NICHELLE NICHOLS R.I.P.

 Sorry to learn that Nichelle Nichols, best known for playing Lt. Nyota Uhura in the original series of Star Trek has sadly passed away aged 89.

Our sincere condolences to her family and friends.

A LOOK AT SUGAR SMACKS BADGES: 1

 Remember those free badge promotions featuring  Gerry & Sylvia Anderson's Captain Scarlet and Joe 90  TV series, that were given away  inside boxes of Kellogg's Sugar Smacks during 1968.

These vintage freebies are certainly popular collectables with Gerry & Sylvia Anderson fans.

There was six in each set  but as you had no idea what you were going  to get in the packet you were bound to end up with a one or two duplicates of a badge you already had, which meant time for some swapping with your mates. 

The first set of six badges features characters from Captain Scarlet and Mysterons.

They're quite small, just 32 mm.

 Five of the badges have a simple head and shoulders painted depiction of familiar members of Spectrum - Captains' Scarlet & Blue; Col. White, Lt. Green, and Destiny Angel , whilst the sixth has the Spectrum emblem.

On the rim of the badges, written in tiny writing: ATV (Overseas) Ltd. 1967.

The badges were promoted using this colourful eye-catching comic  advertisement. This one shown is from TV Century 21 , dated January 30th, 2068.

Television advert for the badges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSf_mXM3Fxw

S.I.G for Kellogg's Sugar Smacks!

Later in that year, Sugar Smacks began promoting Gerry & Sylvia's new TV series, Joe 90. 

A brand new set of six badges showing characters from Joe 90 were given away.

Each badge, was again a simple painting, in the same style of the previous Captain Scarlet ones, presumably Kellogg's used the same artist. 

On the rim written in tiny letters: ATV (Overseas) Ltd. 1968.

You got Joe 90 with his special glasses, Joe McClaine without, Prof. McClaine, and 'Uncle' Sam Loover. The other two show the World Intelligence Network badge, and finally the Joe 90 series logo.

There was also another colourful advert. This one from TV Century 21, dated November 30th, 2068.

Television advert for Joe 90 badges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ3mGWimnMk

A bonus ninth birthday card badge, not part of the set but I think it's a nice addition. Was Joe 90 as popular with you once you turned ten?

I should add, even though it's not a breakfast cereal, that Lyon's Maid had their own somewhat underwhelming free Joe 90 badge promotion. By sending five tokens from Zoom iced lolly wrappers, you got in return a free Joe 90 badge.

This was the same size as the Kellogg's one, 32 mm, but has nothing written on the rim.

This advert from TV21 is dated June 7th , 2069.

Kellogg's Sugar Smacks are smashing! 

Back to Captain Scarlet, and I must admit these badges shown are a bit of a mystery to me. They look pretty good , and there's plenty of them about, too many to be bootlegs. People tend to describe them as cereal give-aways, but as yet  I can't find any precise information about them.

The five badges, which at 38 mm are slightly bigger than the Kellogg's and Lyon's Maid examples, show vehicles from Captain Scarlet, using art from the specification sheet that would have been given out to artists and advertisers at the time.. As I mentioned, they are often rather vaguely described as vintage, and from some un-named cereal promotion. I must admit I don't remember seeing  any promotional adverts for them or which cereal, if any produced these badges. Could they have been a freebie with packets of tea, or sandwich spreads? Heck! they might not have even been free!

Has anyone out there got any info on them, or better still an advertisement ?

More Kellogg's Sugar Smacks promotional posts to follow soon.

RANDY RAYDER IN OUTER SPACE ON RECORD

 I've had a copy of this Sixties LP for about 10 years now. Of interest to Project SWORD completists like me, it features the Project SWORD Probe Force 1 on its cover, which is renamed Athena.

The record is the story of Athena and aliens and more. The gatefold comes with a neat stitched-in comic strip.

Handily a like-minded fan, Greg Ehrbar,  has put it on YT in its entirety, so stick it on in the background while you paint an Apollo or make a space radio or whatever you're doing today!

Let me know what you think!

THE LAZER RANGING RETRO REFLECTOR TOY

 If you have some Apollo Moon Exploring toys you may have the rectangular silver double reflector gizmo seen here in this blister on Worthpoint.

Well, here's the story of the real thing, the Lazer Ranging Retro Reflector or LRRR. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knugI-LiAME

STOP PRESS!

Kevin has kindly pointed out that the toy is a miniature of the Apollo Seismometer and not the LRRR! Doh! Thanks Kev. I should have gone to Specsavers!

COLOUR BEHIND THE SCENES: STINGRAY AND THUNDERBIRDS

Another slice of Gerry Anderson TV behind the scenes on You Tube, this time in colour! Its just fab to see how those mega-talented guys and gals actually did it decades ago. Could we even pull it off nowadays?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8NiazTbLyI

Signals from Space

A recent visit to a local antiques emporium brought me this lovely 1980's radio. Made by Lloytron, it could be tuned by turning the green rocket, which also acts as a switch.

Unfortunately, a previous owner had left batteries in, which had corroded the contacts and some of the circuits. Although, it no longer functions as a radio, I was able to hitch it up to an auxillary line and play cds through the little speaker, with marvellously tinny effect!

 https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/lloytron_amfm_space_radio_n721.html

RETURN TO CROMFORD

 As it's just over two weeks to the third Cromford Mills Sci-fi model and costume display, I thought it's time for a reminder of last year's event.

Models and props from a variety of TV and film shows including Gerry & Sylvia Anderson's series, Blake's 7 and classic Doctor Who can all be seen at this free event .It's also a chance to meet up with fellow fans, and old friends.

Apart from the display, Cromford Mills is a wonderful place of interest in itself, 

Cromford Mills, Mill Road, Matlock, DE4 3RQ

Here's a few photos from Cromford 2021:

Here's my original Cromford Mills post from last year: https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2021/08/a-visit-to-cromford-mills-sci-fi-model.html

Green Garlands and Shady Men

 I'm not generally a fan of Alex Garland's work, 'Sunshine' was pretty dull, 'Annihilation' left me for dead and '28 days later' just seemed endless. I did enjoy his interpretation of Judge Dredd, although some of the scenery and effects could have benefitted from a bigger budget. So it was with some trepidation that I approached his latest opus, the folk horror 'Men'. Had it not been badged a folk horror, I would not have bothered, as I am not a horror film fan as most modern films go way to far in terms of gore and excess.

I had recently watched the 'Green Knight' film, which was excellent and I was hoping for something in a similar vein. The trailer doesn't give much away, but does feature a green man motif, something which I have always been fascinated by from a folklore and mythological basis, so I thought 'Men' might be worth a go.

It opens quite innocuously, with a lady driving into the country, to a pleasant vocal and I
quickly realised that the actress was Jesse Buckley, a singer/actress who had been in the recent BBC drama 'Taboo' with Tom Hardy and directed by Ridley Scott, which was extremely well made.

Buckley plays a young woman who is trying to recover from the recent separation and death of her husband and who has booked herself into a large country house in the middle of nowhere, to gather her thoughts and try to come to terms with recent harrowing events. The scenery is stunning, rolling fields, deep woodland, abandoned railways and derelict buildings. The house itself is like something from a Bronte novel, rambling and secluded, but with modern touches.

Buckley is shown around the house by her landlord, played by Rory Kinnear, to a stereotypical and comedic effect - but whose bumbling country manner also manages to infer a slightly sinister aspect to his personality. After getting settled in, Buckley takes off to explore the surrounding village and woods and get 'back to nature'. Its during this sojourn that she comes across a disused railway tunnel; long and dark and dripping with soakwater. It's at this point that Buckley reminds us of her more primary skill of singing - issuing three flawless notes into the dark, to catch their echo, which she immediately counterpoints with more effortless falsetto. Unfortunately, her curious trilling invites an intruder into her peaceful reverie and a lone figure appears at the end of the tunnel.

From this point, the plot begins its inevitable convolution into the mysterious and ultimately downright weird, as Buckley meets a sucession of characters - all remarkably and very distinctly performed once more by Rory Kinnear. The film is scored by Ben Salisbury & Geoff Barrow, with a wonderfully eerie, soaring combination of choral and electronic ambience, which wends its way through the film and is somehow reminiscent of Nigel Kneale's 'Stone Tape' era.

Whilst it is not entirely clear how the story eventually resolves, the set pieces and visceral ending are well worth waiting for. Visually impressive and tense throughout, it is carried by the two actors alone, with extremely solid and from Kinnear's standpoint, powerful and versatile performances.

Definitely one to watch with the lights off and the sound up.

PAINT YOUR WAGON

 I saw this on auction earlier in the year and kept the pic. Some of the spacemen and space toys have been painted, possibly by a kid. I think the X's mean they've not been painted.

Did you ever paint your toys?

KEV'S MINI ORAC FROM SCRATCH

Hi,

Just made a scratchbuild replica of the mini Orac from the Blake's 7 episode 'Gambit'. In the episode, whilst Blake searches for information that will aid his revolution, Avon and Vila decide to go and cheat in a casino! They smuggle a shrunken Orac in to help!

Mine does lights and sound.

Safe bet,

Kevin

UK

PUSH THE CARD IN FOR CREDIT POWER!

 

This is odd, the Credit Car racers from 1981. What a strange gimmick, push the card in for credit power! Its certainly nothing I've ever come across, part of the 80's credit boom and yuppiedom I guess.

Do you know the Credit card Racers?

Red Sonja

We're currently watching Red Sonja at Moonbase. A great Sword and Sorcery flick in the tradition of Conan. Arnie makes a few appearances for good measure but it's Brigitte Neilson's show. Seen it a few times and always good fun. I'm convinced the head priest is the Nazi who gets his face melted off in Ark of the Covenant!

Do you like Red Sonja?

Robots in Disguise

 Picked up an old G1 Transformer today.

And a couple more recent ones. Do you collect them readers?

Our Grandson's Spays Ships

Moonbase Junior's been in hospital yesterday.

Severe asthma.

It's been a difficult 24 hours.

Here's his Spays Ships drawing he did here last weekend when he wasn't so poorly.

He's home now and breathing normally again. He's got an inhaler now too.

Six in September, he wants to be a paleontologist or work for NASA when he grows up.

What did you want to be readers when you grew up?

ON THE PISTE

 

I am fond of seeing LP's toy animals and they seem to be quite accessible for the collector especially online. 

As usual these LP/LB toys are often listed as IDL.

This one I saw online is a fine red squirrel on skis. A skirrel?

Clearly having fun on the piste, the the silvered skis look really quite smart.

On the base is the brand logo and the model number.

Do you have any LP animals readers?

WILL OSBORNE'S MECCANO

Hi Woodsy. It was nice the other week to see Meccano aeroplanes and cars mentioned on the blog . And also your reference to toy boats. I’ve always liked the way they were packaged, all strung in to display the parts to their best aspect, and the beautiful colour labels. Typical of mid 30s packaging. Here are a few pics of some of my Meccano collection. Will O