Mego acquired the merchandise license for the 1979 revival of Buck Rogers and used the feature film (originally a TV-pilot) as the basis for its many toy designs.
Today, I want to remember the action figures from the series.
Nine
were released all together, including Buck, Twiki, Wilma Deering, Killer Kane,
Ardella, Dr. Huer, Tiger man, Draconian Guard and Draco.
If
you watched Buck Rogers in the 25th Century on television with
any regularity, you’ll immediately pick up on some of the discontinuities
between the program and the toys.
Specifically, Pamela Hensley’s character was named Ardala, not Ardella.
And Kane -- a character played by both Henry Silva and Michael Ansara – was never referred to by the nickname Killer Kane.
Specifically, Pamela Hensley’s character was named Ardala, not Ardella.
And Kane -- a character played by both Henry Silva and Michael Ansara – was never referred to by the nickname Killer Kane.
Finally
of course, King Draco appeared in the pilot/movie for about twenty seconds and
was never seen again on the series. Not
even once.
Despite
such problems, I always enjoyed these three-and-three-quarter inch action figures. They could fit easily inside the Land Rover,
the Draconian Marauder and the Starfighter, and in general looked a great lot
like their video counterparts. The figures’
drawbacks included the fact that they came with no accessories, not even laser
guns or helmets.
And additionally, like The Black Hole action figures from Mego of the same vintage, these Buck Rogers figures could break very easily because all their joints were held together by silver pins. Those pins had an annoying habit of loosening up or even falling out.
I
still remember seeing Buck Rogers in the 25th Century in
theaters. Afterwards, my parents took me
to a Toys R Us store to buy me two action figures. I was able to find Buck and Twiki and was
pretty happy about it. Our next stop was
a carpet store and while my parents shopped, I flew Buck and Twiki around the huge
store filled with rolled-up rugs.
In
short order, however, Buck’s interior elastic snapped, and the hero came apart
into many pieces. The very first night I had him! Buck’s “accident” left me only with Twiki…which
was a big disappointment.
The astronaut
had survived five hundred years as a popsicle only to spontaneously combust in
a carpet store.
When
we arrived home, my Dad glued Buck Rogers back together, but the poor guy was never
quite the same, being now unable to move his hips.
How
could he teach my Princess Ardala figure how to boogie?
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