Biography
Desmond "Des" Saunders (24 June 1926– 21 April 2018) was a British television director and film editor. He had a long association with producer Gerry Anderson, having served as a director for the series Supercar (1961–62), Stingray (1964–65), Thunderbirds (1965–66), Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967–68), Joe 90 (1968–69) and Terrahawks (1983–86). Saunders was also production controller for Joe 90 and co-wrote one of the episodes, "Lone-Handed 90". He briefly worked as a production supervisor for The Secret Service (1969). Elsewhere in television, Saunders had both production and post-production roles for The Protectors (1972–73). His film editing credits are: RX for Murder (1958), A Woman's Temptation (1959), Escort for Hire (1960), Compelled (1960), Tarnished Heroes and So Evil, So Young (both 1961) and Voyage of the Damned (1976). He was sound editor for Floods of Fear (1959). While working on puppet series for Anderson, the A.P. Films team received constant requests to make the puppets more real. Once, Saunders chose all of the male puppets and put little penises on them. When the girls came in during the morning, there was, as Saunders describes, "the most terrible uproar". In response, he said: "Well, you know, you gotta bring them to life somehow, haven't you?". He died on 21 April 2018 at the age of 91.
Directed 38
2020s
- 2026
Thunderbirds 4K Double Bill - Atlantic Inferno / Attack of the Alligators!
Director
- 2022
2010s
- 2016
HD21 The Worlds of Gerry Anderson in High Definition
Director
- 2014
This Is Supermarionation
Director
1980s
- 1986
- 1983
Terrahawks: Expect the Unexpected
Director
Terrahawks
Director
- 1982
Countdown to Disaster
Director
- 1981
Invaders from the Deep
Director
The Amazing Adventures Of Joe 90
Director
- 1980
Thunderbirds to the Rescue
Director
Captain Scarlet vs. The Mysterons
Director
1960s
- 1968
Joe 90
Director
- 1967
- 1966
Thunderbirds: Give or Take a Million
Director
Thunderbirds: Alias Mr. Hackenbacker
Director
Thunderbirds: Atlantic Inferno
Director
Thunderbirds: Security Hazard
Director
Thunderbirds: Danger at Ocean Deep
Director
Thunderbirds: The Imposters
Director
- 1965
Thunderbirds: Operation Crash-Dive
Director
Thunderbirds: The Uninvited
Director
Thunderbirds: Edge of Impact
Director
Thunderbirds: The Perils of Penelope
Director
Thunderbirds: Pit of Peril
Director
Stingray: Aquanaut of the Year
Director
Stingray: Marineville Traitor
Director
Stingray: Hostages of the Deep
Director
Stingray: Eastern Eclipse
Director
Stingray: Star of the East
Director
Stingray: Rescue from the Skies
Director
- 1964
Stingray: In Search of the Tajmanon
Director
Stingray: Raptures of the Deep
Director
Stingray: Subterranean Sea
Director
Stingray: The Ghost Ship
Director
- 1961
Supercar
Director
Produced 6
2010s
- 2015
Thunderbirds 1965: Introducing Thunderbirds
Producer
Thunderbirds 1965: The Abominable Snowman
Producer
1960s
- 1969
The Secret Service: More Haste, Less Speed
Production Supervisor
The Secret Service: A Case For The Bishop
Production Supervisor
The Secret Service
Production Supervisor
- 1968
Joe 90
Production Manager
Edited 5
1970s
- 1976
1960s
- 1961
Tarnished Heroes
Editor
So Evil, So Young
Editor
1950s
- 1958
Rx Murder
Editor
- 1952
Wrote 4
2020s
- 2022
- 2020
Thunderbirds: The Anniversary Episodes
Teleplay
2010s
- 2015
Thunderbirds 1965: The Abominable Snowman
Writer
1960s
- 1968
Joe 90
Writer
Other crew 1
2020s
- 2026
Target: Captain Black!
Supervising Technical Director
Appearances3
2020s
- 2025
Century 21 Revisited
Himself
2010s
- 2014
2000s
- 2007
Stand by for Action
Self · 1 episode