Thirty-nine episodes were produced between 1961 and 1962.
Contrary to popular believe, there were actually THREE series of 13 episodes of Supercar produced, albeit the
second series followed right after filming of the first season. However the production was covered by three
seperate production agreements of 13 episodes.
The proper title of the series is “Mike Mercury in Supercar” and not just “Supercar” as it has become known as.
Again this is as stated in the production agreements for the series.
The creation of the show was by Syliva Anderson who had previously written a selection of stories that she sent to the publishers Collins,
following stories they previously had published for Four Feather Falls, that Sylvia also wrote. The series also incorporates elements of Beaker’s Bureau, a series proposed to the BBC by writer Hugh Woodhouse that was never produced.
Sylvia’s original stories were entitled “Mike Mercury and his Amazing Car”, and she recalled these back from Collins the publishers so that AP Films could turn them into a series proposal to ATV’s Lew Grade.
It was the first half-hour series made by AP Films.
In the UK it debuted on ITV on the 28th January 1961 and in the US in syndication a year later in January 1962.
The first series to have the screen credit for Supermarionation
The plot of the show centred around Supercar, a vertical-takeoff-and-landing craft invented by Prof. Rudolph Popkiss and Dr. Horatio Beaker,
and piloted by Mike Mercury. On land it rode on a cushion of air rather than wheels.
Jets in the rear allowed it to fly like a jet and retractable wings were incorporated in the back of the car.
Retrorockets on the side of the car slowed the vehicle.
The car used “Clear-Vu”, which included an inside television monitor allowing the occupant to see through fog and smoke.
The vehicle was housed in a laboratory and living facility at Black Rock, Nevada, U.S.
In the show’s first episode, “Rescue”, the Supercar crew’s first mission is to save the passengers of a downed private plane.
Two of the rescued, young Jimmy Gibson and his pet monkey, Mitch, are invited to live at the facility and share in the adventures.