Flight Path (UFO)
"Flight Path" is the fifteenth episode aired of the first series of UFO - a 1970 British television science fiction series about an alien invasion of Earth. The screenplay, originally entitled "The Sun Always Rises", was written by Ian Scott Stewart and the director was Ken Turner. The episode was filmed between 26 May to 5 June 1969 and aired on the ATV Midlands on 20 January 1971. Though shown as the fifteenth episode, it was actually the third to have been filmed.[1][2]
"Flight Path" | |
---|---|
UFO episode | |
Episode no. | Episode 15 |
Directed by | Ken Turner |
Written by | Ian Scott Stewart |
Editing by | Len Walter |
Production code | 3 |
Original air date | 20 January 1971 |
Guest appearances | |
| |
The series was created by Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson with Reg Hill, and produced by the Andersons and Lew Grade's Century 21 Productions for Grade's ITC Entertainment company.[3]
Story
Carol, the wife of Paul Roper, a Moonbase operative, is being threatened by Dawson, a SHADO medical operative under alien control. Roper is blackmailed into feeding false information into SID - the satellite that tracks incoming UFOs. The information being sent to SID will allow a UFO to attack Moonbase using heavy sunspot activity as cover. However, SID reports that some of Roper's data is incorrect - either accidentally or deliberately.
Carol is attacked by Dawson, and both are killed. Roper, to defend Moonbase travels out onto the lunar surface with a rocket launcher. He manages to destroy the incoming UFO but the resulting explosion punctures his space suit and he dies from oxygen starvation.[4]
Regular cast
- Ed Bishop — Commander Edward Straker
- George Sewell — Col. Alec E. Freeman
- Gabrielle Drake — Lt. Gay Ellis
- Peter Gordeno — Capt. Peter Carlin
- Dolores Mantez — Lt. Nina Barry
- Antonia Ellis — Lt. Joan Harrington [5]
- Ayshea — Lt. Ayshea Johnson
Production notes
Locations used for the filming included Neptune House at ATV Elstree Studios, Borehamwood.
References
- "UFO Episode Guide - Mindbender". Fanderson. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- "UFO Characters - Mindbender". SHADO Library. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- "Underappreciated TV: UFO". Den of Geek. 4 January 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- Bentley, Chris (10 January 2003). The Complete Book of Gerry Anderson's UFO. Reynolds & Hearn. p. 44. ISBN 978-1903111659.
- "SHADO Moonbase Personnel".