Catacombs Reference Library
Space 1999 - SERIES ONE

The Lighting Cameraman

Frank Watts is the lighting cameraman on the series, arid it is something of an anniversary production for one of the most experienced of television-film cameramen. Production coincided with his 25th year in the motion picture business, which he entered at the age of 20 as a camera assistant on the lowest rung of the ladder - a "focus puller".

Although he has worked on feature films during his quarter-of-a-century in the industry, he is exceptional in that since quite early in his career, he has specialized in television films. Very few cameramen can beat his record of film series.

As a camera operator, he worked on such series as "Sir Francis Drake", "The Third Man", "Man of the World", "The Sentimental Agent" and "The Saint".

As a lighting cameraman,- he has been responsible for the photography on "The Baron", "Department S", "The Avengers", "The Champions", "Jason King", "The Adventurer", and "The Protectors", and he went to Canada for the film series of "The Last of the Mohicans.".

Frank was also cameraman on the second unit filming the Brian Keith-John Mills-Lilli Palmer-Barry Moree series "The Zoo Gang". He entered the films-for-television scene back in his days as a focus puller, when he worked on "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and "The Count of Monte Cristo". These were to a large extent responsible for his becoming interested in the specialized technique of filming for television of which he is now one of the greatest experts in Britain, if not in the world.

In photographing "Space 1999", he is working on a series for the third time with Barry Morse, who co-stars with Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. Mr. Morse has running star roles also in "The Adventurer" and "The Zoo Gang".

Frank is a member of the British Society of Cinematographers, and among his recent feature films has been the Roger Moore starrer "The Man Who Haunted Himself".

Hair

Michael Rassner, of Michaeljohn, has created the hair fashion for Barbara Bain in "SPACE 1999".

The famed British hair-stylist is the man who did Princess Anne's hair for her when she married.

He admits: "The Barbara Bain assignment was a difficult one. Her hair, as it is today, suits her so perfectly that I doubt if she will change it very much in the future - even in 1999! I had several things to bear in mind. One, that Miss Bain is portraying a girl stranded on the moon when it breaks out of orbit, and as she wouldn't have hairdressers around her she would need something simple that she could control herself.

"Two: it was necessary to keep to a style that would suit her own personality.

"Three: that it would be her own hair and not a wig - and that she would therefore have to be seen outside the studios as well as on the screen with whatever style I chose.

"This is the first time I have been asked to look into the future and, frankly, I wouldn't like to predict what styles will be popular next week, next month or next year, let alone a quarter of a century hence!"

He therefore created what he describes as "The Timeless Look".

"It is basically classical," he explains. "The colouring is very much Barbara Bain's own, but I have taken the silver of the moon to symbolize the setting by introducing blonde highlights which give a subtle lift for the hair.

"She is lucky. Her hair is fantastically lovely. It is thick, strong hair which falls beautifully.......a pleasure for any hairdresser to work on."

Barbara Bain professes herself to be delighted with the result!

The Music

The "Space 1999" title music has been composed by Barry Gray, who also conducts an orchestra of 55 symphonic musicians. Music is also supplied by Vic Elms and the China Group, who supply the pop element which adds to the big, futuristic sound.

Barry Gray has composed all the music for the science fiction series made by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson over a period of twelve years, and also for their feature film, "Doppelganger".