I remember those from the toyshop when young. Very impressive toy sets on the one hand, but cause for an infantile snigger because there's a (post-war) M60 tank in the Anzio set. Where Aurora could be half forgiven because justabout every war movie of the time had M60 tanks representing mostly German armour (until my favourite Kelly's Heroes came along, which was first in featuring -much- more realistic Tiger lookalikes converted out of Soviet T-34 or T-55 tanks). The Rat Patrol was on Dutch TV, and was fun enough even though completely unauthentic. Afaik there was no US equivalent to the SAS and LRDG creating havoc between enemy lines in the desert. But at least that featured more proper Lee/Grant tanks instead of M60s :)
The Rat Patrol was one of my favorite shows back in the day but I never did get any licensed tie-ins. My MPC tanks, armor, and little green army men were just fine.
I didn't have much in the way of Army TV show merchandise or at least I can't recall much. My fave military toy as a nipper was the mystery action tinplate Jeep from Japan, which I even took into Primary School on Toys Day after Xmas, when you could take in a toy you'd got on the Big Day. My jeep bumped n goes its way under loads of desks and chairs!
I have an old book, Toys of the Sixties, by Bill Breugman that lists tons of collectables from US TV army shows. Shall I scan it and post it?
Yes please, I do not have this book. The Rat Patrol was on NZ TV, but not until much later than it was made (1966-68), perhaps the 1980s ? They had four men (one of them a British Sergeant) and two Jeeps, with none of the special equipment carried by SAS etc Jeeps in the Desert, just a single .50 calibre Browning mg. I seem to remember the Germans had American M3 half tracks, with giant crosses on the sides. Still an enjoyable series. I do not think I had any TV or film tie-in toys when a boy, just some Annuals, comics, and a few paperbacks, such as the Armada Secret Service books. Certainly no Star Car diecasts or kits. It was only much later that I began to acquire these. Just remembered, I did have a pair of Man from U.N.C.L.E. pyjamas, which came with a glow in the dark (?) U.N.C.L.E. badge, but the clip broke off - I should still have this, but no idea where. Then there was the plastic Tarzan figure I mentioned before, about 1:32 scale, at least it matched my Timpo figures. I know there were a lot of US shows about the Army and Navy that never made it to NZ, although I do remember McHale's Navy, about a PT Boat crew in the Pacific. Revell issued their PT Boat kit in a McHale's Navy version in the 1960s.
Those Jamas sound cool Paul. With Solo and Kuryakin on them! I think I know that MFU badge. Was it triangular? It may have appeared in Marx MFU weapons sets and cases as well. I remember the Secret Service. Or am I thinking of the Secret Seven? Not seen McHale's Navy. I did a 3 part review of Bill Bruegman's book for the blog 5 years ago. Here's the links if you care to watch sometime. You get an idea of the contents. Military toys are in part 2 at 2.34 on the timer
Not sure if my scanner works now. There's plenty of copies of this book on Amazon NZ but they may all be in the US. Hard to tell. https://www.amazon.com/Toys-Sixties-Pictorial-Price-Guide/dp/0963263722/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=%22toys+of+the+sixties%22&qid=1582038335&sr=8-4
Yes, the badge was a downward pointing triangle, with the U.N.C.L.E. logo (a man standing next to a globe) on it, and a number. I think these were highlighted in black. It was the same as the badge worn on screen in U.N.C.L.E. HQ. If I come across the badge, I will send you a photo. The pyjamas did not have agents Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin on them. They were white, with the U.N.C.L.E. insignia in several colours. That was my favourite pair of pyjamas ever. There was a film at the time (these were actually two-part TV stories re-edited and released theatrically). There must have been a major promotional effort at the time, as I recall postcard sized black and white photos of the stars - I think given away at the theatre. I might still have mine somewhere, can not be sure. It was many years later that I acquired the Corgi and Corgi Junior U.N.C.L.E. cars, in playworn condition, and a couple of Annuals. There is now a book out on U.N.C.L.E. merchandising, although I have not seen it. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Collectibles by John Buss, Amberley, 2019; he has also done The Avengers and New Avengers Collectibles. U.N.C.L.E. was a great series. Alas, it spin-off The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. never made it to NZ. The Secret Service was a Gerry Anderson show about an English country priest who was also a British secret agent. His Ford Model T was modelled by Dinky - there is an entry about this on Moonbase Central. The TV series McHale's Navy (1962-66) was set in WW2, and stared Ernest Borgnine as the commander of torpedo boat PT-73. It was a comedy. There were also a couple of movies with the TV cast; and a 1997 film with Tom Arnold as the son of the original McHale. I will check out the links when I get a chance - it is getting a bit late now.
I have now watched your review. Very interesting. I do have his book on Superhero Collectibles, 1996. Came across another interesting looking book: Collectible Figure Kits of the '50s, '60s, and '70s by Gordy Dutt, 1995. Being from the same era, this too has black and white illustrations, kits listed by company. This is mentioned on the inside back cover of Superheroes.
That Bill Breugman book sounds great Paul. I'll check it out. There are very few references to those MFU pyjamas online. Not a single image that I could find!
On reading your reply, I had a look myself - nothing. Typing in Man from UNCLE pyjamas 1960s brought up a pillowcase, but the images are totally different to what was on my pyjamas. I promise you they did exist. I can not image these were sold only in NZ, so the design must have originated overseas, perhaps America ?
I believe you! Checking my MFU section in my copy of Spy Toys its clear that loads of items were made to cash in on the TV series at the time. No mention of your jamas though. I did find a reference to them online! No picture but its in the section called TIM HAYWARD IS NOSTALGIC FOR HIS NAN’S CORNED BEEF, CHIPS AND PEAS on this site http://foodanymore.blogspot.com/2016/11/?m=0
Thank you. Just checked out that Spy Toys book, the one by Cramer Burks ? Wow, James Bond Road Race set on the cover. That looks like my kind of book. I also had a look at the Tim Hayward piece you mentioned, I wonder if his pyjamas were the same as mine ? Not an item that is likely to survive the decades, although given what turns up on the Antiques Roadshow there is always hope.
I remember those from the toyshop when young. Very impressive toy sets on the one hand, but cause for an infantile snigger because there's a (post-war) M60 tank in the Anzio set. Where Aurora could be half forgiven because justabout every war movie of the time had M60 tanks representing mostly German armour (until my favourite Kelly's Heroes came along, which was first in featuring -much- more realistic Tiger lookalikes converted out of Soviet T-34 or T-55 tanks). The Rat Patrol was on Dutch TV, and was fun enough even though completely unauthentic. Afaik there was no US equivalent to the SAS and LRDG creating havoc between enemy lines in the desert. But at least that featured more proper Lee/Grant tanks instead of M60s :)
ReplyDeleteBest -- Paul
The Rat Patrol was one of my favorite shows back in the day but I never did get any licensed tie-ins. My MPC tanks, armor, and little green army men were just fine.
ReplyDeleteI didn't have much in the way of Army TV show merchandise or at least I can't recall much. My fave military toy as a nipper was the mystery action tinplate Jeep from Japan, which I even took into Primary School on Toys Day after Xmas, when you could take in a toy you'd got on the Big Day. My jeep bumped n goes its way under loads of desks and chairs!
ReplyDeleteI have an old book, Toys of the Sixties, by Bill Breugman that lists tons of collectables from US TV army shows. Shall I scan it and post it?
Yes please, I do not have this book. The Rat Patrol was on NZ TV, but not until much later than it was made (1966-68), perhaps the 1980s ? They had four men (one of them a British Sergeant) and two Jeeps, with none of the special equipment carried by SAS etc Jeeps in the Desert, just a single .50 calibre Browning mg. I seem to remember the Germans had American M3 half tracks, with giant crosses on the sides. Still an enjoyable series.
ReplyDeleteI do not think I had any TV or film tie-in toys when a boy, just some Annuals, comics, and a few paperbacks, such as the Armada Secret Service books. Certainly no Star Car diecasts or kits. It was only much later that I began to acquire these. Just remembered, I did have a pair of Man from U.N.C.L.E. pyjamas, which came with a glow in the dark (?) U.N.C.L.E. badge, but the clip broke off - I should still have this, but no idea where. Then there was the plastic Tarzan figure I mentioned before, about 1:32 scale, at least it matched my Timpo figures. I know there were a lot of US shows about the Army and Navy that never made it to NZ, although I do remember McHale's Navy, about a PT Boat crew in the Pacific. Revell issued their PT Boat kit in a McHale's Navy version in the 1960s.
Those Jamas sound cool Paul. With Solo and Kuryakin on them! I think I know that MFU badge. Was it triangular? It may have appeared in Marx MFU weapons sets and cases as well. I remember the Secret Service. Or am I thinking of the Secret Seven? Not seen McHale's Navy. I did a 3 part review of Bill Bruegman's book for the blog 5 years ago. Here's the links if you care to watch sometime. You get an idea of the contents. Military toys are in part 2 at 2.34 on the timer
Delete1. https://youtu.be/6CoJBscOplw
2. https://youtu.be/OtG-TGgCJFI
3. https://youtu.be/bTaYdATSmNk
Not sure if my scanner works now. There's plenty of copies of this book on Amazon NZ but they may all be in the US. Hard to tell. https://www.amazon.com/Toys-Sixties-Pictorial-Price-Guide/dp/0963263722/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=%22toys+of+the+sixties%22&qid=1582038335&sr=8-4
Yes, the badge was a downward pointing triangle, with the U.N.C.L.E. logo (a man standing next to a globe) on it, and a number. I think these were highlighted in black. It was the same as the badge worn on screen in U.N.C.L.E. HQ. If I come across the badge, I will send you a photo. The pyjamas did not have agents Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin on them. They were white, with the U.N.C.L.E. insignia in several colours. That was my favourite pair of pyjamas ever.
ReplyDeleteThere was a film at the time (these were actually two-part TV stories re-edited and released theatrically). There must have been a major promotional effort at the time, as I recall postcard sized black and white photos of the stars - I think given away at the theatre. I might still have mine somewhere, can not be sure.
It was many years later that I acquired the Corgi and Corgi Junior U.N.C.L.E. cars, in playworn condition, and a couple of Annuals. There is now a book out on U.N.C.L.E. merchandising, although I have not seen it. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Collectibles by John Buss, Amberley, 2019; he has also done The Avengers and New Avengers Collectibles. U.N.C.L.E. was a great series. Alas, it spin-off The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. never made it to NZ.
The Secret Service was a Gerry Anderson show about an English country priest who was also a British secret agent. His Ford Model T was modelled by Dinky - there is an entry about this on Moonbase Central. The TV series McHale's Navy (1962-66) was set in WW2, and stared Ernest Borgnine as the commander of torpedo boat PT-73. It was a comedy. There were also a couple of movies with the TV cast; and a 1997 film with Tom Arnold as the son of the original McHale. I will check out the links when I get a chance - it is getting a bit late now.
I have now watched your review. Very interesting. I do have his book on Superhero Collectibles, 1996. Came across another interesting looking book: Collectible Figure Kits of the '50s, '60s, and '70s by Gordy Dutt, 1995. Being from the same era, this too has black and white illustrations, kits listed by company. This is mentioned on the inside back cover of Superheroes.
ReplyDeleteThat Bill Breugman book sounds great Paul. I'll check it out. There are very few references to those MFU pyjamas online. Not a single image that I could find!
ReplyDeleteOn reading your reply, I had a look myself - nothing. Typing in Man from UNCLE pyjamas 1960s brought up a pillowcase, but the images are totally different to what was on my pyjamas. I promise you they did exist. I can not image these were sold only in NZ, so the design must have originated overseas, perhaps America ?
ReplyDeleteI believe you! Checking my MFU section in my copy of Spy Toys its clear that loads of items were made to cash in on the TV series at the time. No mention of your jamas though. I did find a reference to them online! No picture but its in the section called TIM HAYWARD IS NOSTALGIC FOR HIS NAN’S CORNED BEEF, CHIPS AND PEAS on this site http://foodanymore.blogspot.com/2016/11/?m=0
DeleteThank you. Just checked out that Spy Toys book, the one by Cramer Burks ? Wow, James Bond Road Race set on the cover. That looks like my kind of book. I also had a look at the Tim Hayward piece you mentioned, I wonder if his pyjamas were the same as mine ? Not an item that is likely to survive the decades, although given what turns up on the Antiques Roadshow there is always hope.
ReplyDelete