The Brighton Toy & Model Museum and Anderson Entertainment are appealing to fans and collectors to help shape a major new exhibition next year, celebrating the 60th anniversary of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.
The Captain Scarlet 60 exhibition will feature rare props, toys, models and memorabilia from around the world, and the museum is now inviting members of the public to come forward with items and stories that could form part of this unique celebration.
Opening on 10th July 2027, a day known to the Anderson community as ‘Captain Scarlet Day’, the exhibition will run for twelve months, and will include exclusive memorabilia from collections across the world to celebrate its 60th anniversary.
The exhibition is co-curated by renowned graphic designer and collector, Malcolm Garrett MBE, Toy Museum trustee and Captain Scarlet superfan, Steve Crump OBE, and the team at Anderson Entertainment, led by Jamie Anderson.
Jamie’s father, Gerry Anderson, is familiar to millions for his work on other classic shows such as the Supermarination series Thunderbirds, Stingray and live-action dramas UFO and Space: 1999. Thanks to him and a dedicated team of writers and a skilled production crew, Captain Scarlet, first broadcast on ITV from September 1967, enthralled its audience with its attention to detail, exciting stories and fireball explosions.
Gerry Anderson’s contribution to the industry was formally recognised in 2001, when he was awarded an MBE for services to the British film industry.
Set in 2068, Captain Scarlet centred on Spectrum, an organisation tasked by the World Government to maintain global peace and security. Its work takes a challenging turn, after a mission to Mars, which included Captain Black, mistakenly destroyed a Mysteron city complex. Using their powers of recreating matter, or “retrometabolism” the Mysterons, characterised by a deep and sinister voice, rebuilt their city, seized control of Captain Black – and vowed to destroy all life on Earth.
Across 32 half-hour episodes, the indestructible Captain Scarlet, transformed after an attack by the Mysterons, and alongside fellow Spectrum agents, fought to thwart the sinister schemes of Captain Black, now under Mysteron control.
The series featured a cast that was remarkably diverse for its time, including the fearless female pilots of the Angel fighter squadron and Lieutenant Green, the Trinidadian communications expert aboard Cloudbase, Spectrum’s aerial headquarters.
The show’s characters, imaginative technology, including the Angel Interceptors and armoured Spectrum Pursuit Vehicles, a thunderous soundtrack, and memorable title sequence art by comic artist Ron Embleton, one of the team who drew the character’s adventures for the weekly comic, TV21, alongside Mike Noble, helped make Captain Scarlet a resounding success. The show span out into an extensive range of merchandise, not just in Britain.
Nearly sixty years after its debut, the series continues to command a devoted following, new merchandise available from Anderson Entertainment, even spawning a reboot, New Captain Scarlet, also produced by Gerry Anderson, with an updated look and storyline.
![TV Century 21 (1965-69) 1-242 complete run. No 1 wfg Special Agent Identicode Decoder, No 155 wfg Captain Scarlet Album. Gerry Anderson's TV Century 21 achieved iconic status during its 1960s print run. This was largely due to the influence and deployment of the greatest artists of their day in its production. Frank Bellamy and Don Harley drew Thunderbirds, Mike Noble and Don Lawrence took turns at Fireball XL5 and Ron Embleton and Turner drew The Daleks, Stingray and Captain Scarlet. Even Dan Dare's legendary creator Frank Hampson drew Lady Penelope in issues 40-45 and the first few episodes of Fireball XL5. To our knowledge, this is the only complete run to come up for auction and the last 6 issues are notoriously hard to find | From The Woodard Archive of British Comics | No 1 has cream/light tan cover and pages [vg+], the free gift has a Special Agent's name & address neatly filled in. No 2 [vg], No 3 [fn-], 4-17 [fn/fn+], No 156: 2 ins lower b/cover cut-out [gd/vg], balance issues 18-242 [fn/vfn/nm] (242)](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/TV21-1-242-Complete-9.jpg)
Captain Scarlet 60 will see a raft of props, memorabilia, toys, studio scale models and collectables assembled for exhibit. The Captain’s many celebrity fans include Jonathan Ross, Chris Evans, Simon Cowell, David Baddiel, Sanjeev Bhaskar, and Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes, and a number of them have pledged to lend personal items to the collection.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with the Brighton Toy and Model Museum on this exciting exhibition,” says Jamie, “one which will bring together a raft of Captain Scarlet exhibits, indeed, some of which will surprise fans and visitors alike – illustrating just how influential Captain Scarlet has been on pop culture, fashion and music like never before”.
“This is a first for the Brighton Toy Museum and one that offers Captain Scarlet fans, along with those of other Gerry and Sylvia Anderson productions, a unique opportunity to enjoy the pop culture, aesthetics and imagery of the show,” says Jan Etches, Manger of the Museum, who is appealing for fans to contribute items to Captain Scarlet 60.
“With the opening event a year away, work now begins on drawing together the objects that are to be meticulously curated for display. We have a raft of materials we want to add to so are asking the public to get in touch If you have any Captain Scarlet memorabilia, toys or models in a backroom cupboard or a box in the loft!
“We’d love to see what we could exhibit, but what is more, we’d love to hear your experiences of the show; did you grow up wanting to be one of the female Angel pilots or were you behind the sofa, terrified by the voice of the Mysterons!?”
If you think you may have a Captain Scarlet rarity that might be ideal for this unique exhibition, get in touch with Jan Etches at janATbrightontoymuseum.co.uk (replace AT with @) – and tell them downthetubes sent you
Set into four Victorian cellars under Brighton railway station, the Brighton Toy & Model Museum boasts an incredible collection of more than twelve thousand items which tell the story of British and European toymaking. With the Captain Scarlet 60 exhibition, the Museum is looking to mount an engaging and educational experience for visitors of all ages.
Anderson Entertainment continues the work of Gerry Anderson, creator of Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Stingray and Space: 1999. Led by Jamie Anderson, it extends and expands the Anderson legacy, creating new productions, books, audio dramas, collectibles, home entertainment releases and events for fans worldwide.
If you think you may have a Captain Scarlet rarity that might be ideal for this unique exhibition, get in touch with Jan Etches at janATbrightontoymuseum.co.uk (replace AT with @) – and tell them downthetubes sent you!
• Brighton Toy & Model Museum is at 52-55 Trafalgar St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 4EB and online at brightontoymuseum.co.uk
• Anderson Entertainment is at gerryanderson.com | Captain Scarlet Merchandise
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as 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.
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