19 Facts About Sylvia Anderson

Sylvia Beatrice Anderson was an English television and film producer, writer, voice actress and costume designer, best known for her collaborations with Gerry Anderson, her husband between 1960 and 1981.

Sylvia Anderson regularly directed the fortnightly voice recording sessions, and provided the voices of many female and child characters.

Sylvia Anderson helped develop the shows and characters, in particular creating the iconic characters of Lady Penelope and Parker in Thunderbirds.

Sylvia Anderson was born in Camberwell, London, England on 25 March 1927.

Sylvia Anderson's father, Sidney Thomas, was a champion boxer, and her mother, Beatrice, a dressmaker.

Sylvia Anderson emigrated to the United States to live with her first husband, Jack Brooks, an American golfer.

Sylvia Anderson returned to the United Kingdom in 1955 with her daughter.

Sylvia Anderson joined the newly founded and short-lived Polytechnic Films as an office assistant in 1957.

Sylvia Anderson worked on these projects as a production assistant.

Sylvia Anderson was aware that Grade intended to sell the show to American TV networks and wanted to make the show appealing to American audiences, hence she introduced the "British aristocrat" character of Lady Penelope, and Parker her "Cockney chauffeur".

Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward, an aristocratic fashionista who was an undercover agent, was to become one of her most popular characters; Sylvia Anderson both created the character and provided her voice.

Sylvia Anderson was co-creator with Gerry Anderson for the series UFO on which she co-produced, was responsible for fashions on the show and did the majority of the casting.

Gerry announced his intention to separate on the evening of the wrap party, following which Sylvia Anderson ceased her involvement with the company, which by this time had twice been renamed and was now called Group Three.

In 2013, Sylvia Anderson worked with her daughter Dee, a jazz singer, on a concept for a new TV series named The Last Station.

In 2015, Anderson briefly returned to the Thunderbirds universe, when she guest-starred in an episode of the reboot TV series, Thunderbirds Are Go, as Great Aunt Sylvia, a relative of Lady Penelope.

Sylvia Anderson was known for her charity work, particularly in support of Breast Cancer Care and Barnardo's.

In 2015, Sylvia Anderson travelled to Italy to receive a Pulcinella Award in recognition of her career in television production.

In 1946, Sylvia Anderson married Jack Brooks, with whom she had a daughter, Dee.

Sylvia Anderson died from an intracerebral haemorrhage at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough on 15 March 2016, aged 88.