Hawk, and multiple DVD and Blu-Ray releases from different countries.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I am not sure, as I have no one to pass them on to, but I would like to ensure that they go to someone who would treasure them as much as I do, and hopefully, they will pass them along to other fans of the show.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

The Palitoy “Captain” Koenig figure.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

There are many treasured memories, but some of the most memorable are meeting Martin Landau, meeting so many fans and becoming friends with them at the Breakaway convention, and many good memories of the show in my youth – watching it with my parents and my friends and receiving birthday and Christmas gifts, of items related to the show.

26

JEFF JONES

IT WAS THE PERFECT SERIES

Jeff Jones, 2024

Where are you from?

Originally, Ohio. I am now living in Palm Coast, Florida, located on the east coast about 30 minutes north of Daytona Beach.

What’s your background?

I grew up in northeastern Ohio and eventually ended up at Ohio State, where I majored in Biological Sciences with aspirations of becoming a doctor. After earning my BS in Biology, I spent a year and a half working in a laboratory at Columbus Children’s Hospital and quickly decided that I didn’t want to be a doctor. With medical school out of the picture and the career outlook for BS-level biologists not very promising, I decided to pursue graduate studies in Biochemistry.

In January of ’79, while returning home from an Ohio State football game in Louisiana, I happened to stop for a tour of a NASA facility. On that tour, I was privileged to see the Space Shuttle Enterprise sitting all by herself in a hangar (remember, this was over two years before the first shuttle launch). I knew immediately that I wanted to work for NASA in the shuttle program. There was, however, a slight problem: I had never taken an aerospace engineering class, let alone the supporting math and physical chemistry courses.

Fully expecting to be laughed out of the Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (AAE) building, I marched over to the AAE department and asked to speak to someone about transferring as a grad student from Biochemistry into the Aero/Astro grad program. It was then that I met my own personal Ernst Queller. His name was Rudolph Edse, Chair of the AAE graduate department. He was an old German rocket scientist who had come to the US with Wernher von Braun after World War II. Amongst his many accomplishments, he was the first person to propose using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as rocket propellants, a standard in today’s rockets. (Perhaps we should lobby to have it called the “Edse Drive”!). He guided me for three and a half years until I received my MS in AAE.

To make a long story short, I joined NASA, worked at the shuttle launch pad for 21 launches, spent 10 years working in the Space Station Program, most of that as the Station Propulsion System Manager, was Chief Engineer on the NASA version of the X-37 Orbital Vehicle (now known as the Air Force’s secret space plane), was also involved in the MAVEN Mars Mission, and the Orion Crew Capsule. I left the Agency after 25 years and now run my own consulting business.

When did you become a fan of the show?

From Day 1. Literally, from the moment I saw the start of “Breakaway”.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

Over 21! Actually, 26 years old.

What drew you to the show?

I had been a big fan of UFO and even planned a trip to London in September 1973 to try and meet some of the cast. Through some slightly devious methods, I was able to get together with the following actors:

Antonia Ellis (Moonbase Operative Joan Harrington) a lovely and wonderful person.

Andrea Allan (Also a Moonbase Operative as well as the nurse in the memorable “A Question of Priorities” episode). Also, she is lovely and incredibly fun to be around.

Gabrielle Drake (who everyone knows). So sweet and soft-spoken, a lovely person. I think I fell in love with her that day (September 17, 1973) and (much to my wife’s chagrin) still am!

Vladek Sheybal (Dr. Jackson). Vladek was a wonderful person. He invited me over to his house, where we spent hours chatting. Interestingly, he told me about a new series that the Andersons were putting together, starring “those two American actors from Mission: Impossible.”

With all that and having been a fan of Anderson’s shows (UFO, The Protectors, Fireball XL5, Supercar, etc.), it was pretty well set that I would be enthralled by Space: 1999. Once the show started, it was everything: the cast, characters, stories, sets, and music. It was the perfect series.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs?

As long as I can remember. The Outer Limits (original), Lost in Space (the original and the Netflix reboot), Star Trek (TOS, TNG, SNW), Buck Rogers, Battlestar Galactica, Time Tunnel, The Invaders, some Farscape and Babylon 5, and a few more.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

Yes, I ended up leading the group that organized the first Space: 1999 convention, held in Columbus in 1978, and also assisted with the 1979 and 1980 conventions. (So many stories… we could do a really interesting book!)

Have you attended any conventions for the show?

In addition to those mentioned above, I was also at the ’82 Convention in Springfield, simply as an attendee (but somehow got drafted to help out with it once I arrived). My last con was the ’87 Sandusky Relax-a-Con.

I was working at NASA Ames Research Center in 1999 and had planned to attend the “Breakaway” convention. However, at the last minute, I was sent to Nevada to represent NASA at the Reno Air Races that weekend.

An interesting story that is largely unknown is that in the summer of 2007, Rosie Badgett and I were working on initial planning for a 2008 “30th anniversary of the ’78 Convention” event to be held in Long Beach, California. We went so far as to meet with the event staff on board the Queen Mary, as it was going to be our primary site. Unfortunately, a couple of months later, my work relocated me back to the East Coast, and that pretty much put an end to our plans.

Have you met any of the actors from the show?

Yes, Martin Landau, Barry Morse, Nick Tate, Clifton Jones, Prentis Hancock, and Anton Phillips, along with Gerry Anderson and Berry Gray.

I also had the pleasure of working with several of the other guests, including Dave Prowse, Herb Jefferson Jr., Sarah Douglas, and Martin Bower. They were all marvelous.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

That’s a tough one, as they were all wonderful. Nick and I got close, although I’ve lost touch with him (which I would like to reestablish). Barry was such a kind gentleman, and his portrayal of Victor was marvelous.

How has the show affected your life?

Well, I did move from a potential career as a biochemist to a NASA spacecraft engineer, so I guess it probably did!

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

At the time, it was just the most incredible show to watch. As the years rolled by, however, I came to see many of the show’s elements reflected in my daily life at NASA, making it even more endearing.

Do you have a favorite episode?

Many favorites. If I had to select one, it would be “Another Time, Another Place”.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

Remind me to tell you about Nick, Clifton, and me sitting in my apartment eating sandwiches on the floor and watching “Another Time, Another Place”. As I recall, neither one had actually seen the episode.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Many friends. I have lost track of almost all of them over the years, except for Sandra Sprecker. Probably, my greatest wish would be to reconnect with Nick and invite him to tour the Kennedy Space Center when he is in the Florida area.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show?

No, not really. I have several items from the 1978, 1979, and 1980 Conventions, including the painting of Alan Carter that I won at the 1978 Art Show. I have no idea what I will do with it all. Perhaps offer some to interested fans.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

I’m hoping it is still in the box with the other memorabilia, but I received a letter from a young man who had attended the first convention. I haven’t shared this before for reasons that will be obvious. It was a letter of appreciation for holding the Convention. I haven’t read it in many years, but to the best of my memory, this young man had pretty much given up on life. I got the feeling he had considered suicide. For some reason, he decided to attend the Convention. While there, he found a home surrounded by his fellow fans. The key element he mentioned was that Nick Tate sat down with him and spent considerable time just talking to him. He felt that if someone as important as Nick cared enough about him to spend that time, then maybe life was worth living. It was so touching. I’m not sure if I ever had the chance to share this with Nick, but I would love to someday.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

I would say three primary things. First, the graciousness of all the cast and crew members who attended. It’s a little-known fact that every one of them donated their speaking fees to the Children’s Hospitals in addition to what the Convention raised. Secondly, these conventions have provided benefits to the Children’s Hospitals, not only financially but also emotionally, through the wonderful visits of the Cast and Crew members. Third is the spirit of kindness, fellowship, and happiness among all those who attended the conventions. We were truly family.

27

TAMMY KLEIN

A PROFESSIONAL DORK

Steve Warnek, Eric Bernard, Chris Penfold, Nick Tate, Tammy Klein, and Robert Wood

Where are you from?

Concord, California. I live in Los Angeles now.

What’s your background?

I have an Associate of Nursing degree from Yuba College, a BS in Chemistry from Sonoma State University, and an MSc in Criminalistics from California State University, Los Angeles. I went into the U.S. Air Force at the age of 17, right out of high school. I was a jet engine mechanic on F-15 and F-16 aircraft. I attended college after leaving the military. I worked as a nurse in Santa Rosa, California. In 1998, I became a criminalist when the LA Sheriff's Department hired me. I am currently working for the Sheriff’s Department. I also learned about visual effects from my late boyfriend, Glenn Campbell, a well-known visual effects artist in the industry, and I continue to work on them on the side.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I became a fan of the show when it first aired in the United States in the 1970s, when I was 11 years old.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

Everything about the show drew me to it. I was a Star Trek fan before this show, and Space: 1999 became my other favorite TV show that I never wanted to miss.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

I have always loved science fiction and was introduced to it by my brother, Danny, when I was six.

My parents didn't care for sci-fi, but my brother and I would geek out. I have enjoyed Star Trek (Glenn worked on the very first movie), Lexx, Farscape, Firefly, Altered Carbon, The Expanse, Black Mirror, Love, Death & Robots, The Outer Limits, The Mandalorian, Orville, Andor, Defiance, and many more.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically?

As a child, I wasn't allowed to have any of the models for Space: 1999 because my mother wanted me to be more girly. I am still not girly. I've met Nick Tate and Prentis Hancock. I am working with Nick on an audio production with Steve Warnek and Robert Wood.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

I've attended one Star Trek convention and one Space: 1999 convention. The Space: 1999 convention was held in Burbank in 2012.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

I enjoy looking at the sales tables and attending panels.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Nick Tate and Prentis Hancock.

What was that experience like?

They're both good guys. Nick is great to have a beer with. He loves to tell stories, and I love to hear them.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Nick Tate. I had a crush on him when I was 11. I'm over it now, but I still enjoy watching shows with Nick in them, and he's a joy to work with.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

Yes. I was friends with and worked with writer Christopher Penfold until his passing in 2024. I met him at the Burbank Con in 2012.

How has the show affected your life? Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

I became a scientist like Maya. She was cool and smart, and I wanted to be like her.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

Everyone was smart, cool, and professional. I wanted to grow up to be like that, but I grew up to be a dork, a professional dork, but a dork.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

Yes. “Dragon's Domain” (written by Christopher Penfold). It scared the shit out of me. When Christopher stayed at my house once, I had him autograph my copy of a Space: 1999 paperback featuring that episode.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

The episode “Earthbound”. The character of Simmonds made me never want to be that selfish. And the twist at the end! Irony!

Have you made friends through your association with the show? What is your relationship with those friends?

Yes. I've made friends with Eric Bernard, Robert Wood, Steve Warnek, Christopher Penfold, Nick Tate, and Warren F. Friedrich. We now work together, producing an audio drama that Robert and Steve wrote.

Do you see them or correspond regularly?

We see each other several times a year.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

I have posters signed by Nick and Prentis, and a book autographed by Christopher. As a kid, I wasn't allowed to have toys from the show as my mother considered them to be 'boys' toys.' I wanted them, though. Now, I don't have room for toys. However, I collected all 66 of the Donruss bubble gum cards that make a puzzle when they're all together. I also have a record album of an episode. I was highly annoyed when I listened to it as a kid and realized that the real actors from the show didn't record the dialogue—it was just some unknown people.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I will keep them until I die, and then my son will sell them or toss them, as I don't think he's ever heard of Space: 1999.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

The 66 Donruss bubble gum cards that make a puzzle when they're all together and a record album of an episode.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

Having a beer with Nick Tate, Steve Warnek, Chris Penfold, and Robert Wood. Nick kept looking at me and saying, “You're a fan of the show? Really??” He couldn't believe I loved the show as a kid. I’m pretty sure other girls liked the show. I didn't know any when I was 11, but I figured they were out there.

28

PHILLIP A. LEAVENWORTH

RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP THE SPIRIT GOING

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Southern California. Specifically, I was born in West Covina, California, and oddly enough, in the same place where my dad was born. He’s my biggest inspiration in my science fiction fandom, including anything released from the 1960s to the 1980s. I spent the first six years of my life in Fontana, California, before relocating to Paramount, California, a small town between Los Angeles and Long Beach. I consider myself to be from both Paramount and Long Beach.

What’s your background?

I’ve been a perennial student for most of my adult life and an employee of the Los Angeles Times newspaper. I was the third generation to work there, after my dad and Grandfather, both of whom put in almost forty years each, whereas I only put in six. I was laid off from the Times in March 2024. I was part of the Press Order Room. I was responsible for ensuring that newspapers and pallets were loaded onto trucks for delivery. Aside from that, I spent much of my twenties developing ideas for novels, movies, and TV shows that I hope to produce sooner rather than later.

I received associate degrees in English (2020), Journalism (2021), and Creative Writing (2023) from Long Beach City College. I transferred to California State University, Long Beach in 2021 and graduated in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in English Rhetoric and Composition and a Professional Writing Certificate. I am pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing with an emphasis in Fiction at San Diego State University, where I am also a teaching associate. I intend to pursue a doctorate in Education upon completing my MFA.

My dream is to become an educator by day and a filmmaker or novelist by night. I write science fiction, fantasy, and horror from a literary perspective. You can create emotionally resonant and impactful stories when the theme, character, and setting are unified. This will be my mission in life, and Space: 1999 has been integral to my creative pursuits in some surprising ways.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I became a fan of the show sometime in 2000 when my dad brought home a VHS tape, which turned out to be the Alien Attack film. This film combined the episodes “Breakaway” and “War Games” with additional scenes shot for the film, set at the International Lunar Commission in New York City. The film left me spellbound. Growing up, I envied my father’s generation for being the first to grow up in a world where humans had traveled to the Moon. Even though the series was now set in the past, I saw the promise of a possible future as envisioned by the seventies, and I was not keen on letting this capsule of history disappear.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was around eight, but my dad solidified my fandom of the series when he brought home the A&E DVD box in two-disc sets with three episodes each. It was like my dad would buy one new boxed set every month before I had all the series episodes, and I would watch them almost religiously with him. Not long after, he started buying Eagle models and searching for other items from the series. He was particularly interested in finding Hawk and Swift models. He was always much more interested in the spacecraft than I was, and I’d like to think I love every spacecraft design in the series.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

Even then, I was a fan of alternate realities and alternate histories. I’d always viewed Space: 1999 as a kind of alternate history of the Space Race, where we took our lunar exploration more seriously and developed a moonbase out of a desire to go to the Moon and stay. It hit me more than Star Trek did because, unlike that series, Space: 1999 captured something Star Trek never had: confronting the unknown.

Space: 1999 portrayed space as a terrifying, uncaring, and ultimately evasive beast, but it was the ingenuity and the intelligence of the 311 men and women of Moonbase Alpha that always prevailed. It showed that humans had the smarts to weather any problem through science and technology, and that was a powerful message for me.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi shows have you enjoyed over the years?

Yes, I’ve been a longtime fan of sci-fi. I’m a big fan of Star Trek (specifically, Star Trek Voyager, probably because, like Space: 1999 was Star Trek confronting the unknown), Battlestar Galactica (both the 1978 and 2003 iterations), Planet of the Apes (especially the original 1960s and 1970s films and TV shows), the Stargate franchise, and recently, For All Mankind (which include nods to Space: 1999!).

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically?

I’ve always wanted to be part of the Space: 1999 fandom in some way. It wasn't until 2023 that I started getting more involved. I joined a couple of Space: 1999 Facebook pages and reached out to Roy Bjellquist and Warren F. Friedrich to discuss the show on my YouTube channel, FAL, in September 2024 for the 25th anniversary of Breakaway Day. I also contacted John Kenneth Muir because his books analyzing Space: 1999 have influenced my perceptions of the series and my writing. I’ve met Jeffrey Morris, who has been instrumental in bringing attention to the show through his documentary, The Eagle Obsession, and I’ve been in contact with him for a few years now.

I wrote my attempt at remaking Space: 1999 as a TV show called “Moonbase Alpha” on Creative Sci-Fi Wiki many years ago, but I never got to finish it. But the development did inform me about my space adventure novel series, “The Explorer Sagas”, which I’m currently writing. There’s much Space: 1999 in its DNA. This speaks further to the influence the series has on me. I’d love to meet the cast and crew of the show at this year’s convention in September.

Have you attended any conventions for the show?

Unfortunately, I have never been to any conventions for the show. It saddens me that I couldn’t make it to Calgary or London. I’m elated that it’ll be in my own backyard this year, with Los Angeles being the new host for the next major convention to commemorate the 50th anniversary. It’ll also give me a good reason to return home and see my dad and younger brother Kyle. He is also a fan of the series and sci-fi, but he’s a fan in a much more subdued way than either my dad or I.

Have you met any of the actors or members of the production crew from the show?

Unfortunately, no. But I would’ve loved to have met Martin Landau, Commander Koenig himself. May he rest in peace. Meeting Nick Tate, who played Alan Carter, would be a fantastic treat. I’m looking forward to the opportunity in September. That’s why there will always be an obligatory Australian pilot in any space-based sci-fi story I write. I think he truly embodied a model of positive masculinity in several episodes. He always handled everything with moral clarity and, at many points, served as the show's conscience. I think that’s part of why I gravitate toward his character.

I haven’t met anyone from the show’s production staff either. But I imagine I’d love to chat with Brian Johnson about his design philosophy for the Eagles, Hawks, and Swifts. I’d love to carry on this design lineage in my work.

How has the show affected your life? Did it move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

The show was foundational in my life and solidified my pursuit of becoming a writer. It, along with many other science fiction series that I love, continues to influence my writing philosophy and how I approach a multicultural cast or crew. It has also helped me appreciate space exploration and consider the hopeful attitudes of the 1970s, before we stopped traveling to the Moon. I’m more of a Moon-first guy than a Mars-first because of Space: 1999. I believe the Moon is the gateway to the stars, not Mars. But that’s a story for another time.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

I think it’s always been that the series portrayed a hopeful alternate past that I felt robbed of having. I’m displeased with American space exploration priorities shifting away from the Moon and focusing on “cheaper” and “better” things that didn’t give us something grand like the Moon to focus on. This is partially why I gravitate toward For All Mankind so much.

It’s literally like Space: 1999’s hopeful future of humans living in space, but without the Moon being blasted out of Earth's orbit. The characters and spacecraft also helped me to stay immersed in the world of Moonbase Alpha and the plight of the Alphans.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

This is a toughie. There are so many great episodes that I constantly rewatch. I think I’m someone who leans toward the first season being the better, more philosophical of the two. But I think there are several I return to in that season, as well. I’d pick “Dragon’s Domain”, the episode with Tony Cellini and the Ultra probe. This episode is the quintessential episode of Space: 1999. It features an ill-fated space mission, a troubled astronaut, and an encounter with a cosmic horror that we may not fully comprehend. We don’t know why it kills or exactly how, but we know that it’s a specter that haunts Cellini, and in many ways, this episode is the one I’d show first to bring people into the series as a whole. It’s that good!

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I can’t think of a single moment but more of a string of moments when I’d sit with my dad and brother, and we’d watch the episodes and get lost in the theme music, the adventure, and the plight of the Alphans. If nothing else, the show has been great at offering us an opportunity to bond, think about the world of the show, and consider what we would have done in their situation.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

I think I’ve made a lot of connections through my fandom with the show. As I mentioned earlier, I don’t think I could’ve reached out to people like Roy Bjellquist, Warren F. Friedrich, Jeffrey Morris, Jeff Jones, John Kenneth Muir, and others without the show.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items? What will you eventually do with them?

My Dad is the primary collector of Space: 1999 memorabilia. He has countless Eagle models of various eras. He lent me two of his Eagles and Hawks, which I now have on display here in my apartment in San Diego. He’s also purchased his first Swift and other specialty spacecraft from the series. I collect patches and have several Moonbase Alpha logo patches and Eagle mission patches. I also own two T-shirts: Carter and Koenig-style uniform shirts, modeled after the show, that I bought from the Gerry Anderson store. I love my copies of the Space: 1999 Technical Operations Manual and John Kenneth Muir’s analysis books, and I would like to purchase the Space: 1999 RPG book. I’m planning to pass these items on to my own children when they’re old enough to fully appreciate them.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

All of it! I can’t pick a single thing.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

Honestly, I have several. I think the highlight of my Space: 1999 experience came earlier this year when I appeared on the “This Episode” podcast with Roy Bjellquist, Warren F. Friedrich, and Jeff Jones. I never considered sharing my side of the story or discussing it publicly. I believe it was the culmination of a series of moments with the show that I needed to experience to appreciate all that had happened to me fully. I’m not a spiritual or religious person by any means, but I think in that episode, I offered not just the future of the show but the future of this fandom. I feel I have a responsibility to keep the spirit going.

29

TERRY LEE

MY FAVORITE TV SHOW OF ALL TIME

Where are you from?

The Pacific Northwest – Seattle, Washington.

What’s your background?

I have a computer science degree. For the first half of my career, I taught technical classes like programming languages, eLearning development tools, and Learning Management Systems. After the 2008 crash, I transitioned to the healthcare industry, where I taught hospital software, and I now work as a learning experience platform developer. I am retiring early in 2025.

When did you become a fan of the show?

From the beginning. I remember where I was when the show premiered.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

Eleven.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I watched every science fiction show. This was a show I was looking forward to watching. I would say all the above – the premise, the actors, and the technology. I can't say that just one or a few things stood out for me. I liked everything about it.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs?

Yes, my first memory was watching an episode of Lost In Space. It would have had to have been a rerun. I didn’t know many other people with an interest in sci-fi. I got books from a girl with crossed-out names.

Are there any other sci-fi shows you have enjoyed over the years?

Yes, the list is very long. Here is a short list (in no specific order): Lost in Space (original), The Invaders, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and especially Stargate Universe (in my top 5 list), which had a Space: 1999 feel to it. Also notable are Battlestar Galactica (original and remake). This does not include Galactica 1980! Also, Buck Rogers (season 1 only), Star Trek TOS, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Voyager, Travelers, Babylon 5, Blake's 7, Red Dwarf, The Bionic Woman, Ark II, Space Academy, Snowpiercer, Futurama, UFO, Thunderbirds, The Herculoids, Josie & The Pussycats In Outer Space (yes, I am an out and proud Josie In Outer Space fan even though Freddy Freiberger produced it), Come Back Mrs. Noah (yes, it is science fiction and if you look it up, it will be listed as one of the worst SF comedies of all time.) And I've always been a big fan of British sci-fi and British shows.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

Yes, my first Space: 1999 con was in 1986 at the Hollywood Holiday Inn. I was too young and too far away to attend the previous ones, even though I knew about them through Starlog. I bought commercially available models, but I was never good at meeting the actors or joining fan clubs for the shows.

Have you attended conventions? If so, how many and where?

Just about all of them since 1986. Here is an incomplete list:

1986 Hollywood Holiday Inn

1999 – Los Angeles

2000 - New York

2003 and other dates - Portland

2005 Tampa and several others in Tampa

2005 - Pinewood Studios One Day Event

2008 and 2023 - Calgary

2010 - Austin

2012 - Burbank

2014 and another date - Peterbourgh

2017 and 2019 - New Jersey

2024 - London

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Initially, it was meeting the actors, making friends, and attending panels. Recently, it has included being a guest handler.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

I will take the easy way out, all of them. There isn't anyone I didn't like interacting with.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

Yes, Nick Tate, Catherine Schell, Barry Morse, and Carolyn Seymour (guest star). Carolyn Seymour and I met at a party in LA, kept in touch, and reconnected at the con in Austin. Catherine and Carolyn were friends. I first saw her in a small Con in the late ‘80s in the Seattle area. I’ve had the opportunity to interact with many actors from the series. Here are a few recollections:

Barry Morse

I was talking to Barry once in Portland, and I told him I was in London often and that I’d like to meet up with him and treat him to lunch. He said that would be great and gave me his contact information. I remember not calling but letting him know when I’d be there. He said to come to his home. I thought we’d meet there and then go to a nearby restaurant. I realized he had something for me to eat when I got there, and we just sat there and talked. I'm not the naivest person, but I'm pretty close; we're having a meal at his place, we're not going out. And we had a nice conversation. I asked him about the underground, which line was the oldest. He gave me this great talk about its history and how it started. We talked about his mom because I was surprised to learn that she had never gone more than 10 miles from where she lived in London. She never took a bus to go somewhere fun or to the beach or something, you know?

The place he lived while doing Space is a nice piece of history. I remember it was up a peculiar flight of stairs, and I thought of him walking up and down these stairs when he was filming Space: 1999. His flat was intimate and well-lived; it was clean and nice.

Nick Tate

I saw Nick at several conventions in the mid-to-late 90s. When I was going to Sydney, Australia, for the Gay Games in 2003. I got in touch with him, let him know I would be there, and that I’d love to take him out to lunch one day while I was there. He said that was fine.

I was under the impression that I'd fly to Sydney and meet him there. Then I found out he wasn't living in Sydney, just outside. It may have been a family home. He said, “Get on this bus and then get off at this stop, then walk to this area.” The bus ride was an hour. I get there, and he treats me like we've been friends forever, and he brings me into his house, and all his family's looking at me like, it's another stranger he's bringing in! I spent the day with him, just running around. He had to get his car looked at and do all these errands. I was out with him, like we had been buddies forever. It was unusual and not in a bad way.

Catherine Schell

In the mid-90s, I traveled extensively internationally and accumulated a lot of frequent flyer miles, allowing me to vacation in Europe once or twice a year for free. I had friends there. I don't know how I found out, but I knew Catherine had a guest house in central France.

I'd fly to London and stay with my friends, then I'd leave most of my luggage with them and go visit Catherine at her bed and breakfast. People would come through and spend the night, then head out to continue their trips. I had a lot of time with her. We'd go shopping. I would take a train to Saint-Tiernay, which was a four- or five-hour journey. Then the closest I could get to her was about half an hour. So, she would come and pick me up. Then I'd go shopping with her. And we'd go to the nearest town, about half an hour away, called Crapo. We both had a big laugh about that. She'd drop me off. I would go shopping around the town. Then we'd meet at a particular time and go back. And I remember once when I was shopping, I found a VHS tape of Space: 1999. I bought it and showed it to her. She looked at it and said she had recently gotten some residuals from Granada. When I was in London, I went shopping at these shops that sold celebrity photographs. I'd find these rare 8x10s of her. I would bring them to her and her husband. She’d look at them and say, “Oh, I remember, that's my little dog I had,” or “I remember that car, that outfit.” She hadn't seen these pictures in a long time and may not have even known about them. It just brought back so many memories. It was fun to do that with her.

I assembled some shelves for her because her husband wasn't in good health. I did some other projects for her. It was just nice; very laid-back. We’d hang out in their living room in the evenings and chat for a while. There wasn't much for me to do besides hanging out with her while I was there. At night, we'd go out and visit her friends and have dinner with them. I think it was really designed for people who were traveling around in France. She lived in a small town called Bonval, and they would often host music festivals.

I never asked her husband, “Well, why did you move to France and retire here?” And talking to him, you know, he was a very well-known director, more TV than movies, and then the work dried up. The same thing happened with Catherine; you know, she didn't give up on acting; she said acting gave up on her.

During their downtime, they would drive around and explore the area, and found this place in Bonval, where they fell in love with it. And when it came up for sale, they bought it. They decided, it's like, well, we're not getting any work, so let’s go ahead and retire. I visited there four times.

Her first con was in New York in 2000. I asked her if she was going, and she said, I didn’t think so. She didn't understand why people wanted to see her and why they were going to these conventions about the show. I think her husband talked her into it. I contacted her and told her, “I'm going to be there, and I just wondered if I could do anything for you. Do you want me to help you out in any way? Or do you want me to stay away so you can interact with the fans?”

She got her to a hotel room to relax for a while. I asked if she wanted to go to dinner, and she had a glass of wine. I'm not sure if she still does it, but she used to drink a lot of wine, like the French do. And so, I remember a long escalator that you could take to get to the con floor. We were coming down the huge escalator, and she could hear everyone there. She asked me to hold her glass of wine. I just thought she didn't want people to realize that she was drinking because she was nervous. So, I helped her, ensuring she got where she needed to. I did this a few times, like when John Hug was approaching her. I just whispered to her, "That's John Hug." He played Frasier, an Eagle pilot. I helped jog her memory. And then, she’d say, “Oh, John, it's so good to see you.” You know, the classic actors meeting each other, even though they probably didn't even know who they were talking to! I helped her out a few times with that.

Once, she was feeling so overwhelmed, and I said, “There's a restroom over there. Do you want to go in there and collect yourself?” She agreed. She went into the restroom. Then all these women, I think it was just women – and maybe a few men! – followed her in. Everyone was talking to each other in the restroom. She came out and I said, "Oh, no, that’s not what I wanted. I wanted you to have a little bit of rest."

I asked her, “Do you want to go out somewhere to dinner?” And she said, “Oh, yes, that would be great.” We took a taxi and went out. She really enjoyed it because no one else around knew her. The convention was an experience for her. I wish I had recognized how stressed out she was. I was focused on ensuring I took care of her, making sure she was eating and getting to where she needed to go, etc. I didn't realize that this was overwhelming for her. Looking back, I wish I had seen that. Back then, we didn't have YouTube to refer to – see what a convention experience is like.

I used to joke that I had a Catherine card. It was a calling card that you could use to call Europe. This was pre-cell phones. It would be quite cheap. I used to joke, ‘Oh, I'm going to pick up my Catherine card and give her a call.’

Gerry Anderson

Gerry Anderson came to LA at the Egyptian Theater, and they showed the pilots from many of his shows. I remember Fireball XL5 and “Breakaway” from Space: 1999. That was the first time I'd seen them on the big screen, and I was flabbergasted because the detail was so great.

Zienia Merton

I don’t remember how I got in touch with Zienia, but we discussed whether she should wear her “Full Circle” costume to the Pinewood event in 2005, and she showed up in the leopard dress!

Derek Wadsworth

I met Derek Wadsworth at a one-day event at Pinewood Studios in 2005. Gerry Anderson was there, and I'm not sure how I got on the invitation list, but a couple of dozen of us were there. Barry Morse and Zienia were there; I wanted to watch Breakaway on the big screen, the screen where they see the dailies when filming. A nice lunch was set up for us. Someone created all these dioramas from different episodes. And each table had one of the dioramas in the middle. The person who prepared them did a really good job.

Derek was there, but he wasn't interacting with many people because I don't think most people knew who he was. I chatted with him for a few minutes at Black Park. I asked him a question about the shows from the UK that I had been watching around that time, and there was another person with the last name Wadsworth. I asked if they were related, and he joked, “Nope, especially since the other Wadsworth is Black.” They weren’t related.

Prentis Hancock and Anton Phillips

During the dance at the ‘99 con in LA, Prentis, Anton, and I were all sitting at the same table. There was the Piri theme for the dance. So, the tables were set up to look like Piri. We had bubble juice at each of the tables so that people could, you know, blow bubbles. Anton went to grab one of the bubble juices, as if he were going to drink it. And I said, “Stop, don't do that!” And he freaked out and stopped. And I said, “That's not water, that's bubble juice! Let me get you some water.” And he laughed. He almost drank bubble juice!

Keith Wilson and Brian Johnson

Keith Wilson was very knowledgeable and shared a lot about his work, so it was very interesting. I met Brian Johnson at several cons in England, including one in Peterborough, and he was also at the 2024 con in London. I interacted with him briefly. Brian had arrived at the con hotel in Peterborough and looked lost, so I helped him get situated. Then, I got so busy with Nick that I didn't see him for the rest of the weekend, which was unfortunate.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

I really liked all the actors from the first season and about half from the second season. There wasn't one I didn't like, even the extras from season one. My favorite character is Professor Bergman.

How has the show affected your life?

It has the distinction of being my all-time favorite TV show.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

I would say science fiction, in general, steered me toward getting a computer science degree.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

It's hard to say. I can't think of anything specific. I liked the premise that they were self-sufficient, lost, searching for a home, and trying to survive.

Do you have a favorite episode?

I have many, but I have to say, “Black Sun” and “Another Time, Another Place”.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I have several funny memories. At the top of the list is being in a hotel bar with Nick and several others. They were playing Space: 1999 on the monitor behind us. Nick was talking and briefly looked back at the show before returning to talking. He kept looking back at the monitor and finally turned around, and we all watched the episode. He kept shaking his head in disappointment and disgust. The episode was The Beta Cloud.

As a kid, a favorite memory is probably living close to the Canadian border, which allowed me to watch the show several times a week on both US and Canadian stations. I knew most people couldn’t do that.

Have you made friends through your association with the show? What is your relationship with those friends?

Yes, many. I have friends who visit me, or I visit them, or we go on vacations together, and keep in touch via phone and email (I left social media a long time ago and never looked back).

I didn't have anything else to do on weekends when I lived in London, so I went to Birmingham for a huge convention. I bought a lot of Space stuff. There was a lot of construction around the train station, and the convention hall was almost connected. When I was trying to return to the train, I was confused about which way to go. I saw this guy walking; I said, “Hey, are you going back to London?” He said, “Yeah.” I asked, “Can I follow you to the train station? I'm a little confused with all this construction.” He said, “Yeah, so am I. Let's see if we can figure out how to get back.” We were on the same train, sat together, chatted, and shared all the stuff we bought. That's my friend, Tony; we’ve been friends since then.

Do you see or correspond with them on a regular basis?

Yes, but I don't see them as much as I would like these days.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? If so, what?

Umm, yes – EVERYTHING. The exception I can think of is that I’m not interested in original costumes or props. I wouldn't know how to store them so they wouldn't get damaged or deteriorate. Plus, they were quickly snapped up by UK fans. I was fortunate enough to travel to Europe frequently in the 1990s, and I lived in London for a time, where I discovered many UK and non-US collectibles (all before eBay). So basically, I was finding a collectible I didn't know existed. I have an extensive collection of non-English items.

How many items?

There are many hundreds. You are welcome to come over and count them. I would be curious to know the count! I can't see myself ever counting everything. I used to have duplicates in my collection, but I parted with most of them, mostly due to limited space.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I am in full denial about what I will eventually have to do with everything. I will forget you asked me this question!

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

There are many. The first TV Guide with Space: 1999 listed, the first collectible item I bought: US trading cards (I remember the first card I got), and a Japanese pencil case. The rarest item I have is a custom-embossed planning calendar book that the Landaus gave out as holiday presents. Mine has “Breakaway” Director Lee Katzin's name on it.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

I would choose this one out of so many: I went to my first convention in 1986. I flew to LA alone and didn't know anyone at the con. That was not me at the time; I didn't do things on my own like that, especially when going to a large city where I didn't know anyone. But I knew I had to go. I couldn't miss the event. On my first day at the con, before I made any friends, I was looking around in the dealer's room. In walked Barry Morse. I am unsure how I was acting or if he perceived me as being by myself, but he came over and introduced himself (I can say with certainty that I didn't relieve myself). That memory is burned into my brain (I am glad my name isn't Brian!). Meeting Catherine Schell and her husband for the first time in France is a close second.

Martin Landau and Terry Lee, 1978

30

NICHOLAS LEMARIGNIER

IT WAS ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE

Nick Tate, Catherine Schell, and Nicholas

Where are you from?

I’m from Paris, France.

What’s your background?

I’m 49 years old, almost fifty. I grew up in a small village in Brittany. I came to Paris in 2000 at the age of 25 to work as a journalist for French Public Television. Since then, I have been a TV reporter, producing numerous reports for the evening news in various fields, including culture, history, and society, as well as topics such as education and health. I’m no longer a reporter, but I'm the co-manager of a team of about 35 journalists who work on the evening news, creating TV reports in the fields I used to cover. I still live in Paris with my other half, and we have a cat but no children.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was twelve years old when I discovered Space: 1999 on French television. At this time, in 1987, the second series aired every Saturday afternoon along with other popular sci fi shows: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Knight Rider, Supercopter, Galactica (I was really into science-fiction at this age, having been fed in my earlier childhood by the Japanese anime like Grendizer or Captain Harlock and the Japanese TV series like Space Sheriff Gavan, a forerunner of the Power Rangers).On the same TV channel, I discovered the first Star Trek Movies, the first Star Wars trilogy, and many other science fiction movies. It was a French network owned by the Italian mogul Silvio Berlusconi, and because of that, many French TV critics despised this channel. But for me, it was a waking dream!

My oldest memory of Space: 1999 is the orange cave of “The AB Chrysalis”. I still remember vividly my elder brother and I watching the episode on TV, curled up on the sofa in our pajamas. My parents were very permissive and let us watch TV as long as we wanted! As a child, I particularly loved Series Two. I remembered that one Saturday, maybe because the network ran out of Year Two episodes, they aired a Year One episode. What was that??? I found it really weird and dull compared to my favorite stories with Helena, John, Tony, and Maya. I watched this strange episode for five minutes, and then I turned the television off.

When did you become a fan of the show?

After a few years, Space: 1999 returned to French television. It was not the same channel, not the same day, and moreover, not the same season. I fully discovered Year One in 1993. And that’s when I became a true fan. I was eighteen, and now I was reading daily newspapers. One day, while the series aired again on television and I was reading the newspaper Le Monde, I came across a small article about a French fan club led by a man named Richard Plumel. It was another time, another place: to become a member of the club, you had to send him a letter with stamps, and you would receive the French bulletin called “Aigle” (“Eagle”) every three months, if my memory is correct. I wrote a few articles for the bulletin and have kept all the issues ever since. Thanks to the fan club, I learned many things about the show that I couldn’t even imagine. At this time, it was the only way, since there was no internet or reference guide about Space in France. And in my little village in Brittany, I didn’t even know Starlog or the other magazines that dealt with science fiction. But as a fan, it is a cherished period for me.

In the mid-90s, in France, there was a renewed interest in classic British TV series, such as The Avengers, The Champions, The Prisoner, Department S, and The Adventurer. We had the opportunity to collect these series, including Space: 1999, first on VHS and then on DVDs. Space: 1999 in English with French subtitles at last! That’s when I discovered that the French dubbing was filled with mistakes or misinterpretations. Around the same time, a small French guide to Space: 1999, titled Le guide du téléfan, was published. The first French book ever written about our show! That was the first item I bought as a fan, marking the beginning of a long quest to find Space: 1999 books and collectibles at a time when online shopping didn’t exist.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I quickly understood that the premise was not the show's strongest point when I read all the debates about it! Personally, I didn’t care about scientific accuracy, and I readily accepted this strange idea of propelling the Moon out of the Earth's orbit. The thing that drew me more to the show was the diversity of stories (Year One and Year Two), the mysteries that remained unsolved, and the “what-if” episodes (“Another Time, Another Place”, “Testament of Arkadia”, and “Journey to Where”).

I also loved the new look at classical themes in science fiction (like the generational ship of Daria). I loved this philosophical and poetic approach to space travel. I also liked the fact that the characters were plausible. They were not always joking, nor were they too handsome or self-confident, with no depth, and they flirted heavily with the alien male/female of the week. To me, Space: 1999 is the antithesis of the TV show Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, played by Gil Gerard. I loved Helena A LOT, even more in Series Two. I liked the subtle love affair between Paul and Sandra, as well as the wisdom of Victor Bergman. John Koenig was not my favorite character because I find Martin Landau’s acting uneven. Sometimes, it's too cold; sometimes, it's too emotional. He yelled too much in Series Two.

I also loved the show’s technology. But I’m not an Eagle aficionado. I was more amazed by Moonbase Alpha itself, including the travel tube, the living quarters, Main Mission, the external shots… and also the numerous alien spaceships. What I appreciate most about the Space: 1999 technology is that it hasn’t aged too much, to the point of being ridiculous. Some shows have become unwatchable due to poor special effects. Fifty years later, one can watch episodes of Space: 1999 without being too “distracted” by the sets or the models.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Yes, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, the Stargate franchise, The Expanse, Battlestar Galactica (2000s version), and Doctor Who.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically? Attendance at conventions, fanfic writing, model building, video creation, meeting the actors, fan clubs for the actors?

The first thing I did back in the '90s was a scrapbook with all the pictures and articles I could gather. I still have it thirty years later. Then, in the 2010s, I edited numerous videos that I shared on Facebook groups (personal creations using existing material or recreations of trailers).

I also created numerous illustrations using Photoshop, which I shared on Facebook. Regarding that specific point, I have always been amazed by the beauty of the framing in Space: 1999. For my creations, each time I made a screencap, the composition of the picture was almost perfect. Incredible. A few years ago, when I began watching some episodes cropped to fit the new 16:9 format, it was incredible to see that they worked perfectly well. The genius of the directors. I would have loved to write fan fiction, but as a French person, it would be too hard for me to write a whole story in English. And the French audience isn’t broad enough to support one in French.

Have you attended any conventions for the show?

Two conventions so far. The one in Peterborough in 2014 and the one in London in 2024. There were conventions in France back in the '90s, but at that time, I was a student and didn’t have enough money to cover the travel, hotel, and convention costs. Too bad, because I could have met Barry Morse or Zienia Merton.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

The model exhibitions are always great, and I am amazed by the talent of the modelers. I also enjoy meeting friends from abroad with whom I've chatted online. It’s always a nice moment to share quality time with them. I also love the panels. It’s not that we learn a lot about our show, since many of the actors are now older, and their memories sometimes fail, fifty years after the show was shot. Moreover, they have already shared many fun facts about Space: 1999 over the last few decades. But I love them because it’s always a comforting time, a hearty conversation between the actors and the fans.

During the last convention in London, a panel featuring Julian Glover, Isla Blair, Jack Klaff, and other actors took place. They almost didn’t speak about Space: 1999, but they had a lot of funny stories about their careers and their families. They laughed a lot, and so did we. It was a great moment, one I love during the conventions.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with? Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

I’m shy, so it’s not easy for me to start a conversation with people I don’t know. I cautiously approached the actors during my two conventions in the UK. I had brief but intense moments with Catherine Schell, Nick Tate, and Suzanne Roquette in 2014. In 2024, I had a little chat about Japan with Yasuko Nagazumi. It was so sweet and so simple. Once again, we didn’t talk at all about Space: 1999, but it was a great moment for me. Each time, I asked for an autograph or a photo. As a journalist, throughout my career, I was fortunate enough to meet people like Céline Dion, Whoopi Goldberg, Cher, and Nicolas Cage. However, I was even more impressed to meet the actors from Space: 1999 because they had filled my imagination since my childhood. They have always been a part of my life, in the background. My only regret so far is that I haven’t yet met Barbara Bain.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

My favorite actor from the show is definitely Barbara Bain, due to her ability to develop her character from Year One to Year Two. During the first season of the series, she portrays her character with a great deal of subtlety; contrary to what many say, I find that she conveys a wide range of feelings and emotions, including joy, anger, fear, courage, and firmness. Unfortunately, however, she remains relatively static in her interactions with the other characters. I think that this is not unique to her. In addition to that, in my humble opinion, during this first season, all the female characters are not really highlighted. They are never really at the heart of the action. It is rather the role of Koenig or Alan Carter. Helena, Sandra, and all the characters like Regina, Melita, and Tanya are rather victims.

During the second season, Barbara Bain makes her character warmer, and I find that the scenarios give her much more importance in the series. For me, she steals the show from Martin Landau. I find the female characters much more interesting in the second season, particularly Helena, Maya, and Alibe in the final episodes.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

It's not a favorite one because there are many episodes that you could watch again and again. So here are the Top five for each season: Year One: “Black Sun”, “Force of Life”, “Mission of The Darians”, “Voyager’s Return”, and “Testament of Arkadia. Year Two: “The Metamorph”, “The Exiles”, “Journey to Where”, “The AB Chrysalis”, and “The Immunity Syndrome”.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show?

I collect all the books about Space: 1999. The novels published in the 70s, the Powys Media ones, the annuals, the coffee table books published by The Gerry Anderson Company, the reference guides, the comics in English, old and new, and some old ones in German. Also, there were a few books that were published in French. I think I have pretty much everything that exists. I bought a few books in Italian, too, but I don't know that language, so I only have one or two (the illustrated books published in the 70s).

How has the show affected your life?

There are many things I would have never done or learned if I hadn't been a fan of Space: 1999. In the 1990s, Space: 1999 sparked my interest in the Internet, as I sought to find information about the series. Later, I learned how to create a website, allowing me to design a French webpage dedicated to the series. In the early 2000s, I also learned how to use Photoshop to make illustrations about Space: 1999. I learned how to transcode videos, edit, and create my own clips thanks to Space: 1999. If Comixology hadn't sold Andrew Gaska's comics online, I don't think I would have ever thought of buying books on the internet and reading them online. When I attended my first convention in London, I had to learn to get by on my own in a country I didn't know – speaking English with strangers. After discovering this series, I wanted to learn more about it. It allowed me to enrich my knowledge of science fiction from the 70s.

31

ALBERT LEON

I LOVE WEARING TURTLENECKS!

Catherine Schell and Albert

Where are you from?

I was born in New York City (Bronx), then raised in New Jersey.

When did you become a fan of the show?

There was a lot of hype around the new Space: 1999 TV program that was coming to television. When the Breakaway episode premiered, I watched it after much anticipation. Sadly, I did not like it and didn’t continue watching it. This must have been around September 1975. About a year later, I was channel surfing when I came across the “Beta Cloud” episode. But I caught it at the end of the episode and didn’t continue watching any other episodes. Then, about another year later, I was once again channel surfing when I landed on – guess what – the “Beta Cloud” episode! However, this time I caught it earlier in the episode. I was riveted to the screen. This was when I fell in love with Space: 1999 and have loved it ever since.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I believe I was 11 years old when I got hooked on Space: 1999 and faithfully watched it.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I loved the look and feel of the show. Everything is off-white with spots of color throughout. I love their uniforms and their Stun Guns, and the Commlocks were interesting. The Eagles were beautiful, as was Moonbase Alpha itself.

I found the character of Maya to be so beautiful, and her character was fascinating to me. Maya was instantly my favorite, and she was the main reason I watched Space: 1999. I was in love.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

I’ve always loved sci-fi programs. I grew up with Lost in Space. Star Trek (The Original Series) was a favorite, but it has become even more so in recent years. I thought Babylon 5 was the best sci-fi program, but Space: 1999 has always been my life-long absolute favorite.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically?

Aside from attending conventions, I have built a few Eagle models and have lots of newer Space:1999 models waiting to be built. When I was young (11 or 12), I scratch-built a Stun Gun and Commlock. My mother made me a uniform that year, which I wore at Halloween.

How many conventions have you attended and where?

I’ve attended many Space: 1999 conventions. I love that they were more personal, and one was able to mingle and talk with the actors and production staff. They were:

SpaceCon VIII, 1986 in Los Angeles, California

Breakaway, 1999 in Los Angeles

Main Mission: 2000 in New York City

SpaceCon: 2001 in Tampa, Florida

SpaceCon XV, 2003 in Portland, Oregon

Earthbound: 2005 - 30th Anniversary in Tampa, Florida

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

I loved all the panel discussions and hanging out with fellow Alphans, especially where it felt very “normal” for us all to be in costume.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

I’ve met most of the actors: Catherine Schell, Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, Anton Phillips, Zienia Merton, Prentis Hancock, and some guest stars (including David Prowse). It was surreal to see the actors up close and personal. The best part was being able to walk up to them and talk to them like regular people.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Catherine Schell is my favorite actor, not only for her beauty but also for her character Maya’s brilliant mind.

How has the show affected your life?

I must admit, I probably think of Space: 1999 daily. It could be an instrument panel that reminds me of the show – or even someone wearing beige clothes. (I love wearing turtlenecks!)

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

I’ve always loved science. Space: 1999, and specifically Maya, influenced me to pursue a degree in Biology. I always fantasized about living and working in a place like Moonbase Alpha.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

‘Beta Cloud’ is near and dear to my heart. It was the one that started it all for me, and it was pure fun (i.e., my guilty pleasure of all the episodes).

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

After not seeing the show for so many years, I loved rediscovering the show when it was released on VHS. Year One was so amazing. Then, watching it on Blu-ray, it was like watching a brand-new show.

Have you made friends through your association with the show? What is your relationship with those friends?

I’ve met many great people and have kept in touch with many through social media.

Do you see or correspond with them regularly?

I have kept a few closer via cards or Messenger. Unfortunately, since I have not attended the more recent conventions, I have not kept in as close contact with my fellow Alphans.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What?

My first and favorite item was the Moonbase Alpha Technical Notebook. I absolutely love it. I’ve also always loved the novels. I have some photo prints, posters, and many autographs. More recently, I have acquired the new model kits and many of the die-cast Eagles, as well as the new Technical Manual that was recently published.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I know my sons want some of it, namely an Eagle or such, but I don’t know what will happen to all of it. I want to hold on to it all for as long as possible because of the enjoyment I get from it, but I know that after I’m gone, there will be little interest in many of those items.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

The Alpha Technical Notebook.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

My all-time favorite happening was getting to meet Catherine Schell. During Main Mission: 2000, I was able to sit with her at the hotel bar along with my best friend, Carl, and her chaperone. I had her pretty much to myself, and we just sat and talked. I shared my Maya drawings with her and was able to pose for a very nice photo with her. It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

32

ELLEN CELESTE LINDOW WITH MICHAEL LINDOW

I KNEW I WAS GOING TO MARRY HIM

Michael and Ellen on the dance floor, Breakaway, 1999

I was born and raised in Ocala, Florida, and moved to the Tampa area to attend the University of South Florida, where I met my husband, Michael. His family had a chicken farm in Plant City, Florida, and that’s where I’ve lived ever since. I grew up a typical Florida kid, spending as much time as possible in the water, in the pool, on the lake, or at the beach. After high school, I attended a community college in Ocala and then transferred to USF. I received a BA in Psychology in 1979 and worked on the family chicken farm for several years. Over the years, I’ve worked as a seamstress, a Wells Fargo vault teller, and a mortgage bank servicer, and then returned to school to earn a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science. Then, for 25 years, I worked as a middle school librarian in low-income schools in the area.

When I was a senior in high school, Space: 1999 was heavily promoted on local stations, and I began watching it immediately. I was always fascinated by space science and science fiction. When I was in elementary school, I smuggled a transistor radio to school to listen to the coverage of a Gemini launch, and even climbed out onto the roof to try to see the rocket. Ocala was about 70 miles north and west of Cape Kennedy, and I knew it was possible. Unfortunately, it was too cloudy that day, so I snuck back in the window and went back to class. The first launch I actually got to witness was Apollo 17. My parents and I were returning home from Daytona Beach, and I was listening to the radio broadcast of the launch. I insisted my parents pull over at the St. John’s River and wait. They were skeptical that we could see it, but it appeared just where I said it would. Once the Space Transportation System, or STS program, began, we regularly watched Space Shuttle launches from our backyard, including the tragic Challenger accident on a cold January morning.

But back to the premiere of Space: 1999. I was so excited to have new science fiction to watch. My favorite form of science fiction has always involved space exploration. I knew all the Star Trek episodes by heart, thanks to a quirk of our cable company in Ocala, which showed local stations from Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa; I got to see them three times a day. And I watched it each time on my tiny 7” Sony TV. I think my mother put a cable outlet in my bedroom so that she didn’t have to hear Star Trek constantly. I also read any science fiction I could get my hands on, especially works by Robert Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, and Andre Norton. So, I couldn’t wait to watch a show that took place on a moonbase. I still love reading sci-fi the most, especially those books where living in space is a given and coping with the universe is the major focus. Two current authors who do that well are Nathan Lowell, especially his Tales from the Golden Era of the Solar Clipper, and Becky Chambers.

I must admit, the premise of Space: 1999 initially put me off. You had to suspend disbelief enough to get past the fact that the moon had remained intact after this horrific explosion that launched it out of Earth's orbit without pushing it toward Earth. But the concepts in each episode remained fascinating as the Alphans struggled to survive, and yet the tone of the show remained upbeat and hopeful against all odds. There was also an air of spiritualism that wasn’t found in Star Trek, which I found compelling. Time and again, the Alphans were exactly where they were supposed to be; the episode of “Collision Course” is a prime example. They were fulfilling their destiny among the stars. I really liked that. I also liked the characters who were doing their best to form a team and pull together. And I liked having a strong woman in a leading role. I know people criticize the character of Dr. Russell, but watch her shoot that laser cannon in “The Last Sunset” and tell me she’s not a badass!

The music is beautiful, and I bought the album the first time I found it at a record store in Orlando. The music in Season One is just epically beautiful. Some pieces feel like they were designed for ballet. Barry Gray’s music is wonderful. There were also a few pieces from the BBC's back catalog, such as Adagio in G minor by Albinoni, a hauntingly sad piece that was perfect for the feel of “Dragon’s Domain”, filled with a profound longing for lost friends, a lost home, and lost opportunities. And the use of Holst’s Mars from The Planet Suites in “Space Brain” provides such a sense of urgency and chaos. Season two gave us more upbeat and jazzy pieces, and I enjoyed those as well.

Science and Science Fiction have always been my favorite genre. Not horror disguised as science fiction, but actual SF where science is at the heart and exploration and inclusion are the norm. I occasionally read military science fiction, but I prefer character-driven stories over space battles. Like Captain Kirk, I don’t like a mystery, and I don’t really care for shows with dead bodies.

Star Trek was probably my first love, and I have a particular fondness for all its iterations, although I have a special affection for some more than others. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine became too embroiled in war for me, so I drifted away from it. And Star Trek: Enterprise jumped the shark when the Zindi attacked Earth, although I enjoyed some of the episodes where they ended up in the 1940s. As a kid, Time Tunnel was my favorite of the Irwin Allen shows because of its heavy reliance on science and emphasis on history. As far as I’m concerned, history is just science fiction backwards. SF looks forward in time, and history looks back. I also never missed Lost in Space, although once I grew up a bit, I could see how silly it became. I really enjoyed both the movie reboot and the series reboot of Lost in Space. The original Battlestar Galactica never fully realized its potential, but the reboot was something truly special. It also had a spirituality that you sometimes didn’t agree with, but it was there, nonetheless. And the end of that series was wonderful. Babylon 5, Farscape, Stargate, Eureka, Doctor Who; there was always sci-fi on TV at our house. We’d give it a chance if it were available and buy the videos if we liked them.

My first interaction with fandom was through fan fiction. I was already dabbling with writing Star Trek fan fiction, none of which will ever see the light of day. And I was really drawn to the relationship between John Koenig and Helena Russell. Their relationship, especially in Season One, seemed very authentic and genuine. Helena didn’t just blindly obey her commanding officer; she had a mind of her own and did what she thought best, but she was obviously attracted to him from the beginning, and over the episodes, that relationship showed through in small ways, like their shared coffee cup in “Testament of Arkadia”. That’s not something you do with your boss. And he treated her as an equal, a top advisor. Even Star Trek (the classic Trek series, which was all we had at the time) did not treat women this well. There was a newsletter that posted the availability of fanzines, which were limited in supply and rather expensive. I ordered a zine with adult content called “R&R”, and the third or fourth issue included a Space: 1999 story. I was thrilled to find it and began writing my own fan fiction.

I had two friends in high school who also enjoyed the show. One thing we did together was drive around town to various convenience stores and look for bubble gum cards. We quickly learned that we wanted just the cards, not the gum. We would frequently find and buy several packs, open them for the cards, and hand the gum over to any little kids who happened to be standing around. The gum was gross, always rock hard with no flavor.

When I found a kit of a model Eagle and later a Hawk, I bought them and made them. I’ve since embroidered an Eagle on a backpack and a wall hanging and made a cross-stitch Eagle (oh lordy, were there ever a lot of grays!) that I incorporated into a quilt.

One of the toys I really wanted was a Dinky Eagle. There was one in the toy store at the mall we went to frequently. I visited that Eagle every time we went to the mall. Michael got me that Eagle for Christmas, and it is sitting on a shelf in the living room. I kind of like the green command module. I also collected the Laser Disks. Michael was teaching science in middle school and came home from training on how to use the laser disks interactively. They were horribly expensive, but after a couple of years, they came down in price. We bought a laser disk player and began buying a few movies, usually from the sale bin. Camelot Music had a huge selection, and when I found a Space: 1999 laser disc, I wanted them all. They were fifty dollars apiece, which was a lot for a teacher’s family. We had two little ones. But every time we got paid, we went to the mall, rolled the kids into the music store in a stroller, and bought another one. Each disk contained two episodes. Michael and I would take turns choosing what disk to get next. It took a couple of years to collect them all. The manager got to know us and knew we were trying to get the whole series. He was a sci-fi fan too. When the disks were remaindered, he let us know and held on to the disks we still needed as ‘special order’ behind the counter so we could complete the collection. I think they were on sale for $30 by then. I may have delayed paying the phone bill to get the last three before they were swept up and returned to wherever remaindered disks go. I still have them all. I think my least favorite episode may still be in the shrink wrap – that’s “Missing Link”, in case you’re wondering. Too many people are acting out of character.

Later, when I was working at a middle school and teaching video production, I brought home an Apple desktop with video editing software and hooked it up to our laser disks. I then created music videos using clips from Space: 1999 and popular music and exported them to VHS tapes. We showed these videos at the Tampa convention in 2001, and later, I translated them from VHS tapes to digital format and uploaded them to YouTube. My favorite was a collage of Alan Carter to the country song “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy” by Kenny Chesney.

I was on a Band trip in the fall of 1975, sitting in the back of a pickup truck (‘cause that’s how we went on band trips then, in the back of a pickup truck with a topper on and a mattress and pillows tossed in), reading an issue of Analog Science Fiction magazine when I saw that there would be a World Science Fiction Convention in Miami, Florida over Labor Day weekend in September of 1977. I punched my best friend, Cindy, and said, “We’ve got to go!” She agreed. We had not quite two years to save our money for tickets, hotel, gas, food, and Star Trek costumes. I got a job shelving books at the local library for $2.06 per hour, and Cindy got a job at the Western Sizzler Steak House, prepping the salad bar, for about the same amount. She insisted I was much better off working at the library and that I should never work in a restaurant. Advice I took to heart.

Cindy and I both have birthdays in August. A friend threw a joint birthday party for us the week before we went to Suncon in Miami. Cindy got clothes and makeup. I got Space: 1999 dolls – John, Helena, and Victor, and a set of Star Trek sheets. We were 19. A photo was taken at the Suncon Banquet; Cindy is on the left, and I’m on the right. There was a blond guy out of focus over my shoulder. (See below.) Well, I didn’t meet the blond for another two months, but that was my future husband, writing partner, and the guy I would go on to attend conventions and host conventions with for the next forty years, Michael Lindow. Cindy and I are still friends. We’ve attended many conventions together; she’s my kids’ honorary aunt. We were at each other's weddings – and actually went on each other’s honeymoons! She’s just the first of my ‘ride or die’ Alphan friends.

The month after our trip to Suncon, I moved to Tampa to attend USF. My parents had told me that if I attended the local community college, I could finish my degree at any of the state universities. I had my heart set on USF in Tampa, Florida. I first spotted USF when I was nine, on our way home from a visit with my grandfather. I just knew I needed to go to school there. (See, at nine, I already knew about destiny). I didn’t apply to any other schools. Community College should be the first two years of a four-year bachelor’s degree. When I began reviewing the requirements, I felt I could earn the necessary credits within one year. This was well before college courses were offered during high school. I took some honors courses and passed some tests, and then petitioned the dean to allow me to take an extra load during the summer semester so I could be eligible to earn my two-year degree in one year. I was ready to go to USF. I took my Space: 1999 dolls, several fanzines, and my Star Trek sheets. All the dorms were named for Greek letters. I was assigned to Alpha. (See, Destiny!) Alpha was also the only co-ed dorm. I was washing my Star Trek sheets in the dorm laundry room when a guy spotted them and asked if I was a fan of Star Trek. Of course! Then he said he’d just joined the Science Fiction club that met on Friday afternoons, and I should come. I’m in!

There were actual people there who talked about sci-fi! Star Wars, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes! These were my people. There were about 10 of us, including one other girl. ET would be coming out soon, as would Poltergeist and a movie called Damnation Alley. I said I really would like to read the book Damnation Alley by Roger Zelazny before I saw it. The things I read in Starlog magazine made it sound pretty goofy, but I had read Zelazny’s Amber series and knew he was a good author. The following Friday, I was excited to return. One of the guys, Robert, who lived in my dorm, had spotted my Star Trek sheets, and the other girl, Irene, lived across the way in the Beta dorm. The meeting had just started when a tall blond guy popped his head around the door and said hello. He was the past president, had graduated in the spring semester, and worked nights, so he came to the meeting before heading across the bay to work. He had been at Suncon and brought photos he took while he was there. He had attended with two of his best friends from high school. And in the photos from the banquet, there was a photo of him, and there I was, sitting behind him and next to Cindy.

The following week, he asked me to go see Damnation Alley on Saturday night. By the time we came home from that truly spectacularly awful movie, I knew I was going to marry him. Michael also liked Space: 1999 and had attended a fashion show at a Tampa mall by Rudy Gernreich to promote the show. In Tampa, Space: 1999 was shown at noon on Saturday. I was watching it on my 7” black and white Sony. Michael invited me over to his house, where we could see it in color on a much bigger screen. His parents would watch with us; his dad loved all sci-fi and horror indiscriminately, and we settled into a pattern of going to his house on Saturday to watch 1999, then going to the mall for dinner, and then out to a movie. Star Wars was still in the theaters, so we saw that together. We saw ET. And we saw Poltergeist together. That scene with the clown? I turned and bit his shoulder. He married me anyway, but stopped taking me to scary movies. Over the years, we attended many sci-fi conventions together, and our club organized several on-campus conventions. When we graduated from college, we found a group of friends who formed a local science fiction club called the Stone Hill Science Fiction Association. For the last forty-some years, we have helped host their annual science fiction convention in the fall, known as Necronomicon. We met many authors over the years, including Roger Zelazny, Terry Prachett, Piers Anthony, and Ben Bova, who were guests at Necronomicon. We also attended several Worldcons and met notable authors such as Marion Zimmer Bradley, Isaac Asimov, and Timothy Zahn. In Atlanta, we rode the elevator with Ray Bradbury!

I didn’t attend any 1999 conventions until 1999, when we traveled to Los Angeles for the Breakaway convention. We heard about it through the Yahoo group Online Alpha. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting up with people we had been speaking with online through the Yahoo group and on Instant Messenger. We helped with the 2000 convention in New York, and then the following year, asked our SF group in Tampa to help host a convention attached to our smaller Mediacon in July. That was SpaceCon: 2001. Our guests were Barry Morse and Nick Tate. They are both lovely people, and we enjoyed getting to know them. We also organized a small group of fanfic writers to meet in Biloxi, Mississippi, for a weekend. We even sat down at dinner and created a group story – each person taking a different character’s point of view for the same event – and read it aloud by the end of the weekend.

Charlene Scott and Anthony Wynn were part of our 2001 convention committee, and their contacts were invaluable. We made a great team. Together, we also hosted another convention, Earthbound, in 2005. That year, our in-person guests included Barry Morse, Kathryn Leigh Scott, and Shane Rimmer. Shane and his wife, Sheila, were delightful people. We also had Sylvia Anderson as a teleconference guest, and she was lovely. Since none of us knew her, we were very grateful that Shane was there to take the lead and have a conversation with her. Shane had a medical issue at the end of the weekend and spent an extra week with us in Florida. They were just members of the family for the week, and we were glad he made a speedy recovery. Shane was a singer before he was an actor, and there was always a song on his lips. He was part of our family dinner for my birthday that year. Sheila taught Sanskrit and was just a wonderful person. We enjoyed getting to know them. I later used my experience with them to write the fanfic story “Kelly’s Wake,” which allows everyone to get to know the character of Kelly from the episode “Ring Around the Moon” a little better. It can be accessed on fanfic.net. Earthbound also had these really cool t-shirts designed by Ken Scott. It’s still one of my favorites.

It’s fun to meet some of the actors from the shows, but the conventions, for me, are really about connecting with other fans. They’re the ones who understand how you feel about the show and what kind of enjoyment you get out of it. They’re the ones who get your jokes and the ones you get to be creative with, whether it’s sharing a cross-stitch pattern or creating a new alternate universe to write fanfic in. Those are the people with whom I have a deeper relationship. We not only create together but also support each other through the years. Although many of them live in other parts of the world, access to the Internet has allowed us to stay in touch with each other over the years, starting with Yahoo Groups and later on Facebook and Messenger. It’s always a joy to meet up in real life while traveling or at a convention.

One of my favorite ways to express myself and interact with other fans is through fan fiction. For many years, I maintained a website with stories written by me and my friends. Some of whom preferred to use pseudonyms. Michael and I were great writing partners and wrote several short series together.

I loved writing something, getting stuck, and handing it to him, and he would figure a way out and hand it back to me, which we did in the stories that became Another Option. Or he would come up with an idea, write an introductory story, send it to me, and ask me where I could take it, as in Choice Theory. We also collaborated with other friends in shared universes, such as Energized, Florida Universe, and Needleworks/Dark Threads. The Internet has made collaborative writing so much easier, and I have writing partners from all over the world. Over the last year, I’ve been posting our stories on Fanfiction.net and hope to post more. For most of the conventions we were involved in, we created limited-edition fanfic books to raise funds for the convention's charity.

My Alphan friends are always the first I call when I need a friend. I love the chance to visit with them either online or in person. I have friends who live all over the world because of Space: 1999, and they are what makes my relationship with Space: 1999 so special.

Cindy, Ellen, and Ellen’s future husband, Michael Lindow

Ellen Lindow and Nick Tate, 2012

33

JENNY LOBB

EATING FISH STICKS AND WATCHING THE SHOW

Rosie Badgett, Jenny Lobb, Ellen Lindow, and Rebecca Eisenhuth, Fanfic panel 2012

I currently live and work in Washington, D.C. as a cataloging librarian at a local university library. I was born in 1963 and am part of the tail end of the baby boomer generation. I grew up all around the world as a foreign service brat, although we came back to the United States for good in 1974.

I saw the reviews of the show in The Washington Post back in the fall of 1975, but I was a die-hard Trekkie at the time and didn’t watch the show until January 1976. The first episode I remember watching was “Testament of Arkadia.” After watching a few episodes, I was hooked on the show and started tracking down the Pocket Books, the comic books, and the oversized black-and-white magazines. I read many of the novelizations of the episodes before seeing them on TV, which often made me wonder if they had edited scenes out of the show. I was 12 years old at the time, which seems to have been a popular age to discover the show.

I liked the lead actors – Martin Landau and Barbara Bain – as well as Barry Morse, and the fact that the show was only 23 years in the future. And it was nice to have a science fiction show that included some romance. It was great to have such strong female characters, represented by Helena Russell and Maya.

I’ve always been a fan of science fiction television shows. From the age of six, I watched reruns of the original Star Trek show, and for a while, I also watched reruns of Lost in Space. From the ages of 9 to 11, we lived in London, where I used to watch Jon Pertwee episodes of Doctor Who and reruns of UFO. Later, I became a big fan of the Tom Baker Doctor Who episodes when they aired on my local PBS station. Over the years, I’ve also enjoyed watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and some Enterprise episodes, as well as the more recent streaming Trek shows. I also liked the original Battlestar Galactica, X-Files, and Stargate SG-1, although I haven’t seen every episode of the last two shows.

I found Space: 1999 fandom when I saw a small ad for Steve Eramo’s Alpha Newsletter in an issue of Starlog magazine in 1979. One thing led to another and soon I belonged to several clubs – Main Mission Alpha run by Mary Bloemker, the Springfield Space: 1999 club run by Chris Landry, the International Space: 1999 Alliance run by John and Kathy Von Kamp, and The International Martin Landau-Barbara Bain Fan Association run by Debbie Phares (which later changed into the Landau-Bain Fan Association under the leadership of Terry Bowers). I started sending away for fanzines, especially ones with an emphasis on the characters of John Koenig and Helena Russell. I was an early subscriber to the first Space: 1999 listservs and was excited when websites devoted to the show and fan fiction about it started to appear online. I’m a member of Facebook groups devoted to the show, but don’t post very often. Facebook has been a good venue for keeping up with fans of the show between conventions.

When I was in high school, I wrote short spoofs of every Space: 1999 episode, but I was too shy to share them in any fanzines at the time, only with a few of my closest friends. Later, I submitted a few fan fiction stories and non-fiction articles to print zines under my name or a pseudonym. In the early to mid-2000s, I was inspired to write short, humorous stories about the show and share them with friends, first via email and later on a small online fan fiction listserv.

I’ve attended several American Space: 1999 conventions, starting with the 1985 convention in Arlington, Virginia. That convention had the dubious distinction of being centered around the TV show V and had no Space: 1999 guests. Despite the lack of Space guests, I had a great time meeting other fans and watching episodes of the show, as well as old TV guest appearances by Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. I also attended the 1986, 1992, and 1995 conventions in the Los Angeles area, with guests such as Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, and Nick Tate. Some of my fondest memories involve the 1997 convention in Portland, Oregon, where Barry Morse participated in numerous fun activities with the fans and even bought us ice cream on a day trip!

I was also there for the big Space: 1999 convention, where we danced to Prince’s “1999” on September 13, 1999, and watched Barbara Bain and Barry Morse in a live version of the play “Love Letters.”

Fun memories. I was at the 2000 convention in New York City, where Catherine Schell was a guest. I had a fun time at the 2001 and 2005 conventions

in Tampa, Florida, where I ended up participating in a variety of fan fiction panels. I also attended the 2012 convention in Los Angeles, the 2017 convention in Parsippany, New Jersey, and the 2019 convention in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. At the 2019 convention, we helped Barbara Bain celebrate her birthday, and she fully immersed herself in the spirit of our convention. More recently, there were some fun internet conventions in 2021 and 2022 featuring guest stars who had never attended a Space: 1999 convention before.

In terms of favorite guests, I would select Barry Morse hands down for his willingness to engage one-on-one with fans and to even go on day trips with us. I always enjoyed listening to Martin Landau talk about his time on the show and his long acting career. Barbara Bain is also a great guest, with some amusing stories about her time on the show.

I enjoyed watching Martin Landau perform live at the Kennedy Center as the lead in Dracula back in December 1984, and ended up making a life-long friend when Karen Cheshire arranged for a group of fans to see the play and then meet with Martin Landau afterwards. Karen and I turned out to have more in common than just a love for the show, and we have been friends ever since.

In addition to the actors, I also enjoyed listening to writers such as Johnny Byrne and Christopher Penfold talk about their work on the show and their other writing experiences.

One of the best things about becoming a fan of the show was meeting other fans, some of whom have become lifelong friends.

During the mid-to-late 1980s, I was fortunate enough to have two other fans living nearby. I have fond memories of Karen Cheshire, George Eichler, and me eating at a local Wendy’s, visiting book and record stores in local malls, and attending local Creation conventions that usually featured one original Star Trek guest. Sadly, George took his own life on October 21, 2018. I still miss him and occasionally imagine him making snarky comments if he were alive to witness current events, either on a national level or just in our fandom.

Janice Simmons was one of the nicest people I met in fandom. I first met her at the 1985 Space: 1999 convention held in Arlington, Virginia. Afterwards, we kept in touch through letters and then email, and I always enjoyed reading her friendly, upbeat letters and emails.

We had a great time at the 1985 convention and also at the 1986 convention in Los Angeles, where Janice, Abby Hayhurst, Karen Cheshire, and I roomed together and went off sightseeing in Hollywood and Los Angeles. I didn’t see Janice in person again until the big convention in 1999, which was almost like a high-school reunion in a way, with many fans who hadn’t attended conventions in years showing up to have fun and celebrate their love of the show. Sadly, Janice passed away in February 2007.

Rosie Badgett was another person whom I always enjoyed talking to at conventions, and I was quite sad when she passed away in 2024. Rosie was instrumental in the early days of Space: 1999 fandom, having served as president of the International Space: 1999 Alliance and writing some of the earliest fan fiction. She was also a talented fan fiction artist. Over the years, she helped organize various Space: 1999 conventions.

Favorite memories of watching the show: I remember eating fish sticks and watching the show when it was first aired. Later, after the show had gone off the air and even the reruns had stopped airing, it was a big thrill to find other fans who had videotaped the series and were willing to make copies of the show, especially when those episodes were uncut. This was in the pre-DVD era!

Favorite episodes: In Year One, I especially enjoy “War Games”, “Black Sun”, and “The Infernal Machine.” In Year Two, my favorite is “Journey to Where.”

In terms of collecting memorabilia, I still have the original paperbacks, comics, and black-and-white magazines I purchased back in the 1970s. I also have many old fanzines from back in the day, as well as some photographs from the show. Luckily, I never threw any of my fanzines out.

34

TIM MALLETT

IT BROUGHT THE ROOM TO TEARS OF JOY!

Tim on Arra’s ship at Main Mission, 2000

Where are you from?

I’m from Norfolk in the UK.

What’s your background?

I grew up in a sleepy village on the east coast of England; it was quiet and relatively drama-free, leading me to feel, at times, a bit like Luke Skywalker, knowing all the action and interesting things were happening hundreds of miles away from where I was. After completing my education, I decided to move to London to pursue a career in TV and video production.

When did you become a fan of the show?

At 11 years old, I was already a fledgling sci-fi fan, watching series like The Tomorrow People and Doctor Who. The Tomorrow People had begun to feature heavily in Look-In, a comic based on the current TV programmes of the day. At the time, the magazine was promoting the new autumn schedule, and Space: 1999 seemed to be the star of the lineup. Reading the Look-in article and seeing the images, I just knew I couldn’t miss the premiere of the show. So, at 5:50 p.m. on Saturday, September 6, 1975, I settled down to watch. I was hooked from the start.

What drew you to the show?

If I’m honest, it was probably spaceships, lasers, and action, but very quickly, I got drawn into the stories that really sparked my imagination. It was unlike anything I’d seen before.

Space: 1999 was to take me on a journey I hadn’t expected. Sure, that first episode was full of action and adventure, amazing hardware, and a moonbase you could imagine living on. Still, it was the themes of the subsequent episodes that really captured my imagination. Having been torn from Earth’s orbit, Moonbase Alpha and its people suddenly appeared tiny and vulnerable against the vast backdrop of the universe. Although encounters with the unknown and interstellar phenomena were challenging, it was refreshing that not all alien life was malevolent. Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the series was that, somehow, there was a hidden purpose to the journey, with metaphysical themes popping in and out of the storylines from time to time.

Even though the series was billed as the most expensive of its time, as a kid, I was only aware of the expansive world of Moonbase Alpha. Every detail seemed to have been thought of – personal communication devices, stun guns, Eagle spaceships, advanced computers, and a control centre of epic proportions! Special effects were of movie standard, and the spectacular alien worlds were convincing. Admittedly, some of the science was questionable, which I wouldn’t have been aware of at the time; however, the production values were of such a high standard that I couldn’t help but buy into it.

What other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Although I did watch other sci-fi shows, because Space: 1999 was unlike anything else, the others failed to engage me as a casual viewer. The subsequent series of the late 1970s and 1980s, such as Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers, never seemed to possess the gravitas of Space: 1999. In the UK, Space and Doctor Who were often scheduled opposite each other on different channels, but for me, it was very easy to make the decision to watch Space: 1999. Since then, we’ve seen many shows influenced by the series: For All Mankind, Lost, the reimagined Battlestar Galactica, and some of the Star Trek franchise.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

Initially, my love of the show drew me to conventions, my first being Fanderson ‘82. I was totally enthralled by the display of models, seeing guests interviewed on stage, and meeting fellow fans. I’ve subsequently attended many conventions, either run by Fanderson or Space: 1999 fans, in the UK, Italy, and the US.

In the late 1980s, the show had disappeared from the schedules, and there were very few products and little information about it. I wanted to create a documentary to celebrate what I felt was an underrated series. My business partner, Glenn Pearce, and I had recently set up a production company, Kindred Productions, and we wanted something different on our showreel. I managed to persuade Glenn that a documentary about Space: 1999 would be a novel way to approach it. Initially, we created Alphacon the Video for Fanderson, which subsequently evolved into The Space: 1999 Documentary. This was a real labour of love, and to meet most of the main cast and production crew during the process, even flying out to LA to interview Martin Landau and Barbara Bain (we were even invited to Barbara’s house!).

As an ardent fan, I thought I knew all about the show, but we soon

discovered so much more as the interviewees began to talk about their experiences. The series had a very interesting background filled with creative ideas, studio politics, and a conflict of opinions on what the audience actually wanted to see. Certainly, talking to the interviewees about the first series brought out a real love and pride in what they’d created.

The conversations were fascinating, and it was interesting to gain their perspective on the series, rather than my own as a young fan. I can say it was a great honour meeting and discussing the show with the people involved, and I’m very proud to say some of them even became close friends.

With hindsight, I was fortunate to have directed this documentary with Glenn, as it later spawned other projects associated with the show. My love of music drew me to producing the various soundtrack albums, both for Fanderson and Silva Screen. A lifelong wish to visit the home of Space: 1999 led to the creation and chairing of the 2005 Destination Moonbase Alpha convention at Pinewood. Our work on the documentary provided us with the opportunity to produce several featurettes about TV shows and movies, including some focused on Space: 1999. This, in turn, got us involved in the restoration and reimagining of the Super Space Theater movies.

Last but not least, we were able to work with Johnny Byrne, Zienia Merton, and a group of talented fans to make Message from Moonbase Alpha our homage and conclusion to the series.

What is it you enjoy most at the conventions?

Although I’ve enjoyed talks, exhibitions, and episode screenings, I must say that hanging out with fellow fans is the best part. That shared experience with friends at Pinewood Studios was so special.

It was a day I will never forget with some amazing highlights: episode screenings in Theatre 7 (where Martin and Barbara would view Space rushes) augmented by fans reciting the dialogue to Breakaway when the sound broke down briefly, tours of the studio hosted by Zienia Merton and Keith Wilson on a beautiful English summer’s day, a wonderful gala dinner with novel table decorations, and a dramatic thunderstorm as everyone left at the end of the evening.

How has the show affected your life?

The show has affected my life in all sorts of ways. It was part of my development as a young adult and gave me a keen interest in astronomy, science, and metaphysical ideas. However, I think it’s been collaborations with creative and like-minded fans that have made the greatest impact on my life. Through initiating some of the projects, I was brought into contact with a whole raft of talented people, many of whom it has been my huge pleasure to work with.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

I’m not sure if the show directly led me into television, but I’m certain it steered me in that direction. An appreciation of the production values, editing, and storytelling were all influences.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

Not really one stand-out moment. But I do remember recording every episode onto audio cassettes and listening to them constantly. In this day and age of easy availability, it sounds crazy, but at the time, it was the only way we could relive the episodes.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

I’ve made many friends, some close and others with whom I've a strong bond, but we only get to see each other when there’s an event. Fanderson and Gerry Anderson were huge supporters of what we originally tried to do, and their friendship is particularly valued. However, I also have close friends in the wider fan community with whom I’ve worked, and I’m extremely proud of that bond as well.

Last but by no means least, I met my partner through my involvement with Fanderson, and this year (2025), we celebrate 31 years together. I think that our shared interest must have been a fairly solid foundation.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show?

I’ve not thought of myself as a great collector of memorabilia, but I do have some Eagle models, a Commlock, a stun gun, books, CDs, and Blu-rays. However, after helping Mark Shaw with his Psycon convention in 1992, he kindly gifted me Patrick Mower's original Alphan uniform from “All That Glisters”. That uniform, which I used to fit into, is certainly a treasured possession from the show. Additionally, I’ve also kept some of the convention party outfits David McLaughlin created for me, which were Cantar’s body suit from “The Exiles” and the Alphan pajamas.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because of, or regarding the show?

The special memory of the Destination Moonbase Alpha Pinewood convention was only surpassed by the surprise screening of Message From Moonbase Alpha at the Breakaway convention in Los Angeles in 1999. I remember Johnny, Zienia, and the production crew waiting nervously to see how it would be received, followed by the relief and elation when it brought the room to tears of joy!

35

PHIL MERKEL

I JUST LOVED THE SOUND OF THE EAGLES

Where are you from?

Right now, West Coxsackie, New York. At the time 1999 aired, I was living in Phoenix, Arizona.

What’s your background?

I taught Special Education Music for 31 years for a Special Education agency in New York.

When did you become a fan of the show?

When it went on the air in 1975. In those days, I didn’t have the wit to contact other fans and get involved with the fandom. I tried to find out when the show was on and attempted to record the opening theme several times, which I loved.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was 12 years old.

What drew you to the show?

I had already been reading science fiction sporadically, as well as comic books like Fantastic Four, Kamandi, and The Last Boy on Earth, among others. I was also becoming a fan of Star Trek and had been enjoying stuff like Lost in Space. The only previous Gerry Anderson shows I was aware of at the time were Thunderbirds, which I watched when I was five or six years old, and UFO, which I had a terrible time figuring out when it aired.

Did you like the premise, the actors, the technology?

It was science fiction! I also loved the effects.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs?

Yes, sometimes more often than others. I remember being disappointed in the animated Star Trek when it premiered, only realizing later in life how close it was to the original Star Trek.

What other sci-fi shows have you enjoyed over the years?

In my younger days, I loved Lost in Space, Night Gallery, and Planet of the Apes. As an adult, I loved most of the Star Trek series until the New York market pitted Voyager against Deep Space Nine, but I became a rabid fan of Babylon 5, Blake’s 7, and eventually Doctor Who.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically? Attendance at conventions, fan fic writing, model building, video creation, meeting the actors, fan clubs for the actors?

It was not until the Sci-Fi Channel began airing the show in 1995 that I sought out the fandom because I was outraged that the Sci-Fi Channel cut the "This Episode" sequence from their reruns. It still burns me today.

I started online, found the early online Space: 1999 fandom, and ended up sourcing uncut episodes on VHS from the laserdiscs. I had attended SF Conventions, both media and literary, since 1983, but not any Space: 1999 conventions (I didn't even know they existed!) At the time, I was very into Star Trek and Babylon 5 as well as regular SF Conventions like Philcon, Boskone, and Readercon, so I was always leaning towards writer-centered conventions. Because the Space: 1999 fandom was small and concentrated, it incorporated many shows and creative behind-the-scenes staff, such as set design and writers, which made the conventions I eventually attended even more fulfilling than those focused solely on the actors. I also enjoyed the way 1999 fans hung together once I got to know them online and in person at conventions.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

Yes! I attended Main Mission: 2000, Tampa in 2001 and 2005, and New Jersey in 2017 and 2019.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

I try to keep my friend Roy Bjellquist calm! I enjoy all of it: chatting with people, dealing with crises, and vending in 2017 and 2019.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

Many. Martin and Barbara were big stars and generated a lot of attention wherever they went, but I must say that meeting Barbara in person in 2019 was truly amazing. I was surprised at how down-to-earth she was and how easy she was to talk to. Martin was an honor to meet, but he was always behind the firewall of a professional handler. Nick was like a fun uncle. He spent a great deal of time with me recording audio for my radio show.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

I loved talking to John Muir; Chris Penfold and Johnny Byrne were both very kind to me, and Kathryn Leigh Scott was a sweetheart.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Yasuko Nagazumi was so sweet and personable. I think meeting her in 2019 was the best of all time because she was so special. We ended up chatting about her father, and she loved that I wore a Macross anime t-shirt when we met. She told me her dad built a scale model of the battleship Yamamoto, and of course, we ended up talking about Starblazers.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

I met Keith Wilson at Main Mission: 2000. I had him sign the Fanderson Design File, and he seemed amazed to be there.

At Main Mission: 2000 and the 2019 convention, I met Johnny Byrne, Keith Wilson (to whom I gifted a Mattel Eagle for his grandson), and Kevin Connor. And I met Gerry Anderson once in NYC when he was doing a publicity tour for the A&E video release of the Thunderbirds series.

How has the show affected your life?

When my son was very young, we visited the Long Island Cradle of Aviation Museum at Mitchel Field (Where Lindberg took off for his flight over the Atlantic). As we walked into the main display area with all the planes, he started running and yelled, "SPACE: 1999!!!!!!" I also used music from the series in my teaching classes (I'm a retired music teacher) to illustrate various music concepts (e.g., Atonality), which always helped to have some visual aid in that work.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

No, but it made me appreciate how collaborative art works and helped me enjoy both the show’s successes and failures.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

I really dug into the sound design. I know it was stupid to hear jet engines in the vacuum of space, but 1999 did it so well. I just loved the sound of the Eagles. The real inspiration for Star Wars was when the Millennium Falcon thundered across the screen in space, accompanied by the sound of a 747.

Do you have a favorite episode?

Well, “Ring Around the Moon” for the struggle with a certain fellow from Oslo who descended upon the 1999 email lists like an unwelcome STD. But I love “Another Time, Another Place” for the way it opens, and it's just beautiful how that opening sequence spools out into the credits. I did get to meet Judy Geeson once at a Horror convention, and she was so nice to me that she even recorded a promo for my radio show. It increased my appreciation for that story and the way Johnny Byrne spoke about his idea for it. And I love “Force of Life” as well for David Tomblin's direction.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

When I was young, I struggled to get a decent cassette recording of the theme song, and I remember watching “The Last Sunset” with my late mother, who somehow really appreciated the angst of the Alphans watching the sunset for the last time at the end.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Oh yes, so many.

What is your relationship with those friends?

All over the spectrum, from really close friends to people I see at conventions years apart, but we seem able to pick up where we left off, even though it's been years.

Do you see them or correspond regularly?

Yes – and I've had them over to my house!

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? How many items?

Yes! Everything! There are too many to count. I'm not crazy about the re-release action figures and not too crazy about some of the new items coming out from the Anderson store, but I LOVE the classic toys from the 1970s. The weirder, the better. especially wacky stuff like the dart set, the plastic pocketknife, and the Japanese Eagle based on the Mattel Eagle, etc.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I assume my kids will sell them when I'm gone at some point, although having my ashes placed in my Mattel Eagle toy sounds like a good idea right now.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

I finally sourced the RCA cardboard promo Eagle sign that hung in record stores in the 1970s. I met a guy on eBay whose Dad had dug it out of a dumpster in the 1970s. I told him it also had the LP jacket hanging from it (Which wasn't in the original eBay sale). I explained this to the seller, who was still cleaning out his dad's stuff, and they eventually found it and sold it to me. That was a bucket list item for me. It's crazy. It's a blow-up cardboard hanger of the green Dinky Eagle, with the words "Space: 1999" written on the pod and the LP cover hanging from it. It doesn't get much better than that for a 1970s weird advertisement. I love it.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, an event, or a happening that occurred regarding the show?

I became good friends with author Bill Latham, who wrote the first 1999 book released by Powys Media. He read my review, and we became close friends, working together to promote the Powys line in the 2000s. We'd go to conventions together (comic book or literary conventions) and hang out. Bill’s a great guy, and if it wasn't for Space: 1999 and Bill’s friendship with Powys founder Mateo Latosa, we'd never have met. I would also add Ken Scott, who worked with me to produce the 2005 Tampa Convention booklet, to that list.

36

JUDY MOORE

THESE ARE OUR SUMMER OUTFITS!

Judy Moore as Maya

The importance of examining our past and the influences that shaped us helps us to understand who we are today, and although this sounds clichéd, it is true. So, before I delve into the wonderful world of Space: 1999 as I experienced it, I will lay down the ‘seeds of imagination’, which may have been responsible for launching my journey to the Moon.

Southern California has always been my home, and I live in a resort area where a very magical place known as Disneyland exists. When I was a youngster, my family would drive by the theme park, and we could see the futuristic Monorail whizzing around on the high-beam track, sleek and quiet. Occasionally, the horn would blast, signaling that something special was happening behind the wall of trees that blocked our view. We were outsiders looking in, seeing nothing beyond the trees; we used our imagination to envision what might lie inside Walt Disney’s playground.

The Monorail was an amazing form of transportation, and though the concept was not new, it was new to us in car-centric California. The Monorail’s design represented the future, with its snake-like body traveling effortlessly through the landscape. It was supposedly how we would all travel one day, and I wondered when it would happen. Yet, if automobiles became obsolete, how would we veer off course and grab hamburgers at McDonald’s? A quandary.

Once I was able to visit Disneyland, I realized that each land was like a chapter in a book, and I loved each one for its uniqueness. Modes of transportation in Frontierland included mules, riverboats, sailing ships, horse-drawn trolleys, and automobiles, while buses cruised up and down Main Street. In Tomorrowland, the main transportation was the People Mover, the Monorail, the Autopia cars, and the lofty sky-buckets that glided through the Matterhorn Mountain to Fantasyland.

In Tomorrowland, small rocket ships spun in circles, and giant space rockets were ready to voyage to the Moon and Mars. Filled with kinetic energy, Tomorrowland’s concept allowed guests to imagine a future of space exploration and scientific discoveries that could one day improve their everyday lives. I was definitely influenced by Disneyland, which made the future appear to be fantastic.

In 1973, I discovered the Star Trek television series, or shall I say, I started paying attention to the reruns. Intrigued by the show’s futuristic stories, along with the look and the warmth the characters shared, I quickly became enamored. I realized Star Trek focused on the people of the future, while Disneyland’s concept focused on the hardware of the future. Watching Star Trek and wanting to know more about the show marked the beginning of fandom for me, and not long after, conventions became a part of my life.

In 1974, I attended an early Science Fiction and Fantasy convention with my sister and a friend for one day. Attendees dressed as their favorite characters from science fiction and fantasy movies and television shows, with the Star Trek universe being particularly well-represented. Even back then, Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, seemed to have God-like status. Unaware of Mr. Roddenberry’s superior rank, the three of us rode up a very crowded hotel elevator with him and Majel Barrett, wondering what all the fuss was about. We were new to fandom and did not realize people could be that impassioned about a particular subject, such as Star Trek, a television show. That first convention experience was a revelation on all levels, and it was immensely enjoyable, especially knowing we were with like-minded fans.

One day in 1975, my TV remote control landed on a science-fiction television series called Space: 1999. The episode did not have a Star Trek vibe; rather, it had an intense movie-quality feel with an epic orchestral soundtrack. Characters were in peril, and the predicted resolution would not be a happy one. Despite the horrific consequences, the characters had no choice but to continue with their unexpected journey… to somewhere. Or nowhere. Wow! I wondered how long this series had been on and how many episodes I had missed?

So, my initiation to Space: 1999 was a jarring one as the episode that will forever give me the heebie-jeebies: “Dragon’s Domain”, followed then by “Death’s Other Dominion”, both enormously powerful stories.

I recall needing to see the opening credits a couple of times to understand the actual premise of the show: the moon had accidentally been blasted out of Earth's orbit with Moonbase Alpha attached on top, dangerously raw and exposed. I recognized the two lead actors, Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, from the American Mission: Impossible television show, and I loved the accompanying cast’s British accents. For me, this was a winning combination. As a fan of intriguing stories about the future, science fiction, and fantasy, I became hooked… plastic furniture and all.

Circling back to Disneyland’s influence of rockets, freeze-dried foods, and trips to the Moon, I found that futuristic model alive and well in Space: 1999. The show focused on both the people and hardware to illustrate a future that seemed more plausible than not. For the two seasons the show ran, Professor Victor Bergman was my favorite character. As a type of ‘sage’, he displayed the common sense and wisdom needed for an adventure such as theirs. I missed him in the second season.

In 1977, the movie Star Wars premiered, quickly becoming a phenomenon, and I began working in Tomorrowland at Disneyland, not by design. During my tenure, the new Space Mountain attraction opened as a high-speed rollercoaster with a fun vision of future space travel. Guests found their way to a spaceport, boarded a ship, and traversed the galaxy, encountering moons and meteors along the way.

During the late 1970s, following the success of Star Wars, a treasure trove of campy space-related movies and television shows, such as Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers, and the Superman movies, saturated our screens for years. I enjoyed all of them. Yet, Space: 1999 was different in that both seasons imbued a class and elegance evident in the stories, production values, wardrobe, and mind-blowing special effects. While watching Season One, I wondered why the episodes weren't shown on the big screen, as they certainly should have been. That was the quality of the show. And while I appreciated all the characters, the romantic side of me always enjoyed the subplot of the ‘will they or won’t they?’ between Commander Koenig and Doctor Russell. Did they?

I became aware of Space: 1999 fandom by joining a ‘fan club’ created by Mary Bloemker. Her newsletters kept fans in the loop, especially by promoting what was perhaps the first Space: 1999 convention in 1978, run by John Von Kamp and company in Columbus, Ohio. Back then, large scale communication with groups of fans was not easy, but we did it. Fans wrote letters to each other, picked up fliers at conventions, saw advertisements in the back of magazines, or dialed up friends by telephone.

Finding a group that loved Space: 1999 and learning that they wanted to come together for a weekend to celebrate the show was amazing to me. Locally, I met friends who also enjoyed the show, and we plotted to attend the first Convention.

Coast to coast and beyond, all hands were on deck to create a fun and memorable experience. Many guests were invited, including Martin Landau, Gerry Anderson, and Nick Tate. Although I was not part of the creative team that organized the event, my friends and I participated in several ways. Our group traveling from California consisted of Sue Ginter, Chris Link, Bonnie Trull, Barbara Meisenheimer, and me. Costumes were created for wearing in the hotel halls for atmosphere, as well as for the Costume Contest. None of the costumes would have come to fruition without the invaluable help of my mother, Joanie. Included were the second-season Alphan uniforms, the blue loungewear with the Alpha insignia, and Maya’s casual mini-skirt dress that I wore with her makeup. And we entered the Costume Contest as the Entran huntresses of “Devil’s Planet”. Although the Entran huntresses wore costumes of red and silver, I opted for a turquoise blue and silver color. Martin Landau, one of the judges, asked me, “Why blue and not red?” I replied, “These are our summer outfits!” I believe Sue Cole’s monster from Space Warp snagged the top prize and was well-deserved.

In addition to costumes, I dabbled in art and created several pieces for the Art Show auction, including a variety of creatures that Maya morphed into, as well as portraits of Dr. Russell, Commander Koenig, and Alan Carter. Funds raised were donated to the local Children’s Hospital. I just loved the idea of donating and wished I could have done more pieces, but one can only carry so much artwork onto an airplane when traveling.

At this convention’s celebrity banquet, guests were seated at each table, which was not unheard of at the time.

Overall, the convention was incredible, as it was a ‘first’ in the United States for Space: 1999, as most science-fiction conventions focused on Star Wars and Star Trek, with Space: 1999 only lightly represented, if at all. Personally, I made a point to wear Space: 1999 costumes to my local conventions for that reason, and the reception was typically favorable.

Again, fan club newsletters played a significant role in keeping Space: 1999 fandom at the forefront, and huge kudos to the dedication of those who ran them. Speaking for myself, I could not wait for each newsletter to come through my door mail slot for the latest and greatest Space: 1999 news. Anticipation was a part of the fun. To help with newsletter content, I volunteered to audiotape, via cassette, the speaker’s presentations at the first convention. When I got back home, I transcribed each lecture for Mary Bloemker’s newsletter, thus chronicling those special moments and memories for others to enjoy. Samplings of other Space: 1999-related fan clubs were the Nick Tate Fan Club, the Landau-Bain Fan Association, and the Prentis Hancock Fan Club. All worthwhile and just as wonderful, and I still have the newsletters. Curiously, I never belonged to a Star Trek fan club, perhaps because that genre was already immensely popular and the franchise continued to grow, like the Star Wars franchise, while Space: 1999 was finite – open and closed. The show worked hard to find its niche, and I like to think that Space: 1999 and its creators were ahead of their time.

For the next epic Space: 1999 convention in Pittsburgh, PA, costumes for our California/Chicago group included Maya in her feather dress (“The Metamorph”), Mentor (“The Metamorph”), Vana (“Missing Link”), Dione (“The Last Enemy”), Taybor (“The Taybor”), and Hag Maya (Maya transformation). In my mind, it was essential for each member of our group to embody the costumed character they would portray; hence, we had an eclectic group of Space: 1999 characters from both seasons of the show. A skit was written for the Costume Call that integrated and wove our characters together in a way that made sense. Though none of us were actors, we had fun and won the Grand Prize.

For yet another Space: 1999 convention, I created Maya’s ‘rainbow dress’ from “One Moment of Humanity” with jewelry that included a necklace that looked like a large ‘slinky’ toy. I also remember being out on my front lawn, spray-painting a rainbow of colors onto a large swath of chiffon fabric, hoping the technique would create a tie-dye effect, which it did. For this dress, Maya had two different hairstyles, which was a challenge as I only had one hairpiece, so I alternated the styles between conventions.

My focus was on costumes because I wanted to learn the craft from the bottom up, and this was a fun way to do it. There were no manuals or catalogs with costuming instructions, so each endeavor was a practical challenge. Early on, very few people owned VCRs to record the Space: 1999 episodes, which could be used for costume reference. To have a 360-degree view of a costume was essential to success. To do this, I had to watch the Space: 1999 episodes on repeat and use a film camera to take photos directly from the television screen. Innumerable trips were made to the drugstore to see how the TV photos turned out.

To create Maya’s dress from “The Metamorph”, I only had photos of the costume’s front to work with, so I tracked the TV listings to determine when the episode would repeat. I hoped to grab imagery from the television to see how the backside of the dress was constructed. On the broadcast day of the repeat, I was devastated when Space: 1999 was preempted. Completely frustrated, I called the local Los Angeles television station and asked if I could view the episode there. My mother and I were invited to make the trek, and once there, we were met by very accommodating staff and given a private screening room to view the episode. Even though I was able to sketch the details I needed, there was still another problem. I had not seen the original costume, so color-matching for the “Metamorph” dress would be a challenge. On television and in printed materials, color variations of the dress differed widely, even in the television studio. Therefore, I had to make a color choice and stick to it. Fabrics and feathers were used, wherever available, to create a replica as close to the original as possible. This meant that my dress would be deep turquoise blue with light green feathers. Beadwork was designed and finished, and when it came time to create Maya’s pendant at her neck, ingenuity came into play. For the base, I used the aluminum from a Coors beer can. Who would notice these things, right?

As long as the costume looked good, I used what I could.

It was not until I visited the Space: 1999 Exhibit in Blackpool, England, that I saw Maya’s “Metamorph” dress color was steel gray. I felt a slight pang in my stomach, but it didn't last long, as the excitement of finally seeing the dress and determining how closely I had copied its construction was immensely satisfying. Incidentally, the dress I made cost $250, which was not easy, being on a budget. In today’s purchasing power, that cost would be $1,000. I still have the dress and all its peripherals.

During this convention, where I wore the “Metamorph” dress for the first time, a group of attendees in various science-fiction and fantasy costumes, including myself as Maya, visited a local children’s hospital. The staff allowed us into the dayroom, where young patients of various ages, who did not have life-threatening conditions, could roam freely and play or have quiet time. Some of the children were autistic and did not speak, while others needed a place to wait during and after procedures. As a group, we tried to meet each child, interact with them, and brighten their day. As we were saying goodbye, a chaperone stopped me and whispered that I had not met the boy standing over by the pinball game, and he wanted to meet me. I thought I had reached out to everyone, as this was important to me, so I went back and corrected my mistake. The boy’s name was Jean-Phillipe, pronounced with a French accent. Although he was unfamiliar with the Space: 1999 show and the Maya character, it did not matter. We had a nice chat, and I have always wondered how he eventually fared.

Thanks to my Disney training, which required cast members to smile from the time they stepped on the property to the end of their shift, I was able to smile through the hospital event, all the while dealing with a pesky lump in my throat, as this visit was my first time inside the children’s hospital domain. When I was young, my brother, who was a year and a half older than I, was in a children’s hospital ward many times over eight years. Visitors had to be 16 years old to visit patients. I couldn't visit so I spent a lot of time as a ‘lobby’ kid, along with my younger brother.

Once, while waiting in the lobby, the character Zorro and his sidekick Tonto came to the hospital to visit and cheer up the young patients. Amazingly, Zorro stopped in the waiting area and handed out ‘silver bullets’ to us kids. At that time, a character visit was a big event and could not have been more important as a distraction for hospitalized children. So, during the Space: 1999 convention, although it was emotionally difficult to be part of a character visit, I was proud of that opportunity. Back at the hotel, a news crew interviewed our group for a spot on the nightly news, and a wonderful article appeared in the newspaper the next day. What an incredible day of goodness that had been, all stemming from a television show called Space: 1999!

During the early years of fandom, fanzines provided another outlet for creativity in Space: 1999, as well as in many other fandoms. Zines, as they are also known, are collections of illustrations and stories written in booklet form, mostly to expand on and/or create new storylines of favorite television shows that had ended. A handful of Space: 1999 fans, including me, authored stories. Sue Ginter, a friend, co-wrote with me. We enjoyed dreaming up new plots, and while I focused on the romantic leads, Sue determined the adventures of Eagle Pilot Alan Carter. Credit goes to the editors who assembled and pushed those zines to print, furthering the adventures of our characters. Of course, this meant that the writers of Space: 1999 created characters that were well-rounded, long-lasting, and interesting enough that fans wanted to stay connected.

Just as zines became collectibles, so did Space: 1999 merchandise, which was not always easy to obtain. I did not collect blindly, but I did manage to find the basics in local stores, such as dolls, plastic stun guns, a beach towel, a lunch box, and the exquisitely illustrated comic books. In 1976, a new magazine called Starlog debuted. Starlog was one of the remarkable publications that kept science fiction fandom at the forefront. The first issue, which I purchased at an airport newsstand in Hawaii, included coverage of Space: 1999. Completely captivated by the magazine’s content, I took the first opportunity to cut out the coupon on the back cover and order a subscription. Through Starlog, I was able to acquire the gorgeous Season 1 Space: 1999 promotional book for a whopping $15, as well as the Moonbase Alpha blueprints binder.

Eventually, I also acquired the Season Two promotional book, along with a variety of international goodies, including British Annuals, Eagle spacecraft, dolls, and Japanese photograph books. Although all are collectibles, the most treasured items were the moments of meeting the people involved in the show.

Gathering with the actors at the conventions was a unique gift as they were fabulous storytellers, each with their own perspective on Space: 1999. Nick Tate, who played Alan Carter, was especially entertaining, and for many fans, the meetups with the actors did not end there. After one convention, Nick flew to Los Angeles to conduct business. While visiting, my friends and I took him to Disneyland, where fans recognized Nick because of his Alan Carter character. Ironically, this happened in that futuristic sphere of influence near the Moon rocket in Tomorrowland.

During a trip to England in 1980, a friend and I met Nick in a park, along with his little boy Tommy, and on other days, we connected with Eileen Skidmore and Phyl Proctor, who ran the British Nick Tate Fan Club and had lovely chats with Prentis Hancock, Clifton Jones, and Anton Phillips over coffee. To make our trip even more special, we went to Blackpool for a Space: 1999 exhibit that piggybacked onto a Doctor Who exhibit. This is where I saw the original Maya “Metamorph” dress.

Highly worth mentioning is the Landau-Bain Fan Association, which focused on the careers of Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. Run by Terry Bowers, this extension of the Space: 1999 culture often provided additional opportunities to meet the actors, whose home base was in Los Angeles. Originally founded by Debbie Phares under the name “The National Alliance of Fans for Martin Landau and Barbara Bain”, the club ultimately ceased operations in 2005.

Over the years, staying connected with Space: 1999 friends became easier with the advent of the internet. The individuals that come to mind are Charlene Scott, Rosie Badgett, and Becky Eisenhuth. Of course, for me, the camaraderie, friendships, creativity, or travel would not have occurred without being part of a group of like-minded people who happened to come together during an exceptional era in movie and television history.

A time that demonstrated how we could extend ourselves beyond familiarity and manage it well.

Embracing Space: 1999 wholeheartedly pushed the seeds of my imagination in many directions, and I can say with an air of excitement that I still ride the Monorail in Disneyland, a reminder of a fantastic future. “To the Moon!” she said. “To the Moon!

Judy Moore as Maya with admirers, Breakaway, 1999

37

JEFFREY MORRIS

THE EAGLE. THE EAGLE. THE EAGLE!

Nick Tate and Jeffrey Morris in the Eagle Cockpit, London, 2024

Where are you from?

I live in Stillwater, Minnesota. I was born in Chicago and spent my childhood in Arizona. I moved back to the Midwest in the 80s. Been here ever since.

What’s your background?

I hail from a home where my father was an engineer and my mother a librarian. They cared about education and critical thinking. They encouraged me to read and watch sci-fi.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I was hooked from the first time I saw a commercial for the show in 1975; the futurism and designs blew me away. At the time, I was way into the NASA moon landings.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was seven years old.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

In order: The Eagles! Moonbase Alpha (overall design), the characters – with Victor Bergman being my favorite - and the technology.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Yes. I’m a big fan of Star Trek – specifically TOS, TNG, and The Motion Picture. I’m also a big fan of Gerry Anderson’s UFO, The Prisoner, Space: Above & Beyond, and Battlestar Galactica.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically? Attendance at conventions, fan fic writing, model building, video creation, meeting the actors, fan clubs for the actors?

I’ve developed a documentary called The Eagle Obsession about how my love of the Eagle exemplifies my nostalgic dreams for a future that never occurred. It features Nick Tate, Brian Johnson, and Barbara Bain.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

My first convention was Calgary: 1999 in 2023.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

Nick Tate and Barbara Bain. Thrilling and deeply personal. Both met with me one-on-one, which led to the amazing interviews featured in the documentary.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Barry Morse. His portrayal was intelligent, calm, measured, and most importantly, curious. I wanted to be him, and he was a cipher of the wonder and curiosity embodied in the adventure. Only he brought that vision to the show, and I wish they’d kept him for Series Two!

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

Brian Johnson. Watch my documentary to see how we got on!

How has the show affected your life?

For 50 years! It gave me a sense of the future I wanted to live in, and it still does. I still wish there were a real Moonbase Alpha. I would trade the conveniences of today in a heartbeat for that more analog future. Because humanity was finally growing up in that vision (with the exception of Commissioner Simmonds), and we were out there!

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

Absolutely. I became a designer and filmmaker directly due to the influence of the show. It inspired me to want to world-build and create realistic concepts of the future in moving form.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

The Eagle. The Eagle. The Eagle! It was the embodiment of the future, and I’ve been desperate to fly in one since I first saw it.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

I love the scope of the “Black Sun”. Epic and sweeping. Nostalgic and extremely well-acted. It brings tears to my eyes when Victor taps his cigar ash onto the floor.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

It’s not necessarily a positive memory, but watching “Dragon’s Domain” with my little sister when it was first run. It absolutely TERRIFIED us. We both have scars to this day. We called the creature the “car wash monster.” I’ve learned over the years that we weren’t the only ones scared by that devastating hour of television. It should have had a warning on it!

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Yes, many. It’s been fun discovering all the people around the world who share the same perspective as I do.

What is your relationship with those friends?

Warm and constantly maintained. We will be lifelong friends.

Do you see them regularly or correspond regularly?

Regularly via direct correspondence or social media. I have a core group of around 20 people.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? How many items?

Yes. Over a dozen Eagles, a comlock, a stun gun, and tons of books.

What will you eventually do with those items?

Keep them!

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

My 2-foot special edition die-cast metal Eagle from Product Enterprise. It’s displayed in its case behind my desk. Proudly!

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because of, or regarding the show?

Sitting in the rebuilt Eagle cockpit with Nick Tate at Pinewood Studios last year. It was magical and like a dream from childhood fulfilled.

38

TODD MORTON

LET’S CONNECT AND GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER

Todd Morton and an Eagle

At the age of 10, a model crafted by my neighbor, Tom, sparked my fascination with spaceships. This ignited a quest to uncover the origins of the spaceship, eventually leading me to the syndicated reruns of Space: 1999. The Eagle Transporter from the show captured my imagination, with characters like Alan Carter becoming favorites for their roles in piloting the Eagles.

Standout episodes like “Breakaway,” “Earthbound,” “Collision Course,” and “Dragon's Domain” are etched vividly in my memory, leaving a lasting impression during my formative years.

Despite a lack of friends who shared my passion for sci-fi, bonding over watching Sci-fi with my father brought solace. Acquiring the series on VHS from Columbia House in 1997 reignited my love for Space: 1999, allowing me to delve deeper into the characters' struggles and the show's intricate premise.

Throughout the years, my admiration for the Eagle Transporter has led me to collect multiple model kits, reliving the excitement of my childhood while assembling them. Revisiting the episodes as an adult granted me a newfound appreciation for the show's complexities, making the first season of Space: 1999 my ultimate favorite. Despite lingering questions about missing characters, my journey through sci-fi nostalgia remains a cherished part of my life, reflecting my enduring passion for space exploration and futuristic adventures.

Over the years, I've been a fan of sci-fi shows like Star Trek, Star Trek: The Animated Series, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers, V (1984-85), The Six Million Dollar Man, Logan's Run, and more. I even attended a Star Trek convention once, although I wasn't aware of other conventions like Space: 1999 cons at the time. It wasn't until the internet became popular and Facebook replaced MySpace that I discovered websites dedicated to Space: 1999, reigniting my childhood excitement.

One discovery that ignited my passion was the Eagle Transporter Forum website, where enthusiasts discussed models, accurizing the Eagle spacecraft, and more. This led me to connect with fellow fan Gordon Moriguchi, who shared my enthusiasm for the Eagle. Together, we delved into the world of Space: 1999 merchandise, beyond the familiar Dinky Eagle toy. In 2013, I began collecting models available through ETF and companies like Small Art Works & Product Enterprise, expanding my network of 1999 collectables and connection to other fans.

As my interest grew, I explored the show's releases on Laserdisc and DVD, experiencing the series in better resolution. Notably, model company Round2 released kits featuring iconic characters like Nick Tate's Alan Carter and Catherine Schell's Maya, complete with autographed cards. The anticipation for these kits was immense, and they sold out quickly.

In 2014, a conversation with a Canadian model builder hinted at the possibility of a larger-scale Eagle kit by Round2. Collaborating with my friend Gordon, we initiated a campaign through Facebook to generate interest in the proposed 22" model kit, leading to the creation of the Space: 1999 Props & Ships group. The response was overwhelming, with nearly 300 new members joining monthly for the next 15 months.

This journey culminated in the release of 28 Space: 1999 kits by Round2 and the successful organization of two conventions in 2017 and 2019. Through these events, I have had the privilege of forming lasting friendships with notable individuals like writer Christopher Penfold, actors Barbara Bain, Prentis Hancock, Anton Philips, Yasuko Nagazumi, Suzanne Peterson, Pam Rose, and the esteemed Nick Tate, who has evolved into a dear friend over the years. Brian Johnson, the mastermind behind the creation of the Eagle and the supervision of special effects in both seasons of the show, has also been a significant part of my journey.

I was recently invited to participate in the upcoming Jeffrey Morris documentary The Eagle Obsession. This project has added a new dimension to my experiences, particularly in the realm of SFX practical effects shots akin to those used in filming Space: 1999. This endeavor has brought forth cherished memories and a collection of memorabilia that hold a special place in my heart.

The impact of Space: 1999 on my life has been profound, but above all, it's the invaluable friendships that have blossomed from this shared passion that I hold dearest. Engaging with fellow fans and enthusiasts daily, organizing meetups with Nick Tate at various conventions for autographs and photos, and spending quality time with friends like Gordon Moriguchi, Mike and Debbie Reader, and Mark Hevingham have been highlights of this journey.

While we have bid farewell to some dear souls like Rosie Badgett, Eileen Skidmore, and Phyllis Proctor (who entrusted me with continuing Nick Tate's fan group legacy), their dedication as true Space: 1999 aficionados remains unmatched. The camaraderie and joy shared with these remarkable individuals continue to enrich my life beyond measure. Look for me on Facebook and at future conventions, and please don't hesitate to stop me and say hello. I relish meeting people who share the same love for Space: 1999 as I do. Until then, let's not be aliens; let's connect and get to know each other.

Nick Tate and Todd Morton

39

KATY NICHOLLS

CATHERINE SCHELL, CATHERINE SCHELL, AND CATHERINE SCHELL AGAIN!

Katy and Catherine Schell, London, 2024

Where are you from?

I was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, England, but I now live in Tameside, Greater Manchester.

What’s your background?

I feel like I haven’t lived enough of my life to answer this question! I grew up in the countryside (still my current house), living with my parents. I’m an only child, and my main passion in life is musical theatre or just theatre in general.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I discovered the show during Covid in 2020. I was stuck in my house (as we all were), and my father was switching TV channels one night when he stumbled upon Space: 1999. He immediately said, “Oh, I used to watch this as a kid!” and honestly, at first, I wasn’t really interested and carried on with whatever I was doing. But by the end of the episode, it had drawn me in, and I wanted to watch more!

How old were you when you began watching the show?

Twenty-two.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

The episode my father stumbled upon that night just so happened to be the first episode of Series Two, “The Metamorph”. I instantly felt a connection to Maya because of how she felt like an alien compared to the Alphans, and she didn’t fit in. I loved how her mind worked like a computer, and she had special skills that regular humans didn’t. I also appreciated how she sometimes struggled to understand human interaction, including humor and sarcasm. The fact that she always ended up using her “differences” as a superpower really made me happy because that’s exactly how I felt (and still feel) in my own life. It was just so lucky that that episode happened to be the one playing that evening, otherwise I might never have joined the fandom.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi shows have you enjoyed over the years?

This is going to sound very disappointing, but no, as a general rule, I REALLY don’t like sci-fi programs or movies, etc. I’m more of a mystery show kind of girl, but I guess Space is just special because it’s the only show of this genre that I enjoy!

Have you attended any conventions for the show?

I attended my first in-person convention in 2024, and it was the Space: 1999 50th Anniversary Celebration. I did watch the virtual con in 2022, though.

What is your favorite thing to do at a convention?

I’ve only been to one, but I've to say that the part I enjoyed most was seeing all my international friends that I've met through this fandom. We don’t get many opportunities to be together because we live so far apart, and it's also very nice to see that the whole fandom really is a family and everyone is so friendly! I left that convention knowing SO many more people!

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Catherine Schell, Catherine Schell, and Catherine Schell again! (No surprise there.) I’d wanted to meet her since I saw her on screen that one night, and I just about lost my mind when it finally happened. She could not have been more wonderful and kinder to me; it was a beautiful experience! I also enjoyed speaking to Nick Tate; he’s a cool guy! Yasuko Nagazumi was the sweetest person EVER and was showing me pictures of her cat. It was so awesome to see the actors as people too and have a regular conversation with them!

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience?

Outside of conventions, I’ve met Barbara Bain twice in L.A. for a lunch date with my fandom friends. Both times, you would have had to pinch me because I couldn’t believe it happened once, let alone twice! We ordered pizza, we chatted, and talked about life… I showed her some clips of me performing, and she reacted so positively. It was honestly one of the most meaningful experiences I’ve ever had. The same year, I graduated from university, and so she called me “Graduation Girl”; it was so sweet! Then my friends surprised me with a congratulatory cake, and I got to share it with Barbara! Saying all of this out loud sounds crazy, but it really did happen, and all of the experiences will live in my heart forever!

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Catherine Schell, purely because she will always be Maya, and Maya holds a special place in my heart.

How has the show affected your life?

It has given me a whole new family and taken me to places I never could have dreamt of going. It has connected me with the most beautiful people and given me some lifelong memories.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

Not a career path of sorts, but the show did inspire me to write my final university dissertation about turning Space: 1999 into a musical! So, there’s that, I brought the show into my own life’s passion, if that makes sense.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

Maya, just Maya!

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

My ultimate favourite episode is the “Beta Cloud”. I’m a hopeless romantic and absolutely love Maya and Tony together. They admit they love each other in this episode because they’re about to die, and the first time I watched it, my heart melted.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

Recording my reactions to seeing each episode for the first time and sharing it with my fandom friends during Covid. It was a weekly event where I'd watch a new episode, and they’d all be excited to see what I had to say about it, being the newbie of the group and also a younger person. I loved how my enjoyment of the show gave my friends so much enjoyment just seeing me react, and it kept all of us entertained and happy whilst the world was dark.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Absolutely, and I couldn’t imagine my life without them now.

What is your relationship with those friends?

We are very close; we're one big family.

Do you see or correspond with them regularly?

We have a group chat where we post daily, and we do Zoom calls too!

Do you collect memorabilia from the show?

Anything that my bank account can afford (which isn’t much). I’m not sure exactly, but I have some board games, books, a Maya doll, a mini Eagle, mugs, badges, magnets, keyrings, etc. I have a wooden box that I painted with the main show characters, an original script, and, of course, signed photos of the cast.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

Along with two personalized, signed photos from Catherine Schell, I have two favourite pieces of memorabilia. One is my original ‘Beta Cloud’ script, VERY kindly gifted to me for my first “birthday in the fandom” by Jim Winch, I’m sure you know him! It was a group effort for me to receive it, and I’m forever grateful for the generosity of this fandom. The second item, which is my favourite, is a handwritten thank-you card from Barbara Bain after I painted her a piece of fan art. The card was brought over to England for me with Rosie Badgett (who we have sadly now lost) when she came over to visit in 2022. I will never forget the moment Rosie handed it to me and said, “This is from Barbara, to you”. The card is encased in a 360° frame, and I admire it daily.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I don’t know what you’re suggesting, but I am never letting these items go!

What is your most treasured memory of a person or an event regarding the show?

I have many, but I must mention the time during the virtual con in 2022 when it was Barbara’s slot for her live interview, and I was watching from England with Rosie Badgett. We both noticed immediately that Barbara had placed my fan art behind her so it was visible during her interview, and that’s where she’d chosen to put it in her house. I was freaking out, and my fandom group chat was going crazy, as they were elated for me because they could see it too. And THEN to top things off, Barbara was asked, “What is that wooden heart behind you?” and without anyone needing to remind her, she immediately turned around. grabbed it, held it up, and said “Oh, Katy made this for me, isn’t it wonderful?”. I’m pretty sure she could hear me screaming from across the ocean. I was so excited, she held my art up and showed it to everyone during the con, and she remembers me, SUPER COOL experience. And now I have fan art that lives permanently in Barbara Bain’s house, absolutely mental.

40

CHRISTOPHER PAULSEN

IT CHANGED MY LIFE

Chris Paulsen and Chris Crowley, 2025

When I was born, our family had a house in San Francisco, California, and a house in Healdsburg, an hour away from The City, in the countryside, nestled in a private valley on 81 acres. For the first four years of my life, I was shuttled back and forth between the two: the city, with TV on the weekdays; the country, with no reception and no TV, on the weekends. I loved watching our black-and-white city set, and remember Batman, Lost in Space (which terrified me), Dark Shadows (which made me laugh), Star Trek, and other similar genre TV from the 1960s. This continued for four years.

In 1968, we sold the city house and moved exclusively to the Ranch, where I occupied my time reading, listening to records and the radio, and playing outside. I missed TV and occasionally watched it at a friend’s or my sister’s. My big sister knew I enjoyed science fiction/adventure, and one day in September 1975, when I was 11, she called me up and asked if I’d like to come to her place, 15 miles away, to watch a new show that she thought I might like. Sure! I don’t remember which episode it was, certainly not the premiere, which I missed, but it made an everlasting impression on me, and I went back week after week, on Saturday nights at 7:00 pm, to watch Space: 1999 on KRON-TV, Channel 4.

It changed my life.

I was young enough not to dwell too much on the absurd premise, old enough to appreciate that it was attempting to be 2001: A Space Odyssey every week. Martin Landau and Barbara Bain were a ready-made team of top talent. I was drawn to the incredible sets, awestruck with the Oscar-worthy special effects, stunned with the Twilight Zone-style endings, and I fell in love with the desperate conditions of the characters. It was a Biblical origin story of a wandering people, and I was right there with them, hoping for them to succeed.

My mother and father were divorcing, my childhood idyll was over, and my family was falling apart. I was being increasingly bullied (yay, middle school), and without child support, my mom was afraid we’d lose the Ranch.

It was a rough time, for which I compensated by losing myself with the Alphans and their struggles. I started dreaming up my own adventures, doodling at school, blowing up spaceships in the front yard, borrowing shaving cream and engulfing my plastic models, and reading books based on episodes and Starlog magazine, the ONLY way to communicate with fellow fans. Starlog had long supported Space: 1999, with interviews, photos, cover art, and the (stultifyingly) shocking announcement of its cancellation in 1977.

Knowing that it had only aired for two seasons, not enough stories to “strip” daily, I knew my days of watching the show were soon to be over; it would not be recycled in syndication like Star Trek had been, so I set about recording them on audio cassette. I thought I was the only one. Little did I know.

By 1977, I had complained long and loudly enough, and my absentee father managed to set up an antenna in the woods, stringing the cord through the trees and down to the house. You had to traipse up the hill if you had a reception problem and needed any adjustments. There was no way to be sure you were doing the right thing, so hiking and tweaking were a tedious process. But at last, we were connected, and I began the process of recording episodes. There is nothing quite like telling your family to remain absolutely quiet for an hour. It’s impossible. To this day, I can still remember background sounds that made it onto the recordings, much to my chagrin.

Starlog advertised a Space: 1999 convention in 1978, in Columbus, Ohio. I was determined to go. As luck would have it, my mother arranged for me to spend summers with my southern relatives in Alabama, including a younger cousin named Kress, who also loved 1999. His dad, my uncle, owned the 3rd largest gas and oil company in the state, with a private plane that he used to shuttle us to Ohio. The following year, we did the same thing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Must be nice to be rich. Those first cons were filled with heady enthusiasm and the hope that the show could be revived.

There were a thousand attendees in Ohio, and the star list was incredible. I watched in envy as another fan outbid everyone for a complete Year 1 Rudi Gernreich yellow-sleeved uniform. We were not rich. I settled for an original script at that same auction. It’s been autographed by everyone in the decades since.

My life changed drastically in 1980, and with the changes came the belief that it was time to grow up. I let my childhood distractions die, but I couldn’t stop listening to the episodes whenever I felt the need to get away. It was a forgotten show. The world had moved on. It was a shameful secret I shared with no one.

Only a few short years later, I began to realize that it would NEVER leave my life, and I started interacting with fandom again, joining the National Space: 1999 Alliance, contributing stories and analyses, and helping slick up the layout. By the early 1990s, I had determined that I would collect everything. Every toy, magazine, coloring book, towel, Halloween costume… everything. And I did. I amassed the largest collection on the West Coast, a fairly extensive list, bought from scouring the Toy Store magazine, antique shops, and collectors worldwide. Sadly, when my house caught fire, most of it went up in smoke. I still have my most treasured items, including an original, yellow-sleeved Year Two uniform that I finally found and bought in 1998 (take that, you unidentified rich kid!), the promotional books used to sell the series, and my signed, original script.

I went to Los Angeles and saw plays starring Barbara Bain, got autographs, and even secured the ultimate prize: dinner afterward with her and a few fellow fans. Walking back to our cars after dinner, I pointed out to Ms. Bain my license plate: SPC1999. She laughed and rolled her eyes. I went to Martin Landau’s Star of Fame ceremony and, afterward, was invited to his office on Sunset Boulevard for an hour, again with a few others. I attended my first conventions in years, starting with 1992 in La Mirada and Whittier in 1995. The latter only had one star in attendance and only 30 fans, a miserably far cry from our glory days. I was depressed yet determined to make a difference. I decided to reach out and help organize the Breakaway Convention in 1999.

There were six of us, with a core team of three: one for the stars and hotel arrangements, one for the website, and one for entertainment. That last was mine. I produced the Friday “Recreation Room” socializer with puzzles, modeling clay, a seance center, and a surprise jousting bout with four Kendo warriors. Sunday night, September 12, was a very special night. In the show's mythology, September 13, 1999, was the date that the Moon broke away and started its celestial journey. I produced the Sunday night dance with an awesome DJ, clips of the show, astronomical images, smoke machines, bubble jars of “Piri Water” on tables, and a large tree from the planet Piri. A fan showed up in a yellow-sleeved Year One uniform. It was the one That Got Away in 1978! We had matching uniforms and became fast friends to this day.

Most incredible of all, the Breakaway Committee made contact with an LA set designer who had constructed a massive season two Command Center replica wall in his warehouse loft and had decided to donate the set to our convention, the wisdom being that he had partied like it was 1999 the year prior and the wall was now “so last year.” It was in pieces. I rented a truck, loaded it up, and drove across town and the freeways to the hotel in Culver City. It was extraordinary. When the con started Friday afternoon with the opening theme, the ballroom doors opened, and a cumulative gasp went up from the anxious assembled crowd as they spilled into the room. The stage was set under a 30’ x 20’ replica from the show, backlit and so real you expected the doors to open with your Commlock. After the midnight balloon drop on Sunday night, Nick Tate led everyone in a conga line, and the DJ had us in a huge circle on the floor, singing “Happy Trails to you until we meet again…” It was the most emotional moment of the convention, on a night where everyone celebrated and danced (even first-timers), barriers were broken, and all were one family, no aliens in sight.

The most intense and, ultimately, the most amusing thing that happened at Breakaway, for me personally, was the balloon drop. Granted, I was really doing my best to orchestrate a great party for everyone. One of my ideas was to celebrate and hype Sunday night as our own version of New Year’s Eve. We watched the clock and started the countdown; I grabbed a chair, stood on it, pulled the string at the stroke of midnight, the theme began… and the string broke! The balloons stubbornly refused to fall. Just like the show, I fumed. Big intentions, big flop. No, I was determined not to let adversity get in the way, so I ran outside to the open bar. The bartenders could hardly speak English, let alone help a frantic fan. I went back inside, and lo and behold, behind the Main Mission wall was a ladder. Yes! At this point, Nick Tate is with me, so we grab the ladder and snake through the dancers; I climb up, and he steadies below (Shit! Alan Carter is helping me!). I reach up, grab the net with both hands, rippppp! And a cascade of orange, silver, and white whorl down as Prince’s 1999 throbs. Magical. Much later, I saw a picture of the moment and laughed when I realized my pants were on backwards. It was the second of three outfits that night, and I was in a rush. Thanks, Rudi, for the unisex, reversible zippered pants!

Breakaway was an unqualified success, from the Saturday night Love Letters play with Barbara Bain and Barry Morse to our exclusive Monday appearance of producer Fred Freiberger, his only con appearance, and most incredible of all, the premiere of a British fan-produced short film Message from Moonbase Alpha, starring an original actor, in their original uniform, with an original set piece, written by an original writer. It was the conclusion of the Alpha voyage, and there was nary a dry eye in the house when it was over. There was so much enthusiasm during and after the event that it drove a quixotic quest to revive the show again, and sights were set for a convention the following year in New York that was promised to be bigger, better, and more exciting than ever. It wasn’t. It was a lackluster, disorganized sequel.

Attendance was so low for this expensive location that it was opened to Battlestar Galactica fans. Richard Hatch presented his plans to revive BSG in one room, while Catherine Schell was extolling the virtues of living in France in another. The carefully curated and recreated Alphan Room was an amazing photo op, and the Pajama Party was mostly attended by gay men in blue satin.

There was a moment in Los Angeles, Friday, September 10, 1999, during the Recreation Room mixer, that I sat back and had to acknowledge that most of the male fans in attendance seemed to be gay. What’s up with that? Single Income No Kids? Many were drawn by the incredible art direction and the sense of style that the first year embodied.

Having hunky actors helped. It was SO apparent that an online Gaybase Alpha site was established. The art director/production designer Keith Wilson attended New York the following year, on the encouragement of writer Johnny Byrne’s positive Breakaway experience, and was surrounded by adoring fans, mostly men. Keith, also gay, was amused and delighted. A few fans sat within his adoring presence and had dinner with him. Zienna Merton also had a cotillion of gay fans following her. She had a special moment with a dozen blue-satin bedecked boys in the Alpha Room.

By this time in my fan career, I had done so much, seen so many, and ascended so high that the cast and crew now knew me. I was contacted by Tim Mallett of Kindred Productions, who had spearheaded and produced the Breakaway fan film, and asked if I was interested in a special 30th Anniversary gathering in 2005 at Pinewood Studios for a hundred very special fans. Of course! That is probably one of the highlights of my life. Being on the lot was euphoric. Having Johnny and Keith sit behind me during an episode screening and whisper secrets in my ear was overwhelming. Having Keith pull me aside on the walk through the park-like backlot and tell me the naughty things he did during filming was incredible. Keith invited me and another fan to his house the next day. We spent an extraordinary afternoon getting high, drinking tea, touring his home, and walking down the graveled path from Windsor Castle, all the while keeping him in stitches with our memorized dialogue from the episodes, which we had learned from countless hours of listening to the audio. Turns out EVERYONE did that. Mr. Wilson had been behind the scenes but had never connected with the audience for which his creations were designed, and so enjoyed the connection we brought to him. He was delighted and somewhat astonished that we knew and revered the series so intensely, even and, especially, as adults. I still have a bar of soap from his bathroom that he gifted me. The scent takes me back to that day.

My favorite memories are moments with the cast and crew, especially when you learn or hear something new and unique. A story to share with others. I have many moments with Barbara Bain, from her private after-party following the Walk of Fame unveiling to cons and the aforementioned dinner. She once told me I asked great questions. I loved watching her answer and think. She is a consummate star and so giving to her fans.

When asked why they never used Velcro to keep the notoriously floppy spacesuit helmet visors closed, she cooly replied, “Did my helmet ever go up?”

“No,” I answered.

“Well, I survived then, didn’t I?”

I asked her why they always looked so awkward walking down the stairs in their platform shoes. She laughed and said, “Designers make things to look good on TV, not necessarily to conform to the human foot.”

Barbara has stated that the set in the first season was “gorgeous” but hard to light. When Keith Wilson heard about that comment, he snorted, “I made that set to light up with a flip of a switch. It wasn’t the set that was hard to light. It was Barbara Bain.”

During a scene in an Eagle, Keith Wilson leaned into my ear at Pinewood and whispered, “Those are soap trays for the bathtub! I found them in a home store, and they worked perfectly,” indicating the ubiquitous air “vents” found in the cockpit.

When asked if she had ever wanted to visit Buckingham Palace, Zienna Merton drily commented, “No, thank you. I couldn’t stand the gilt (guilt?).”

Another con in Tampa, Florida, in 2005. Burbank, California, in 2012. I made it back to England, Peterborough, in 2014. That last one was significant for me because it premiered a fan-made virtual reality Oculus Rift device that dropped the viewer into a moon buggy on the lunar surface, with Ultra probes and Eagles flying overhead, a half-buried Caldorian alien ship, and an alarming outburst of magnetic energy at Area Two. Nick Tate was encouraged to use it, and our heroic Eagle pilot found himself amazed and back in a 3D world of Space:1999.

New Jersey, 2017. Pennsylvania, 2019. Now, we enter an anniversary realm that makes us all feel very old, 50 years. 50 years of undying love, endless Year 1 vs Year 2 controversies, endless questions about lunar base windows, what happened to characters, and a strong streak of wish fulfillment and “if only” running through the base.

We’ve heard them all before. I still dress up in my uniform, skintight as it is. I wore my pajamas for breakfast in London 2024. After I picked up a decorative rock and walked around the restaurant with a zombie look, I ran into the splendid Gianni Garko, the fine Italian actor who guest-starred in one of the most popular episodes, and who spent most of his time in blue satin pajamas. He looked me up and down and cracked a smile of recognition, giving me a thumbs-up. The actors, bless their collective hearts, have a limited supply of remembered stories and repeat them ad infinitum. So many of them have passed away. Losing Zienia and Keith was especially hard. But we fans still have each other. They keep me coming back. We are an online community; we cry, laugh, celebrate milestones, and gather in person with those who can.

None of us are aliens to each other.

Chris Paulsen and Terry Bowers on the dance floor at Breakaway, 1999

41

ARLETTE PAYNE

IT CONTRIBUTED TO THE FABRIC OF WHO I AM

Arlette Payne, 2025

Where are you from?

I’m from Ontario, Canada: originally from southern Ontario near Sarnia, but now living in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

What’s your background?

I'm the eldest daughter with two brothers: six and eight years younger than me. My parents divorced when I was in grade 11 (a very difficult time for me). I loved drawing, playing the guitar, and being outdoors in nature. I had a horse named Amigo, and many other pets. I'm also a mermaid and a cake baker in my spare time.

When did you become a fan of the show?

In the mid '70s, when I was in junior high school. I looked forward to watching it every day after school or early evening.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I think I was 12 or 13.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I think it was the characters, specific to their qualities. I liked Victor Bergman because he had the father-like qualities I was always searching for, and Alan Carter, who would rescue you when you needed it. Of course, the storylines were good too.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi shows have you enjoyed over the years?

I have always loved sci-fi. When I was very young, I watched Thunderbirds, Lost in Space, and Star Trek, of course, in all its incarnations. Most of the sci-fi I liked took place in space.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

I didn't even know such a thing existed until I joined Facebook, maybe 20 years ago? Later, I found the Space: 1999 group and was able to attend a couple of conventions and try my hand at making videos. I wasn't naturally a group-type person, but the S99 crew were pretty nice.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

My first con was in Calgary. It was great fun, sort of like experiencing the high school days that I missed while actually attending high school. The second con was in Austin, Texas. This was also a lot of fun: spending time with the other attendees and getting into a bit of mischief... hee hee!

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Spending time with the others was great, getting to know my roommate, Jan. Meeting some of the actors was really fun; most were lovely and gracious. Visiting the sights in various locations, either alone or with the group that I probably would have never gone to, was great too.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Carolyn Seymour was a very lovely person to meet, and we still keep in touch on Facebook. She was the only actor I’ve met in person. She was witty and intelligent, very nice to talk to. Also, the recently departed Prentis Hancock, who would respond on Facebook. Of course, Nick Tate is a favorite: he was funny and personable. I even got to meet his wife in Australia!

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

I always liked Barry Morse a lot. His character, Victor, was very fatherly to me when I was feeling a bit in need of one growing up. I was so upset when he wasn't cast on Season Two. I probably also had a bit of a crush on him! Alan was also a favorite (and he would rescue me if needed!).

How has the show affected your life?

I think it and many other shows taught life lessons to the young me, also fostered my imagination, and gave me something to look forward to each day. Maybe it also encouraged me to be more adventurous.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

I don't think so directly, but maybe it contributed to the fabric of who I am.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

I always wanted to go into space. I thought it would be beautiful to explore.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

I liked “Breakaway” a lot. It's a cool and scary concept to think the moon could actually be blown out of orbit. “Another Time, Another Place” is another favorite; it was very philosophical. “The Mark of Archanon” made me admire Alan for caring about the alien child.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

Just the anticipation of the show coming on, and especially the theme song from Season One, that I really liked. I would get all comfy on the floor and get absorbed into the show.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Yes, quite a few, I think. It is nice to be able to keep up with many of them on Facebook.

Do you see or correspond with them regularly?

My friend Jan has been the longest and closest friend from the conventions. We visit in person sometimes and send cards.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show?

I have three or four action figures of Alan that I bought at a convention. I also have a Space: 1999 mouse pad that I love that Jan sent me.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I will probably end up passing the action figures on to the next crop of S99 aficionados someday. One tends to purge when one gets older!

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

I really love my mouse pad, probably because it was given to me by a friend.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because of, or regarding the show?

That's a hard one, as there were many good memories. I really enjoyed getting to meet our 'captain', Robert Wood, in Calgary. I thought he was a great person and a good leader. I really enjoyed meeting Eston Dunn and found him to be a talented and gracious person. I just had so much fun with everyone; I hate to leave anyone out.

42

JANET SCHILL

DARTH VADER TOOK ME TO MEET NICK TATE!

Rosie Badgett and Janet Schill, 2012

Where are you from?

I live in Riverside, Illinois.

What’s your background?

I grew up in Carbondale, Illinois. My dad was a professor at Southern Illinois University, and my mom was a homemaker, an artist, and the head of an adult daycare. I have an older sister who lives in Texas, a husband, and three kids. As a child, my sister thought I was a nerd and boring. I think that as a dyslexic kid, science fiction was a way for me to escape social norms and leave this planet in search of my own place.

I got my BFA from SIU and my MFA at Northern Illinois University. I’ve been the executive director of a small not-for-profit printmaking and creative arts workshop in Oak Park, Illinois, for 25 years. Currently, I work at a senior living facility, where I teach art classes, run a hallway gallery, and oversee their art room. I have two kids who are both about to graduate from school. Jim, my husband of 37 years. He works for Northern Trust Bank in Chicago. He is extremely supportive of my love for S9. As an artist, I’ve been a printmaker specializing in screen prints until five years ago, when I started working with glass enamels. I’m currently screen printing and doing other types of enameling on copper, silver, and steel. That work consists of both jewelry and small sculptures.

When did you become a fan of the show?

Shortly after it started airing on a station in St Louis.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was 11-12 years old.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

YES!! All the above. I loved how real it seemed in a not-so-distant future; it was neat to think of the possibilities of what was in our future. I knew the two main characters were in Mission: Impossible, which I loved watching when my parents would let me. This helped draw me into the series. The stories were SO creative! Not the typical blasting scary alien monsters, but interesting filming, deep, meaningful stories, and the people of Alpha were people I cared about. Often, the story was an examination of ourselves and how we fit into this universe.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

I’ve watched a lot of sci-fi, thinking I LOVED all sci-fi. I started with Lost in Space, then moved to Star Trek. However, I found that there is a certain type I enjoy more than others. The movie Alien, a powerful sci-fi film featuring a strong female lead, grabbed my attention; it's a classic sci-fi that examines the human psyche, like many 1960s movies, including Fahrenheit 451, Soylent Green, Planet of the Apes, and Logan's Run. Of course, I loved the Star Wars saga, again loving Princess Leia, but true hardcore sci-fi is what I enjoy the most. Gattaca is a good example. S9 gave me fantastic stories, cool futuristic sets, space explorations, and Helena as a strong woman flanked by Commander Koenig and Professor Bergman. It doesn’t get better than Year One, S9.

Did you participate in any fandom for the show?

I attended a few Doctor Who conventions, but none felt like ‘my group’ like it did with the S9 cons did.

How specifically? Attendance at conventions, fan fic writing, model building, video creation, meeting the actors, fan clubs for the actors?

Once, I went to see James Doohan on the SIU campus. There were three of us junior high kids, and we called ourselves “The Sci-fi Fan Club.” So, when we approached the event on campus, they let us into a press conference, and I was able to cassette-record it!

We also got front seats at his talk and were featured in a photo in our local paper. It was fun. I also loved meeting Patrick Troughton and John Pertwee at a Doctor Who con. I didn’t really get into any other groups except for S9. In the early days, I assisted at the S9 cons in the art room and helped with the auctioning of the items. This is where I met Sue Cole, and we are still Facebook friends to this day. As for fan clubs, I was a member of Barbara Bain and Martin Landau fan clubs (this is how I met Terry Bowers), Nick Tate’s club, and the National Save: 1999 Alliance (later the International Space: 1999 Alliance). I also drew fan art for some fanzines and once even submitted a fanfic story. These were great ways of making pen pal friends.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

I think it's 14, and I’m planning on going in September 2025. I attended many of the early ones, but I started missing them frequently when I was in college, graduate school, and after my two kids were little. However, I started going again as soon as I could.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Talk to my friends, listen to the guests, watch episodes together, buy stuff, and honestly, HANG OUT with friends. The last con I attended was WonderFest last summer; Ellen Lindow, Rosie Badget, and I chatted over pizza. One of the best memories that will last forever.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Nick Tate, Prentis Hancock. Those two actors would stop and start talking to the fans. They’re so good at just being present. I love that Nick Tate expressed his gratitude to the fans at WonderFest. I truly believe he’s grateful for our devotion to him and the show.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

Yes, many of them. Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, Nick Tate, Zienia Merton, Prentis Hancock, Clifton Jones, and many more.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

I can’t pick one. Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, and Nick Tate. OK, ALL OF THEM! I have to say that when I met Nick Tate for the first time, I cried.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

I’ve met Gerry Anderson, Brian Johnson, Nick Alder, Christopher Penfield, and many more. All were interesting to listen to, and I enjoyed what they had to share. I especially liked meeting Brian Johnson during a banquet in Peterborough S9 con. He told the best stories from the show and about his career. His stories would make a GREAT book to read.

How has the show affected your life? Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

I think that since I was drawing every character from the show all the time back then, and my mother was an artist (and I’m a visual learner), this helped pave the way for me to become an artist. I can’t tell you how many times I drew Saturn on the horizon of a moon, and a tiny orange spacesuit astronaut was looking on!

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

The music and the cool way they filmed it STILL excite me to this day! One example is Zoref getting zapped by the alien light, and after he passes out, the camera turns, resulting in an upside-down image. WOW, COOL WAY of saying things were turned upside down. Fantastic!

I play the violin and love playing Albinoni's Adagio in G! Yes, the show is a part of me forever.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

I always say, ‘Missing Link’. This was the first episode I saw when it first aired, and it blew me away! The nightmarish journey Koenig takes to the alien purple planet is wonderful, making you sit on the edge of your seat. Plus, Peter Cushing as Raan is great! It may not be the best episode, but it’s my favorite.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

My sister and her friend thought I’d enjoy the show, so we all gathered in the living room on a Saturday night. They were right, I loved it! I asked for a cassette player for my birthday and started recording the show. All the cassettes were stored in a wooden box under my bed, and some nights, when everyone was asleep, I’d pull out a tape and re-listen to the show.

Have you made friends through your association with the show? What’s your relationship with them?

Yes, I have. I'd say my friends are like pen pals, though I’ve always wished we were closer. I’ve met up with some on occasion for a visit, but I wish I could have done this more.

Do you see them or correspond regularly?

I try to keep in touch. Some of us do Christmas cards. Rosie and I were having Zoom meetings. The last one was over 2 hours long.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What?

Pretty much everything; I have an S9 Halloween costume, both banks, books, magazines, toys, jewelry, games, puzzles, cards, and models… Corey Lechat had a memorabilia book featuring S9 merchandise, and at one time, I wanted to have everything! I don’t collect as much as I used to, but I still have something under the tree every year for Christmas.

How many items? What will you eventually do with them?

There are too many to count. I told my oldest kid to take care of them. They will. They like the show too. However, I’m being buried with my promo book!

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

My Year One promo book (Canadian), I got it at “Torch Con” – the Cincinnati SpaceCon in 1983. At that con, there was a fire alarm in the middle of the night that woke us all up, and when Chuck Raue knocked at our door to leave, I grabbed my purse and my promo book!! My second prized possession is a signed script by Brian Johnson from “The Mark of Archanon”.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or an event that occurred regarding the show?

Maybe when a costumed Wookie kissed me, and I was dressed as Princess Leia. It was funny. Or when I was the last person during a limbo contest, and when I couldn’t get under, Chuck Raue pulled me through and started cheering! I only won because I was the smallest person there! HA!

Or my mother (who came with me to cons several times) made friends quickly wherever she went. It was the first convention, and after waiting forever, I was told that there would be no more autographs of Nick Tate on the first day of the first con. I was SO bummed. I was the next one in line! I walked up to my mom to complain and didn’t realize she was chatting with Dave Prowse… yes, that’s right, Darth Vader took me to meet Nick Tate! I was so overwhelmed that I cried.

43

CHARLENE SCOTT

A SHOW THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF MY LIFE.

Martin Landau and Charlene, 2012

I’ve always said that Space: 1999 changed the course of my life, but I will get to that in a bit. Space: 1999 debuted in my hometown of Mobile, Alabama, in 1975. I was hooked. It was on at 10 pm on Saturday on WEAR, ABC TV. I was 12 when it debuted, so staying up late to watch it was a bit of a struggle, more so for my parents, but my enthusiasm won out. I have always been fascinated with the space program and was drawn to the show because of the concept, story, and technology. I had been a fan of Star Trek and The Six Million Dollar Man, and I was a general sci-fi geek; so, the appeal was natural.

Once hooked, I began researching any and all information I could find about the show and its stars, including fan magazines, gossip magazines, and newspapers. I was drawn to the characters of Koenig and Russell. When I discovered that Martin Landau and Barbara Bain were married, that sealed the deal for me. I have been addicted to this show for some 50-plus years.

Starlog magazine was my first introduction to organized fandom. I discovered the National Save: 1999 Alliance, and from there, I found other fans of the series. Over the years, I have built a model of an Eagle, created music videos for the show, written fan fiction, met many of the show's actors and writers, and worked hard to have the Landau Bain Fan Association recognized by both Martin and Barbara, with the blessing of both Debbie Phares (Hansford) and Terry Bowers.

My first Space: 1999 convention was in Pittsburgh in 1979, and I attended each subsequent one until 1985. Through this show, I've made lifelong friends whom I've traveled with, friends I have traveled to meet, and some friends I only see at conventions.

I traveled to LA several times in the early 1980s. My parents probably indulged me, but somehow, I convinced them I had a bigger plan. It became my desire to go to college in Los Angeles. To have the Landau Bain club recognized, I met Martin and Barbara’s manager several times, and eventually, they came to understand that the fan club was beneficial for them. It wasn’t until I moved to LA in late 1983 that I could focus on working on the fan club while maintaining my university education coursework. Recognition of the club didn’t occur until 1984. I still have the letter Martin wrote to Rosie, Judy Moore, and me stating that we finally “pressed the right button” when we raised the money and donated the cost of a chair in their honor to the Dance Gallery. Barbara had worked very hard to create this dance center, but sadly, it was never built.

I began my college career at the University of Alabama. Roll Tide! I transferred to Pepperdine University in Malibu in 1983 to complete my college education and received my BA in Communications in December 1984. While living there, I had many fan-related adventures. Many with my friend Judy Moore, who is based in Anaheim. I can’t count the number of miles I drove to Anaheim during those years.

Attending college in Los Angeles allowed me to connect Martin and Barbara with their fans. I also learned how to negotiate, compromise, and to learn some patience. Back then, I had gumption and no fear, likely due to my youth, but it served me well considering what I accomplished. Unfortunately, Martin and Barbara were divorcing when we worked to get the fan club approved. It was challenging, but they were gracious and appreciative of our admiration.

After much perseverance, Martin and Barbara did recognize their fan club, the Landau Bain Fan Association. I built relationships with both during my years in LA. In September 1984, Judy Moore, Terry Bowers, Rosie Badgett, and I organized a one-day event at the famed Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, LBFA Day. We brought a small group of fan club members together with Martin and Barbara for an in-person visit.

After I graduated from college, I worked for the American Film Institute in LA. That is a story for another day. In 1985, I discovered Barbara was performing in the play Wings at the Odyssey Theater in West LA. I visited a rehearsal and met the cast and crew. I mentioned that I had stage-managed shows before, and shortly after, I got a call from the director about being a stage manager for the show.

I attended the rehearsal the following day and asked Barbara if she was ok with me working on the show. She said, “If you can do the job, it's fine with me.” I worked many weeks until this award-winning show closed, and even though it meant working my real job at the AFI from 8:00 to 5:00, then hurrying across town to the theater, which didn’t wrap until 11:00, it was worth every minute. I was 22 years old and had plenty of energy. I even had to fill in one night onstage due to the illness of a crew member. The show must go on!

The wrap party for Wings, held at Barbara’s house, was a real treat. Seeing the house in person was something I never thought would happen.

I also had the privilege of working with Martin on an ill-conceived sci-fi musical. It was only a one-off, but it was a couple of long days of work.

I left LA in 1985, got married in 1987, and then moved to Guam in the early 1990s. Upon my return to the continental US in the mid 90’s, I rekindled my love of the show. I attended a convention in Portland in 1997 and caught up with many of my old friends.

Since then, I jumped back in with both feet. Attending the Breakaway Con in Los Angeles in 1999 was an exciting experience. I commend the individuals who put that con together; it was a massive undertaking, and it was great fun reconnecting with long-lost friends and fans. The 2000 Space Convention in New York was my first visit to the Big Apple.

Then, in 2001 and 2005, I helped run two cons in Florida. That was an adventure as well. As I have told many people, it’s a lot of work, but I wouldn’t trade the memories I made in doing it. I cannot tell you how many hours I have spent discussing this show over the years.

John and Helena are my favorite characters because of their relationship and the strength of their characters. Martin Landau is my favorite actor in the series for his strength and determination. I have been fortunate to meet the three leading actors of the show, Martin, Barbara, and Barry Morse, on many occasions. Over the years, I have also met Catherine Schell, Nick Tate, Prentis Hancock, Zienia Merton, Anton Phillips, Clifton Jones, Barry Gray, Johnny Byrne, and Chris Penfold.

In the early 2000s, I reconnected with Martin after a long absence from LA. I was pleased to attend his 2001 Hollywood Star Walk of Fame ceremony. We had a number of fans in attendance at the ceremony and later had some one-on-one time with Martin at his office. Martin also hosted me several times at his office and the Actors Studio in LA, and finally at his home about a year before his death. In 2016, I was privileged to attend Barbara’s Star Ceremony, along with a large group of fellow fans.

It’s hard to quantify the impact of this show on my life. Early on, it drove me to learn about TV, movies, theater, and fueled my love of travel. Through my travels, I have maintained friendships with people I have met solely because we share a love for this show. These are friends with whom I have shared a great deal of time, travel, and even called family. When we see each other, no time has passed. We pick up where we left off.

Initially, I wanted to work in film and television. I received my BA in Communications from Pepperdine University, and I have applied the skills I learned. Eventually, I went into the legal field for my thirty-year career. For the last few years, I have worked as a travel blogger and am a published author.

My favorite episodes are Season One, “Black Sun,” and Season Two, “Journey to Where.”

My treasured memory of watching the show was the anticipation of seeing it for the first time on the floor of my living room on Saturday night, to discover the show and Martin and Barbara. Then I found Mission: Impossible, and it quickly became my all-time favorite show.

I have several treasured memories of Martin. In 1984 (by that time, he had recognized the Landau Bain Fan Association), we were in regular contact with each other. He visited me at my apartment near downtown Los Angeles on his way to an event downtown and wanted to stop by. We chatted briefly, and I mentioned that a video had been released of two combined space episodes. (These were the Alien Attack videos.) This surprised him. “That’s not supposed to happen,” he told me. I explained that I could obtain a copy of the video for him. He was appreciative. He left for his event, and I got on the phone with a friend to get a copy of the video. Eventually, I took the tape to Martin’s attorney. I like to think that may have helped him earn some residuals to which he was entitled. I also saved the last voicemail I received from him in 2017 regarding the visit I was planning to Los Angeles.

I have several treasured memories with Barbara. Working backstage on Wings was a masterclass for a theatre geek like me. I also remember going to dinner with Barbara in Seattle in 1984 after seeing her production of Long Day’s Journey Into Night. She drove Rosie, Becky, and me to a local restaurant and then dropped us off at our hotel. What a dinner!

In 2016, Tony Wynn and I attended Barbara’s star ceremony with a sea of other fans. I contacted Martin to see if he had time for a chat. He invited us to visit him at his house and then have lunch with him. We spent four hours with him, seeing his son-in-law, Roy, and granddaughter, Aria. He was charming and funny. Little did I know it would be the last time I would see him.

I have collected some memorabilia from the show, mainly photographs, magazines, a couple of scripts, and many videos of performances. I have sold most of the items over the years, but I will keep a few of the more personal items. Now I kick myself for not taking the opportunity to get more pictures with each of them.

Truth be told, I know a great deal more than I could ever explain about this show and my experiences with it. Some of those will go to the grave. Space: 1999 is truly a show that changed the course of my life. Once I discovered television and theatre, that became my focus.

I don’t remember precisely when Rosie Badgett moved to LA, but I believe it was around mid-to-late 1984. I lived in Koreatown in Los Angeles, near the Institute for the Blind. She and I had been friends, attending many Space conventions and generally palling around since the early 1980s. I remember that Rosie finally met Barbara during that time in LA. There are more Rosie stories than can be told! Everyone knows things change when you start sharing living space, but for the most part, Rosie and I got along well. Then my friend Eric Stillwell decided to move to LA as well. We all had a good time together as roommates, working and playing as we did.

But all things must come to an end. I left LA in late 1985, disillusioned with the whole scene. I had a job I didn't like and was thinking about getting married. It was time to move on. Leaving when you have other roommates isn’t easy, and we’d been roommates for over a year, so leaving had to be carefully considered. We were also planning a convention for 1986, and it wasn’t coming together. I just felt done. So, back to Alabama, I went.

I didn’t see Rosie again until 1997 at the Portland con. I asked her to meet me for a drink, which she did, reluctantly, I think. We hadn't seen each other in 12 years, and some things needed to be said. I didn’t see her again until the Breakaway Con in 1999. When she saw me standing in line for tickets, she came over and hugged me. With that, I guessed we’d moved past anything from the past.

I saw Rosie at the conventions in 2012, 2017, and 2019. I was supposed to see her in Louisville in 2024, but I couldn’t make it at the last minute. It hit me hard when I learned of her passing in September 2024. There were still things to say.

My relationships with many fellow fans have become some of the most important in my life. We have shared time, travel, stories, money, heartbreak, illness, death, and, most importantly, love.

I was lucky to have shared the stage with Barbara during Wings and to have watched Martin teach actors at the Actors’ Studio. I never thought these things would happen, but they did all because of a TV show.

They say you should never meet your idols, which is probably true. You don’t always see the best side of them. I have seen Barry Morse get upset with a production situation, but being ever a professional, we managed it. Backstage with Barbara, she thanked me with only a nod because we both understood. Martin always charmed me because I let him.

I will always be grateful for the path this show set for me. I am better, stronger, and wiser for it. I am thankful for the friends I have made over the years. They are precious to me. I appreciate the time I've spent getting to know the actors I've adored watching. 50 years, Wow! How time flies.

Charlene and Barbara Bain, 2012

44

KEN SCOTT

INCREDIBLE STYLE AND EXCITEMENT

Barbara Bain and Ken Scott, 2012

Where are you from?

I live in Connecticut.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I watched the original airing of Space: 1999 when it debuted in the seventies. I became a fan right out of the gate. “Breakaway” was a thrilling introduction to the world of Space: 1999.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was twelve when the show premiered.

What drew you to the show?

Already a fan of science fiction, I was drawn to the show's premise, technology, and general look, as showcased in its commercials and promo trailers.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs?

Yes. I was a fan of Star Trek, UFO, The Invaders, and The Six Million Dollar Man prior to Space: 1999.

If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

I have been a fan of The Bionic Woman, Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk, Battlestar Galactica, The Man From Atlantis, The Fantastic Journey, Logan’s Run, The Invisible Man, Star Trek (TNG, DS9, Voyager, Discovery, Strange New Worlds, Lower Decks, Prodigy) Doctor Who, Firefly, Orphan Black, Space: Above and Beyond, Dark Matter, The Expanse, Killjoys, Sense8, Odyssey 5, Stargate (SG-1, Atlantis, Universe), Threshold, Eureka, Hyperdrive, Primeval, Fringe, Flashforward, The X-Files, Seaquest, Babylon 5, and Earth 2 – to name just a few!

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

Back in the day, I was on the Commlock mailing list.

How specifically?

I created a fan website for the show called Moonbase Alpha’s Space: 1999 Page. I have designed book covers for most of the Powys Space: 1999 novel series.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

I attended my first Space: 1999 convention in 2000 in New York City. I was unable to attend the convention in 1999 because the company I worked for went bankrupt, and I had just started a new job. I decided then that I would not miss the next one, and I have attended most of the conventions in North America (and two in England) since, except for the 2023 convention in Calgary, which I was unable to attend due to my roommate being ill and needing care.

So that's: Main Mission: 2000 in New York, New York; Breakaway: 2001 in Tampa, Florida; SpaceCon XII in Portland, Oregon 2003; Earthbound: 2005 in Tampa, Florida; Another Con, Another Place 2008 Calgary, Alberta; Journey To Where 2010 in Austin Texas; Alpha: 2012 Burbank California; Alpha: 2014 Peterborough, England; Alpha: 2017 Parsippany, New Jersey; Breakaway: 2019 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; and London: 1999, London, England 2024.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Hang out with the friends I've made at earlier conventions.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? Who are your favorites?

Yes. They’ve all been lovely and generous with their time, but if I had to pick a few favorites, I would say Barry Morse, who loved the fans and was super outgoing. The same could also be said of Nick Tate. He truly loves the fans and knows how to craft stories that keep everyone entertained.

Paul Weston was an absolute delight when I met him; Suzanne Heimer Peterson is absolutely adorable; and Yasuko Nagazumi is so friendly and fun.

What is that experience like for you?

It’s always a little tricky for me at first because I'm very shy, but most of the cast and crew are so kind and generous with their time that they make it much easier. Then it’s just fun.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

It’s so hard to choose, but I would have to say Barry Morse. I loved the character of Victor Bergman, which Barry created with so much heart, also because he was so wonderful to the fans.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

I have been lucky enough to meet Executive Producer Gerry Anderson, Production Designer Keith Wilson, Special Effects Director Brian Johnson, Writer/Story Consultant Christopher Penfold, and Script Writer/Editor Johnny Byrne.

How has the show affected your life?

The design of the show has fueled my interest in art and design.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

I always liked the subtle illustration of inclusion through the multi-ethnic cast. And I always found (predominantly in the first season) that the idea of the Alphans being thrust into a mysterious universe, one that frequently defied explanation, mirrored life in many ways… but in a way, it was way cooler!

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

Yes, “Breakaway”. Maybe because it started it all, but also because it created a compelling premise, which it delivered on with incredible style and excitement. Not to mention the brilliant score by Barry Gray!

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I remember watching Space: 1999 with my twin brother, Kevin, and recording the audio to play back later.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Absolutely!

What is your relationship with those friends? Do you see them or correspond regularly?

I have one friend with whom I chat weekly, and I also keep in touch with others through Facebook. Most of them are scattered around the country/world, so I don’t tend to see them often, but they are very dear to me, and one of the main reasons I treasure going to the conventions.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What?

Yes. I collected the Laser Discs/DVDs/Blu Rays, Soundtracks, Books, Eagles, action figures, Bubble Gum cards, and other various memorabilia.

What is your favorite piece of memorabilia?

I have my original (not reissued) Sorella Lamp, which I refurbished so that I can use it in the United States.

What is your most treasured memory of a person or an event regarding the show?

I don’t know if it’s necessarily my most treasured, because the friendships I've made over the years of fandom hold that spot. One of the most surreal memories I've from the Space:1999 fandom happened during SpaceCon XII in Portland, Oregon. A group of us were out for a day trip, and Barry Morse joined us on the excursion. One of our members asked if we could stop by a certain store to pick up a t-shirt for a friend. It turned out that this particular store had a sizeable porn section! Everyone went inside, including Barry Morse, and seeing him casually stroll around the place was one of the most surreal experiences of my life.

45

DARRELL SIMMONS

NO EFFECT ON ME OR MY FAMILY, WHATSOEVER!

Darrell Simmons and Prentis Hancock

Where are you from?

I was born, bred, and still live in Accrington, Lancashire, United Kingdom.

What’s your background?

When the show first aired in the UK, I was an apprentice butcher and DJ.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I was in my mid-teens when the show was airing in the UK.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

The design and the technology drew me to the show.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

All of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's productions, along with Star Wars, Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, The Prisoner, The Avengers-type shows, and others along these lines.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically? Attendance at conventions, fan fic writing, model building, video creation, meeting the actors, or fan clubs for the actors?

I was responsible for organizing the All-Sections Alpha displays/shows with the ASA team. That removed the original props, models, and costumes from the Anderson shows, including items from the private collections of Andrew Frampton, James Winch, Simon Rhodes, Dave Sisson, Martin Willey, Chris Trice, and me. Additionally, superb replica items are available from Chris Potter, Bill Oram, Mark Shaw, me, and Hilton Fitzsimmons (including a full-size replica of the Command Center Set).

ASA Shows Include: Draycote Manor Annual meet-ups, Cosford Aerodrome Shows 1 and 2., Jamie Anderson's Andercon 1 and 2, Autographica (2012), Peterborough Convention, and in charge of the Oceanstorm/Tornado Model Unit of Gerry Anderson's Firestorm Trailer for Jamie Anderson and Steve Begg. I led my Eagle 6 team at Preston Comic Con and various Sci-Fi Scarborough Annual Events, alongside some ASA members and friends, and assisted in displaying the new Eagle 6 full-size replica cockpit set.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Seeing the displays and meeting fans and guests.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

I am lucky to have a wonderful friendship with Brian Johnson and his family at various shows.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

I have met various guests and friends from the shows, including Sylvia Anderson, Brian Johnson, Martin Landau, Nick Tate, Catherine Schell, Suzanne Roquette, Prentis Hancock, Anton Rodgers, Zienia Merton, Pam Rose, Sam Dastor, Alibe Parsons, and Gianni Garko, amongst other wonderful guests. At various shows, I’ve also met the wonderful Shane Rimmer and David Graham, along with the hilarious Matt Zimmerman (Alan Tracy).

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Nick Tate, because he's an Eagle Pilot and flies Eagles all day!

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

Yes. Sylvia Anderson, Brian Johnson, Alan Shubrook, and Ron Hone.

How has the show affected your life?

I build 1:1 replica sets in my house. I also build Spacesuits and collect costumes and model replicas (so, it has no effect on me or my family, whatsoever!).

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

Not really. I have been a model maker/scratch builder since the age of seven.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

The design, artwork, and the overall look/appearance of the show.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

“Force of Life” with Ian McShane. I own the original radar tower model, as seen in the opening shots. My good friend, James Winch, gave it to me. “Breakaway” and “Dragon’s Domain” both come as close seconds.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

Mainly being scared by a burnt Ian McShane in “Force of Life” and the monster in “Dragon's Domain”, which left an impression on me.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Many long-standing friendships.

What is your relationship with those friends?

Still very close with some of them.

Do you see them or correspond with them regularly?

Yes. With a few. I am still in full contact with the All-Sections Alpha and the Eagle 6 teams. Hopefully, more shows to come.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

Yes, I have many items, replicas, costumes, and models. The original/screen-used (“Force of Life”) Radar Tower plus the full-size Eagle 6 Cockpit.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

At Cosford 1 in the Green Room, I introduced a good friend to Sylvia Anderson and Brian Johnson. After which, he was overcome and speechless.

Darrell and Nick Tate, London, 2024

46

VIVIAN STANLEY

I WANT YOU TO BE THERE

Where are you from?

I’m from Alberta, Canada. I was born in 1958, and I’ve been in Alberta all my life.

What drew you to the show?

It was always my dream to go into space to be a photographer. My grandpa used to call me ‘Sputnik,’ and he said that someday I would go into space. So, what happened? In a way, I did go into space.

I initially ended up with a copy of the Space: 1999 novel “Breakaway”. I recognized Martin Landau and Barbara Bain from the original Mission: Impossible, but another man was also featured at the bottom corner of the book's cover. My roommate said, “He's in Calgary right now doing a show.” It was called Sleuth. We went to see the play and afterwards went backstage and met this fellow, Barry Morse. A group of us were talking with him, and his wife, Sydney, was there. That’s when I first met him.

Do you watch any other sci-fi shows?

I loved the original Star Trek series. The movies, except for the first one, are good. I watched Star Trek: The Next Generation. It just got too big after that. I haven't watched the new ones.

In 1977, I was living in Calgary as a roommate with this lady who ran a fan club for Roddy McDowell. I never met him, but we had all kinds of stuff there. Roddy McDowell was amazing in the Planet of the Apes movies, and that’s how I connected with that lady in Calgary. I joined his fan club, which she created.

Did you collect memorabilia from the show?

Yes, I did have a three-foot model Eagle, and I don't know where it ended up; I also had the books. I do remember reading “Breakaway”.

I remember that at one convention, there were pictures of all the lead actors. One guy wanted to buy them to resell. Terry Bowers kept overbidding him, and I told her, if you get them, I will buy the one of Barry. I paid $25 for a picture I could have gotten anywhere, but it wasn’t a problem because the money went to the children's charity. Then I asked, “How do I get this through customs?” I was told, “Just tell them that you bought the picture.”

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Terry Bowers and Rosie Badgett kept me connected with fandom over the years – Rosie, possibly more. I haven't talked to Terry since I sent the last newsletter. Rosie was the one who was actually at the first convention I attended; she met me at the hotel wearing a T-shirt that read ‘human decision required.’

What's your favorite episode of the show?

I haven’t seen all of Barry's first-season episodes. The second season was broadcast on CBC, but when we were in Jasper, we only had access to one station. I saw “Black Sun”, which he liked. It's the one where he and Martin are sitting and talking. The base is about to be destroyed, and everybody's left, but the two of them are there.

I also remember “Breakaway”, when Martin as Commander Koenig assumes command of Moonbase Alpha. He arrives at the base and meets up with his old friend Victor Bergman, played by Barry. I recall Barry saying in the first season that he, Martin, and Barbara would work on the scripts to give them more life, because the writing was pretty flat. They changed it with more action or how they said it, and everybody followed their lead.

I saw the second season but didn't see much of the first season. I was back in Jasper at the time, and the show started up. I remember “The Metamorph” when Maya was introduced. We saw it on Saturday night.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Barry Morse. I remember that he appeared in a TV show on CBC where he played nine different roles, including a belly dancer. It was called “It's Murder, Cherie!” I had a picture of Barry in it from Maclean's magazine. In the photo, he’s wearing the outfit, holding the veil, and lighting a cigarette.

When did you discuss creating a fan club with Barry Morse?

When I went to see Barry in Sleuth at Theatre Calgary, I asked if I could start a fan club for him. That was in 1977. He said, “For me?” I told him, “People want to know about you.” He said, “Fine.” He was left-handed, and he signed some pictures. I didn’t sign a contract with him, but he financially supported the club. The group was the Barry Morse International Fan Club, and the newsletter was called Morse Code. It was published once a month. I ran the club for about 30 years until his death. He was a personal friend, and I would talk to him on the phone, or he’d send me a cassette tape telling me what was happening and what he was doing. I think I might still have that last tape that he sent.

What are some other memories of Barry that you have?

He had given me his address so I could send him a copy of the newsletter. When I was in England, I rang him and said, “I’m downstairs.” He came downstairs and took me up. His wife, Sydney Sturgess, was also there. I interviewed her for the newsletter. She was a bit taller than he was. She was Canadian and was part of a theatre company that Barry was a member of. Sometimes they would work together on stage. He also performed Scrooge on stage, and she did all the female parts. Very nice lady. She told me about how they met. She was not as flamboyant, maybe a little quieter.

I got to know him better through his plays than anything else, as I saw him multiple times in various performances.

Anytime we would show up in Calgary, Barry would say, "When you get to the theatre, give them your name." I hoped to go without him knowing, but he would always find out! The last time I saw him on stage, Anthony Wynn and Robert Wood were there, and they came over and took me to the theater.

I wanted to surprise him and pay for the ticket. They told me, "You’ve already got a ticket from Barry." He wants you to come and meet him.

That was the last time I saw Barry, in 2000, at Theatre Calgary, when he was performing his one-man show, Merely Players. He died in London on February 2, 2008, which was my brother's birthday.

What conventions have you attended for the show? How many and where?

I think the first one I attended was in 1978. I went to the one in Cincinnati in 1983, Arlington, Virginia, in 1985, and Los Angeles in 1986.

I wasn't sure I would be able to make it in 1986, and Barry sent me an airplane ticket. He wanted me to be there! I thought, “How do I pay this guy back?” But he didn't want me to pay it back, no. He just said, “I want you to be there.”

Barry, Barbara, and Martin were all at the 1986 convention. Martin had such a range. I met him in the elevator. I'm not sure if I ever actually met Barbara. When she came into the room, she didn’t walk in; she swept in. She was all fashion. She could take on anyone. She looks great with grey hair. She and Barry were happy to see each other. For the costume party, I wore a black dress that I had made from sheets. Although the sheets were yellow, I dyed them black. I have always liked that style of dress.

Barry loved people. At the convention, he moved from one side of the room to the other and spoke with everyone. Another time, I met him at a play, and after the show, Barry met a young man who was 15 or 16 years old. He didn’t know what to say, and Barry was talking to him. The kid was so impressed with meeting Barry.

Barry and Sydney were both at the 1989 Relax-a-con in Ohio. At the con, he and Sydney were bowling. He helped her with the bowling ball. It was the first time I'd gone bowling; I had no idea what I was doing. I think at that point, Sydney was starting to feel the effects of Parkinson’s disease.

Later, meeting Barry at a convention, he talked to everyone in the group. One day at breakfast, he told us that Sydney was now in a care home, and he would travel from London to visit her. She always mentioned that when he visited, if she weren't already married, she would marry him, because he was such a nice guy. She remembered Hayward, her son, but she didn't know Barry. He would go up and spend the day with her, reading to her and taking her on a walk. In a way, it bothered him that she didn’t remember him, as they had been married for 60 years at that point.

What is your most treasured memory of Barry?

When he met my Mom. We had gone to see his show in Hamilton, Ontario. Afterwards, we were flying to Nova Scotia to see my brother graduate from the Army. Barry said, “Oh, look, someone is sitting here with us.” It was Sydney sitting with us, and she and Mom got along fabulously. The three of us were sitting there. Mom was in the middle. He said, “We have some friends sitting up there with my wife.” Someone said, “We're right here.” Barry was way down there on the stage, and we were way in the back.

Before we left for Nova Scotia, he said he wanted to meet us for a coffee. Mom had met him at that point. I told her, “Barry wants to buy you a coffee. He wants to meet you.” She said, “What am I going to say to him?” Afterwards, she was concerned she hadn’t thanked him for the coffee! She was raised in the 1930s and taught always to say, "thank you." I made sure he knew how much she appreciated seeing him.

47

ANTHONY TAYLOR

IN COMIC BOOKS, NO ONE EVER GETS ANY OLDER

Anthony Taylor

Where are you from?

I was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up throughout the southeastern United States.

What’s your background?

I’m an author, designer, art director, and event promoter.

When did you become a fan of the show?

Several months before the American premiere of Space: 1999, I saw a commercial for it and was blown away. The second I saw that Eagle spiraling downwards and exploding as it crashed onto the moon’s surface, I was hooked.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

Eleven years old.

What drew you to the show?

The fantastic special effects, the art direction of Keith Wilson, Barry Gray’s amazing music, the cast… I had been a Star Trek and Mission: Impossible fan since I was very young, and this show seemed like a blend of the best elements from both. It was also obviously reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey on several levels, which made it a must-see for me.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs?

Yes! I recall seeing episodes of the final season of Star Trek during its original network run, which led me to Irwin Allen’s Land of the Giants, which in turn sparked a fascination with Lost in Space and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea in reruns. I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey as a four-year-old in Super Panavision, although I had no idea what I was watching, and I could NOT look away.

Have you attended any conventions for the show?

Definitely. I attended the 1981 Space: 1999 convention in Atlanta, where I met Barry Gray, Suzanne Roquette, and David Hirsch from Starlog magazine; he has remained a good friend. I eventually attended the 2000 and 2001 conventions, as well as several Fanderson conventions in the United Kingdom.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

I love seeing the costumes, props, and model displays, as well as meeting other fans and the people who have a hand in making the show.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

I had a great time in 2000 meeting Catherine Schell. I had been out of the hotel for a visit to Jerry Ohlinger’s movie materials store, which was then located in Greenwich Village, and came back to find her doing a signing in the lobby area. I rushed up to my room to get the photos I’d brought for her to sign, then raced back down, but she had finished and left. As I got to the elevator to go back up, I realized she was standing there. She very generously agreed to sign them for me if I followed her upstairs with her handler to her room, and we waited for the elevator to arrive. After a few minutes, she said she didn’t want to hold me up and signed them right there for me just as the elevator arrived. I let her take that car and waited for another. I rode up alone, and the car stopped at the 6th floor – the gym and pool area – where a truly gorgeous woman in workout clothes stood waiting. Behind her was actor Terry O’Quinn (John Locke from Lost), who must have been in town appearing in a play at a nearby theater. I recognized him; he saw that the woman stepped forward onto the elevator, and Terry’s grin was enormous as he waggled his eyebrows and gave me two thumbs up while the elevator door closed, leaving me alone with this princess.

I’m sure she thought I was mental as I giggled behind her at Terry’s largesse. She got off two floors later, never to be seen again – but the memory lasts forever!

Have you met any of the actors from the show?

All the regulars except for Barbara Bain, I believe.

What was that experience like?

Always a pleasure. They have all been very good-natured and friendly.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Martin Landau is my favorite, and I was fortunate enough to interview him onstage at Dragon Con in Atlanta about Space: 1999 when he appeared there in 2011. The following day, I went to have him sign a photo, and he was full of praise about the experience and my abilities as an interviewer. Truly a wonderful fellow.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show?

So many – Johnny Byrne, Keith Wilson, Chris Penfold… I was at Pinewood having lunch with friends the Monday after the Sector 25 convention in Borehamwood in 2006, and Brian Johnson was seated behind us at the restaurant. It was wonderful to meet him and have a short visit at the studio where the show was filmed (I even got to walk the stages where it was shot, a definite thrill)!

Additionally, I met Gerry Anderson for the second time at the same convention, where I was promoting the book I had written with Mike Trim, one of the model makers and designers on Thunderbirds and UFO. I told Gerry about the book and thanked him for creating Thunderbirds, as well as UFO, Space: 1999, and the other Supermarionation TV shows. I told him how much they’d meant to me when I was young and how happy I was to have even a small part in celebrating them through my work on the book. He looked at me for a moment, then thanked me in return. “For what?” I asked. He’d seen I was very serious in my praise. “For not having me on,” he replied.

So many years later, he was still wary that the shows had been made on very tight budgets for kids and that all the strings were visible on the puppets and spaceships.

I hope that in the end, he stopped worrying about the strings and saw what we, the fans, saw – the care and love that he and his team put into the shows.

How has the show affected your life?

So many ways. I believe that all the Anderson shows contributed to my artistic inclination in life – I was so inspired by the work of the designers, art directors, and model builders that I was driven to pursue a career in the arts myself.

Do you have a favorite episode?

I do, it’s “Another Time, Another Place”. There is so much to unpack in that episode, a real stunner written by Johnny Byrne. I was on track to write a Space: 1999 comic book series around 2004 and had discussed collaborating on it with Johnny. He was interested and suggested a “Next Generation” style reboot. Still, I reminded him that in comic books, no one ever gets any older, and he agreed it could have been a continuation of the show, a storyline that echoed “Another Time, Another Place”, in which all the worlds of Moonbase Alpha collide and create a unified whole. Unfortunately, the publisher went bankrupt before we could get started on it.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Absolutely – David Hirsch has remained a good friend. I have met and become friends with many other fans over the years, including Robert Wood, John Kenneth Muir, E. Robert Dunn, Jeffrey Morris, Colleen Bement, Gordon Moriguchi, Chris Trice, and Ellen Lindow, to name a few. I’ve spoken on podcasts and panels about the show, I’ve done commentaries and produced featurettes for the US Blu-rays, and every time I mention the show at fan events, I see people’s eyes light up.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show?

I do as I’m able to afford it, yes. I’ve got quite a few different Eagle models and Space: 1999 art pieces.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

My green Dinky die-cast Eagle from 1975. Finding it and the other Anderson Dinky toys were a revelation to me as a kid. I had no idea what Thunderbirds or Captain Scarlet were at the time, but it was obvious to me that they belonged to the same family as UFO and Space: 1999, and I needed to own them.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or an event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

Watching Catherine Schell talk at the New York con in the afternoon, during which Barry Morse walked onto the stage carrying a takeout box and began eating his lunch! They had worked together on the early 1970s British TV series The Adventurer and shared a common experience with the incorrigible lead actor, Gene Barry. Never one to be upstaged, Catharine would occasionally look over and ask if he was enjoying the food or if she’d got the story she’d been telling correct! Barry would grunt positively, give a thumbs-up, and continue chewing as the audience laughed.

48

LIZ THERKILDSEN

I MOST ENJOY MEETING OLD FRIENDS

Liz, 2025

Where are you from?

Aarhus, Denmark.

What’s your background?

After my basic schooling for ten years, I then trained as an English correspondent while working. Following that, I have worked as a secretary in various capacities, including serving as a shipping assistant for a few years and working in HR with expatriate management for six years. Before retiring, I worked as a school secretary for an engineering college for five years.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I became an instant fan of Space: 1999 when I watched the first episode, "Breakaway", on Danish Television; it was aired on October 16, 1976 (at that time, it was the only TV channel in Denmark).

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was 20 years old.

What drew you to the show?

The full experience, I think. The premise was certainly amazing, and the combination of great actors with interesting backgrounds (always an important consideration for me) and the overall look, technology, and models all fascinated me from day one.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs?

I stumbled across a French miniseries in four parts, Sial IV, back in 1969, which fascinated me, but I really didn’t know much about the sci-fi world until I watched Space: 1999.

However, over the years, I have truly enjoyed series like Star Trek: The Next Generation, Stargate SG-1, Blake’s 7, and The Survivors, to mention a few.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

I co-produced a Danish/English Space: 1999 fanzine named “Intercom”.

Have you attended any conventions for the show?

My first convention was in 1982 in Springfield, Massachusetts. It’s where I met Barry Morse, Sarah Douglas, and Martin Bower.

My second convention was in Leeds, UK, in 1987. The guests were Prentis Hancock, Susanne Roquette, and Martin Bower.

The third and most remarkable convention was held in Los Angeles in September 1999, where many of the major stars attended, including Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, Nick Tate, Prentis Hancock, Zienia Merton, Anton Phillips, Johnny Byrne, and Fred Freiberger.

The fourth and even more amazing convention was also in Los Angeles in 2012. Many of the stars appeared here as well: Barbara Bain, Prentis Hancock, Nick Tate, Anton Phillips, Christopher Penfold, and Judy Geeson. And, of course, not forgetting a surprise appearance by Martin Landau.

When attending a convention, I guess I most enjoy meeting old friends, the guests and their talks, and just absorbing the experience.

It was really a pleasure meeting the very knowledgeable and entertaining Barbara Bain, as well as meeting and listening to Martin Landau. I will never forget the surprise of meeting Martin Landau on his way to the convention area in 2012, especially after having been informed that he would not be there.

My favorite actor in the show was Martin Landau. He just “was” Commander Koenig.

How has the show affected your life?

I don’t think the show changed my career; however, it certainly changed my personal life, by acquiring friends I never would have met otherwise.

Do you have a favorite episode?

This is always a difficult question. In view of the two seasons being so very different, I’ll have to say “Black Sun” from Season 1 and “Journey to Where” from Season 2.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I still remember watching that very first episode back in October 1976. It was a Saturday night at my parents' home, and both they and my sister turned away. They thought it was rubbish and not appropriate for a Saturday evening (a sacrilege on a Saturday night, the high point of the week). Whereas I sat on the floor, completely flabbergasted at what I’d just seen.

It should be noted that this was the first time a science fiction show was aired in Denmark, apart from a French miniseries in four parts, Sial IV, which was aired in 1969 and went unnoticed at the time, as far as I remember. I was amazed by this series back then as well, but apart from saving a few newspaper clippings, I didn’t know anything about it, and I didn’t really know about fandom at the time.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? Have you made friends through your association with the show?

For a long time, I thought I was the only fan in Denmark, but by sheer luck, and via a fan club in Australia, I met another Danish fan, Carsten Andresen. At some point in our friendship, we started a Space: 1999 fan magazine called Intercom. The first Danish issue was released in August 1979, and it gradually expanded to include other science fiction movies and TV series.

We concluded fanzine production with an English issue in 1982, which we created in conjunction with the 1982 con in the USA, where I attended with another Danish friend, Steen, whom we had met through the fanzine.

Sadly, Carsten died at an early age, but I am still both corresponding with and meeting Steen regularly.

For many years, I also had a great number of pen pals who were fans, but many dwindled out over the years. Thankfully, Facebook has helped me reconnect with many of them.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show?

As soon as I learned to look outside the Danish border for information, I started collecting. I learned about British and American magazines, fan clubs, sci-fi shops, etc., so my bank account began to suffer! For many years, I collected anything I could get my hands on that I could afford.

I have not collected models, such as the various Eagles, Hawks, etc., though, as I do not have the talent for assembling them. I do have both stun guns and comlocks and various badges, books, DVDs, posters, photos, annuals, comics, a ton of fanzines, and so much more… impossible to count! But all are treasured.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

Another tough question. I treasure all the memorabilia I have, really, but I especially appreciate my Powys books, as I truly value the effort of Mateo and his publishing group, Powys Media. They kept going, even in periods of very low interest. I only wish I had managed to obtain all the books they produced.

What will you eventually do with all those items?

An excellent question, and as I grow older, I have begun pondering the issue of what to do with my collection. I may consider my friends, or I may start selling stuff at some point, especially as it seems the Space: 1999 fandom is growing again!

What do you treasure most about your involvement with the series?

I treasure the friendships I had and still have, which were formed only because of the show.

49

RAJA THIAGARAJAN

MY FAVORITE TV SHOW OF ALL TIME

Raja, Barry Morse, and Julie England on Breakaway Day

Where are you from? What’s your background?

I was born in Chennai, India, which was then called Madras. My family moved to the USA when I was a toddler, and I’ve spent most of my life in a college town in Indiana.

When did you become a fan of the show? How old were you when you began watching the show?

I’m virtually positive that I saw “Breakaway” when it premiered. I would have been ten years old.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I’d say the setting, the premise, and the technology on display. It was a fascinating view of a future that was distant—as 25 years is to a ten-year-old!—but I could live to see. There was also a wide variety of fantastic music.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

“Always” is a long time, but yes. I suspect my first SF TV show would have been Star Trek—now called The Animated Series—on Saturday mornings. Or possibly reruns of the original Star Trek or Lost in Space. While Space: 1999 is my favorite TV show of all time, I’m also a big fan of Battlestar Galactica (the reboot, though I have fond memories of the original), Doctor Who (I’ve only seen the reboot), Altered Carbon, For All Mankind, Silo, and Pantheon, to name a few. I’m also a big fan of Star Trek; I can find something to enjoy in all the series, and I’ve seen every episode of every series (except the last few episodes of Star Trek Prodigy, which I promised to watch with a friend).

I’m also a heavy reader, and by 1975, I probably would have been reading James Blish’s novelizations of Star Trek. I definitely snapped up the Space: 1999 novelizations as soon as they came out, read them many times, and stared in wonder at the photo sections.

Did you participate in any fandom for the show? How specifically?

Besides buying books and models, I didn’t participate in fandom until the early 1990s, when I would dial into the university and read the Usenet newsgroups for the show. I also posted a few things and was praised for a text file I made summarizing the US novelizations.

On the newsgroups, I found out that a company called Ken Crane’s was selling laserdiscs of the show. I made a plan to buy laserdiscs and rent a player so I could copy the episodes onto videotape. When I saw the excellent picture quality of laserdiscs, I had to buy myself a laserdisc player.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

Starting in the late 1990s, I was fortunate enough to be able to travel to some of the conventions. I attended seven in person: SpaceCon XII in 1997 in Portland, OR; Breakaway in 1999 in Culver City, CA; Main Mission 2000 in 2000 in New York, NY; SpaceCon 2001 in 2001 in Tampa, FL; Journey to Where in 2010 in Austin, TX; Alpha: 2017 in 2017 in Parsippany, NJ; and Breakaway: 2019 in Bethlehem, PA.

I wasn’t up for traveling in 2021 or 2022, but I was happy to attend Destination: Moonbase Alpha online in those years.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

I love to hang out and chat with my fellow fans, attend some of the sessions, and catch up with the cast and crew a bit.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? Who were your favorite guests to interact with? What was that experience like?

Barry Morse and Nick Tate were always a joy. Indeed, most of the actors were wonderful. I think it was Anton Phillips who summarized by saying that while in the US, “actors” were treated as special and separate, acting is just another job in the UK.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

When I was a kid, my favorite character was Paul Morrow. To this day, I’m a little shy around Prentis Hancock.

As I grew older, I came to truly appreciate Barry Morse’s portrayal of Victor Bergman. Barry was always humble and friendly to us fans. He also felt that writers are the unsung heroes of TV, movies, and theater—and I completely agree.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

I am very interested in writing and really enjoyed talking to Johnny Byrne and Christopher Penfold. Johnny, in particular, had some very interesting and insightful things to say about the show, how it evolved, and how the writers came to realize certain things over time. He said that by the end of the first season, they realized they were telling an origin story of a people, the story of how the Alphans’ descendants would come to be.

I also want to give a shout-out to my fellow fans who have run the cons, done some fascinating presentations (I really enjoyed meeting John Kenneth Muir and Phil Plait back when), and collated interview questions!

How has the show affected your life?

It was—and remains—my favorite TV show against some strong competition. Perhaps, in some ways, thinking about the Alphans helps keep me philosophical about bad things that happen that are out of my control.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

I think Space and Star Trek were among the things that strongly influenced me towards what is now called STEM. That, and reading lots of science fiction!

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

I feel that the show does an amazing job of capturing the awe—and terror!—of the sheer size of the universe and its fascinating things. As much as I love Star Trek, it tends to treat interstellar distances as being no more dramatic than (say) bus rides between cities. I also love how strange things happen in Space: 1999 that we never get to understand. As Phil Plait told Barry Morse on a panel, real scientists are always willing to admit when they don’t understand something, which motivates them to figure things out.

Most SF TV shows tend to treat space as a harmless background for meeting aliens. In Space: 1999, space itself is portrayed as a dangerous place that will kill you if you are careless—and I’d say that’s absolutely correct.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

“The Last Sunset” brings up an interesting question: If the moon were to be captured in a solar system, could the Alphans terraform it? People often say that the moon is “too small” to retain an atmosphere, but the duration of an atmosphere's presence depends on the surface temperature. I believe that at Earth’s surface temperature, a breathable atmosphere on the moon would last for thousands of years.

I also love the episode because it does interesting things with our characters, and we get to see Doctor Russell in a leadership role.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

Yes, many!

Do you see them or correspond regularly?

Not as much as I’d like, but I really love catching up with them at the Cons.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? If so, what?

Laserdiscs, DVDs, Blu-rays, books, Commlocks, Stun Guns, and Eagles!

What is your favorite piece of memorabilia?

It depends on my mood, but most recently, the last time I went to a face-to-face Con, I had tons of fun meeting a new-to-me fan. He mentioned that when he was younger, he’d paid for his Con expenses by selling Commlock replicas. I mentioned that I’d always wanted one—and a few weeks later, he was kind enough to make one and mail it to me out of the blue!

What is your most treasured memory of an event that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

The premiere of the short film Message from Moonbase Alpha on Breakaway Day in 1999. I remember there was not a dry eye in the house.

Zienia Merton and Nick Tate, Breakaway 1999

Julie England, Nick Tate, and Raja at Burbank 2025

50

FRIEDA VERBAENEN

HANGING OUT WITH FELLOW FANS AND FRIENDS

Barbara Bain and Frieda Verbaenen

Where are you from?

I am originally from Belgium, but I have been living in Ireland since 2001.

What’s your background?

I was born to a single mother in 1964, and life was somewhat hard growing up. My mother had a shop (haberdashery), and it went bankrupt when I was about 10. Nevertheless, my mother valued education, and there were always books at hand. She woke me up in the middle of the night to watch the moon landing, and I used to joke that it was her fault I became interested in science fiction and space.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I was hooked on the first episode, “Breakaway”. I don’t remember seeing ads for it, but there must have been announcements a few weeks beforehand that a new show would be arriving soon.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

Just a month shy of 14.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

Initially, it was Martin Landau and Barbara Bain because my mother knew them from Mission and liked them. Even at nearly 14, she was strict about what I could watch, but because she liked Martin and Barbara, she would allow me to watch this new show. The premise and the stories quickly drew me in. Some of the stories really made me think afterwards.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Yes, I loved sci-fi. I watched Star Trek, the Planet of the Apes TV series, and Fantastic Journey. Later, I watched Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

Not back in the late 70s. I was not aware of fan clubs or fan associations. I never saw any mention of them in any of the magazines I bought. Since most of my classmates didn't like it, I thought I was an exception. I rediscovered the show and the fandom thanks to a broken ankle in 2014.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

Yes, in 2014, 2017, and 2019. The virtual conventions in 2021 and 2022, followed by London in 2024.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

I love the panels, but absolutely love hanging out with fellow fans and friends.

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

Yes, quite a few by now. At first, I was surprised at how approachable they were, how appreciative they were of us, and that they shared their time and stories with us.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

They are all very nice, but I have a soft spot for Anton Philips. Barbara Bain is always a fun and interesting person. At the last con, there were some new guests. Clifton Jones was a real gentleman, and I also loved chatting with Carla Romanelli, not only about the show but also about the book she had written.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

My absolute favorite would be Barbara Bain, but as I mentioned before, I have a soft spot for Anton Philips. I also like Prentis Hancock. I love Barry Morse, but unfortunately, I never had the chance to meet him.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

I mostly met actors, but I did meet Christopher Penfold. Due to personal preferences, I probably would have veered towards the writers. I like the models, but they are not my foremost interest.

How has the show affected your life? Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

Not really. Even though I would have loved (and still would) to go to space, I learned quickly after the show that my brain is not wired for science. Applied Mathematics, physics, and chemistry were the bane of my life in school because I didn’t understand them. There’s not much use (yet) for a historian or a linguist. But I do still follow the news on space exploration. I was absolutely riveted by the New Horizons Probe's reaching Pluto, and then got my name on the most recent Mars Probe.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

The stoicism, the fact that they kept going and hoping for things to get better, no matter how desperate their situation was.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

I have a few. “Breakaway”, “Black Sun”, “War Games”, “Troubled Spirit”, “Testament of Arkadia”, “Journey to Where”, and “The Immunity Syndrome”.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I fondly remember the talks my mom and I had after watching some of the episodes.

Have you made friends through your association with the show? What is your relationship with those friends?

Yes, quite a few. We support each other through fun times and difficult times. Our friendships may have started because of the show and its actors, but they have become so much more.

Do you see or correspond with them regularly?

Yes, we do. At the start, we used to meet up at cons and connect through Facebook, but during the Covid lockdowns, we started biweekly Zoom calls. Although we no longer Zoom every two weeks, we still have regular calls.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

Yes, Eagles, figurines, books. One Enterprise Eagle, some of the 1612 Eagles, John Koenig and Alan Carter 1612 figurines, books – both the old novelizations and the newer Powys Media books. The autobiographies of Barry Morse, Zienia Merton, and Catherine Schell; the comics (comic anthology by the Anderson Store and Andrew Gaska’s Aftershock and Awe, and To Everything That Was), and the recent books by Robert Wood and David Hirsch.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I'm not sure; I will probably instruct my executors to sell them.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

Probably for me, the autographed photos.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, an event, or a happening that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

The highlight was being present when Barbara received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well as the lunch that a few fans shared with her two days before the ceremony. Then, the first trip after the Covid pandemic was when ten of us met up and rented a house in LA, and Barbara spent a whole afternoon with us.

Girls' Trip to LA. Back row: Isobel Hoy, Frieda Verbarnen, Kathryn Riley Cuglietta, Second row: Dallas Hadaway, Patricia Boechler, Anita Frankenpohl, Mary Ann Campbell, First row: Rosie Badgett, Katy Nicholls, Francie Goldstein

51

MARTIN WILLEY

IT FELT LIKE THE NEAR FUTURE

Where are you from?

I am originally from Britain. I lived in the U.S for three years, working in Washington, D.C., and for the last 20 years, I’ve lived in Brussels, Belgium. I feel I’m from everywhere.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

In 1975, I was 10 years old. We had only gotten a TV a couple of years before. My parents were of the radio generation. They feared that we would become addicted to television (correctly, I suppose). We had a pretty unreliable black-and-white TV, which quickly died, and reluctantly, my parents had just upgraded to a color TV. I watched Star Trek and Doctor Who, but the science fiction that caught my imagination was the Gerry Anderson shows. The only ones I’d seen were Joe 90 and UFO, but I knew about Captain Scarlet and Thunderbirds from Dinky Toys and second-hand comics. I saw in a newspaper that Gerry Anderson was doing a new show (several weeks before it aired on TV). Instantly, I was a fan and still have the newspaper clipping.

The second thing that attracted me again weeks before seeing the show, was the comic Look-In, which started a comic strip about the series (with amazing cover art).

When I saw the first episode, it exceeded my expectations. And immediately after, I started writing notes and drawing spaceships. By the second episode, I recorded the sound on audio cassettes while furiously taking notes as I watched the show. After I wrote lists of characters, aliens, and spaceships, I summarized the plots of each episode. At school, we were expected to fill our notebooks with lists and dates for the various subjects we were studying, and somehow, I started doing this for a TV program as if I’d be tested on it later.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

The show's look – spaceships and sets – was impressive and significantly better than anything else on TV (or in movies) to that date. The stories were great, too. They had a bit more sophistication than other science fiction shows, which were aimed at children (in the UK, Star Trek was marketed heavily for kids). Ok, I was 10 years old, but this was a series that treated you as an adult. It felt like the near future, something we could see in 25 years. As I started getting the toys and books, I became a collector too, which is a whole different aspect of the show.

I like different facets of the show: the look (sets, effects, props), the stories, the science (versus real science), the merchandise, the filmmaking process, the international broadcasts, and the original press articles. If I get bored with one aspect, I move to another. I’m still amazed that we’re discovering new things about the series. I have watched every frame of every episode multiple times, and yet someone can still point out an error that I have never noticed before and will never be able to unsee.

It primed me to follow many of the science fiction shows that followed. I liked Star Wars and Alien and enjoyed watching all the old Gerry Anderson series when they were repeated, but nothing made me want to follow them in the same way. The only thing I collected or followed as a fan was the original Gerry Anderson series.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

Look-In comic published lists of fan clubs, and in one issue, they listed a Space: 1999 fan club. But it was a mistake – it was a Star Trek fan club. The club, Omicorn, decided to do a Space: 1999 section. Around this time, the club hosted a small event in a church hall conveniently located next to my school. It turned out the girl running the club, Tracey Cooke, went to the same school as me, a couple of years older. This was my first fan club. This led to me joining the Nick Tate club shortly after, which Eileen Skidmore and Phyl Proctor ran. They always wrote personal notes to make you feel welcome and encouraged me to write my first articles for the club.

These led to joining the National/International Space: 1999 Alliance and the new Gerry Anderson fan club, Fanderson. There were other clubs, mostly short-lived, fanzines, and a lot of writing letters to fans. Thanks to other fans, I got audio tapes and later videotapes of the episodes. My local TV station only showed the first series – I didn’t see any Year Two until 1982! I only knew Year Two episodes from the novels, photos, and audio tapes.

My first convention was Fanderson in 1982. I regularly attended the Fanderson conventions almost every year. I went to the US for the 1992 convention and lived there during the 1999 and 2000 conventions. The two guests I remember most from 1982 and later conventions were the two Barrys: Barry Morse and Barry Gray. They were talking to people in the hotel foyer, not on stage, not being important, but chatting with anyone.

Oh, and I did a website called the Catacombs. I sent some articles I’d done for Eileen and Phyl at the Nick Tate club to Robert Ruiz for the Cybrary website. I was impressed by what he did, so I started a Geocities site with a few other articles. After Cybrary closed, I expanded my site rapidly, and 30 years later, it’s still going.

Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

Even at 10, I knew it was very unlikely that I would become an astronaut. But if I studied science, perhaps I could… So, I concentrated on science and studied geology at university. Then, I became a computer programmer, mainly working with databases. I didn’t intend to go into space, but science fiction helped my interest in real science and computers, and I really liked the grumpy Kano character. After I started the Catacombs, I added “website development” to my resume. A web project came up at work, and I was among the few who knew how to create a webpage. I’ve been working in web technologies ever since.

Have you made friends through your association with the show? 

I met my wife, Marylou, at the 1992 convention in the US. She was a fan from Belgium, which is why I’m in Brussels. She died a few years ago.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show?

The first items I collected were the Look-In comic, a magazine called TV Sci-Fi Monthly, and the novels (I had read many episodes before I saw them on TV, in addition to all of Year Two). In Christmas 1975, I had the Annual and the Dinky Eagle. I continued to collect ever since.

One fan I knew from Fanderson conventions was Phil Rae. At one point, he purchased the entire Space City exhibition that had been on display at Alton Towers. By that time, I had a house and I had bought a large number of original models. Over the next few years, I acquired even more from him. In the late 1990s, I went to the US, and my entire collection was stored there. Then I moved to Belgium. It’s only in the last few years that I moved the collection across countries. I had to sell some of the larger models because I didn’t have space for them, but almost all the original models are now in my display cabinets. There are still a couple too large to display!

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

Eagle 22. The original model, built by Space Models in 1973, as seen in the opening moments of the show.

52

ROBERT E. WOOD

WE REGARD EACH OTHER AS FAMILY

Steve Warnek, Christopher Penfold, and Robert Wood

Where are you from?

West Kelowna, BC, Canada.

What’s your background?

I was born in North Vancouver, BC, Canada, and grew up in the small town of Westbank, BC. I spent many years in Alberta before moving back to West Kelowna, BC, in 2021.

When did you become a fan of the show? How old were you when you began watching the series?

I became a fan of Space: 1999 when I first saw it as a 5-year-old in late 1976. The broadcast history of Space: 1999 in Canada is unusual because in much of the country, the series didn’t premiere until September 1976 – Year Two was broadcast before Year One here! “Breakaway” premiered on September 11, 1976, followed by “The Metamorph” and the rest of Year Two before the remaining 23 episodes of Year One began airing in September 1977. The last first-run episode broadcast was “Force of Life” in April 1978.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

I loved science fiction in general as a kid and still do. Space: 1999 aired on Saturday afternoons here, usually at 4:00 p.m. I remember that reruns of Star Trek were aired back-to-back with Space: 1999, and I would watch both of them with my dad every Saturday. Seeing Year Two first and being 5 years old, I recall being a fan of Maya. But I think everything about the series appealed to me at the time – Moonbase Alpha, all the characters, the Eagles, and undoubtedly the series' distinctly unique style, feel, and look. All those years ago, my dad preferred Star Trek, and I preferred Space: 1999, and I still do.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Yes, I’ve always been a fan of sci-fi programs, and I enjoy a wide variety of them, sometimes for different reasons. I enjoy everything from old classics like The Twilight Zone to the cheese of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century to more recent, profound, thoughtful films like Ex Machina and Arrival.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically? Attendance at conventions, fan fic writing, model building, video creation, meeting the actors, fan clubs for the actors?

I’ve been a part of fandom since 1984, when I joined fan clubs, including the International Space: 1999 Alliance and the LBFA (Landau-Bain Fan Association). My first convention was in Los Angeles in 1992, where I met Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, and Nick Tate for the first time. I’ve written fan fiction, run a Space: 1999 fan club called Alpha League, met most of the cast and crew, and gone on to write various books (which I’ll discuss in a later answer).

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

My first convention was in LA in 1992, and I’ve attended most of the conventions since then, both in the US, Canada, and England. I also organized one convention myself in Calgary, Alberta, and helped to organize several others.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

My favourite part of conventions is visiting with my friends and fellow fans of Space: 1999. Celebrating the series itself is terrific, but ultimately, it comes down to the people, and in many instances, that includes the people who made the series.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

There have been so many, but specifically at the last convention in London in September 2024, I particularly enjoyed interviewing Catherine Schell and co-hosting a panel with various guest stars, including Isla Blair and Julian Glover. It was especially fun to show Julian his tight little silver costume from “Alpha Child” (courtesy of Andrew Frampton, who owns it and brought it to the con for display).

Have you met any of the actors from the show? What was that experience like?

I’ve met the entire main cast of Year One (Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, Nick Tate, Prentis Hancock, Anton Philips, Zienia Merton, Clifton Jones, and Suzanne Roquette), as well as Year Two cast members Catherine Schell, John Hug, Yasuko Nagazumi, and many guest actors and background performers.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Barry Morse. Not only did I love his character, Prof. Victor Bergman, and his talents as an actor, but he was also an absolutely wonderful human being, mentor, and friend one could ever hope to have. He was thoughtful, caring, and generous, and I’m honored to have been his friend for many years and to have worked with him (along with my friend Anthony Wynn) on multiple stage and TV productions and books.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

Yes, I have, most notably the wonderful Christopher Penfold (story editor on Year One and writer of many episodes), who became a close friend and writing partner to Steve Warnek and me. He was a brilliant, kind man who co-created a science fiction drama series with us called HELIOS, which we are now producing and releasing as an audio drama.

How has the show affected your life? Did the show move you toward a specific field of study in school or inspire you to follow a certain career path?

Space: 1999 affected my life tremendously, including having a significant impact on my philosophy and beliefs. It led me to a group of wonderful friends around the world who are among the closest and most important people in my life. And while it didn’t impact my main career as an artist, it has certainly led me to side careers in writing, acting, and producing. It led me to dear friendships with Barry Morse and Christopher Penfold and to multiple professional collaborations with both of them. I was also friends with Zienia Merton for several years and edited her autobiography. And Space: 1999 inspired me to write several books about the series, including Destination: Moonbase Alpha and the two most recent books I’ve co-written with my friend David Hirsch – To Everything That Might Have Been and Maybe There. Most recently, I’ve edited a book of Christopher Penfold’s essays, which was published in late 2024 under the title Tipping Points. I’m also very proud to have edited several books for Martin Landau’s estate, including his autobiography and a book of his thoughts on acting, which will hopefully be published in the near future.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

To answer this, I’d like to quote from an article by James D. Denney in Art and Story in August 1976 that stated: The show’s creators used the runaway moon concept as a vantage for observing human behavior in a situation of total disaster, total uncertainty, total helplessness in the face of incomprehensible dangers. Moonbase Alpha is a microcosm of human society on Planet Earth, and the errant moon is in many ways a scale model of our own world – out of control, embattled, and wracked by disaster, its inhabitants mercilessly buffeted by forces beyond their comprehension. Some critics complained that the stories were too esoteric, too abstract. But if many episodes seemed to conclude without answers for the questions they raised, if they often seemed to indicate that science is incapable of providing solutions to the overwhelming problems that threaten human existence, if stories were often resolved metaphysically rather than technologically, with the intervention of Something very much like God – perhaps it’s because such conclusions are closer analogs to our real-life (and real-death) situation on Spaceship Earth than the merely technological or heroic solutions proffered by less cerebral, less cogitative programs such as Star Trek.”

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

Yes, I have numerous favourite episodes, including “Black Sun”, “War Games”, “Dragon’s Domain”, and many others. Still, if I could only choose one, I would pick “Another Time, Another Place”, which I think is a masterpiece (you can read my review of it in my book Destination: Moonbase Alpha).

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

My favourite memory of watching the series is probably one of the earliest memories, watching it on Saturday afternoons with my dad back in 1976-1978 on our living room couch, jokingly arguing over whether Maya or Mr. Spock was the better alien character!

Have you made friends through your association with the show? What is your relationship with those friends? Do you see them regularly or correspond regularly?

Yes, I’ve made many of the best friends of my life through my association with Space: 1999. There isn’t a day that goes by without speaking to at least one of them or texting or emailing, and it’s great when we travel to visit with each other, even outside of attending conventions together. Barry Morse often pointed out how touching it was to him that the connections amongst so many of us Space: 1999 fans transcend friendship, and we regard each other as family, and that’s very true.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items? What will you eventually do with those items?

I have a collection of autographed photos and posters, many of which are framed and on display in my movie room, most of which are personalized and hold fond memories. I have a large binder full of letters and cards from Barry Morse.

I also have three original pieces of Keith Wilson’s production artwork hanging in my office, an original “X5 Computer” panel, various models and collectibles, and several original scripts. If I were to downsize my home, I could easily part with most of the models and collectibles, keeping just a few items because most of those don’t have a sentimental connection to me. I will definitely keep the most significant, personal items that connect me to wonderful memories – those will be with me for the rest of my life.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

I have a specific photo autographed by Barry Morse, a large 19” picture of him as Prof. Bergman taken from the Year One promo book, because it brings back so many warm memories.

What is your most treasured memory of a person or an event regarding the show?

I have a lot of treasured memories of times with various friends, including Barry Morse and Christopher Penfold. But maybe the one moment that was the greatest honor for me was after Barry had passed away, and his son, Hayward, invited Anthony Wynn and me to come to London to scatter Barry’s ashes with him. Hayward was still living in Barry’s flat at 41 Pall Mall. The three of us visited there and shared memories over glasses of red wine; then, around sunset, we went around to the corner to the St. James’s Square Garden, where we scattered his ashes amongst the flowers and plants at the base of the large bronze stag/deer that stands in one corner of the square. Thinking of that still brings tears to my eyes, along with endless fond memories of the wonderful times we shared together.

Anthony Wynn, Barry Moose, Robert Wood

53

ANTHONY WYNN

IT’S OKAY, WE’RE ALL PROFESSIONALS HERE!

Barbara and Anthony in LA 2017

I was born in Eugene, Oregon, USA, where I grew up and spent my formative years. Following my time in school, I joined the Air Force, which took me to Texas, Louisiana, and a four-year tour in Belgium at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), the military side of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – commonly known as NATO. I was also deployed to Operation Desert Storm. After completing my active-duty service, I returned to Oregon, where I worked for the Federal government. Currently, I’m retired and living in Northern California.

I became a fan of Space: 1999 when it debuted in syndication on our local NBC-TV affiliate, KVAL, Channel 13, in Eugene. I was 12 years of age and soon to turn 13. The show premiered on Saturday, September 6, 1975, at 7:00 pm. Later, on January 11, 1976, it moved to Sundays at 5:00 pm, where it would remain for the remainder of the first season and throughout season two. Even though my parents both enjoyed Star Trek, they were not interested in watching Space: 1999. My father preferred to watch other programs on our only television, so I spent my allowance on an old color television console bought at a rummage sale, which I installed in my bedroom. Much of what I saw of the series on that old TV was in between rolling bars and broadcast static, as I tried to adjust the antenna this way and that to get a clear picture!

I was blown away by the special effects, sets, costumes, and the style of Space: 1999. I thought the characters of Commander John Koenig, Doctor Helena Russell, Professor Victor Bergman, and the rest to be fascinating and interesting. In addition, the setting on Moonbase Alpha was something I fell in love with immediately, no doubt due to my intense interest in the Apollo moon missions of the late 1960s and early 1970s. As a child, some of my first memories were of watching the rocket launches on television. The moon landing on July 20, 1969, was certainly one of the most historic events that took place during my childhood. This interest in the space program fueled my interest in science fiction in general.

I was already a fan of the original Star Trek, but I also enjoyed other science fiction-oriented programs and movies. Those included The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, and Planet of the Apes; then later Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and The Martian Chronicles miniseries. I also liked the James Bond film Moonraker and, of course, Star Wars, which I saw several times during the Spring and Summer of 1977 when it was released. That helped ease the loss, slightly, of Space: 1999 when Year Two ended.

Back to Space: 1999. My favorite episode from season one is “Black Sun”. The dialogue between Professor Bergman and Commander Koenig, examining the line between mysticism and science, and cosmic intelligence, is some of the best-written in the series. I also thought the episode title was an elegant way to describe a black hole! The year two episode that stands out for me is “Journey to Where.” I’ve always been fascinated by time-travel stories. My favorite quote from the series is from “War Games” when Professor Victor Bergman says, “We have learned many things, but most of all, we have learned that we still have much to learn.”

I believe I first learned about Space: 1999 fandom sometime in the latter part of 1976 through Starlog magazine. I responded by mail to the National Save: 1999 Campaign, which became the National Save: 1999 Alliance, and finally the International Space: 1999 Alliance. My information was passed to the Western U.S. Section Representative, a fan named Mary Tchir. Mary and I became friends even though she was about 25 years my senior. She was a huge fan of Nick Tate. I visited her in Troutdale, Oregon, near Portland, and in turn, she came to Eugene on a couple of occasions. Unfortunately, after I joined the military in 1981, we had only limited contact. In a shocking turn of events in 1987, Mary’s daughter, Jennifer Lynn, only 15 years old at the time, became a victim of the notorious Forest Park Killer in Portland, Oregon. It wasn’t until more than a decade later, in 1999, that the murderer was finally apprehended and brought to justice. Mary herself died at the age of 73 in 2012.

I also became friends with two other fans during my teen years, Janet Walker and Esther Reese. Janet was several years older – in her 20s – and both were fan fiction writers. Esther and I attended the same school, and we often visited each other’s homes after class and on weekends. Another great friend was Eric Stillwell. I spent hours at his home as we talked about Space: 1999 and Star Trek, poring over newsletters and missives, including those from Lincoln Enterprises, run by Majel Barrett Roddenberry (Nurse Chapel in the original Star Trek series), who was married to series creator Gene Roddenberry. Eric later went on to a career in the Star Trek franchise, writing one of the finest episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, titled “Yesterday’s Enterprise”.

I was interested in nonfiction writing, and in my teens, I launched a Space: 1999 publication called The Reconnaissance Newsletter, which later became The Reconnaissance Quarterly. The periodical featured tidbits about the series, news about the current activities of the show’s actors, along with some fan fiction and artwork. In the mid-1980s, I also edited a well-received fanzine called The Alpha Files with a beautiful cover drawn by Judy Moore. Contributors to these endeavors also included Rose Marie Badgett, Rebecca Eisenhuth, Janet Walker, Esther Reese, Eric Stillwell, and others.

In 1982, when I was in the Air Force, I finally met Rose Marie (or “Rosie”) Badgett in person after having corresponded with her and spoken to her on the phone. She invited me to her hometown of Covington, Kentucky, not far from Cincinnati, Ohio. Of course, I enjoyed meeting another series fan and had a good time getting to know her mother, Martha, as well as her sister, Mary Lou. In addition to spending time talking about the show and looking through her collection of newspaper and magazine articles on the show and the actors, we spent a day at King’s Island amusement park. She was also a big fan of Mission: Impossible and Dark Shadows. It was terrific to get to know Rosie and spend time with her family.

Later, we traveled together to the Chicago area in 1983 to attend the first Spycon, a convention dedicated to popular spy-themed films, such as the James Bond movies, and TV series like Mission: Impossible and Get Smart, organized by fan Sue Cole. We attended the costume reception as characters from the sitcom, "Agents 86 and 99." On another trip, we visited Los Angeles and stayed with my grandparents, who lived in the nearby suburb of Montrose. Rosie and my grandmother, Marjorie, immediately hit it off with each other. We had a wonderful visit, and I particularly remember the three of us having a meal together at Lawry’s California Center, a beautiful patio restaurant with fountains and shade trees.

This little gem was tucked away near Lawry’s headquarters and spice factory, and was a favorite dining spot of my grandmother. It was this trip, I believe, that became one of the deciding factors in Rosie making the decision to leave Kentucky and relocate to Los Angeles. She subsequently lived there for more than 30 years.

In 1984, a group of fans got together in San Antonio, Texas, where I was stationed, and we had our very own very mini-con gathering to see Martin Landau starring in the touring production of Dracula. Charlene Scott, Terry Bowers, and Rosie Badgett were all on hand. We had a great time seeing the show twice and spending some time with Martin between shows. We also had a fun fan gathering in Beaumont, Texas, and were joined by Debbie Phares, the founder of the Landau-Bain Fan Association (LBFA). That same year, about 50 fans converged on Los Angeles when the LBFA hosted “A Day with Martin Landau and Barbara Bain,” which was just that – both actors came and discussed their careers, answered many questions from the fans, and signed a multitude of autographs.

My first Space: 1999 convention was SpaceCon V, held in Springfield, Massachusetts, during the summer of 1982. I met and became friends with Ellie Claassen, a cowboy hat-wearing fan from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She was an inveterate promoter of The Calgary Stampede, the yearly rodeo and festival that she maintained was the best show in Canada – if not the world! I don’t think she removed her hat to go to bed, much less at any point during SpaceCon V.

This convention was also the first time I met actor Barry Morse and, as it turned out, was his first-ever convention appearance. He threw himself into the event and even ended up participating in an impromptu Toga party, stripping one of the sheets off his bed and wrapping it around his body in a Romanesque style. Everyone in attendance felt his warmth and charm, and he was given the honorific of “Space Uncle” at that event. As the years went by, that eventually morphed to the title of “Space Grandpa”!

SpaceCon VI was held the following year in Cincinnati, Ohio – nicknamed “FireCon” by fans. One very early morning – the middle of the night, really – we were all unceremoniously awakened by the fire alarms sounding as everybody dashed out of the hotel into the parking lot, some of us still wearing pajamas and night clothes, where we waited for quite a few minutes as emergency vehicles arrived and made a thorough check of the facility!

Unfortunately, none of the cast and crew of Space: 1999 were able to attend the convention due to work commitments. However, actor Anne Lockhart of Battlestar Galactica fame stepped in as the guest of honor and was a delight. It was fun meeting a cast member of another science fiction show that I enjoyed, and again seeing friends I had made the previous year.

The next convention I attended was SpaceCon VIII, held in Los Angeles in the summer of 1986. It featured the three main stars of season one, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, and Martin Landau! It was wonderful to see all three actors, and Barry Morse had some wonderful stories to tell about filming the miniseries War and Remembrance and its predecessor, The Winds of War. I was so taken with his stories that during the question-and-answer session following his talk, I asked him if he had considered writing a book about his life. He laughed, responding, “No, I don’t think so, I’d really rather look ahead than look back.” Still, his talk stayed in my mind for years afterward.

By 1994, I had completed my service in the Air Force and was living in Portland, Oregon. I became friends with fellow 1999 fan Sandra Sprecker, who was now also living there. I enlisted the help of another friend, Paul Bennett, and we organized a Star Trek convention with Majel Barrett Roddenberry as our guest star. Sandra and I hung out together frequently, and a great memory I have with her is sitting in her apartment, talking about all things fandom-related and eating her delicious homemade quiche!

The following year, I helped organize a production of A.R. Gurney’s renowned two-person Broadway play, Love Letters, to benefit Parkinson’s disease treatment and research. Sydney Sturgess, the wife of Barry Morse, had been diagnosed with the illness, so we invited Barry to Portland, along with June Lockhart from Lost in Space, to perform the play as a fundraiser for the Parkinson’s Center of Oregon, one of the foremost research and treatment facilities in the US. Barry made a whirlwind tour of local media outlets to promote the show, charming everyone along the way. It turned out to be a wonderful event with dozens of fans from across the US and Canada attending the show, including Rosie Badgett and Sandra Sprecker. One of the Canadians in attendance was Robert Wood, who jumped in to assist with pre-show arrangements, including the procurement of some amazing furniture for the set, among other duties. Robert and I became friends and later writing partners on some very fun – and rather unexpected projects.

After spending a lot of time with Barry Morse at rehearsals, dinners, and publicity events, Robert and I both agreed that a book by Barry Morse was something the world needed. Remembering that Barry didn’t seem much interested in an autobiography, Robert and I put together a presentation which we made to him over a memorable dinner.

We proposed to write a biography based on interviews we would conduct with Barry. Well, he was very flattered and asked us if he could take our presentation back home to London and discuss it with Sydney. Robert and I weren’t sure what his final decision would be, but suffice it to say that we were overjoyed when Barry said that he would absolutely work with us, and Sydney also agreed. Then he let us know he wanted to work on his autobiography! The story would be told in the first person, in his unique voice. It was decided that he would record tapes for us with all those wonderful stories. He did this for well over a year, often recording in the mornings while having a cup of coffee.

This book was initially published as Pulling Faces, Making Noises: A Life on Stage, Screen, and Radio, and later in another edition with a title that came from Shakespeare, Remember with Advantages: Chasing the Fugitive and Other Stories from an Actor’s Life. It led to numerous other endeavors, including stage managing Barry’s one-man show, Merely Players, on tour around the US and Canada, the audio performance Rogues and Vagabonds: A Theatrical Scrapbook, and five additional books based on Barry’s career.

I had the pleasure of helping to organize two Space: 1999 conventions in Portland, Oregon: the first in 1997, featuring Barry and Grace Lee Whitney (“Yeoman Rand” from Star Trek). It featured a presentation of the “Controlled Experiment” episode from The Outer Limits, in which they both appeared together. Barry also performed his one-man stage show, Merely Players, at a local theatre, and then again a few days later in Eugene, Oregon. The second con was held in 2003 and included a bus tour of Mount Saint Helens, a nearby volcano.

The most notable gathering in which I participated, however, was Breakaway: The Convention, held in September 1999, in Los Angeles. It featured many members of the cast and crew of the series, including Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, Prentis Hancock, Nick Tate, Zienia Merton, and many more.

Robert and I were enlisted by convention chair Rosie Badgett to produce another production of A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters – this time starring Barbara Bain and Barry Morse. It was the first time they shared a stage together since the filming of Space: 1999, and it was quite a memorable event. It inspired the tagline used to promote the show, “Together Again – For the First Time!” The play was to be performed in the main hotel ballroom, which seated several hundred patrons, and a floor-to-ceiling replica of the Year Two Command Center wall had been erected at the front of the room, behind the stage. At one point, Barry looked up at the enormous wall, cracking, “I don’t know this place!” This caused a great amount of laughter, as his character had only been present during the first season, and his Main Mission had looked a great deal different.

As we began to rehearse the play in the ballroom, it became evident that the wall of computer panels would not work as a viable backdrop for Love Letters; it was too distracting. Barry asked that I talk to the Convention Chair about the situation. I found Rosie Badgett nearby and explained the situation. She exclaimed, “But we WANT the play to take place in Command Center! It will be Love Letters on Moonbase Alpha!” We settled the disagreement by having hotel staff erect a dividing backdrop behind the performance space and dimming the lights on the Command Center set piece.

I remember being backstage preparing Barbara Bain to go onstage for that show. The actors used small lapel microphones wired to battery packs. Barbara lifted her blouse and exposed quite a bit of skin as we were getting her miked. I briefly hesitated, realizing I would need to reach inside her blouse to attach the mic and run the wire. She smiled and said, “It’s okay, we’re all professionals here!” Her demeanor relaxed me enough to finish the job… then on with the show! The performance and convention raised over $20,000 for charity, the largest donation ever collected by a Space: 1999 convention up to that time.

Rosie was a major contributor to Space: 1999 fandom as one of the founding members of the Alliance. She also served as its President from 1985 to 1993. She also chaired several notable conventions over the years, mentored numerous young fans along the way, was a fan artist, and a prolific fan fiction author (A Space: 1999 Trilogy, Blutsager).

Rosie Badgett died on September 8, 2024, at the age of 77, and, fittingly, her memorial service was held on Breakaway day, September 13, 2024 – which also happened to be 25 years to the day since Breakaway: The Convention. She had a large impact on fandom and is missed. I remember our friendship fondly and treasure the times we spent together.

By this point, I guess, it goes without saying that my favorite actor from the show was Barry Morse. Not only was his portrayal of ‘Professor Victor Bergman’ on the show perfect, but working with this absolute pro for the last dozen years of his life is an experience that can never be equaled. He was a superbly talented actor and director, but also became a friend and a mentor to me. Robert Wood and I spent many hours working together in recording and television studios, onstage in rehearsals, and countless hours offstage, socializing, traveling, and sharing meals.

In another dinner conversation, Barry and I talked about Oscar Wilde and his intimate companion, Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas. He urged me to read the letters between Douglas and the great playwright George Bernard Shaw. These two men corresponded with each other over a period of many years following Wilde's death in 1900. When I expressed interest in writing a play based on those letters, Barry was extraordinarily encouraging of my efforts. I titled the piece Bernard and Bosie, and Barry contributed the terrific subtitle, A Most Unlikely Friendship. It really was a quite improbable relationship that developed through the course of their letters to one another. The play was produced with Barry playing the role of Bernard Shaw in London and in Florida; later, it was produced in New York.

Because of the series, I met another terrific fan, Ryan Case, who became a friend. He’s also a talented actor. Barry Morse and Ryan performed together at the 2005 Earthbound convention in Tampa, in a special performance of the science fiction play Contact by Doug Grissom. Later, Ryan (with Mark Smith) performed in a production of Bernard and Bosie: A Most Unlikely Friendship in Lexington, Kentucky. Ryan was so good; he was born to play the role of Bosie!

As you can see, Space: 1999 has had an enormous impact on my life over the years. I email, text, talk, or otherwise engage with friends through social media on a virtually daily basis. I’ve made many friends through the show, people who mean a great deal to me and with whom I’ve spent a considerable amount of time over the years. Of course, there’s Robert Wood, but also Charlene Scott (the author of this book), who has been a great friend for more than forty years. We’ve traveled together, attended conventions, and have gone to numerous plays and performances – so much so that sometimes Charlene refers to me as her “travel husband”! We journeyed to Canada to attend the wedding of Robert Wood and his husband, David Ross. On other occasions, it’s been fun to spend time with other friends, including Ellen Celeste Lindow, Michael Lindow, Jenny Lobb, David Acheson, Jeff Gaskill, and Judy Moore.

Charlene and I have even had the opportunity to spend time together with actor Martin Landau. On one occasion, we spent time with him at the Actors Studio West in Hollywood, where he worked regularly as an acting teacher and coach. Another visit was spent at his home and over dinner in a local restaurant. We talked about a few of the shows and films he had worked on throughout the years, and about his early friendship with actor James Dean. Martin spoke excitedly about his work with the young Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin and how they had hit it off from the beginning, describing it as a kind of non-romantic “May-December” relationship. They had been working on a screenplay together that was going to be a kind of “buddy” film. He said they hoped to start filming it later in the year. So, it was a great shock when Anton died suddenly some six weeks later. Then, the following year, after a short illness, Martin himself was also gone. It’s a shame they were never able to complete their dream project.

On another occasion, when I was in England, actor Zienia Merton invited me to spend the day at her home outside of London, in Teddington. She wanted to talk about her ideas for a memoir. It was a surreal experience, just the two of us, having lunch, talking about her work on the show and of her career, in general. Following our meal, Zienia wanted to show me some scenes from various shows in which she had appeared, many of which I had not seen before. One of these was her guest-starring role in the television series Casanova. “You’ve never seen me naked before?” she asked slyly, just before hitting the play button. While I watched her scene, she watched me, which was a little bit disconcerting. When the scene ended, she asked, “What did you think of me?” I complimented her acting and told her that she was very attractive. Zienia giggled and smiled.

She indeed did publish her memoir, Anecdotes & Armadillos, a couple of years later.

Robert Wood and I also traveled to London in 2007 to celebrate the release of Barry Morse's memoir, Remember with Advantages. We enjoyed spending time with Barry and accompanying him to his final convention appearance. Just a few months later, on February 2, 2008, he left us forever. Three very special memorials in honor of his life and work were held in locations that held meaning to Barry. The first was in his birthplace, London, England; the second was held in his longtime adopted-home city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and the third was in Portland, Oregon, where Barry had visited, performed, and lectured on multiple occasions. Each of these gatherings was special, and it was amazing to see so many people come together in these three countries who Barry had impacted in his lifetime.

A treasured memory was returning to London at the invitation of Barry’s son, Hayward, to help scatter Barry’s ashes in St. James Square Garden, just around the corner from the flat at 41 Pall Mall, where Barry had kept residence for more than 40 years. The remembrance of the three of us spreading Barry’s ashes in that little park at sunset, followed by the time we spent reminiscing about that remarkable man, is something I will cherish forever.

Prior to Barry’s passing, Robert Wood and I had collaborated with Barry to produce and shoot a short film called The Return of Victor Bergman. It featured Barry returning to the role of Professor Victor Bergman in a script written by Robert Wood and Barry Morse. He very much wanted to give a gift back to the show's fans and provide an explanation for Bergman's disappearance from the series. The short film debuted at the Journey to Where convention in Austin, Texas, and fans subsequently dubbed it ‘the 50th episode’. It was a poignant and moving screening where fans once again saw Barry in the role of Bergman, and it also turned out to be a great tribute to the memory of Barry Morse. I am proud to be associated with it.

My most amazing relationship has been with my spouse, Adrian Flores, also a Space: 1999 fan. In early 2014, Adrian interacted with the Barry Morse Facebook tribute page, which Robert Wood and I moderate.

This contact led to an online correspondence, which moved to telephone, and then a cross-country visit to meet him in San Antonio, Texas! We were married on April 1, 2016, in a small, intimate ceremony overlooking the ocean in the beautiful town of Yachats, Oregon. Adrian and I like to say that it’s because of Barry Morse that we met! So perhaps somewhere out there,

like Margaret, Barry also makes his presence known to fans from time to time. He so loved interacting with fans of the series, appreciated their support, and enjoyed his time at numerous conventions over the years.

These past 50 years have been full of incredibly fun, crazy – and occasionally sad – experiences; all because of this show called Space: 1999.

Ellie Claassen, Barry Morse, and Anthony Wynn

Mary Tchir, 1978

54

BONNIE YOMAN

GETTING TOGETHER WITH FRIENDS AND BEING GOOFY

Where are you from?

My birthplace was Detroit, Michigan, and my hometown is Petersburg, Michigan.

What’s your background?

My father worked in the foundry industry, mostly in a management position. Mom was a stay-at-home parent. I have two living brothers. I graduated from college in 1981 with a B.S. in Social Science. I moved across the country on my own and began a teaching career in a small northern Nevada town the following year. I retired in 2021 after 39 years.

When did you become a fan of the show?

I don’t remember the exact year, but it was during the show’s first year of broadcast on U.S. television. My younger brother is/was a “Trekkie”, and I entered the room as his show ended and Space: 1999 came on. Don’t ask me what episode it was because I don’t remember. But “something” about the relationship between the two main characters caught my attention.

How old were you when you began watching the show?

I was probably 17 or 18.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

It was definitely the chemistry going on between the characters portrayed by Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. The idea of the moon being blasted out of Earth’s orbit was a bit far-fetched, but you know—it’s a show. Later, I developed a fondness for the rest of the main characters, mainly Victor, Maya, Sandra, Alan, etc.

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show? How specifically?

I have attended conventions and wrote a couple of fan fiction stories based on the show.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

Yes. I attended conventions in Columbus, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Springfield, Massachusetts.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Without a doubt, it was meeting like-minded fans. Many became good friends of mine, like instantly! I remember coming home from Columbus (my first convention) feeling like I had known Robbie, Jeff, Terry, George, Greg, etc., my entire life. The best part of future cons was always getting together with friends and being goofy. I also enjoyed the dealer's room scrounging for souvenirs I could afford. I marveled at the folks who did the costumes. So fun!

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Let’s see—rest in peace Robbie Perkins, George Eichler, and Rosie Badgett. Then there was Charlene Scott, Jeffrey Smith, Greg Stalnaker, Terry Bowers, Paxton (Keith) Young, and Becky Eisenhuth. I always admired Judy Moore. Once she confided she was always envious of “our group” because we were always out and about having fun, and she couldn’t do that for some reason.

Have you met any of the actors from the show?

We made Barry Morse our honorary grandfather one year. We invited him to a pizza party in one of our rooms, AND HE CAME! I saw the other actors at the panel presentations, but I was never interested in getting their autographs.

What was that experience like?

Mr. Morse was a sweetheart and a gentleman. I know I felt very lucky to spend a very special hour or so with him. A few years later, a few of us convened in L.A. to watch a Neil Simon play Barbara was starring in. She graciously met with us afterwards and took a photo with us. Our dear friend Rosie arranged that trip when she was still living in the Los Angeles area.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

It was the duo of Martin and Barbara. I was crushed when they divorced and went their separate ways.

How has the show affected your life?

As I mentioned earlier, it marked the beginning of friendships with many wonderful people whom I still consider dear friends, despite the miles, years, and life’s trials and tribulations.

Do you have a favorite episode?

“Brian the Brain” comes to mind—an early warning about Artificial Intelligence if there ever was one!

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

Probably at the cons for viewing episodes with other people who had seen the show a dozen times, and we created our own comedy lines. “DON’T GO IN THE MIST!” comes to mind. We were being totally silly and obnoxious, but we thought we were hysterical. I recall one time, years later, Robbie Perkins and I met up to watch a Star Wars film in a theater, and we began to amuse ourselves again by giggling and making snarky comments, just as we had at the convention. Well, the lady behind us in the theater wasn’t too happy with us and told us to knock it off. We apologized and slunk down in our seats, trying to stifle our laughter.

Have you made friends through your association with the show?

See above. Also, one summer, my family hosted two fans, Steen and Liz, who came from Denmark to the Springfield convention.

Do you see or correspond with them regularly?

Sadly no. I haven’t met up with these friends since maybe the 90s. But, through the magic of Facebook, many of us have been able to reconnect. My personal interest in Space: 1999 diminished after the show went off the air and Martin and Barbara divorced. I look back on 1999 fandom with affection—fun experiences with good friends!

Do you collect memorabilia from the show?

I did once have a scrapbook about Martin and Barbara and the show. I think it got tossed out years ago. I might have a few things left in a box somewhere. I know I had a collection of the paperback novels that came out. I cherish the memories of those cons more than any T-shirt or glossy photo I might have had.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

The photos that I took of my friends.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or an event, that occurred about, because, or regarding the show?

The pizza party with Barry Morse.

Barry Morse, #1 Grandpa

55

KEITH YOUNG

YOU, YOU, YOU!

Keith with Suzanne Roquette and Barry Gray

Where are you from?

Originally, I’m from Los Angeles. Now, I’m living outside of Atlanta.

What’s your background?

I moved from the Los Angeles area with my parents to Lancaster, California, in 1972, roughly 80 miles north of LA in the high desert of the Antelope Valley. I was 10 years old. I discovered Space: 1999 when it first aired in 1975. I was 13 years old. As a Star Trek fan from the first rerun generation, I was intrigued by the ZTV commercials for the show before it aired. After I saw “Breakaway”, I was hooked. Everything about the show was awesome and thought-provoking. I thought this show would top Star Trek. The series is still my favorite show. After seeing “Breakaway”, I recognized Martin Landau and Barbara Bain from watching Mission: Impossible. It was my mom who told me they were married in real life. The two lead actors were not initially my draw to the series, but I soon came to appreciate them and their characters. Barbara's Helena of Year One is my favorite character.

During this time, I attended Antelope Valley High School, where past alumni included Judy Garland, Frank Zappa, Marcy Walker, and many sports personalities.

My main study was art. My art teacher, Doug Oliver, was a renowned artist in the Antelope Valley, with his work featured in many local public buildings. He also taught Frank Zappa. He was my art teacher for all four years of school, and in my senior yearbook, he wrote that he had seen the talent within me and focused on me over other students to help me perfect my artistic abilities. He wanted me to pursue my art and succeed in my life. He was such a great teacher.

While I continued with my art, which included acrylic painting and colored pencil drawings, after high school, I was unable to attend college because I could not pass the math portion of the SAT. In 2004, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which explains why I don't understand math. So, I was doomed with that since birth.

I continued with my art, mainly focusing on drawing 1999 blueprints for my entertainment in the 1980s. In the mid-80s, a fan friend, Erwin Stank, saw my blueprints and suggested I sell them, resulting in five Starlog magazine Technical Manual-formatted blueprint supplement packages sold to fans through ads in various fan clubs from the mid-80s to the mid-90s. The blueprints continued where Starlog magazine had left off on their Technical Manual.

In 1982, I worked as a dispatcher for an on-site shipping company at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. I was involved in the early space shuttle missions to see that parts for each mission were delivered on time. After being there for five months, budget cuts hit the company, and being a “new hire”, I was let go. I then returned home to California, where I found work in two department stores as their undercover asset protection agent. I continued in that role until 1993, when I decided I was getting too old for that kind of work and accepted a management position as the garden manager at the aforementioned former department store. I worked there for seven years before I had to retire after being diagnosed with severe bipolar depression. I moved from Lancaster in 2024 to Hampton, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta. I’m currently working on a new update of the Space: 1999 blueprints.

What drew you to the show? Was it the premise, the actors, the technology?

Being a science fiction series. I loved the premise of the adventures of people stranded on a moonbase looking for a new home.

Have you always been a fan of sci-fi programs? If so, what other sci-fi show(s) have you enjoyed over the years?

Yes, Star Trek (the original series), Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Enterprise, and Star Trek: Discovery. Also, Firefly, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Babylon 5, The Expanse, The Bionic Woman, and Doctor Who.

Have you attended any conventions for the show? If so, how many and where?

Yes, many. 1980, 1981, 1986, 1999, and 2000.

What is your favorite thing to do at the conventions?

Just hang out with everybody.

Have you met any of the actors from the show?

Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, Catherine Schell, Zienia Merton, Prentis Hancock, Nick Tate, Suzanne Roquette, Anton Phillips, and Joan Collins.

Who were your favorite guests to interact with?

Zienia Merton. She was very approachable.

What was that experience like?

Very exciting.

Who is your favorite actor from the show, and why?

Zienia Merton and Barry Morse. They both were very one-on-one and were genuinely interested in talking with you.

Have you met any of the production crew from the show? Writers? Producers? Model-makers, Directors?

I met producer Freddie Freiburger in 1999. I also met Christopher Penfold and Johnny Byrne at the 2000 convention in New York. Chris Paulsen and I were discussing with them the possibility of rebooting the series. Chris asked me to draw some conceptual art to present to them.

How has the show affected your life?

It left an imprint that has stuck with me for 50 years. It is one of the best science fiction series, especially the first season.

Was there a particular thing you identified with about the show?

Moonbase Alpha was interesting to me.

Do you have a favorite episode? If so, which one?

“Matter of Life and Death”, “Black Sun”, “Another Time, Another Place”, “Guardian of Piri”, “The Last Sunset”, “Mission of the Darians”, “Dragon’s Domain”, “Testament of Arkadia”, “AB Chrysalis”, “Seance Spectre”, “Devil’s Planet”, and “Immunity Syndrome”.

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the show?

I do recall at the time that Roland's melting in “Death’s Other Dominion” was gross and gory!

Did you participate in any type of fandom for the show?

I wrote a fan fiction story in the early 1980s before I got heavily involved in blueprinting the series. The story was about Victor, Kano, Paul, Tanya, and, later, Dr. Mathias, who took an Eagle to the large crater left on the moon by the Area Two detonation. Their mission was to search for new mineral sources that could benefit Alpha and to conduct an expedition to explore the moon's interior composition. While flying over the crater, they discover an extremely deep fissure and decide to fly into it.

They end up in a giant cavern with an artificial wall extending to the cave's roof. The team discovers a hatch that leads to a vast alien city built within the moon. It is later found that the moon is the Arkadian spaceship that brought them to Earth. And that the area two explosion triggered the Arkadian spaceship engines, and this is how the moon left Earth's orbit. While all of this is happening, on the near side of the moon, Alpha is dealing with a comet that will impact close to Alpha, destroying it.

Alpha can blow up the comet before impact, but the resulting debris rains down on the base, causing immense damage.

As various Alphans struggle to save themselves from the wreckage, Helena, Tony, and Sandra have their own mini-survival adventures. Some characters are killed off. Unfortunately, Yasko was killed in a surface travel tunnel breach. The story continues with Victor discovering that the voyage to the moon, which would reach habitable planets, was not an accident. It was programmed by the Arkadians to do so, enabling them to reach out and inhabit new worlds. Its program kicked in, allowing it to return to Arkadia. The story takes place after the Dorcons. The moon once again returns to Arkadia, where centuries have passed since Luke and Anna were left behind. A vast green area and a small population of descendants have now been established. John and Helena finally marry as the Alphans set off to live their new lives on Arkadia. That's the gist of the story, and it explains why the Year One missing cast members were not in Year Two.

Have you made friends through your association with the show? What is your relationship with those friends?

Yes, and two of them have become my lifelong best friends.

Do you see them regularly?

No, but we do keep in touch through social media and texting.

Do you collect memorabilia from the show? What? How many items?

Soundtrack records, CDs, DVDs, Laser Discs, VHS, promotional brochures for both seasons, Mattel dolls, two Mattel Eagle playsets, Eagle and Hawk model kits, technical manuals, and a giant Moonbase Alpha poster are a few of them. It’s all in storage at the moment.

What is your most treasured piece of memorabilia?

My Destination: Moonbase Alpha poster.

What will you eventually do with those items?

I will keep them.

What is your most treasured memory of a person, or event, that occurred about, because of, or regarding the show?

At the 1980 convention, I attended an after-hours party and sat next to Suzanne Roquette. Stupid me, being starstruck, I couldn't think of a single thing to ask or say to her. Now, I kick myself.

At the 1986 LA con, I attended an after-hours party with Barry Morse. We were watching Sybil Danning's Adventure Video of Alien Attack, and Barry, during Sybil's intro, said, "Who's this bimbo? I don't recall her on the show." It was hilarious to hear him say that.

Barry was a very one-on-one person, happy to chat with you on any subject. I recall him looking at a collage pencil drawing I had done of Breakaway, which included an image of him. I had colored his eyes blue and told him, "I didn't realize your eyes were green." And he replied, "They're rather snot green, actually.”

In 1981, Becky Eisenhuth and I flew from LA to the Atlanta con together. I had brought a big, framed painting I did of the Eagle flying over Alpha for the charity auction. This painting was a hassle to wrap and carry through the airport.

We arrive in Atlanta, collect our luggage, and retrieve the boxed-up painting. Becky was the winner of the painting at the auction. So, we and the painting made a return trip! It was great that the money went to charity.

One evening at the 2000 con, Zienia Merton, Prentis Hancock, and Anthony DiPietro, along with me and a few others, were in the hotel lounge sharing a booth, drinking, and listening to the band playing. Zienia had to excuse herself because she had a headache. The next morning, as I passed her table, Zienia shouted, “YOU, YOU, YOU!” I turned around, and she pointed at me and motioned for me to come over. She apologized for stepping out early the night before. I thought that was kind and unexpected.

Keith with Martin Landau and Keith’s Eagle painting

APPENDIX ONE: FANDOM IN NORTH AMERICA

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SPACE: 1999 FANDOM IN NORTH AMERICA

The International Space: 1999 Alliance (the "Alliance") was a fan-run organization with its origins in the National Save: 1999 Campaign. This morphed into the National Save: 1999 Alliance in December 1976. Its goal was to prevent the cancellation of Space: 1999. The Alliance was founded by Jeff Jones, Chuck Raue, Kathy and John Van Kamp, and several other fans.

The group was rechristened the International Save: 1999 Alliance and then soon thereafter adopted its final moniker, The International Space: 1999 Alliance. The Alliance applied for and achieved nonprofit status in 1979, which it retained throughout its existence.

The Alliance sponsored letter-writing efforts and an aggressive public relations campaign in an attempt to save the show. However, these efforts proved futile, and ITC Entertainment – which produced the show – formally canceled the series before the first Alliance convention had even been held.

The Alliance established a formal set of bylaws, which provided for national and international regional coordinators led by a President. The bylaws also provided that any profits from conventions or other gatherings were required to be donated to charity. The Alliance was also one of the first ever fan organizations to actively acquire merchandising rights to images from the show. The Alliance produced a series of items, including patches, photographs, calendars, pins, and other memorabilia.

The first President was Jeff Jones, who stepped down as president in mid-1978, succeeded by Mare Fitzgerald. Kathy and John Van Kamp took over as co-presidents in 1979 and served until 1985. Rose Marie Badgett assumed leadership of the group and continued until 1992. At that time, management of the group reverted to Kathy and John Van Kamp, but all memberships were paused with a note from the Von Kamps saying the club was being put on an “indefinite hold.” The quarterly newsletter, The Main Computer, ceased publication with the combined issue of Volume 13, No. 4/Volume 14, No. 1. Following the Breakaway convention in 1999, the club was formally shuttered.

At its height, the Alliance had a membership exceeding 3,000 people worldwide. Thirteen conventions, large and small, were held under the aegis of the Alliance from 1978 to 1999. Two independently organized conventions using the SpaceCon name were also held – in 2001 in Tampa, Florida, and the final event in 2003 in Portland, Oregon.

The very first of those Space: 1999 conventions, SpaceCon I in 1978, was an unqualified success with guests including Gerry Anderson and Martin Landau. Thanks to the enthusiastic response of more than 800 fans who attended, a donation of over $6,000.00 was made to the Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

At that time, Ted Hruschak (a founding member of the National Save: 1999 Campaign), along with Mona Delitsky (who produced the first 1999 fanzine, “Cosmoconnection”) and others, believed it necessary to raise objections to the structure and leadership of the Alliance. They maintained that offices such as President, Vice President, Treasurer, etc., had not been created nor voted upon, and they believed an individual had assumed such an office without an election and had also created a set of by-laws without the knowledge or approval of the Alliance coordinators. Despite several attempts to negotiate a mutually agreeable solution for the continued unified operation of the Alliance, the disagreements remained unresolved.

Other fans, including Dan Pallotta, David Barnes, and Brian Anderson (who also worked on SpaceCon I), joined together to form a new group called The Space: 1999 Society. It was envisioned as a direct successor to the National Save: 1999 Campaign, which had been formed two years previously in 1976. The club worked to build membership and sponsor their own convention. The Society applied for and was granted Space: 1999 licensing from Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc., the copyright holder at the time, early in 1979.

The Space: 1999 Society was established as an informally structured, nonprofit organization governed by a Board of Directors, with each Director assigned a specific function and contributing to the overall workload. The official publication of the Society was called Alpha News Service and was issued four times a year.

ANS focused on Society activities, news in the 1999 fandom, and science fiction in general.

Ultimately, the fan base of Space: 1999 proved to be too small to support two competing fan groups. It was also too small to support two separately organized conventions, and the Society was unable to bring its plans for a convention to fruition in either 1979 or 1980. It also became clear that the majority of the Society's members also held memberships in the Alliance. After the Society experienced a 75% decline in memberships by 1981, the Board of Directors decided to close the group down in mid-1981.

There were also several local, regional, and national Space: 1999 fan groups that emerged in North America throughout the late 1970s, 1980s, and into the early 1990s. A few of these include:

• Main Mission: Alpha

(formed in early 1976 with a newsletter of the same name)

• Alpha International

(published the “Moonbase Alpha News Service” newsletter)

• Alpha League

(began as “Academy Alpha” in Canada, published the “Commlock” newsletter)

• Alpha Moonbase

(published a monthly newsletter, also the fanzine “Alphan Moonscapes”)

• The Alphan Society

(published three-yearly journals)

• The New Orleans Space: 1999 Society

(published the fanzine “Alpha Chronicle”)

• Rising Star Alpha

(a joint Battlestar Galactica and Space: 1999 fan club)

• Space: 1999 Association of Fans

(organizer: Chuck Raue; published the letterzine “ComLoC”)

• Space: 1999 Fan Activity Network

(organizer: George Eichler; published a Resource Guide and the “S9Fanzine”)

• Springfield Space: 1999 Club

(Springfield, Massachusetts; published “Alpha Log” newsletter)

With the advent of the internet in the mid-to-late 1990s, most fan activity shifted online to listservs and mailing lists. Some of the most popular fan communities were on YahooGroups and included “Online Alpha” and “GayBase Alpha.” After operating for nearly 20 years, Yahoo closed its groups, and most fan activity migrated to various Facebook pages. Fan fiction also moved predominantly to the web but continues to be written today. So, fifty years on, whether in-person or online – fans are still discussing and enjoying Space: 1999, a series that has endured and stood the test of time.

APPENDIX TWO: CONVENTIONS IN NORTH AMERICA

SpaceCon I

July 27-29, 1978

Columbus, Ohio

Hosted by: National Save: 1999 Alliance

Guests: Martin Landau, Gerry Anderson, Nick Tate, Clifton Jones, Barry Gray, Dave Prowse

SpaceCon II

July 27-29, 1979

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hosted by: National Save: 1999 Alliance

Guests: Barry Gray, Nick Tate, Prentis Hancock, Anton Phillips

Space:Con III

July 25-27, 1980

Columbus, Ohio

Hosted by: International Space: 1999 Alliance

Guests: Nick Tate, Prentis Hancock, Dave Prowse, Herb Jefferson, Jr.

SpaceCon IV

August 7-9, 1981

Atlanta, Georgia

Hosted by: International Space: 1999 Alliance

Guests: Barry Gray, Suzanne Roquette, David Hirsch

SpaceCon V

July 30-August 1, 1982

Springfield, Massachusetts

Hosted by: International Space: 1999 Alliance

Guests: Barry Morse, Sarah Douglas, Martin Bower, Phil Rae, Gray Morrow

SpaceCon VI

July 15-17, 1983

Cincinnati, Ohio

Hosted by: International Space: 1999 Alliance

Guest: Anne Lockhart

A Day with Martin Landau and Barbara Bain

September 8, 1984

Los Angeles, California

Hosted by: Landau/Bain Fan Association

Guests: Barbara Bain and Martin Landau

SpaceCon VII

July 19-21, 1985

Arlington, Virginia

Hosted by: International Space: 1999 Alliance

Guest: Frank Ashmore

SpaceCon VIII

July 18-20, 1986

Los Angeles, California

Hosted by: International Space: 1999 Alliance

Guests: Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, Nick Tate

SpaceCon IX (Relax-a-con)

July 17-19, 1987

Sandusky, Ohio

Hosted by: International Space: 1999 Alliance

Guest: Jeff Jones

SpaceCon X (Relax-a-con 2)

August 11-13, 1989

Wapokeneta, Ohio

Hosted by: International Space: 1999 Alliance

Guests: Barry Morse, Sydney Sturgess

SpaceCon XI

July 17-19, 1992

La Mirada, California

Hosted by: International Space: 1999 Alliance

Guests: Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Nick Tate

Command Conference ‘95

July 21-23, 1995

Whittier, California

Chair: Debbie Phares

Guest: Nick Tate

SpaceCon XII

September 13-14, 1997

Portland, Oregon

Chairs: Anthony Wynn, Rosie Badgett

Guests: Barry Morse, Grace Lee Whitney

SpaceCon XIII (Breakaway: The Convention)

September 10-13, 1999

Culver City, California

Hosted by: International Space: 1999 Alliance

Guests: Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, Nick Tate, Prentis Hancock, Zienia Merton, Anton Phillips, Johnny Byrne, Fred Freiberger

Main Mission: 2000

September 1-3, 2000

New York, New York

Chair: Tom Lowry

Guests: Barry Morse, Catherine Schell, Zienia Merton, Prentis Hancock, John Hug, Keith Wilson, Johnny Byrne, Christopher Penfold, George Bellak, Kevin Connor, Richard Hatch, Jack Stauffer, Grace Lee Whitney, Corinne Orr, Karen Lynn Gorney, John Muir, Phil Plait, Jim Burns, Tye Bourdony, Nick Abadzis

SpaceCon XIV (SpaceCon: 2001)

July 27-29, 2001

Tampa, Florida

Chair: Ellen Celeste Lindow

Guests: Barry Morse, Nick Tate

SpaceCon XV (final SpaceCon)

July 19-20, 2003

Portland, Oregon

Chairs: Anthony Wynn, Ellen Celeste Lindow

Guest: Barry Morse

Earthbound: 2005

July 22-24, 2005

Tampa, Florida

Hosted by: Stone Hill Science Fiction Association

Chair: Ellen Celeste Lindow

Guests: Barry Morse, Shane Rimmer, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Ryan Case

Phone Conference Call: Sylvia Anderson, Zienia Merton, Nick Tate

Another Con, Another Place

July 18-20, 2008

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Chair: Robert E. Wood

Guest: Ryan Case

Phone Conference Call: Zienia Merton, Prentis Hancock, Nick Tate

Journey To Where

July 16-18, 2010

Austin, Texas

Chair: Lindsey Ipsen

Guest: Carolyn Seymour

Phone Conference Call: Nick Tate

Alpha: 2012

September 14-16, 2012

Burbank, California

Chair: Rosie Badgett

Guests: Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Prentis Hancock, Nick Tate, Anton Phillips, Christopher Penfold, Judy Geeson

Alpha: 2017

July 28-30, 2017

Parsippany, New Jersey

Chair: Roy Bjellquist

Guests: Prentis Hancock, Nick Tate, Anton Phillips, Pam Rose, Suzanne Heimer

Phone Conference Call: Catherine Schell, Christopher Penfold, Brian Johnson

Breakaway: 2019

September 12-15, 2019

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Chair: Roy Bjellquist

Guests: Barbara Bain, Nick Tate, Anton Phillips, Suzanne Heimer, Yasuko Nagazumi, Christopher Penfold

Video Conference: Brian Johnson, Clifton Jones

Calgary: 1999

April 27-May 1, 2023

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Chair: Warren Friedrich

Guests: Nick Tate, Yasuko Nagazumi

Los Angeles: 2025 (50th Anniversary)

September 12-14, 2025

Burbank, California

Chairs: Warren Friedrich, Roy Bjellquist

Guests: Barbara Bain, Nick Tate, Yasuko Nagazumi

APPENDIX THREE: NOTABLE FANZINES

Cosmoconnection (1976-1980)

Five issues. Written by Mona Delitsky, John Petty, and Sharon Ferraro. Artwork by Rodney Allen, Mona Delitsky, Nelson Brown, Marty Siegrist, and Aaron McClellan. (The first Space: 1999 fanzine, issue #1 published in July 1976.)

Cosmoconnection #1

Cosmoconnection #2

The Fatality Syndrome (1976)

Written by Chris Yost.

Isolated (1976)

Written by Chris Yost.

Eagle 1 (1977)

Written by Robin Hill, Melanie Brooking, Janet Ellicott, Amelia Rodgers, Hazel Goddard, Wendy Webster, Stephen Burholt, Anne Lewis and Penny Lansdale. Art by Martin East. (Companion to “Eagle 2”, 1979.)

Timetrap (1977)

Written by Patricia Brimer, Stephen Eramo, Sharon Anne Huchinson, and Darlene Palenik. Art by Mary Bloemker.

The Loner (1977)

Written by Mike Heyes and Patti Cullen Heyes. Cover art by H.C. Chmielefski, interior art by Alan Carter, Sandra Bones, Mary Bloemker, Marti Siegrist, and Jim Steele.

Catch the Final Sunrise! (1977)

Written by Deb Walsh. (The first story to explain the differences between Years 1 & 2.)

The Alpha Book (1978)

An 86-page resource zine, a glossary of names and terms used on Space: 1999. Written and compiled by Chris Landry, illustrated by Steve Poleri.

The Broken Gardenia (1978)

Written by Phyl Proctor, artwork by Eileen Skidmore.

A Space: 1999 Trilogy (1979)

Three stories by Rose Marie Badgett and Paul Bens, art by Rose Marie Badgett.

Hawk - A Space 1999 Zine (1979)

Edited by Alan McLearnen.

Nightmare (1979)

Written by Diana Winslow, art by Mary Bloemker.

Eagle 2 (1979)

Written by Mary Tchir, Stephen Burholt, Wendy Webster, Phyl Proctor, Martin East, Stephen Mortimer, Barbara Passoff, Sandy Doyle, and Mike Turner. Cover art by Martin East. (Companion to “Eagle 1”, 1977.)

The Master of Alpha (1980)

Written by Diana Winslow.

A Time for Changes (1980)

Written by Stephen Eramo, art by Stephan Eramo.

Blutsauger (1981)

Written by Rose Marie Badgett and Paul Bens, art by Rose Marie Badgett. (Sequel to “A Space: 1999 Trilogy”.)

Intercom One (1982)

Anthology written by Lis Therkildsen, Steen Pedersen, and Carsten Andresen of Denmark. (Only one issue was published due to the untimely death of Carsten Andresen.)

The Hetch Hetchy Tale (1982)

Written by Terry Shewmaker.

Beating the Odds (1982)

Written by Terry S. Bowers and Bonnie Yoman. Artwork by Judy Moore, Keith Young, Rose Marie Badgett, and Benita J. Fernandez. 

Lunavisions (1984)

Anthology of fiction, poetry, and art. Four issues were published between 1984 and 1989. Contributors include Terry S. Bowers, Rebecca Eisenhuth, Kevin Peterson, Karla Von Huben, Ellen Celeste Lindow, Roni Demerdgian, Barbara Farrell, Kerry Keane.

The Alpha Files (1985)

Four stories by Terry S. Bowers, Janet Walker, and Rebecca Eisenhuth. Cover art by Judy Moore, interior art by Rebecca Eisenhuth, edited by Anthony Wynn.

Farthing’s Comet/A Time for Reflecting (1986)

Stories by Tom Cicirelli and Kerry Keane. Cover art: paintings by Lew Place, interior artwork by Keith Young and Judy Moore

The Guardian (1989)

Anthology of news, art, and interviews with three issues published. Contributors include Elizabeth May, Terry S. Bowers, Robert E. Wood, and Kerry Keane.

Lunacy (1990)

Edited by Erwin Stank. Contributors include Justin Wright, Jenny Lobb, James Forde Brown, Caryn Steerman, and Lew Place.

Whispers in the Grove (1990)

Anthology of news, art, and interviews with three issues published. Contributors include Elizabeth May, Terry S. Bowers, Robert E. Wood, and Kerry Keane.

Moon Glow (1992)

Written by Terry S Bowers, Amanda Russell, Kerry Keene, Diana, Rebecca Eisenhuth. Artwork by Liz May and Lew Place.

Explorations (1995)

A collection of eight stories by Terry S. Bowers.

Alphan Quests (1997)

A series of four Space: 1999 stories by Rebecca Eisenhuth: “The Progression”, “The Challenge”, “The Discontented”, and “The Discovery”.

Lunar Adventure Stories (2001)

A con zine for SpaceCon XIV (SpaceCon: 2001) in Tampa, Florida. Contributors are Terry S. Bowers, Jenny Lobb, and Paula Austin. Edited by Terry S. Bowers.

Science Fiction Darkside (2001-2003)

A series of four zines focusing on Space: 1999. Contributors are David Owens, Joel Owens, Jonathan Gilbert, Seppo Makinen, Yul Tolbert, and Ken Scott.

Everything Yet To Be (2005)

A con zine for Earthbound: 2005 in Tampa, Florida. Stories by Michael Lindow, Ellen Celeste Lindow, Terry S. Bowers, and Colleen Bement. Cover art by Robert E. Wood.

The Return of Victor Bergman (2010)

A zine dedicated to the memory of actor Barry Morse, released at the 2010 Journey to Where con in Austin, Texas. Contributors are Ellen Celeste Lindow, Meredith Kausch, and Michael Lindow. Edited by Anthony Wynn.

Moonscape (2012)

Anthology zine released at the Alpha: 2012 con in Burbank, California. Stories written by Charlene Scott, David Welle, Ellen Celeste Lindow, Michael Lindow, Meredith Kausch, Rebecca Eisenhuth, Robert E. Wood, and Terry S Bowers.

Alternate Moonscape (2014)

A zine featuring three stories by Terry S. Bowers gives further insight into the character of Pam Rose. Debuted at Alpha: 2014: The UK Chrysalis.

Artwork by Adrian Flores

APPENDIX FOUR: IN MEMORIUM

“To Everything That Might Have Been…To Everything That Was.”

IN MEMORIAM

FANS

ROSE MARIE BADGETT

MARY BLOEMKER

LINDA BUTLER

GEORGE EICHLER

MARE FITZGERALD

ANN HESTER

MICHAEL LINDOW

CANDACE OLSON

ROBBIE PERKINS

PHYL PROCTOR

CHUCK RAUE

JANICE SIMMONS

EILEEN SKIDMORE

MARY TCHIR

MARYLOU WILLEY

CAST/CREW

GERRY ANDERSON

SYLVIA ANDERSON

TONY ANHOLT

JOHNNY BYRNE

ROY DOTRICE

FRED FREIBERGER

PRENTIS HANCOCK

CLIFTON JONES

BARBARA KELLY

MARTIN LANDAU

ZIENIA MERTON

BARRY MORSE

CHRISTOPHER PENFOLD

SUZANNE ROQUETTE

KEITH WILSON

APPENDIX FIVE: FAN PHOTO GALLERY

Christine Hanzopolus, Keith Young, Jeff Smith, Bonnie Yoman, Larry McIrvin, Greg Stalnaker, George Ikler, Terry Smith

Becky Eisenhuth and Charlene Scott Robbie Perkins, Terry Bowers, and Bonnie Yoman

1978 Con guests. Clifton Jones, Martin Landau, David Prowse, Gerry Anderson, Nick Tate, and Barry Gray. Sue Cole is in costume.

Barry Gray, David Hirsh, and Gerry Anderson, 1978

The DC Delegation: Karen Cheshire, George Eichler, and Jenny Lobb

Isobel Hoy, Phyl Proctor, Eileen Skidmore, Rosie Badgett

Ellen Lindow, Charlene Scott, Becky Eisenhuth, and Judy Moore, LA 2012

Rosie Badgett, Prentis Hancock, and Anton Phillips, 2012

Terry Bowers, Jeff Smith and Bonnie Yoman, Springfield, 1982

Back row: Becky Eisenhuth, Greg Stalnaker, Rosie Badgett, Charlene Scott, George Eichler, Larry McIrvin First row: Janice Simmons, Terry Bowers, Bonnie Yoman, Terry Lemons, Robbie Perkins, Christine Hantzopulos. Columbus, 1980

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Anthony Wynn, Raja Thiagarajan, Charlene Scott, and Judy Moore, Burbank, 2025

My profound thanks to each person who took the time to complete the questions and provided pictures; without you, there would be no book. To Anthony Wynn and Ken Scott, your talents as editor and artist are the only reason this project is complete.

To those who created the show that we have all loved these last 50 years, without Gerry Anderson, the writers of the series, and the actors who brought the characters to life, none of us would have ever met. And 50 years later, we still gather to celebrate your creation.

We celebrate each year with: “To everything that might have been. To everything that was.”

We truly became: “All Aliens Until We Get to Know One Another.”

And to Margaret…. she made our stories possible.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charlene Scott, Ellen Lindow, and Anthony Wynn in Burbank, 2012

Charlene Scott is a longtime fan of Space: 1999. She had a career spanning over thirty years in the legal field. In retirement, she began travel blogging because of her passion for travel. You can follow her journeys at Roadrunner Journeys.com. She has also published two books.

She treasures her Space: 1999 family and hopes this book will preserve and honor the stories of the Space: 1999 family.