Fireball XL5 is a science fiction-themed children's television show following the missions of spaceship Fireball XL5, commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac of the World Space Patrol. The show was produced in 1962 by husband and wife team Gerry and Sylvia Anderson through their company APF, in association with ATV for ITC Entertainment. While developing his new show, Anderson thought a brand of motor oil—Castrol XL—had an interesting sound. A phonetic change created the name "Fireball XL", with the "-5" added as the title seemed a bit flat without the numeral. The show featured the Andersons' Supermarionation, a form of puppetry first introduced in Four Feather Falls and Supercar and used again in their subsequent productions such as Stingray and Captain Scarlet. Thirty-nine black and white half-hour episodes of Fireball XL5 were made on 35mm film: all future Anderson series were produced in colour. Several Anderson series have been shown in syndication in the US, but Fireball XL5 is the only Anderson series to have run on a US network. NBC ran the series in its Saturday morning children's block from 1963 through to September 1965. A similar programme often confused with Fireball XL5 is Space Patrol, produced by Gerry Anderson's ex business partner and co-founder of AP Films, Arthur Provis due to a number of similarities and settings.
Title | Air Date | Duration | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Season 1 | Episode 1 | Planet 46 | 1962-10-28 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 2 | The Doomed Planet | 1962-11-04 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 3 | Space Immigrants | 1962-11-11 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 4 | Plant Man from Space | 1962-11-18 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 5 | Spy in Space | 1962-11-25 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 6 | The Sun Temple | 1962-12-02 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 7 | XL5 to H2O | 1962-12-09 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 8 | Space Pirates | 1962-12-16 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 9 | Flying Zodiac | 1962-12-23 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 10 | Space Pen | 1962-12-30 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 11 | Space Monster | 1963-01-06 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 12 | The Last of the Zanadus | 1963-01-13 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 13 | Planet of Platonia | 1963-01-20 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 14 | The Triads | 1963-01-27 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 15 | Wings of Danger | 1963-02-03 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 16 | Convict in Space | 1963-02-10 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 17 | Space Vacation | 1963-02-17 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 18 | Flight to Danger | 1963-02-24 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 19 | Prisoner on the Lost Planet | 1963-03-03 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 20 | The Forbidden Planet | 1963-03-10 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 21 | Robert to the Rescue | 1963-03-17 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 22 | Dangerous Cargo | 1963-03-24 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 23 | Mystery of the TA2 | 1963-03-31 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 24 | Drama at Space City | 1963-04-07 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 25 | 1875 | 1963-04-14 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 26 | The Granatoid Tanks | 1963-04-21 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 27 | The Robot Freighter Mystery | 1963-04-28 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 28 | Whistle for Danger | 1963-05-05 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 29 | Trial by Robot | 1963-05-12 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 30 | A Day in the Life of a Space General | 1963-05-19 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 31 | Invasion Earth | 1963-05-26 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 32 | Faster Than Light | 1963-06-02 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 33 | The Day the Earth Froze | 1963-06-09 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 34 | The Fire Fighters | 1963-06-16 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 35 | Space City Special | 1963-06-23 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 36 | Ghosts of Space | 1963-06-30 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 37 | Hypnotic Sphere | 1963-07-07 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 38 | Sabotage | 1963-07-14 | 30 min |
Season 1 | Episode 39 | Space Magnet | 1963-07-21 | 30 min |
Production | Reg Hill | Associate Producer |
Production | Arthur Provis | Producer |
Production | Gerry Anderson | Producer |