Gerry Anderson, creator of a host of childhood TV favourites from the 1960s and 1970s, has died at the age of 83, it has been announced.

His puppet-led TV shows included Thunderbirds, Stingray, Joe 90, UFO, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and Fireball XL5. In 1975, he created his first SF series using actors rather than puppets – Space: 1999, which starred Martin Landau, Barbara Bain and Barry Morse.

Read the BBC obituary HERE

And The Guardian obituary HERE

SF Scope has listed the SFFH winners at the 64th Annual Emmy Awards. American Horror Story, Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead all won awards. Game of Thrones took six awards in the “creative arts” categories.

For a full list, see HERE

American Horror Story has picked up 17 nominations for the 64th annual Emmy Awards. It has been nominated in the following categories:

• Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Connie Britton as Vivien Harmon)
• Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Frances Conroy as Moira)
• Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a movie (Jessica Lange as Constance Langdon)
• Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Denis O’Hare as Larry Harvey)
• Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie (“Open House” [Part 7])
• Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie (Part 1)
• Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special
• Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special
• Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a Movie
• Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Movie
• Main Title Design
• Makeup for a Miniseries or a Movie (Non-Prosthetic)
• Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special
• Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (“Piggy, Piggy”)
• Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie (“Piggy, Piggy”)
• Stunt Coordination

Other genre TV series picking up nominations include Grimm (1 nomination), Game of Thrones (12 nominations) and The Walking Dead (3 nominations).

The Awards will be presented on Sunday 23 September 2012 during a ceremony in the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

For a full list of all nominees go HERE

Telos Publishing have two new releases available now. Ape-Man: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to 100 Years of Tarzan by Sean Egan, covers the Tarzan phenomenon from beginning to end. Telos Movie Classics: Hulk by Tony Lee is the first in a projected series of film guides focussing on cult and other films of interest. The Telos Movie Classics guides are intended to be: “A series of guides to some of the most talked-about films ever produced. From classics and acclaimed features to lesser-known or overlooked works, but all deserving of critical appraisal.”

About Ape-Man, the Telos website states: “This book traces Tarzan’s history in prose, film, comic strips, comic books, radio, stage, television, computer games and merchandise, charting the rise of one of the most popular and iconic characters in fiction. Included is the last ever interview with Danton Burroughs (grandson of Edgar Rice Burroughs), plus exclusive comments from Michael Moorcock, Hugh Hudson, R.A. Salvatore and the oldest surviving screen Tarzan, Denny Miller, amongst many more. The book also examines the massive changes in public attitudes towards Africa, race, hereditary peers and wildlife conservation that may finally deal Tarzan the fatal blow that any number of sinister safaris and high priests of mysterious lost cities failed to.”

About Hulk: “From its 1962 comicbook origins in The Incredible Hulk by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, director Ang Lee’s classic movie Hulk (2003) updates and reinvents the story of how scientist Bruce Banner is transformed into a giant rage monster, and becomes a new antihero for the 21st century …. This book reviews the movie’s narrative complexity and its varied genre elements – including science fiction, tragic drama, action thriller, doomed romance, and modern fairytale – and studies the mythological references, realised by an artistically innovative editing style and groundbreaking visual effects.”

Full details at the Telos website HERE

Actor Richard Lynch has died at his home in California at the age of 76. He was a regular horror movie “villain”, appearing in films including Scarecrow (1973), Bad Dreams (1988) and Rob Zombie’s 2007 remake of Halloween. His last role was in Zombie’s upcoming film, The Lords of Salem, due to be released later this year.

Lynch also appeared in numerous TV SF series such as Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

Read the BBC report HERE

There were several ‘genre’ winners at the 2012 British Academy Television Awards, held at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 27 May.

As previously announced, Steven Moffat (Doctor Who, Sherlock) received a special BAFTA for his “outstanding creative writing contribution to television”. Sherlock also scooped an award when Andrew Scott won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Sherlock’s arch nemesis Moriarty.

The recently cancelled fantasy horror series The Fades won Best Drama Series, while the darkly comedic drama Psychoville won the Best New Media Award.

A full list of all the winners can be found HERE

Photo (c) BBC

Jonathan Frid, the Canadian actor best known for playing the lead role of Barnabas Collins in the 1960s vampire ‘soap opera’ Dark Shadows, has died at the age of 87.

Frid made many stage, film and TV appearances during his career, but it was his Dark Shadows role that turned him into a household name and kept him busy throughout his career with reunions and fan events.

His other credits include the 1973 TV movie The Devil’s Daughter, co-starring Shelley Winters, and Oliver Stone’s directorial debut, Seizure. He also starred in the Broadway revival of Arsenic and Old Lace in the 1980s.

The role of Barnabas Collins is to be played by Johnny Depp in the forthcoming Tim Burton film adaptation of Dark Shadows, due in cinemas in May 2012. Frid makes a cameo appearance in the film. His character meets Depp’s character in a party scene along with two other original actors from the show.

Read the BBC obituary HERE

Photo (c) ABC/Associated Press

The BBC has reported that Steven Spielberg’s SF drama Terra Nova – shown on Sky 1 in the UK – has been cancelled after just one season by 20^th Century Fox TV, due to lower viewing figures than had been hoped for. It is understood that Fox will try to sell it to another network.

Read the full BBC story HERE

The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror Films has announced the nominees for its 38th annual Saturn Awards. Leading contenders in film include Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hugo, The Adjustment Bureau and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. TV nominations include Doctor Who, Torchwood: Miracle Day, Being Human and American Horror Story. The winners will be announced on 20 June 2012.

In additon to the Saturn Awards, filmmaker Martin Scorsese will receive The George Pal Memorial Award in recognition of his career achievements.

Full story HERE

Peter Halliday, the actor who starred as Dr John Fleming in the BBC’s A for Andromeda series in 1961, has died at the age of 87. A well-known and highly-respected character actor, Halliday played numerous roles in TV, film and theatre throughout his career, including in Doctor Who, Nigel Kneale’s Beasts, Madhouse with Vincent Price, Out of the Unknown and The Avengers.

Read the BBC’s obituary HERE

Still from A For Andromeda (c) BBC