(More) Action Figures of the Week: Battlestar Galactica (Mattel)

In 1978, Glen Larson’s Battlestar Galactica premiered on ABC television amid a merchandising and toy blitz from Mattel. 

The toy company released several small-size Colonial ships (and a Cylon Raider…), two large figures and a line of smaller, three-inch figures as well.

Released in the first Mattel figure series were Commander Adama (“the wise statesman,”) Lieutenant Starbuck (“flight leader”), The Imperious Leader (“Sinister Mastermind”), the Cylon Centurion (“evil warrior”), the Ovion (“Insect Enemy”) and Muffit the daggit (“robot pet.”)

The human figures -- Starbuck and Adama -- came garbed with capes and Colonial laser pistols but oddly, their faces boasted no color or facial detail.  The eyes and mouth were left unpainted, giving them a kind of “blank” pallor. 

The Cylon came with a fierce-looking, show-accurate rifle, and the Ovion was garbed in a kind of webby yellow shawl.

The second series of Mattel Battlestar Galactica figures consisted of the traitor Baltar, his robotic number one, Lucifer, a golden Cylon Commander, and a pig monster called a Boray from the episode “The Magnificent Warriors.”

There are two big omissions here as you likely noticed from the above tally. 

First, no Captain Apollo action figure was produced, and this is roughly akin to releasing a Star Wars line without Luke Skywalker, or a Star Trek line without Captain Kirk. 

Secondly, no female figures were produced.  I can understand why no Cassiopiea wasn’t made, given her non-kiddie designation as a“socialator” (prostitute…). But why on Earth wasn’t an Athena figure released?  Athena (Maren Jensen) was a shuttle pilot and bridge officer, for goodness sake.  I can’t think of another 1970s action-figure toy line off-hand (from Mego Star Trek, Black Hole and Buck Rogers to Kenner Star Wars to Mattel Space: 1999) that featured no female characters. 

At the time -- as a nine year-old kid -- the bigger concern for me was the glaring lack of a Captain Apollo figure.  I would sub-in a Han Solo figure, but the hair wasn’t right, obviously, and neither was the costuming.

I have very fond memories of my Granny from Texas, Tippie, buying me several of these Mattel BSG figures (and even doubling up on the Cylons so I could create an army…), and how thrilled I was to have them.  

Today, I still have all my original figures, though they are very heavily played with, and a few mint-in-box.  If memory serves, Lucifer is among the rarest and most prized of the bunch.

Battlestar Galactica Rub n'Play Magic Transfer Set

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Battlestar Galactica Hallowen Costume (Collegeville Edition)

Battlestar Galactica Colorforms

Action Figures of the Week: Battlestar Galactica Cylon Centurian and Colonial Warrior

“In the far reaches of space, human colonies were founded by a legendary mother race.  The Colonials are their descendants.  Now, in the seventh millennium of time, these freedom-loving humans try once again for peace with their rivals, the evil, non-human Cylons.  On an errand of peace, the Colonial fleet is treacherously attacked.  The battle lines are drawn again.  Now it’s Colonials against non-human Cylons.  The epic struggle resumes.”

-From Mattel’s Battlestar Galactica Colonial Warrior and Cylon Centurion Box Art, circa 1979.

In 1979, the Star Wars (1977) toy and movie craze was still going strong, and Mattel acquired the license to Glen Larson’s new outer space series, Battlestar Galactica (1978 – 1979). It produced many toys for the line, including small toy ships (Vipers, Cylon Raiders, stellar probe, Scarab, etc.), as well as a full line of 3-inch figures.

In addition, however, Mattel manufactured two large, 12-inch figures, the Colonial Warrior and his enemy, The Cylon Centurion.   The figures shared the same body mold, which was actually a re-cast or re-use of a character called Captain Lazer” (“Major Matt Mason’s Friend from Outer Space") in the late 1960s.  This wasn't the first time Mattel had re-purposed old space toys.  Their Space: 1999 Moonbase Alpha set, for instance, featured a "star flash" computer that was also, actually, a Matt Mason toy.

Both BSG action figures came complete with a large black backpack and a “pump” that when pressed would activate the lights on their crystalline-appearing energy weapons, and in the Cylon's case, his chest light or "heart."  These energy weapons came with a variety of strange extensions, of different shapes, and made “star system sounds.”  

Additionally, the Cylon Centurion’s tell-tale red “eye” could be moved back and forth in his robotic skull by a horizontal lever on the back of his helmet.

The Colonial Warrior was a blond-haired, elfin-looking fellow garbed in a tan vest, who failed to resemble Apollo or Starbuck to even a slight degree.  In fact, he appeared to have slightly pointed ears and up-swept eyebrows, granting that kind of “fantasy" elf impression.  I remember, when my aunt Patty and Uncle Bob bought me these great toys for my birthday, the first thing I did was paint the Colonial Warrior’s hair brown.

Somewhere along the line, I managed to lose my customized Colonial Warrior.  I still have in my home office the Cylon Centurion, complete with his chrome chest-plate, though his “laser pistol” extensions are all broken or gone at this late date.  

Trading Cards of the Week: Battlestar Galactica (Topps)

Model Kits of the Week: Battlestar Galactica (Monogram)

Lunch Box of the Week: Battlestar Galactica (Aladdin)

Board Game of the Week: Battlestar Galactica (Parker Bros)

Theme Song of the Week: Battlestar Galactica (1978)

Advert Artwork: Battlestar Galactica (Monogram Edition)

At Flashbak: Set Phasers to Stun - The Toy Space Guns of the 1970s

My latest article at Flashbak looks at toy guns from the disco decade, all of the space adventure variety.

Here's a snippet, and the url (http://flashbak.com/set-phasers-stun-five-greatest-toy-space-guns-seventies-34659/)

"If most kids today are like my eight year-old son, they generally don’t play today with -- or have much interest in -- toy guns.  Minecraft and its pick axes and diamond swords just do fine by him. 

Perhaps my generation -- X -- was the transition point away from six shooters, the Lone Ranger, and cowboys and Indians, because we still played with toy weapons, but with a difference. 

In the 1970s, those toy guns were lasers, and could be set to stun, thus reducing the mortality rate of our make-believe enemies, I suppose.

Here are my selections for the most awesome space guns of the disco decade and my mis-spent but happy youth playing with them..." (Continued at Flashbak).

Advert artwork: Battlestar Galactica (Mattel) Edition

Television and Cinema Verities #83

"You see, we started up as a mini series and all of a sudden it became a full fledged series. We didn't have enough lead time. We didn't have four or five months to prepare for the series itself. So everybody has been working and working hard to get the series on the air -- to get the shows ready. It takes time."









- The late, great Lorne Greene discusses the making of the original Battlestar Galactica (1978 - 1979), in an interview here.

Collectible of the Week: The Colonial Warrior and Cylon Centurion from the Battlestar Galactica Collection (Mattel; 1979)

“In the far reaches of space, human colonies were founded by a legendary mother race.  The Colonials are their descendants.  Now, in the seventh millennium of time, these freedom-loving humans try once again for peace with their rivals, the evil, non-human Cylons.  On an errand of peace, the Colonial fleet is treacherously attacked.  The battle lines are drawn again.  Now it’s Colonials against non-human Cylons.  The epic struggle resumes.”

-From Mattel’s Battlestar Galactica Colonial Warrior and Cylon Centurion Box Art, circa 1979.

In 1979, the Star Wars (1977) toy and movie craze was still going strong, and Mattel acquired the license to Glen Larson’s new outer space series, Battlestar Galactica (1978 – 1979). It produced many toys for the line, including small toy ships (Vipers, Cylon Raiders, stellar probe, Scarab, etc.), as well as a full line of 3-inch figures.

In addition, however, Mattel manufactured two large, 12-inch figures, the Colonial Warrior and his enemy, The Cylon Centurion.   The figures shared the same body mold, which was actually a re-cast or re-use of a character called Captain Lazer” (“Major Matt Mason’s Friend from Outer Space") in the late 1960s.  This wasn't the first time Mattel had re-purposed old space toys.  Their Space: 1999 Moonbase Alpha set, for instance, featured a "star flash" computer that was also, actually, a Matt Mason toy.

Both BSG action figures came complete with a large black backpack and a “pump” that when pressed would activate the lights on their crystalline-appearing energy weapons, and in the Cylon's case, his chest light or "heart."  These energy weapons came with a variety of strange extensions, of different shapes, and made “star system sounds.”  

Additionally, the Cylon Centurion’s tell-tale red “eye” could be moved back and forth in his robotic skull by a horizontal lever on the back of his helmet.

The Colonial Warrior was a blond-haired, elfin-looking fellow garbed in a tan vest, who failed to resemble Apollo or Starbuck to even a slight degree.  In fact, he appeared to have slightly pointed ears and up-swept eyebrows, granting that kind of “fantasy" elf impression.  I remember, when my aunt Patty and Uncle Bob bought me these great toys for my birthday, the first thing I did was paint the Colonial Warrior’s hair brown.

Somewhere along the line, I managed to lose my customized Colonial Warrior.  I still have in my home office the Cylon Centurion, complete with his chrome chest-plate, though his “laser pistol” extensions are all broken or gone at this late date.  Below the toy commercial heralding these large-scale figures from the Battlestar Galactica Collection (posted by the wonderful Plaid Stallions).

Monument(al) Destruction #11: Galactica 1980: "Galactica Discovers Earth"

Late Night Blogging: Mattel Battlestar Galactica (1978 -1979) Toy Commercials

Pop Art: Battlestar Galactica/Marvel Edition

Collectible of the Week: Battlestar Galactica Action Figures (Mattel; 1978)

In 1978, Glen Larson’s Battlestar Galactica premiered on ABC television amid a merchandising and toy blitz from Mattel. 

The toy company released several small-size Colonial ships (and a Cylon Raider…), two large figures and a line of smaller, three-inch figures as well.

Released in the first Mattel figure series were Commander Adama (“the wise statesman,”) Lieutenant Starbuck (“flight leader”), The Imperious Leader (“Sinister Mastermind”), the Cylon Centurion (“evil warrior”), the Ovion (“Insect Enemy”) and Muffit the daggit (“robot pet.”)

The human figures -- Starbuck and Adama -- came garbed with capes and Colonial laser pistols but oddly, their faces boasted no color or facial detail.  The eyes and mouth were left unpainted, giving them a kind of “blank” pallor. 

The Cylon came with a fierce-looking, show-accurate rifle, and the Ovion was garbed in a kind of webby yellow shawl.

The second series of Mattel Battlestar Galactica figures consisted of the traitor Baltar, his robotic number one, Lucifer, a golden Cylon Commander, and a pig monster called a Boray from the episode “The Magnificent Warriors.”

There are two big omissions here as you likely noticed from the above tally. 

First, no Captain Apollo action figure was produced, and this is roughly akin to releasing a Star Wars line without Luke Skywalker, or a Star Trek line without Captain Kirk. 

Secondly, no female figures were produced.  I can understand why no Cassiopiea wasn’t made, given her non-kiddie designation as a“socialator” (prostitute…). But why on Earth wasn’t an Athena figure released?  Athena (Maren Jensen) was a shuttle pilot and bridge officer, for goodness sake.  I can’t think of another 1970s action-figure toy line off-hand (from Mego Star Trek, Black Hole and Buck Rogers to Kenner Star Wars to Mattel Space: 1999) that featured no female characters. 

At the time -- as a nine year-old kid -- the bigger concern for me was the glaring lack of a Captain Apollo figure.  I would sub-in a Han Solo figure, but the hair wasn’t right, obviously, and neither was the costuming.

I have very fond memories of my Granny from Texas, Tippie, buying me several of these Mattel BSG figures (and even doubling up on the Cylons so I could create an army…), and how thrilled I was to have them.  

Today, I still have all my original figures, though they are very heavily played with, and a few mint-in-box.  If memory serves, Lucifer is among the rarest and most prized of the bunch.

Pop Art: Board Game Edition