Nigel R. Barklie/Rex USAGerry Anderson, who created the classic television series Thunderbirds and Stingray, among others, has died at the age of 83.
The British puppetry pioneer passed away Wednesday after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for nearly three years, his son, Jamie Anderson, announced on his blog.
"I'm very sad to announce the death of my father, Thunderbirds creator, Gerry Anderson," Jamie wrote. "He died peacefully in his sleep at midday today (26th December 2012), having suffered [from] mixed dementia for the past few years."
Jamie asked that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Society in honor of his father's memory.
Gary began his TV career in the 1950s and went on to entertain children with his innovative shows for nearly 60 years, creating popular puppet series like Joe 90 and Fireball XL5 along the way.