“Dan Dare” spaceship prop offered for sale from abandoned ATV TV series

By John Freeman on January 11, 2021

Captain Zep's "Zep One", a prop originally designed for a Dan Dare project by Bill Pearson. Image: The Prop Gallery — *Captain Zep’s “Zep One”, a prop originally designed for a Dan Dare project by Bill Pearson. Image: The Prop Gallery*

An original prop used in the production of Captain Zep – Space Detective, the 1983 children’s science fiction television series produced by the BBC, currently on sale from the Prop Gallery, started life as a model for use in an abandoned Dan Dare project.

Produced by the BBC between 1983 and 1984, Captain Zep – Space Detective was constructed as part drama and part quiz game. It featured mysteries that would be solved by the child audience in the studio, along with a write-in competition for viewers.

The series, which has never been released on DVD, was also notable for its combination of live action and animation, where the cast would interact with drawn alien characters amidst drawn backgrounds, the work of Ray Ogden.

Production Design Visuals & Storyboard Frames, Captain Zep - Space Detective by Ray Ogden — *Production Design Visuals & Storyboard Frames, Captain Zep – Space Detective by Ray Ogden*

The miniature offered by the Prop Gallery was built by noted modelshop supervisor and model and prop maker Bill Pearson, who died last year, for an aborted Dan Dare project of the early 1980s and subsequently became the Zep One filming miniature used throughout the BBC series which was shot in motion control under BBC Visual Effects Department designer Jim Francis.

Captain Zep's Zep One, a prop designed by Bill Pearson, as it appeared on screen — Captain Zep’s Zep One, a prop designed by Bill Pearson, as it appeared on screen

Paul A. de Savaray owned both the TV and film rights to the Dan Dare character, and continued to do so into the 1980s. However, while the Prop Gallery description of the prop suggests it as being created for the feature film, as far as we’re aware, no model work was commissioned as the project never made it taht far in terms of development.

The style of the model suggests it’s far more likely this is an item intended to feature in the abandoned ATV Dan Dare TV series, as an online archive of Bill Pearson’s model work compiled by Rob McLane includes models built by Martin Bower for that planned show. Bill was Martin’s partner in Bowerhouse Model Associates, where they worked on projects such as the feature film, Outland.

The Prop Gallery notes the miniature, measuring approximately 21″ long and 15.5″ at its widest point including stand, is constructed largely from EMA plastics and is heavily detailed with various kit parts, tape and decals in typical Pearson fashion with a weathered orange paint finish, it features threaded holes to the rear, side and underneath to enable the miniature to be rigged for filming.

• View the Zep One prop here on The Prop Gallery

• An online archive of Bill Pearson’s model work compiled by Rob McLaine

• downthetubes: The Lost Dan Dare TV Series

• Captain Zep designer Ray Ogden is online at Rayogden.com

While accepting occasional illustration commissions, Ray now concentrates on adding to his range of limited edition prints and children’s book projects.

• The theme to Captain Zep Space Detective was released by BBC Records in 1983, credited to “The Spacewalkers”, former members of The Banned

• The “Adagio” music used during Captain Zep “auditorium scenes” by Dick Mills features on Off Beat Sound Effects | Interview with Dick Mills here

• Tim Worthington has a background feature on Captain Zep here

With thanks to Neil Kent

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.