The Double Deckers Toy Shop

 I've come across some stills from the Double Deckers' episode 2 The Case of the Missing Doughnut, which appears to be set in part in a contemporary toyshop in 1970!

I used to watch the Double Deckers and loved the TV show.

Did you and do you know the episode?

What can you see?

Project Catweazle

Watching an episode of Catweazle this week and saw this!

The Project SWORD Apollo Saturn! 

Bill Ev

UK

SUDDENLY SOME TOYS

 I was off work one day in January with Vertigo brought on by olive oil dribbling in my ears.

As I normally do after an poorly-sick sleep I recuperate later with some afternoon telly.

As usual I often spot something bloggable.

The UK TV show Homes under the Hammer was on. I don't normally watch it but the abandoned house's contents caught my eye. Scattered all over a bedroom were games and oddments from yesteryear. I've screengrabbed them. What can you see?

After Homes I watched Suddenly, an old black and white thriller with Frank Sinatra playing an assassin hell-bent on bringing the President's career to an end. The town of Suddenly was the setting, hence the film's mysterious title.

At the start of the flick a kid peers yearningly through a toy shop window. he wants a cap gun and the local sheriff buys him one because he fancies the kid's mother!

Anyways, here's the toy shop window screengrabbed for your enjoyment. See anything you like?

Oh, and that final grab, M & N Market. Is that a real shop? Was it a chain? Anyone know?

Have you seen any toys in films and in TV shows? Piccies welcomed!

birthday boot sale: lanard carrier and farah fawcett

To walk off all the birthday cake Mrs. Moonbase and I visited the local boot sale this morning.  Since its run by a cricket club we know it will be well organised!

There was the usual ornaments and tools and nothing really to write home about. This is the way with boot sales and I remember good days and bad days clearly when I used to go every Sunday years ago.

As long as there's something its not a wasted journey and I bagged a couple of Sindys and a huge Farah Fawcett figure, all of whom need properly ID' ing later today.

Stuff I walked away from include some old Super Mario figures including Dennis Hopper [what's his name?], loads of modern Action Man [I didn't know they had real hair!] and a monster truck called the Rhino, which I had initially thought was from MASK but no.

One plastic vehicle brought back happy memories. It reminded me of my first Project SWORD video I made in the September of 2013 called Moon Ranger Attack. For some reason Autumn makes me start videoing outside.

In that film I used a Lanard Tank as a prop. It was a particular tank with a red-tipped illuminated double turret, which made a really loud ack-ack noise when you pressed an orange button.

At the car boot sale was its companion troop carrier as shown below courtesy of Ebay. I recognised the style immediately: the greenish colouring, the red-tipped double turret and the orange button!

I didn't buy it but enjoyed the memory. I actually have no idea of the name of this Lanard toy range. You?

As its our birthday and I'm feeling nostalgic here's that first film again, Moon Ranger Attack. Enjoy!

hasbro cloverfield v trendmasters godzilla battle on you tube

Whilst checking if there was ever a toy released on the back of the movie Cloverfield I came across this tongue in cheek 'review' on You Tube from the winter of 2008, roughly when I launched this blog!

The creator, robbjmc, deploys as many plastic Kaiju this side of Toho studios in a mad stop-motion romp around New York, the home of all American monsters.

The six minute film builds up to the inevitable big dukeroo. Yep, its the Hasbro Cloverfield V the Trendmasters Godzilla.

Other notable mentions include the Mattel Shogun Warriors Godzilla with his lashing red tongue, the Giant Robot and a spitting Mothra toy unknown to me.

Its good to see an ameteur film-maker having fun with his toys. After watching this I know I'm not alone!

Let me know what you think of this movie readers?

Have you got any Kaiju?

wrecking a scramble bug: the movie

Here's my latest home movie.

Its me destroying my Scramble Bug!

Part 2 to follow this summer.

Enjoy!

major matt mason and the argonauts

If Major Matt Mason did Jason and the Argonauts then the cast might look like this:

Jason and his Argonauts?

Matt and his mates of course!

The mighty Talos?

Cap Lazer and his helmet! Who else!

The Skeletons?

A bunch of Callistos! Sorted!

But who could Scorpio and Or play?

Can you think of other films toys could do?

[pictures: wiki and pinterest]

HAVE YOU SEEN ANY FILMS WITH OLD TOYS IN THEM?

I can think of two movies featuring old toys off hand: Salem's Lot and Super 8.

There must be loads more.

Any ideas readers?

ITOKA POSTER MYSTERY SPACESHIP

This old ITOKA poster at Posternation.com caught my eye. I'm sure I recognise that silver spaceship like a boat. You?

SPACEX AND SWORD ON FILM AT CHRISTMAS IN THE SIXTIES

Well readers, its nearly the Big Day. It might be Christmas Eve but there's still time to get a last minute prezzy for someone.

To help with ideas for gifts here's my traditional Christmas Eve post where we nip back to Oxford Street, London, Christmas 1964 courtesy of British Pathe.

Here you'll find a SWORD Apollo Saturn in a shop. This version of the Rocket was either the Japanese Tomy version or the American Sears version and was apparently sold in the UK. It appears unboxed at 1.02 minutes for a few seconds along with a working Dux Astroman robot! It'd look great under someone's tree!

And here's a lovely boxed SpaceX Superset in a shop window in Carnaby Street, London, Xmas 1969 or 1970? Quick, go and get it, its the last one!

Films owned by British Pathe.

TOYS ON FILM: MORE PLASTIC TOYS USED IN THUNDERBIRDS CITY OF FIRE AIRPORT RESCUE FLEET

In this shot from of the Thunderbirds airport fire and rescue fleet we can see that those crafty modelshop chaps have raided their local toy store near Century 21 studios in Slough! (picture borrowed from the Space 1999 Eagle Transporter Forum. Thank you.)

First up we have the tender tug

and in it's original form, the plastic AQUACAR by Marx

Next up the tender cab

and in its original toy form, which we have blogged before

but I've found what is clearly a similar toy, the ELEKTRO AMPHIBIO by SCHUCO, which came in a variety of colours

and finally the tanker car

and a similar yellow prop being displayed at Fandercon

Well it's not really a toy this time but there is a connection to PROJECT SWORD as the same shaped truck appears in the 1969 SWORD ANNUAL (there is also a slight look of the BEETLE with its heat shields up)

so stripped down of all the red paint and airport scenery a family portrait of the original toys might partly look like this

(the green DUKW-style vehicle is by Marx and has sneaked into the photo!)

Pictures borrowed from the wonderful Space 1999 Eagle Transporter Forum and VECTIS.

TOYS ON FILM: THUNDERBIRDS CITY OF FIRE CAR

Similar to the Telsada Trans-Continental Express, which was used by Gerry Anderson, this plastic Japanese Amphibious car can be found as the basis of a fire-tender in Thunderbirds below.

You can view the fire-tender in action at the start of this You Tube clip of the City of Fire episode of Thunderbirds:

The likely transformation of the toy car into the Thunderbirds fire-tender can be now experienced, Derek Meddings-style, via the talented Mike Delamar's scratchbiuld thread on the impressive Space 1999 Eagle Transporter Forum.

TOYS ON FILM: STARCRASH MILLENNIUM EAGLE TOY

Regular readers will know how much I like spotting toys appearing in films. Well here's one spotted by ace movie blogger Screenphiles, who's keen eyes saw the Space 1999 Eagle on the side of a spaceship in the Star Wars rip-off Starcrash. Is it a kit part?

Read Screenphile's entire post about Starcrash. It's as cool as Princess Leia's hair do!

POSTSCRIPT

READERS' EAGLES AND ENTERPRISES!

The Shape of Things to Come 

1979

[thanks Scoop]

Watch the clip here for the first few seconds

The Return of Captain Nemo 

1978

[thanks Yorkie]

Watch the clip here for the first few seconds

Clips courtesy of You Tube

Any more?

UFO KILL STRAKER AND COURT MARTIAL: MYSTERY TOYS

I've been watching UFO on VHS. Its my fave live action show from Gerry Anderson. The two episodes I saw were Court Martial and Kill Straker. I couldn't help noticing the toys on President Henderson's shelves in both episodes.

Of the three in the screengrabs above I clearly recognise Major Matt Mason's Supernaut Power Limbs [ third clip down ] as pictured below but what are the other two? toys? kits?

Anyone know and has anyone seen any other toys in UFO or any other Anderson shows?

picture: ebay

TOYS ON COVERS: COLOURFORMS ELECTRON + THE MAN FROM PLUTO

The Man from Planet X was a black and white sci fi movie made in 1951. A little over a decade later it inspired toy genius Mel Birnkrant to create Electron +, The Man from Pluto. 

Electron + was of the plastic action figures from Mel's meisterwerk and my all-time favourite space toy line, the Outer Space Men by Colourforms [ Colorforms in the US]. I only ever had series I as a kid but they were rare things of real artistic beauty on my toy shelf. No other toy line takes me back to those happy carefree days of the 1960's as much as the Outer Space Men. 

It irks me that I can't recall if my Mum and Dad got them for me from the local toy shop in Preston called Thomas Mears or whether my Dad stocked them at his Cash and Carry warehouse [Richard Oldham Ltd]. Even more frustrating is that they were all chucked out in the early Seventies by the same Mum and Dad! Damn! I can't afford any of them now but I do so love the memory of them!

To read the real story of how all of these rubber space figures came to be then go straight to the horse's mouth, the website of the inventor himself, the great Mel Birnkrant, the most brilliant toy designer of his generation.

Picture: the one and only Mel Birnkrant

I would  also, on behalf of me [Woodsy], Bill and Scoop, like to welcome Gary Schaeffer and The Outer Space Men. Com website as new followers of Moonbase Central. Its a great pleasure to have you on board especially as you went online in the same year as us, 2008!

SWORD AT XMAS: APOLLO SATURN, OXFORD STREET, LONDON 1964

Well readers, its nearly the big day. I'm away from Moonbase on shoreleave in Europe but thinking of my Moonbase friends at Christmas.


It might be Christmas Eve but there's still time to get a last minute prezzy for someone especially of you have a time machine! Why not nip back to Oxford Street, London, Christmas 1964, where you'll find a SWORD Apollo Saturn in a shop. This version of the Rocket was either the Japanese Tomy version or the American Sears version and was apparently sold in the UK. It appears unboxed at 1.02 minutes for a few seconds along with a working Dux Astroman robot!


This clip pushes back the date for the earliest known sighting of an Apollo Saturn Rocket by a good six months from June 1965 [reader Jim's TV21 ad] to December 1964. Source: British Pathe.

SATURDAY THUNDERBIRDS 6 TOY CARS MYSTERY

Just been watching Thunderbird 6 on You Tube and noticed a couple of toy cars zooming around in a particular scene. There's a stationary police car but what are the two vehicles speeding one way and the other behind it?

C'mon guys, I know its Saturday but there's still time for Thunderbirds!


Here's the clip and the two cars appear virtually from the start. Its over in seconds so keep your eyes peeled! I know what they are. Do you? http://youtu.be/UcZMM6G1tIk?t=8m3s


To share the joy, just answer about ONE of the toy cars. That's ONE toy car! ta!


Answers on a postcard ......or a comment will do!

NEW HOME MOVIE: CAPE KENNEDY INCIDENT

 



 

Here's my new home movie made using Gerry Anderson's Century 21 and Matchbox toys. The Project SWORD Saturn V rolls out of the tallest biulding in the world, the VAB.  Whilst on the crawlway it is attacked by a Rejects jet. An Airport Crash Tender successfully douses the fire and the Saturn V returns to the VAB to fly another day! Set to the the two main themes, by the great Barry Gray, from the classic movie Thunderbirds Are Go! Enjoy!

FIFTH BIRTHDAY PROJECT SWORD "WORLD" MOVIE PREMIERE: MOON RANGER ATTACK!

I recently caught this atomic battle on camera. The Casuals attack a SWORD Moon Ranger. SWORD Fight back but will they prevail? Watch Moon Ranger Attack! and witness the SWORD Wars for yourself! Codeword: Toungue In Cheek.

 

PROJECT SWORD TOYS IN BLACKPOOL 1994

Found this on You Tube, a film of a Gerry Anderson exhibition, which took place in Blackpool, England, in 1994. The final seconds contain Project SWORD toys and I've set the film to start at that point. The preceding 9 minutes contain lots of JR21 and Dinky Anderson toys should you wish to watch the whole thing.

Click here for SWORD toys http://youtu.be/cj0SBbjosqc?t=9m11s