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Daily Mirror
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Doctor Who, Thunderbirds and Peppa Pig icon's staggering will uncovered
The iconic voice actor David Graham, known for playing key voices in shows such as Doctor Who, Thunderbirds and Peppa Pig left a staggering amount in his will following his death last year An iconic voice artist's will has been revealed following his death last year. David Graham died last year aged 99, leaving fans of Doctor Who, Thunderbirds and Peppa Pig devastated. And now, probate documents show the star left an estate with a net value of £1,235,001. The gross value rose to £1,242,770. His nephew Jonathan Smith is said to have been among the beneficiaries, receiving 20 per cent of the estate. It's said his will was made in 2010. His niece Elizabeth Rehfeld reportedly was given 30 per cent, while smaller percentages were left to the actor's friends. Among them were fellow Doctor Who star Christopher Benjamin. In a note to him, David said: "I would like Christopher to know that this small gift is a token of my gratitude for his devoted friendship to me throughout my professional life. Man has no better friend." Sadly, Christopher died in January this year, so he never had the opportunity to read the note. David also donated money to a number of charities. These included Prostate Cancer Charity, the Nightingale House Home for the Ages Jews, the North London Hospice, the Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture, Jewish Care, Save the Children Fund, World Jewish Relief and the Actors Benevolent Fund. David was the voice of Aloysius Parker, the butler and chauffeur in Thunderbirds. He also appeared in its film sequels, as well as being the voice of the Daleks in Doctor Who. More recently, he was best known for his voice as Grandpa Pig on kid's animation Peppa Pig. The character, married to Granny Pig, is the father of Mummy Pig and Aunt Dotty and was called "Papa Ig" by his grandson George. He also was heard on another kids show, Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom, shown on Channel 5. He voiced the characters of Wise Old Elf and Mr Gnome. He also had brief appearances in ITV's Coronation Street, The Bill and London's Burning and BBC dramas Doctors and Casualty. He had roles in a number of other drama, comedy, and crime shows, including The Saint and The Avengers. Anderson Entertainment and Jamie Anderson, the son of legendary TV and film producer Gerry Anderson, shared the news of David's passing last year on his late father's official social media account. Jamie, whose father created the science fiction television series alongside his wife Sylvia Anderson, described the late star as "a wonderful friend" who will be missed "dearly". Sharing the news of David's death on X, formerly called Twitter, the managers of Gerry's profile wrote: "We're incredibly sad to confirm the passing of the legendary David Graham. "The voice Parker, Gordon Tracy, Brains and so many more. David was always a wonderful friend to us here at Anderson Entertainment. We will miss you dearly, David. Our thoughts are with David's friends and family."
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Thunderbirds special episodes to get first physical release for 60th anniversary
Special episodes of Gerry Anderson's puppet sci-fi series Thunderbirds are to see their first-ever, physical release as part of the show's 60th anniversary. The three episodes, which were produced in 2015 for the show's 50th anniversary and released a year later, will be included in a new Blu-ray set compiling all of the show's episodes. Jamie Anderson, managing director of Anderson Entertainment and the son of the show's creator, said: 'The 60th anniversary of Thunderbirds is a remarkable milestone and after years of anticipation, we are beyond excited to finally present this original format release to our dedicated global fans who cherish these shows as much as we do. 'As the fanbase for my father's creations grows across generations, we are thrilled to be able to celebrate the ground-breaking legacy of his work with these special releases.' Anderson Entertainment has also announced plans to release similar collections of Gerry Anderson's other series including Space: 1999 and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. The new Thunderbirds release will see the episodes presented in high-definition in their original 4:3 format, with special features including interviews with the show's creators and insight into how the show was made. Initially released in the 1960s, the series, which uses electronic, marionette puppetry called Supermarionation, follows International Rescue, made up of the Tracy family, who are led by ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy. Thunderbirds sees the family embark on missions to save lives using futuristic land, sea, air, and space vehicles, which are housed in different parts of their Tracy Island home, with space rocket Thunderbird 1 launching from under the swimming pool. A live action film based on the series, called Thunderbirds, was later released in 2004, and features Vanessa Hudgens and Ben Kingsley, with the latter playing International Rescue's arch enemy, The Hood. The new set, which comes as part of an expansion of Anderson Entertainment's licensing agreement with ITV Studios, will be available from the Gerry Anderson Store and physical media retailers this year.
