Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2001 11:18:00 -0000 From: d.thornhill@qub.ac.uk Subject: Re: Mike Mercury Survived Re the survival of the Supercar puppets. I bought the head's for Jimmy, Mike and Zarin. Mikes head alone cost about £1700. I also purchased the more or less complete Zarin puppet. None of the items that I have or had have been restored. I have lots of plans and no time. Building your own house sees to that. If I do ever get time to restore Jimmy or Zarin I intend to publish something on the work. At some point in the future I will be more than happy to provide some photos. I did take quite a lot of Mike when I originally purchased him. Unfortunately I seam to have lost them in our house move. When they turn up I will e-mail some to the group. As to Zarin and Jimmy, when I get my camera fixed I will take some new ones (broke camera at last Fanderson convention) The `Masterspy' head was purchased by Dave Finchet (probably spelt wrong). I have put Masterspy in quotes as although the head was originally that of Masterspy it had been converted for a character in Stingray. Where are they now? I still have Jimmy's head and both the head and full puppet for Zarin. Alas, Mike's head had to go to help fund the house I am building. To the best of my knowledge Mikes new owner does not belong to Fanderson or Supercar Club 2000. I have not seen the head since selling it about 3 years ago. Incidentally Jimmy's head is not the one that has been used to produce the complete puppet doing the rounds of the shows. Oh, I might also add that I managed to obtain a few original Supercar hands: Dr Beaker's and two left (or was it two right) hands for Mike. To the best of my knowledge Dave still has `Masterspy'. New topic: I keep hearing about Mike appearing in an episode of Stingray as a waiter. When I owned Mikes head I sat with it in my hand and step framed through the supposed episode. I can only say that the originator of this myth must have been blind. If Mikes head was used anywhere else I would suggest you look at the Scottish gentleman that appears in several XL5 episodes (Jock, I think). Admittedly some padding must have been added to the cheeks but the eyes and brows are spot on. Another new topic: Contrary to popular belief there must have been two sets of Supercar puppets. I spoke to Mary Turner about this a few years ago and we concluded that although there was only one sound stage, a second set of puppets was probably required for all the special effects shots. I still contend that Mike could have been used to produce Jock. There were almost certainly two Mike heads in fibreglass. The rework would not have been in plasticine, but probably in car filler of some type. This is the way that Masterspy was changed for Stingray. Barry Jones wrote: I totally agree that Mike Mercury was not re-used in Stingray, but I totally disagree that Jock was modelled on Mike's head. They both have long noses, but that's where the similarity ends in my book. Anyway, as I have stated before, please refer to Fireball XL5 episode "A Day in the Life of a Space General" and look at the postman when he delivers Lieutenant 90's letter of congratulation on his promotion. From the chiselled chin to his caterpillar eyebrows, it's Mike. If the shows were filmed in the order they were screened, Jock had already made a number of appearances. If I recall correctly, only minor "background" characters with no mouth movement required were occasionally re-modelled on "blank" heads in plasticine. Major characters were finished off in moulded fibreglass. Jock falls into the latter category, surely?