A LOOK AT MATTEL'S SMALL ACTION FIGURES

 Here’s a look at some of my Mattel’s Battlestar Galactica small action figures, which enjoyed moderate success following the 1978 film and television series release.

At the time of writing I’ve got seven out of the ten actual Mattel figures that were released, and these are figures I’ll deal with here.

In spite of the fact that they don’t have much in the way of articulation, and with one major character missing from the line -up, they have since gained a fair sized cult following, with some of the figures now highly sought after.

Why no Captain Apollo figure? I don’t know how accurate this story is but it seems that Richard Hatch, who played Apollo aware of the previous legal case that Leonard Nimoy filed against Paramount for the unauthorised use of his image, told his management to hold out for more money. No deal was struck, and Mattel simply went ahead without an Apollo.

Whether this is true or not, Richard certainly had a change of mind in later years, as there are now several Captain Apollo action figures available now.

I did see Richard Hatch several years ago at a Cult TV event, and I can honestly say he was  a superb and enthusiastic guest.

The initial release which appeared in 1978 comprised of six 3 3/4” figures.

Commander Adama, played by Lorne Greene is the commanding officer aboard the Galactica. The figure is wearing his blue commander’s uniform and a loose blue cape. The figure also came with a small colonial blaster. The likeness to Lorne Greene is questionable, but I suppose there’s a passing resemblance.

Lt. Starbuck, the cigar smoking , devil-may-care Galactican Viper pilot played by Dirk Benedict. The figure is wearing his brown flight uniform and a loose brown cape. As with Adama, the figure came with a small colonial blaster. Another questionable likeness, but that might not be a bad thing. If you paint the blond hair black, he could pass for Capt. Apollo.

The Imperious Leader, dressed in his red cloak, is a robot whose reptilian features bore a resemblance to the original extinct Cylon race which created the Cylon robots. The Leader resides in his throne room aboard a Cylon Basestar.

The Leader was voiced by Patrick Macnee. (Macnee, was also the series narrator, and would later play Count Iblis in the two-parter, ‘The War of the Gods’.)

The Ovions are a race of insectoid aliens with four arms. They live below the surface of the planet, Carillon, and construct a tourist outpost, attracting off duty Galacticans, before they are lured below, killed and eaten!

The figure is a pretty good likeness of the creature, and should come with a loose lace garment.

A Daggit is a robotic canine pet, based on the domesticated dog-like animals that were all wiped out during the Cylon holocaust on the planet, Caprica. In the series Boxey (played by Noah Leslie Hathaway) loses his daggit, Muffit during the attack. Later, aboard the Galactica, robotics expert Dr Wilker builds Boxey a Muffit II, as a favour to Apollo.

The Daggit costume was actually worn by a chimp called Eevee aka Evolution.

Mattel intensionally did not name their toy Daggit, as it was decided kids would want to name their own Daggit toy. Two slightly different coloured versions were released, one tan, and one brown.

The toy is a pretty good representation of what we see on screen, although it’s one draw back is the toy is prone to losing it’s tail.

The Cylon Centurian (note the odd spelling on the card using ‘a’ instead of ‘o’). The Cylons were a humanoid reptilian race that died out over a thousand years ago. They were responsible for the heavy manufacture of sentient mechanical beings which carried on their name.

The Cylon Centurions are a mass produced race of military robots, taller and stronger than humans.

The figures have limited articulation and come with a Cylon Laser rifle.

A further four figures were released in 1979, including a Cylon Gold Commander.

In the series the Gold Commanders are a higher rank, and are in charge of Basestars and Cylon outposts. They have lower-pitched voices are are considered stronger than regular Centurions.

The Mattel Cylon Commander is essentially the same as the Centurion figure, apart from the gold colour. It even comes with the same Laser Rifle.

The Gold Commander was also the subject of an offer from Mattel. I’m thinking the Gold Commander was the first of the next wave as the advertisement only mentions the original six figures.

The remaining three in the set comprised of Count Baltar, (played by John Colicos) who betrays the Galactica and the Colonies. He is killed in the theatrical release, but survives in the TV series.

Lucifer is Count Baltar’s assistant, assigned to the job by the Imperious Leader. He is calculating and condescending.

He is perfectly voiced by Jonathan Harris, of Lost in Space fame.

Boray, pig-like maurauders from the planet, Sectar. They appear in the episode, The Magnificent Warrior’, and are led by Nogow.

The Boray figure comes with a club.

I should add that Mattel also released several different multi-packs of the figures, which are as about as easy to find as Galactica 80 getting a reboot – not impossible, but don’t hold your breath!

By your command!