Scott Tracy
Scott Tracy is a fictional character in Gerry Anderson's 1960s Supermarionation television series Thunderbirds, the subsequent films Thunderbirds Are Go (1966) and Thunderbird 6 (1968) and the TV remake Thunderbirds Are Go!. He is the pilot of the primary vehicle of the Thunderbird fleet, Thunderbird 1.[2] His specialist training is as a First Responder and Team Leader.
| Scott Tracy | |
|---|---|
| Thunderbirds character | |
The original puppet character | |
| First appearance | "Trapped in the Sky" (30 September 1965) |
| Created by | Gerry and Sylvia Anderson |
| Designed by | Christine Glanville (puppet sculptor)[1] |
| Portrayed by | Philip Winchester (2004 live-action film) |
| Voiced by | Shane Rimmer (original series) Rasmus Hardiker (remake series) |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | Pilot of Thunderbird 1 Rescue coordinator US Air Force pilot (formerly) |
| Affiliation | International Rescue |
| Family |
|
| Relatives | Grant Tracy (grandfather) Grandma Tracy (grandmother) |
| Home | Tracy Island |
Original series
Character biography
The eldest son of Jeff Tracy (founder and financier of International Rescue), Scott is named after American astronaut Scott Carpenter. Sources vary in the canon of the Thunderbirds series as to Scott's age and birth date. One written source suggests that Scott was born on 4 April 2000 or 2039, making him 26 years old.[3]
Educated at Yale and Oxford Universities, Scott was decorated for valour during his service with the United States Air Force before taking up his duties with International Rescue. As pilot of the quick response craft Thunderbird 1, he is usually first at the danger zone and typically serves as field commander on all rescue operations. He also takes on secondary duties as co-pilot of the spacecraft Thunderbird 3, is an occasional relief occupant of the Thunderbird 5 space station, and leads the organisation from Tracy Island when his father is absent.
Of the five Tracy brothers, it is Scott who keeps a cool head, and who is quick-thinking when the situation calls for it – particularly when he is at the receiving end of a gun or when the security of International Rescue is compromised. As the eldest brother, Scott nearly always assumes a leadership role during operations. Despite the secretive nature of their operation, Scott will often work with officials from rescue services, law enforcement, and other organizations who requests International Rescue’s aid.[4]
Scott Tracy is also one of the few members of International Rescue to have killed someone. He killed the evil Zombites in their pyramid hideout in "The Uninvited" (he also probably killed Gomez and Gillespie in "Move – and You're Dead"). The others are Gordon in "Operation Crash-Dive" and Alan in Thunderbird 6.
Background
Scott's likeness was based on actor Sean Connery.[5]
Along with Jeff and Virgil, Scott is the only other Tracy to appear in all 32 episodes of Thunderbirds, although he does not take part in the rescue operation in "The Perils of Penelope". He also does not play an active role in "Atlantic Inferno" as he was in temporary command of International Rescue.
The voice of Scott was provided by Shane Rimmer.[6]
Live-action film
In the film, he was portrayed by actor Philip Winchester.[7] Since the film focused on Alan Tracy, not much is known about this version of the character. According to Alex Pang's Thunderbirds: X-Ray Cross Sections, he is, like the original, the eldest Tracy brother at 24 years of age. He's also said to have "graduated from Wharton Academy [the school that Alan attends at the start of the film] with record grades", so far unmatched by his brothers, "a fact he constantly reminds them of".[8]
Remake series
In the 2015 TV Series, Scott is portrayed by Rasmus Hardiker.[9] Scott is still the eldest and most experienced Tracy brother and he is bold and fearless in action. He is also the team leader.[10] However, he also possesses a very short temper, as shown whenever a member of his family is at risk because of human error.
References
- ^ La Rivière, Stephen (2014) [2009]. Filmed in Supermarionation (2nd ed.). London, UK: Network Distributing. p. 172. ISBN 978-0-992-9766-0-6.
- ^ Thunderbird 1: Century 21 Tech Talk. 9 March 2019 – via YouTube.
- ^ Marriott, John (1992). "2". Thunderbirds ARE GO!. London: Boxtree. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-85283-164-6.
- ^ Thunderbirds Legends: The Tracy Sons & The Disaster. 21 March 2020 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Thunderbirds – The Characters". Fab1.co.nz. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- ^ Belam, Martin (29 March 2019). "Shane Rimmer, voice of Thunderbirds' Scott Tracy, dies aged 89" – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (5 February 2013). Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2007. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 9780740792199 – via Google Books.
- ^ Pang, Alex (2004). Thunderbird : the movie : x-ray cross-sections. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 9. ISBN 0-19-911249-5. OCLC 56436621.
- ^ "Thunderbirds Are Go! voice cast interviews". Den of Geek. 29 March 2015.
- ^ "Scott Tracy Image" (JPG). 40.media.tumblr.com. Retrieved 10 August 2015.