IMDb > "UFO" (1970)
"UFO"
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditsepisode listepisodes castepisode ratings... by rating... by votestv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsrecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

"UFO" (1970) More at IMDbPro »TV series 1970-1971


Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   407 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 14% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Contact:
View company contact information for UFO on IMDbPro.
Seasons:
1 full episode list
Release Date:
16 September 1970 (UK) more
Genre:
Sci-Fi more
Plot:
In the year 1980 the Earth is threatened by an alien race who kidnap and kill humans and use them for body parts... more
NewsDesk:
(16 articles)
Visual effects guru to command UFO film adaptation
 (From The Geek Files. 30 July 2009, 1:34 PM, PDT)

VFX Veteran to Direct Adaptation of ‘UFO’
 (From The Flickcast. 24 July 2009, 6:30 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
It does exactly what it says on the tin more (52 total)

Cast

 (Series Cast Summary - 9 of 55)
Ed Bishop ... Cmdr. Ed Straker (26 episodes, 1970-1973)
Mel Oxley ... Space Intruder Detector SID (25 episodes, 1970-1973)
Dolores Mantez ... Nina Barry (23 episodes, 1970-1973)

Michael Billington ... Col. Paul Foster (21 episodes, 1970-1973)
George Sewell ... Col. Alec Freeman (17 episodes, 1970-1973)
Ayshea Brough ... SHADO Operative (16 episodes, 1970-1973)
Keith Alexander ... Lt. Keith Ford (15 episodes, 1970-1973)
Antonia Ellis ... Joan Harrington (14 episodes, 1970-1973)
Gabrielle Drake ... Lt. Gay Ellis / ... (12 episodes, 1970-1973)
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Gerry Anderson's UFO (Australia)
more
Runtime:
45 min (26 episodes)
Country:
UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Australia:PG

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The only reason the girl on the moon has purple hair is because Anderson thought the color looked the best under the set's lights. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: Gravity on the lunar surface is actually 1/6 of Earth normal. The actor's movements and inertia are all wrong. more
Quotes:
Ed Straker: Hello, Miss Ealand. Hard at it?
Miss Ealand: I'm always "hard at it". Sometimes you notice.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Drawn in Supermarionation (2009) (V) more

FAQ

Where can I find answers to my UFO series questions?
more
24 out of 25 people found the following comment useful.
It does exactly what it says on the tin, 12 October 2004
Author: ubercommando from London

Everything you need to know about the show is contained in the opening credits; and they're some of the most eye popping and in your face since "Hawaii 5-0". Lots of quick cuts, flash frames, printouts and action shots showing you that aliens are attacking and that SHADO, Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organisation are on the case. All this is set to a thumping and groovy Barry Gray theme tune.

As a child, we loved the models, the action and the gimmicks. Sometimes we'd go to anywhere where there was a tube (like a waterslide or even a building site) and imagine us going down the chutes to enter our interceptors like the SHADO pilots did. As an adult, I never realized that under the mod fashions and shiny sets, there were some grim and downbeat stories in that show. Ed Straker was probably the first truly mean bastard to be a TV series main character. There was nothing he wouldn't do to stop the aliens, sacrificing his troops and even his family for the cause. Gerry Anderson said that Ed Bishop was the most talented actor he's ever worked with, and Bishop certainly is powerful in the role of Straker. Michael Billington was the man who might have been James Bond; he tested for the role 4 times and certainly you can imagine him in the part when you see him as Paul Foster here. Poor old Foster, every other week he was being set up by one side or the other.

The show has it's faults, what show doesn't? But UFO was a darker series than it's contemporary, Star Trek, because it had major characters arguing with each other, episodes where the aliens beat SHADO, personal tragedy and downbeat endings; all of which caused problems. A second series was going to be made, and the new moonbase sets were designed, new craft called "Eagles" were made when the network said that sci-fi set on Earth was a thing of the past; from now on it had to be about space exploration and lots of different aliens. So series two of UFO was canned and we got "Space:1999" instead. Ever feel short changed? The end credits of UFO were genuinely chilling which left the viewer feeling even more down! In the end, shows like "Blake's 7", "Babylon 5" and the new version of "Battlestar Galactica" owe a lot to Ed Straker and SHADO, with its charismatic yet ruthless characters, its interpersonal conflicts and humanity. My favourite episode? "Court Martial". Favourite line? Straker: "I'll listen to any reasonable suggestion, then I'm going to tell you how it's going to be"

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (52 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for "UFO" (1970)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
UFO Film In Development Bondbrain
Hints to aliens...... boromeo55
Confusion Hungerhill
Food for thought erikbeale
Cheap on DVD? wademeister
A Question of Prioriies stargazer1701-1
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers "Captain Scarlet" "Thunderbirds" "Space: 1999" Independence Day
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Episode guide Full cast and crew Company credits
External reviews News articles IMDb TV section
IMDb Sci-Fi section IMDb UK section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.

You may add a new episode for this TV series by clicking the 'add episode' button