Catacombs Reference LibraryBehind The Scenes Film
Catacombs Reference LibraryThis set of interviews was filmed by Mike Jackson of the ATV Promotion Department. Having been filmed on Thursday 5th August 1976, the interviews were edited and filed away, never to be broadcast. They were rediscovered by the fan club Fanderson and Kindred for their 1996 The Space: 1999 Documentary, and appeared in full as DVD extras on the Carlton DVDs (2001), A&E DVDs in the US (2002), and the Network Second Series DVD and Blu-ray (2015).
Until these documents surfaced in Martin Landau's archives, no-one knew why these interviews were conducted.
As the documents below reveal, it was prompted by concerns of Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Gerry Anderson and Fred Freiberger that there was little promotion of the second series in the UK.
Publicity for the second series was assigned to Pamela Godfrey of Davidson Dalling Associates Ltd. DDA was founded in 1970 by Dennis Davidson and Michael Dalling, with an office in Carnaby Street; it is now international, one of the major entertainment publicity companies. Pamela's role was to encourage newspapers and magazines to write features about the series and stars, and supply photos. As the letter below reveals, there was a critical limitation- her role did not extend to UK publicity.
gerry anderson productions limited
INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO MARTIN LANDAU and BARBARA BAIN
FROM GERRY ANDERSON
SUBJECT PUBLICITY
DATE 21st June, 1976.Following our recent discussion I have taken action which has resulted in the receipt of the copy letter attached hereto.
It looks as if we have started the ball rolling.
GERRY ANDERSON
c.c. Fred Freiberger
Based on this memo, the Landaus and Gerry Anderson had noted the absence of UK journalists and press coverage, and asked DDA; the response is below.
18th June, 1976
Dear Gerry,
Pamela asked me to write to you concerning our lack of involvement with getting SPACE 1999, YEAR TWO U.K. media breaks. Unfortunately, our brief from ITC precludes our working with the British press as this is solely the responsibility of the ATV Network press office.
Infact, we have been pushing lots of material through to the European, Australian and Middle/Far East countries as well as supplying vast amounts to ITC New York for dissemination there. As you know, Pam has been quite active in bringing overseas journalists to the Studio, but we really cannot bring U.K. journalists down unless there is a change in our instructions.
We have, however, taken the point up very strongly with David Withers and as he agrees completely he is trying to arrange an early meeting with ATV Network to find a solution to the present embargo on our work.
I hope that this clears up the matter as far as you, Barbara and Martin are concerned.
Kind personal regards,
Yours sincerely,
Denis A. Davidson.
Pamela Godfrey had escalated to the head of DDA, to make the political point that ATV was blocking them. David Withers was director of distribution at ITC and probably the most senior person under Lew Grade to make representations to ATV.
One month on, and ATV are now proposing a promotional film. Presumably this would be made available to regional or national arts magazines, like LWT's Aquarius (which later became The South Bank Show). There's no mention of a Keith Wilson interview yet.
27th July, 1976
Dear Gerry,
Thank you very much for your kind help and hospitality last week.
I should now like to outline our plans for a short promotional film on Space 1999.
On the morning of Thursday, 5th August, we intend to shoot sequences of Brian Johnson talking about some of the special. effects models and techniques as used in the show. Location - Bray Studios.
In the afternoon, we would like to film short pieces to camera from yourself, Fred Freiberger, Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, and Catherine Schell.
The form of our film will be a voice-over linking people involved in the series talking to camera about. various aspects of the show.
We would like to talk to you about the whole business of science fiction on television...it's scope, development and history ...and, in particular, how the subject will evolve on to a new high plane with the new series of Space 1999. That is, now the superbly accurate special effects, and logically futurised technology format will combine with strong story material concerning interaction with life forms from other galaxies.
We should like Fred Freiberger to talk about some of the new elements in the new series of Space 1999. In particular, the areas of story development and new characters featured in the series.
We would like to talk to Martin Landau about taking part in a science fiction drama. How does it compare to acting in contemporary or historical settings? How seriously does he take the role? Can he identify with the problems generated in the Space 1999 stories.
To Barbara Bain, we would like to talk about her relationship to Martin in both real life and the series. What is it like to be the first featured lady of space? What will we see her doing in the new series.
We would also like to talk to Catherine Schell about her role in the new series. We should like her to tell us about her character, and what happens to her in the show.
We intend shooting in a free corner of one of the stages, preferably the stage that is not in use for Space 1999 shooting. in the afternoon of 5th August 1976.
I will sit beside the camera, and ask questions where appropriate during the filming. It is our intention to subsequently combine the pieces to camera with clips from the series demonstrating some of the aspects of the show that have been talked about.
I should like to call at your office on the afternoon of 4th August, to finalise these arrangements, and, if possible, briefly meet Martin, Barbara and Catherine, in order to brief them personally about the filming. I will, of course, be most grateful if you can inform them in advance of our plans as outlined above.
Look forward to seeing you again.
Yours sincerely,
MIKE JACKSON
Promotion Department ATV Network Limited
MJ/ST 27.7.76
While publicity was welcome, it would necessarily interrupt the normal filming of the show. This memo was from associate producer Frank Sherwin Green. It was a particularly sensitive time (this memo dramatically states "life will be difficult enough for our survival"). In order to catch up on the schedule, two episodes would be filmed simultaneously: on the filming day, Thursday 5th August, A Matter of Balance was starting the first day, while The Beta Cloud was on the final day, with Space Warp starting on Friday. Meanwhile, Brian Johnson was filming scenes for Seed of Destruction.
As Green points out, even if an episode isn't filming on a stage, the production crew under Donald Toms were tearing down an old set and building the replacement. The advantage they had was exterior filming on the studio paddock lot, for the Sunim temple sequences of A Matter of Balance.
gerry anderson productions limited
INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO GERRY ANDERSON
FROM FRANK GREEN
SUBJECT ATV SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FILM "SPACE 1999" - SERIES II
SHOOTING DATE: Thursday 5th August.DATE 29th July 1976
I have circularised the letter from Mike Jackson regarding the above promotional film, and I am asking Mike, Keith Wilson and Donald Toms to be present at the pre-production meeting in your office at 2.30 on Wednesday 4th August.
It so happens that the chosen shooting date for this promotional film coincides with the commencement of our double-up episodes and life will be difficult enough for our survival, without added problems. Therefore it must be explained to Mike Jackson that we shall obviously give him the fullest co-operation, but his work will have to be shot "off the cuff" especially with the artists' interviews.
I mention this in view of the fact that Mike is asking to shoot on a stage that is not in use, which would obviously affect our building programme and require an additional studio floor shooting crew to arrange and light whatever is required. This problem can be sorted out at our meeting, but this is an advance warning.
Thank you.
Copies: Keith Wilson Donald Toms David Lane Mike Jackson
Fred Freiberger, Brian Johnson, Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Catherine Schell.
Having encouraged ATV to promote the series with this film, ATV buried the film, and UK press mostly ignored the second series. Gerry would complain about it in an interview with the Daily Express (September 1977)
Space: 1999 copyright ITV Studios Global Entertainment