PASSINGS: Gerry Anderson, Frank Calabrese Sr.

Gerry Anderson Puppetry pioneer created 'Thunderbirds' TV show Gerry Anderson, 83, a puppetry pioneer and died Wednesday at a nursing home near Oxfordshire, England, after being diagnosed with mixed dementia two years ago, said his son, Jamie. Anderson, whose television career began in the 1950s, was known for his use of "supermarionation"— a puppetry technique using thin wires to control marionettes. He developed the technique for a number of British TV series, including "Thunderbirds," about ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy and his sons combating evil with advanced technology and the Thunderbird planes. Other series Anderson created using the technique included "Supercar" and "Fireball XL5."...