AP Films

AP Films or APF, later becoming Century 21 Productions, was a British independent film production company of the 1950s until the early '70s. The company became world famous with its imaginative children's action-adventure marionette television series – most notably Thunderbirds – produced for British independent broadcasting companies Associated-Rediffusion, Granada, ABC Weekend Television and Associated Television. At its height, the company employed more than 200 staff.

Origins

Established in 1957 by editor-director Gerry Anderson and cinematographer Arthur Provis, following the liquidation of their employer Polytechnic Films, AP Films ("Anderson Provis") was set up. They took with them producer Reg Hill, cinematographer John Read and secretary Sylvia Thamm (who would later become Anderson's second wife). The company was created with the intention of it becoming a conventional film production house.

With no commissions and funds running low, APF were approached with an offer of collaboration with children's author Roberta Leigh and her colleague Suzanne Warner to produce the puppet TV series The Adventures of Twizzle for Associated-Rediffusion. With some reluctance, the company took on the commission and the programme was such a success that it immediately led to a further collaboration with Leigh for the first series of Torchy the Battery Boy (also for Associated-Rediffusion).