Alan Tracy is a fictional character from Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation television show Thunderbirds and the subsequent films Thunderbirds Are GO and Thunderbird 6. The character also appeared in the 2004 live action movie Thunderbirds.
The fifth and youngest son of Jeff Tracy (instigator and financier behind International Rescue), he was named after astronaut Alan B. Shepard. Sources vary in the canon of the Thunderbirds series as to Alan's age and birth date; in the Thunderbird fact file, Alan's birthday is March 12, 2044, making him 21 years old. An accomplished sportsman and driver, he can be hot-headed at times. Alan studied at Harvard University, where his natural impetuousness led to a clash with authorities over the launch (and subsequent crash) of an unsanctioned self-built rocket. His father took charge of the situation, steering the interest toward more constructive ends, ultimately leading to Alan's role as astronaut and principal pilot of Thunderbird 3. In the episode "Alantic Inferno" Alan becomes the pilot of Thunderbird 1, assuming Scott's usual role of flying to the danger zone and assisting with the rescue operation. In the same episode Alan commented on the difference flying Thunderbird 1 and Thunderbird 3, prompting his brother Scott to tell him to "bring her back in one piece". The episode "Move - And You're Dead" revealed Alan is also a skilled racecar driver but that he gave up that career when he joined International Rescue. He is romantically linked to live-in caretaker Kyrano's daughter, Tin-Tin Kyrano. In Thunderbird 6 he shot three hijackers, joining his brother Gordon Tracy as the sole members of International Rescue to have killed anyone.
Alan Tracy's face was modelled on actor Robert Reed.
Matt Zimmerman voiced Alan for series 1,2 and both feature films. However Zimmerman was only added to the cast after the pilot episode was shot, meaning Ray Barrett provided Alan's voice for the episode Trapped in the Sky.
In the film Thunderbirds, he was shown to have romantic feelings for Tin-Tin; he was portrayed by Brady Corbet.
Famous quotes containing the word tracy:
“Guilt plays a large part in my life.”
—Christine Zajac, U.S. fifth-grade teacher. As quoted in Among Schoolchildren, September section, part 3, by Tracy Kidder (1989)