The Production Guide
Martin Landau archives
Spin-off series

This is a letter from Lloyd Evans, the ATV group solicitor, to Peter Bennett, who managed the Landaus' contract. It is dated 29th June 1977, 6 months after the second series of Space: 1999 finished.

While the second series had been cancelled, ITC was exploring the possibility of a spin-off series. It would feature Maya as the lead character, with the Landaus and most of the other cast missing (Landau's agreement was needed to allow this). From clause 2, it is based on the moonbase, although the clauses 13.1 and 13.2 widen the scope to any recognisable props and "machinery" (such as spaceships). We can only speculate about the rest of the concept. Perhaps Koenig and Helena would have died, or gone to live on a planet, while a smaller number of Alphans remained on the moonbase. This sounds too close to the original series. The final part of the contract may indicate a spaceship, like Into Infinity, which could use a smaller cast and limited sets. It is possible Alan Carter and Tony Verdeschi would be part of the cast, but the actors were not approached.

By mid 1977, Fred Freiberger had returned to the US to story edit Quincy season 3. Gerry Anderson produced a Jif Alien Attack commercial and was developing ThunderHawks, an anime series for Japan closely based on Thunderbirds; he never remembered a spin-off and by mid-1977 was probably not involved. Brian Johnson and most members of the special effects team completed the Jif commercial and then moved on to ITC's The Medusa Touch. Many of the original crew were no longer available, so an entirely new production unit would have to be assembled.

In June 1977, Landau and Bain were still in London, as their children were finishing the school year, but would shortly return to the US.

Most of the models, props and costumes were on display at the Space City exhibition in Blackpool from March to October 1977. If the spin-off started production, the exhibition would lose a lot of this material.

Catherine Schell remembers being approached about the spin-off, and in her autobiography (2016) remembers a meeting about a Maya spin-off with Gerry Anderson and Fred Freiberger, apparently while Space: 1999 was still in production. It seems likely that ITC was keeping this concept alive, even after the producers had moved on.

The contract has an expiry date- the spin-off must start broadcast before 31st December 1979.

Mr Peter C Bennett
211 South Beverly Drive
Suite 108
Beverly Hills
California 90212
USA

29 June 1977

Dear Peter

"Space 1999"

I have just returned from holiday and had a long meeting with Martin which you said you would not object to. Following this meeting I have now obtained instructions that the spin-off clause which Martin found acceptable is also acceptable to us. To stop any argument I enclose a copy of this which is basically the introduction with the time limit, the agreed format, contents and your clauses 13.1 and 13.2 as amended by me. I believe we can now exchange the Agreement.

Yours sincerely

Lloyd H Evans
Group Solicitor

CC Mr M Landau

The contract was a single page.

For the purposes of this Agreement the term "spin-off" shall be deemed to mean any other series of television programmes which is based wholly upon or derived entirely from one or more elements of the format of the series and transmitted on or before the 31st day of December 1979 and for the purposes of this Clause the parties agree and confirm that the said format elements comprise the following:

1. Set in a time period which contains a reference in the title to the year 1999, or contains a reference in the opening narrative of the show to the year 1999

2. The principal characters living in a moonbase built by earth people on the moon which is itself travelling through space having broken away from orbit and

3. The principal or major continuing character being an alien being capable of changing its form but represented by a human female

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing the term spin-off shall also be deemed to include any other programme or series of programmes

13.1 based upon any character or characters whether the same or different names are applied to them who should from time to time appear as a principal character in the series

13.2 which utilizes any of the special equipment, props, machinery and/or devices of any nature, solely readily and immediately identifiable with its prior usage in the Series (as distinguished from special equipment, props, machinery and/or devices of any nature of similar genre common to a programme involving science fiction and/or travel in space).

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