Editing Gerry Anderson (section)

===Live-action work===
Anderson's next project took the special effects expertise built up over previous TV projects and combined it with live action. Century 21's third feature film, ''[[Journey to the Far Side of the Sun|Doppelgänger]]'' (1969) (released internationally as ''Journey to the Far Side of the Sun'') was a dark, ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|Twilight Zone]]''-style sci-fi project about an astronaut who travels to a newly discovered planet on the opposite side of the sun, which proves to be an exact mirror-image of Earth, starring American actor [[Roy Thinnes]]. Although it was not a major commercial success, ''Doppelgänger'' was nominated for an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] for its special effects.

Century 21's return to television was the abortive series ''[[The Secret Service]]'', which this time mixed live action with Supermarionation. The series was inspired by Anderson's love of British comedian [[Stanley Unwin (comedian)|Stanley Unwin]], who was known for his nonsense language, 'Unwinese', which he created and used on radio, in film and most famously on the 1968 [[Small Faces]] LP ''[[Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake]]''. Despite Anderson's track record and Unwin's popularity, the series was cancelled before its first screening; Lew Grade considered that it would be incomprehensible to American audiences, and thus unsellable.

In 1969 the Andersons began production of a new TV series, ''[[UFO (British TV series)|UFO]]'', Century 21's first full live-action television series. This sci-fi action-adventure series starred American-born actor [[Ed Bishop]] (who had also provided the voice of Captain Blue in ''Captain Scarlet & The Mysterons'') as Commander Edward Straker, head of the secret defence organisation SHADO, set up to counter an alien invasion. ''UFO'' was more adult in tone than any of Anderson's puppet series, and mixed Century 21's signature futuristic action-adventure and special effects with serious dramatic elements. ''UFO'' was the last series made under the Century 21 Productions banner.

During production of ''UFO,'' Anderson was approached directly by [[Harry Saltzman]] (at the time co-producer of the [[James Bond]] film series with [[Albert R. Broccoli|Albert "Cubby" Broccoli]]), and was invited to write and produce the next film in the series, which was to be ''[[Moonraker (film)|Moonraker]].''<ref name="GAbio-149">Archer, Nicholls, pp. 149–150</ref> Collaborating with Tony Barwick to provide the characterisation, whilst he himself focused on the action sequences, Anderson wrote and delivered a treatment to Saltzman. Nothing ultimately came of it, and Broccoli and Saltzman proceeded to make ''[[Diamonds Are Forever (film)|Diamonds Are Forever]]'' (1971) and ''[[Live and Let Die (film)|Live and Let Die]]'' (1973) and, after co-producing 1974's Bond film, ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]'', the Saltzman-Broccoli partnership dissolved. Offered £20,000 for the treatment, Anderson refused, fearing that if he accepted he would not be at the helm when it was made; the next Bond film to be made was 1977's ''[[The Spy Who Loved Me (film)|The Spy Who Loved Me]].'' (This film used only the title of the actual [[Ian Fleming]] novel.) Anderson started legal proceedings against Broccoli for plagiarism of story elements but withdrew the action shortly after, nervous of the legal might lined up against him.{{citation needed|date=December 2011}} He relinquished the treatment, and received £3,000 in compensation.{{citation needed|date=December 2011}} A film version of ''Moonraker'' was eventually produced in 1979, but did not involve any of Anderson's material.

By the time ''UFO'' concluded, the relationship between the Andersons had deteriorated. Although produced under the aegis of a new company, Group Three Productions (the three being both of the Andersons and Reg Hill), Anderson decided not to work with his wife on his next project, the [[ITC Entertainment|ITC]] action series ''[[The Protectors]]''. It was one of Anderson's few non-original projects. Lew Grade himself was heavily involved in the programme, and cast both the lead actors, [[Robert Vaughn]] and [[Nyree Dawn Porter]]. The production was difficult for Anderson, who clashed with the famously difficult Vaughn.<ref name="GAbio-154">Archer, Nicholls, pp. 154–155</ref> There were also many logistical problems arising from the Europe-wide filming of the show, but it was very successful in both the UK and America and its theme song "[[Avenues and Alleyways]]" became a hit record in the UK for singer [[Tony Christie]]. It was also the first live-action series produced by Anderson to survive to a second season.