ThunderbirdsDavid was a perfect child.Just ask his mother. “If you have a perfect child,” she once said, “then you have a problem child.” One way to understand a child is through puppets.For David and his puppets, started the road of combining the perfect child and the problem child as one.
Like most children, there was wonderment in David towards puppets.His earliest memories of puppets were on television. TV programs like: The Ed Sullivan Show’s Topo Gigio, a Italian mouse puppet, given life by Maria Prego, who chatted with the show’s host and always ended the routine with Topo saying, “Kissa-me good night Eddie.” Also on the Ed Sullivan Show was Senor Wences’ puppets Pedro, a head in the box to just a voice inside the box saying, “S’OK?S’awright!” and Johnny, a true hand puppet. Johnny was a face drawn on Wences’ hand. By placing his thumb next to, and in front of, his bent first finger; the first finger would be the upper lip, and the thumb the lower lip. He would use lipstick to draw the lips onto the these fingers, and then draw eyes onto the upper part of the first finger, topping a tiny long-haired wig on top of the entire hand. Flexing the thumb would move the "lips." As a talented ventriloquist, the lighting discussion between Wences’ own voice and Johnny’s high falsetto voice was astonishing. It was as if Wences’ hand had its own vocal cords. 
Here’s Geraldine, hosted by Jim Stewart with the show’s star and namesake, Geraldine, a giraffe puppet and her friends, Pearl the Squirrel, J. Pierpont Crocodile, Virgil the Vulture, and Helen Hippo, who love to sing opera. The uncharacteristic stage for Geraldine and her associates appeared behind a crescent moon shape opening instead of the rectangle shape.
On Sunday nights, David’s family gather to watch Burr Tillstrom and his Kuklapolitan show titled: Kukla, Fran, and Ollie.
Kukla [Greek and Russian word meaning doll], who looked like a clown but wasn’t one with his red ball nose type, he was the serious puppet of the group; Fran, the only human in the show was the joyful voice and peacekeeper of the group; and Ollie, or as his full name Oliver J. Dragon, was the mischievous one-toothed dragon. 
Other Kuklapolitans were Cecil Bill, the stagehand who only spoke, “Too-too talk”; Madame Ophelia Ooglepuss, a retired opera diva who had a puss of a face. David’s favorites were, Fletcher Rabbit, the worrywart and complainer of the group, and Buelah Witch, an unconventional witch loving life on the inside but her outer appearance is as a conventional looking witch with a wart on her big long nose. Right picture:
Beulah Witchdiva; and Madame Ophelia Oglepuss, retired opera and diva Chicago's WGN-TV weekday early morning show, Ray Rayner and Friends, had a segment with a puppet named Cuddly Dudley. The Chicago Tribune newspaper, which owned WGN-TV, did a promotion advertisement which started the Cuddly Dudley segment. They gave new home subscribers a 28 inch tall stuff animal of a yellowish-gold cocker spaniel inside a color design box like Ray Rayner and Friends show’s doghouse. As Ray Rayner walked to Cuddly Dudley’s doghouse, he would sing:
We're off to Cuddly Dudley's house, he's cute as he can be. With his fur of gold and his nose as cold, he's cuddly as can be. He's got riddles and jokes and the fun that he pokes is never aimed at me. Here's the place that he lives and the name that he gives is Cuddly. While Ray Rayner would sit on Cuddly Dudley’s doorsteps, Cuddly Dudley would put on his oversized glasses and read the jokes sent in by viewers. During Christmas, when David was nine years old, Santa gave him his own Cuddly Dudley. It was too big to fit under the Christmas tree. David found Santa’s gift in the front room closet. 
Also on WGN-TV, was an after school show titled Garfield Goose and Friends. It all took place outside the King of United States', Garfield Goose’s castle. Frazier Thomas played the head guard or general who tried to understand Garfield’s foolish ideas. Garfield did not speak. Only the loud chopping sound made from his beak was heard. His silent speaking sidekick, Romberg Rabbit, had to translate for Frazier Thomas, the only character who talked on the show.
One puppet television program that had a big effect on David was Thunderbirds. David and his little brother Richard found this TV program by accident during one summer's Saturday afternoon while David’s father was at a Spanish speaking family’s home. His father was there to teach English, as long as they taught him Spanish. The three of them were visiting a south-side Chicago home of Emanuel and Maria.
Little Maria, their daughter, was a great babysitter for David and Richard during the visits, and visa-a-versa. Like her parents, she had olive skin, black hair, and dark brown eyes. She also had a bright smile and a contagious giggle. Having David and Richard around allowed their parent’s language lessons to go uninterrupted. Like Little Maria, the boys were not allowed outside the top third floor apartment for the neighborhood was loaded with street gangs and other troubles. Inside there was not much entertainment with Little Maria’s toys, and Saturday afternoon television had nothing of interest to children. Saturday mornings was the one and only time of the week for children’s television programming of cartoons. Just the same, the three of them explore the TV channels. Sports programs lined up the VHF channels of 2 through 11; Boring sports programs like tennis, golf, and bowling. David never understood the allure of bowling on TV. Participating in bowling is one thing, but just watching it is like taking a nap with your eyes wide open. Even the TV sports announcer spoke in a hush tone as if telling a bedtime story. “And he’s about to pick up his black bowling ball. Nope. He’s air drying his bowling hand over the blower. He’s now kneeling to viewing the bowling alley. I think he’s thinking up a strategy how to throw his bowling ball. Sleep. Sleep. Go to sleep already!” This new found show was titled
and David was hooked. He could not wait until next Saturday to watch the next episode. Even those Saturdays that his father did not go to the south side home of Little Maria, David and Richard would search for that weak channel 32, and when they found it, they would watch their show through much snow and static.
Thunderbirds follows the adventures of International Rescue , an organization run by the Tracy family that uses advanced machinery to save those in great danger throughout the world.Father Jeff Tracy, an ex-astronaut lead his five sons who pilot the Thunderbird machines. Thunderbird 1 ** 
Thunderbird 2 **
Thunderbird 3 **
Thunderbird 4 **
Thunderbird 5 **
FAB-1 **
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The Shari Lewis Show had Lamb Chop, a sock puppet as a playful lamb; Charlie Horse, a male horse who liked horsing around; and Hush Puppy, a southern accented dog. In the U.S., Lewis’ show, like most show that contained puppets, were viewed as for children only. She went to Europe where her show was view by adults as well. 
Kukla, creator Burr Tillstrom, Fran Allison, and Ollie
Many times Ollie's felt looking mouth got stuck and did not open correctly to his dialogue allowing comments for Ollie, “We’re not doing the ventriloquist act today!” Ollie, who had no hands, relied on Kukla or Fran holding the phone to his ear or obtain items from the stage. If Ollie needed Kukla not to run away, Ollie would use his mouth holding onto Kukla’s red nose while talking.Kukla response would be “Don’t talk with your mouth full.” 
And there was Gooney Bird from the 1968 Kenner Toy commercials. This flying bug-eyed puppet had an intention stare that looked right at the viewer. His motto was, “This bird means business!” For most folks, as well as for David, this was their first time seeing Jim Henson’s work. Years later, Gooney Bird was renamed Little Bird on PBS-TV’s Sesame Street.
Little Maria suggested UHF channel. At this time of television’s history, there were two channel tuners. One knob for UHF channels 2 through 13 plus a “U” channel. This “U” channel allowed the other knob to function for the UHF channels 14 through 83. Attached to the UHF knob was a fine-tuning knob, same style as an old radio knob, since these channels were of poorer quality and low signal strength. In fact, on the north side of Chicago, where David live, UHF channel were almost nonexistent.
Little Maria turned the UHF knob. A very faint channel 20, WXXW [changed in 1983 to WYCC], showed a talking teacher since this was one of the educational stations. She then turned to channel 26, WCIU [years later, 1970, birthplace of the ground breaking African-American music program Soul Train], that station had some religious program. Little Maria continue to turn the UHF knob. Through the buzzing and snow full TV screen they still carry on their wanting a kid’s program. Channel 32, WFLD, came in strong like a VHF station’s strength. There on Little Maria’s TV were marionettes. It caught all three children’s attention. A high speed rocket plane that is first responder to the rescue site and remote command center.
A large high speed transport of rescue equipment and may transport Thunderbird 4. 
A reusable rocket for outer space rescues and transport to Thunderbird 5. 
A yellow submarine for underwater rescue.
A space station that monitors all broadcasts and calls for help. 
International Rescue’s secret agent Lady Penelope’s pink Rolls Royce car with similar gadgets one might find in a
James Bond vehicle. 
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International Rescue’s base is on Tracy Island somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean. Tracy Island is heavily camouflaged looking as if only a rich millionaire family lives away from the rest of the world. The swimming pool would retract allowing Thunderbird 1 to launch from its underground hanger. Thunderbird 2 would exit out of an entrance door looking like a rock cliff. The palm tree lined road from the Tracy’s house to the seashore was the runway for Thunderbird 2. The palm tree would move outward to allow Thunderbird 2’s huge wingspan pass through. Thunderbird 3 launched from underneath an opening of the Round House section.
No model kits were used. There weren’t any. David made each of the Thunderbirds with masking and scotch tape, paper, cardboard, paper plates, staples, toilet paper cardboard rolls, and oil paints. His models caught likeness as if it was from a model kit. Thunderbird 4 was just masking tape rap up together to make its shape and painted yellow. Thunderbird 5 got its saucer section from paper plates. Toilet paper cardboard rolls made the main body of Thunderbirds 1 and 3.
He even made a bi-level simulation of the Tracy Island. With toilet paper cardboard rolls holding the ground level up on large rectangle thick cardboard. This level had a replica of the Tracy TV show’s home with mini palm trees that could be flipped outward from the drawn runway. Care was needed when filled with water; he used a plastic bowl for the swimming pool that retracts sideway exposing the underground hanger. The lower level of David’s art work was the hangers that held the Thunderbird machines.
He even made a bi-level simulation of the Tracy Island. With toilet paper cardboard rolls holding the ground level up on large rectangle thick cardboard. This level had a replica of the Tracy TV show’s home with mini palm trees that could be flipped outward from the drawn runway. Care was needed when filled with water; he used a plastic bowl for the swimming pool that retracts sideway exposing the underground hanger. The lower level of David’s art work was the hangers that held the Thunderbird machines.
David’s parents were in awe of David’s hidden talent. David’s father took door-to-door-salesmen on tour of David’s creations. One salesman, as well as other adults, recommended that they should encourage David artistic talents [Why they didn’t pursue this is unknown. It could have been that there were other things in David’s life that were more imperative. However, they never follow up with therapists stating that David has homosexual tenancies and they should encourage him. That’s another story].
With the help from his father, David wrote to the series creator Gerry Anderson at the British TV production company ITC. Through some international correspondences, and David’s first money order converted into British pounds, he purchased from ITC a matchbox type model of Thunderbird 2 with Thunderbird 4 inside, and Lady Penelope’s pink Rolls Royce car named FAB-1.
This hidden creative side pop out of David. These were only copies from a TV show. His real original creation came with Irving, Harvey, Baron, and Terry. This was where the real David started to pop out.
With the help from his father, David wrote to the series creator Gerry Anderson at the British TV production company ITC. Through some international correspondences, and David’s first money order converted into British pounds, he purchased from ITC a matchbox type model of Thunderbird 2 with Thunderbird 4 inside, and Lady Penelope’s pink Rolls Royce car named FAB-1.
This hidden creative side pop out of David. These were only copies from a TV show. His real original creation came with Irving, Harvey, Baron, and Terry. This was where the real David started to pop out.
**In 2004, Thunderbirds was made into a live action movie directed by Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Jonathan Frakes. Bill Paxton played father Jeff Tracy, and Ben Kingsley played the arch-villain The Hood. The above pictures of the Thunderbirds on the left side are the movie versions verse the right side 1960 TV versions. The movie’s version is updated and sleeker. Lady Penelope’s car, FAB-1, was changed from the TV’s Rolls Royce to the movie’s Ford. This was because the movie producers could not reach an agreement with Rolls Royce Company.
https://youtu.be/2K9rVRuehGU