Reg Hill

Reginald Eric Hill (16 May 1914 – 31 October 1999)

Employed by Lew Grade In 1962, AP Films was bought by Associated Television director Lew Grade, and in 1966 was renamed "Century 21 Productions". Grade's purchase of AP Films was immediately followed by Supercar, for which Hill designed the characters, vehicles, and sets, and also wrote a number of episodes. This set the tone for future productions and Anderson's move into science-fiction adventure TV series.

A line of successful puppet and live-action TV series followed: Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Joe 90, The Secret Service (which combined puppetry with live action), and UFO (produced mostly in live action). During this time, whilst taking on various roles as art director, producer and executive producer, Hill continued to be involved in series concepts and vehicle, character and set design.

Additionally, Hill contributed to the Thunderbirds films Thunderbirds Are Go (1966) and Thunderbird 6 (1968). He worked as a designer on Doppelgänger (1969), also known by the title Journey to the Far Side of the Sun.

In 1972, a new independent production company was formed named "Group 3 Productions" (named after its three founders: Gerry Anderson, Sylvia Anderson, and Hill), which developed and produced The Protectors and Space: 1999. The company later evolved into "Gerry Anderson Productions" in 1975 for the production of the second season of Space: 1999.

Later years In 1977, following the completion of the second series of Space: 1999, Gerry Anderson Productions was dissolved. Hill entered semi-retirement, but continued to work as a storyboard artist on a range of films including Pink Floyd – The Wall, Sky Bandits, Outland, Octopussy, The Last Days of Pompeii, Supergirl, Superman and Superman II. He died in Surrey in 1999, aged 85.