Editing Gerry Anderson (section)

==Death==
In June 2012 it was reported that Anderson had been diagnosed with [[Alzheimer's disease]].<ref name="BBC28June2012">{{cite news | title = ''Thunderbirds'' creator Gerry Anderson has Alzheimer's | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-18614483 | work =BBC News  | date =28 June 2012 | access-date = 28 June 2012 }}</ref> Anderson died in his sleep on 26 December 2012, at the age of 83.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-20845407 "Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson dies"] BBC News 26 December 2012</ref> The news was announced on his son [[Jamie Anderson (producer)|Jamie]]'s website, who wrote, "I'm very sad to announce the death of my father, Thunderbirds creator, Gerry Anderson. He died peacefully in his sleep at midday today (26th December 2012), having suffered with mixed dementia for the past few years. He was 83."<ref>{{cite news|author=Alexandra Topping |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/dec/26/thunderbirds-creator-gerry-anderson-dies |title=Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson dies aged 83 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=28 December 2012 |location=London |date=26 December 2012}}</ref>

Voice actor [[Matt Zimmerman (actor)|Matt Zimmerman]], who voiced [[Alan Tracy]] and supporting characters in ''Thunderbirds''. spoke to [[BBC News]] about Anderson's death praising his work saying "it's a big part of people's lives" saying also that "people speak of the shows with such affection, and I held Gerry with that kind of affection as well. I am very pleased to have known him and I feel very sorry for Jamie and his wife Mary."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20848297 |title=Thunderbirds actor's tribute to producer Gerry Anderson |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=1 January 1970 |access-date=28 December 2012}}</ref> [[David Graham (actor)|David Graham]] who voiced [[Gordon Tracy]], [[Parker (Thunderbirds)|Parker]], [[Brains (Thunderbirds)|Brains]] and [[Kyrano]] said it was "a very sad day".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-20845407 |title=Gerry Anderson, Thunderbirds creator, dies |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |access-date=28 December 2012 |date=27 December 2012}}</ref>

Tributes from across the world of television and radio poured in, among them TV presenter [[Jonathan Ross]], DJ [[Chris Evans (presenter)|Chris Evans]], comedian [[Eddie Izzard]] and actors [[Brian Blessed]] and [[John Barrowman]]. Ross [[Twitter|tweeted]] "For men of my age his work made childhood an incredible place to be." Blessed, who worked with Anderson on ''[[Space 1999]]'' and ''The Day After Tomorrow'' said, "I think a light has gone out in the universe. He had a great sense of humour. He wasn't childish but child-like and he had a tremendous love of the universe and astronomy and scientists."<ref>{{cite web|last=Lee |first=Ann |url=http://metro.co.uk/2012/12/27/gerry-anderson-tributes-pour-in-from-jonathan-ross-and-brian-blessed-3330204/ |title=Gerry Anderson tributes pour in from Jonathan Ross and Brian Blessed |date=27 December 2012 |publisher=Metro.co.uk |access-date=28 December 2012}}</ref>

[[Fanderson]] chairman Nick Williams paid tribute to Anderson by saying "To those who met him Gerry was a quiet, unassuming but determined man. His desire to make the best films he could drove him and his talented teams to innovate, take risks, and do everything necessary to produce quite inspirational works. Gerry's legacy is that he inspired so many people and continues to bring so much joy to so many millions of people around the world."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fanderson.org.uk/gerryandersonnews/ |title=Gerry Anderson News |publisher=Fanderson.org.uk |date=22 December 2012 |access-date=28 December 2012}}</ref>

The [[Humanism|Humanist]] funeral was announced for Friday 11 January 2013 at [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]] crematorium. His son Jamie went on to say that his father expressed his desire to let fans of the shows attend his funeral, alongside friends, family and cast members. Jamie also spoke about the number of messages sent by fans, saying, "We have been so touched by the outpouring of sympathy from all over the world. We have had messages from India, Uganda, Australia – and from people aged between seven to 70. It is so nice to know how my father touched people's lives across all the continents." Jamie went on to add, "But I'm proudest of him for the contribution he made to the Alzheimer's Society. He was so torn apart by his illness. But his involvement with the charity raised £1 million in just a year."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/News/Areas/Maidenhead/Fans-welcome-at-Thunderbirds-creator-Gerry-Andersons-funeral-02012013.htm |title=Fans welcome at Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson's funeral &#124; News in Maidenhead &#124; Get The Latest Maidenhead Advertiser News |publisher=Maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk |date=2 January 2013 |access-date=5 February 2013}}</ref>

Anderson was cremated, following a ceremony that brought together hundreds of colleagues, family and fans. Anderson's coffin was decorated with a floral [[Thunderbird 2]] as his body was taken into the service, where musical scores of the ''Thunderbirds'' theme tune and "Aqua Marina" from ''Stingray'' were played. Amongst the hundreds in attendance was car owner Melvin Jarvis, who drove to the service in a full-scale replica of Lady Penelope's [[Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit|Rolls-Royce]] [[FAB1]]. Also in attendance was Shane Rimmer, who voiced Scott Tracy in ''Thunderbirds''; he spoke about his time on the show, saying, "It was a truly unique experience. Gerry's office was like the Oval Office at The White House at times, such was the mystique of the place. ''Thunderbirds'' really broke a mould as it was one of the first TV shows that had appeal on both sides of the Atlantic."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20969525 |title=BBC News – Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson's funeral held |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=11 January 2013 |access-date=5 February 2013}}</ref>

The first episode of ''[[Strange Hill High]]'', "King Mitchell", was dedicated to his memory.

===Legacy===
On 25 March 2013, in an announcement on the official Gerry Anderson website, Anderson's younger son Jamie announced that a number of projects that Anderson had been unable to finish during his lifetime were being developed by his company [[Anderson Entertainment]] and would be financed primarily through [[Kickstarter]] crowdfunding.<ref>{{cite web|author=Jamie Anderson |url=http://www.gerryanderson.co.uk/new-gerry-anderson-shows-are-go/ |title=New Gerry Anderson Shows are GO! |work=Gerry Anderson |date=25 March 2013 |publisher=Gerry Anderson Online |access-date=25 March 2013}}</ref> On 27 July 2013 the name of the first Gerry Anderson legacy project was announced on the official Gerry Anderson website<ref>{{cite web|author=Jamie Anderson |url=http://www.gerryanderson.co.uk/gerry-anderson-gemini-force-one/ |title=Gemini Force One named |work=Gerry Anderson |date=8 July 2013 |publisher=Gerry Anderson Online |access-date=27 July 2013}}</ref> as a trilogy of novels entitled ''[[Gemini Force One]]''. The first novel, ''Black Orchid'', was published in 2014. In 2019 a pilot episode for a new puppet-based science fiction series based upon concepts developed by Anderson, ''Firestorm'', was released on [[YouTube]] by Anderson Entertainment. It uses a combination of hand- and electronically controlled puppets and green screen effects in an updated form of Supermarionation dubbed "Ultramarionation". Production of a full-length series was scheduled to begin in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|author=Anderson Entertainment |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT6gxlPrRJs  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/CT6gxlPrRJs| archive-date=11 December 2021 |url-status=live|title=The Evolution of Puppetry: From Supermarionation to Ultramarionation: FIRESTORM | date=16 January 2019 |publisher=[[YouTube]] |access-date=26 October 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>