Joe 90 (ITV 1968, Len Jones, Rupert Davies)

Supermarionation puppet series – from Gerry Anderon, the man behind Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Stringray – follows the futuristic adventures of nine-year-old boy Joe McClaine aka Joe 90, who works as an agent for the World Intelligence Network (WIN). He has special powers thanks to his adopted father, Professor McClaine, who has invented a machine which copies knowledge via brain patterns from various experts into the mind of his son. As a result, when Joe wears special glasses he can do anything from flying jet planes to performing brain surgery and so out-witting various villains along the way.

Memorable moment:
When Joe accidentally ends up with the brain pattern of a double agent, and then embarks on a mission to safe-guard WIN’s top secret codes.

Trivia:
Joe 90 was the last show to be made entirely using a form of puppetry called “Supermarionation”.

The machine that transferred brain waves was known as the BIG RAT: an acronym meaning Brain Impulse Galvanoscope: Record And Transfer.

The theme music was particularly fab too.

production details
UK / ITV – ATV – ITC – Century 21 / 30×25 minute episodes / 1968

Creators: Gerry and Sylvia Anderson / Music: Barry Gray / Producer: David Lane

voice cast
LEN JONES as Joe 90
RUPERT DAVIES as Mac
DAVID HEALY as Shane Weston
KEITH ALEXANDER as Sam Loover
SYLVIA ANDERSON as Mrs Harris