Adventures in Sci-Fi

'UFO'

Graphite and putty eraser on 'Seawhite' cartridge paper/42 x 30cm (A3)

Following on from the previous entry, the drawing above also features among its cast of human subjects the actress Gabrielle Drake, on this occasion represented in character as ‘Lt. (Gay) Ellis’ as she appeared in the early 1970s British television series ‘UFO’, which I recall as being a particular favourite of my young self at the time, quite possibly to the point of obsession, as I know I numbered among my substantial collection of ‘Dinky’ toy cars (a definite obsession) the range of three vehicles that were merchandised from the show, including the gold car of the platinum blond 'Commander Ed Straker' (played by Ed Bishop), who forms the central figure of the trio depicted. The portrait to the right is of the magnificently and memorably-named Vladek Sheybal, in his role of ‘Dr Doug Jackson’, who, in a curious coincidence, is recorded as appearing in 10 episodes of the total of 26 produced, as is/was Gabrielle Drake, who I must admit I had no recollection of, unlike her role in the previously-referenced ‘Kelly Monteith Show’: apparently, Drake and Sheybal only featured in 2 episodes together, 1970’s ‘Kill Straker!’ and the following year’s ‘Ordeal’.

I think it’s highly-probable that the attraction to Vladek Sheybal’s name was the precursor to my undimmed devotion to those of East European football clubs, easily imaginable as it is that it should belong to, for example, the surprise Bulgarian Cup winners of 1973 who subsequently made an obscure appearance in the following season’s European Cup-Winners’ Cup, perhaps going out of that much-missed competition after a hard-fought and unlucky defeat to AC Milan at the Second Round stage.

Whatever, ‘UFO’, however deeply buried in the recesses of the mind and undisturbed for many years, maintains its presence in the memory and the Seventies project has allowed it to see the light of day once again.

By those curious connections the mind whimsically makes, of its own accord, Ed Straker’s dyed blond hair referenced that of Gary Numan, pictured similarly on the cover of Tubeway Army’s ‘Replicas’ LP from 1979. Now, this was something of a surprise at the time as I distinctly recall seeing Tubeway Army making what was quite possibly their debut appearance on ‘Top of the Pops’, performing ‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric?’ one Thursday evening during the Spring of 1979 - it sparked something of a pro/con debate in John Rogers’ English class in school the following morning, I’m back there in the room - featuring a jet black-haired Numan as the front man, and it is this memory that forms the inspiration for the following drawing in the project, represented from a still taken from a still of a ‘Top of the Pops’ broadcast. Vividly remembered days, of youth, indeed.

'Tubeway Army, 'Are 'Friends' Electric?', Top of the Pops', 1979'

Graphite and putty eraser on 'Seawhite' cartridge paper/42 x 30cm (A3)

As an aside, it’s worth mentioning that, despite both of these fond (I suppose) memories, my interest in science fiction withered early and it’s never been rekindled, it’s just one of those things I can find no way into or seem to have any desire to.