KIDS DRINKS OF THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES

In this month's SWORDcast on Celtica Radio Bill talks about TREE TOP fruit drink from his SpaceX-filled childhood. To jog my own and maybe your memories, here it is courtesy of twitter. Looks delicious! The gimmicky drink I personally recall, from the UK's Seventies, is Rise and Shine, an atomic orange powdered cordial straight out of some future war's ration store! It was however delicious in a sachet powdery watery sort of way! Do you remember either Tree Tops or Rise and Shine readers?

The other orange drink from the Sixties is actually one of today's marketing miracles. Back when I was nipper the ONLY tome you saw this particularly chemical-looking amber fluid was during bed-ridden recovery from advanced appendicitis or full-on measles. It would mysteriously appear at your bedside draped in a billowing orange cellophane wrap making it look like a bottle of depleted nuclear waste. I am of course talking about Lucozade! Just how the marketing boffs turned it into the must-have everyday energy quencher for today's Xbox-addicted kids I'll never know! They're not even ill!

Speaking of drinks straight out of a Thomas Salter toy chemistry set, did you ever sneak into the first aid cupboard and try, from the bottom shelf, Alka Seltzer, and from the shelf above, Andrews? I'm not even sure I can describe the reaction they had when introduced to water. Fizzing doesn't quite cut it. Effervescent they would say. I'd say downright violent when you're only 6! Man, those bubbles went straight up your nose!

Any discussion about kids and bubbles must inevitably include that age-old question, which has been known to divide nations: which tastes better, Coke or Pepsi?!"*? As a hip kid thirsty from playing with my monsters and Matt Mason it had to be Pepsi for me because a. I loved the glass bottle's shape b. the red and blue logo was very American and c. it tasted better. Nowadays I'm not fussed! Either will do as long as they are a. diet and b. on offer! I have tried other 'colas' like Rola Cola but they never quite do it for me. What about you readers? Pepsi or Coke?

POSTSCRIPT: READERS' FAVES

Royal Crown Cola in Holland, Beermat

For Paul V

catawiki

Jerry Lewis drank Royal Crown Cola!

Choc-ola

"packed aseptically" !?*?

The Corona Fizzical!

Fizzies!

Buzz Candy Blog

ZELLERS OF CANADA; COOL ANIMATED BATMAN TV TOYS COMMERCIAL 1987

source; you tube

ZELLER APOLLO LUNAR STATION

Hey Woodsy,

Found this on a classifieds site from a guy WAY up north in Canada. It looks like it has never been used. Date on it is 1968. Manufacturer is listed as Multiple Toymakers of Toronto Canada. All 50 pieces are there. Of course none of it is rare, except the box which is made exclusively for a chain here in Canada called Zellers. There is the inevitable small Fireball XL5 included.

Cheers
Rob
Canada

PROJECT SWORD AT THE HOUSE ON THE HILL TOY MUSEUM

Been watching some short videos of the House on the Hill Toy Museum in Stansted, Southern England. Loads of amazing toys and they even have some Project SWORD!

Take a look at these screengrabs. If you want to watch the full film then click here. There's more on You Tube too.

and a general space toy and robot collection par excellence!

Anyone been to this Toy Museum or another one?

NEW SUMMER SWORDCAST - 8PM TONIGHT ON CELTICA RADIO

Woodsy and Wotan are back in the saddle, Sunday 6th July from 8pm, discussing all the news unfit for print and all stations in between!

Tune in to Celtica Radio live at 8pm, or download the podcast after transmission. Be there or be square!

COFFEE, CORGI AND ACTION MEN: GROUNDS FOR CONCERN?

Just suppin some Sunday coffee and glancing at the Andrew Marr morning show on British TV. Couldn't help noticing the red and orange striped rectangle at the rear. It totally reminded me of an accessory I had for my Action Man as a kid but I can't think what!

We never really talk about Action Man much on the blog. Funny that. He was personally a constant companion throughout the 60's and early 70's and I probably played with him and his military mates more than anything else!  I know we focus on space toys at Moonbase - oh and the occasional bit of archaeology [sorry Bill!] - but I wonder how popular Action Man/ GI Joe/ Adventure Team were and are with readers? Drop us a line.

The Tour de France is riding through my adopted home of Yorkshire as we speak. Its a big deal and thousands are out to see the cyclists whizz through the quaint villages and towns of England's biggest County. Alas, I'm not one for speed cycling, which is so popular in the UK. I prefer the slow everyday pushbiking you see in Holland and Denmark. However, I did have this Corgi Tour de France die-cast toy car set as a kid and it was quite beautiful. Did you have one readers?

image: pinterest

Oddly enough I do have this plastic toy cyclist in my possession these days. He's part of my JR Toys collection and a lovely thing too. 

Anyhoo, time for another cuppa. If any of you are watching the Tour De France or admiring your GI Joe collection, consider this question to which I do not know the answer: did Action Man/ GI Joe ever have a bicycle?

POSTSCRIPT:

I've identified what I thought the Andrew Marr backdrop looks like. It's the Palitoy Action Man Landing Signals Officer pictured here courtesy of Ebay.

FINALE 4: THE LEGEND LIVES ON!

The final part of this legendary report rests on the combined research of blog mates Arto and Paul V, who, by locating the Armoured Command Car prop from the Investigator unwittingly found the Coast Guard prop too! 

The original Coast Guard vehicle appeared the unscreened Gerry Anderson production The Investigator as seen here on You Tube and as a still: 

The vehicle somehow survived and now resides in the world's biggest privately owned collection of toys, games and models at the House on the Hill Toy Museum, based at Mountfitchet Castle, Stansted in South East England, seen here on You Tube and as a still:

And so, as the legend faces into myth, its comforting to know that at least two of the Coast Guard Vehicle toys exist, together with the original TV prop. Hope you enjoyed the Blog Legends Summer thread and this special finale. Please do let us know if there is anything you can add to any of the legends we have covered.

Woodsy Collection

Restored parts by Kevin D

FINALE 3: LIFE IMITATES LEGEND

Since I was lucky enough to interview Century 21 Production Manager Ken Holt (pictured at left with Derek Meddings) recently, Ken has very kindly shared numerous anecdotes and memories of his varied career in film and tv and his fond memories of working with the late Gerry Anderson.

In pursuing background material for the Blog Legend special, I mentioned to Ken that a new, rare toy had been found, based on the investigator. Ken, as usual had an amusing series of events to relate about production of the ill-fated series..

Ken takes up the story:

"Hi Bill, The Investigator show was a sad scene really, after Gerry got it finally approved by Universal  he contacted me to do a recce in Malta for a puppet come live action kids show.We  decided to go ahead with it, Gerry said jokingly that it could be a puppet Hawaii Five O .

We went out to Malta in January with rough weather and did some location scouting for the live action sections, but had to finish in their FortRocco studio with a view to completing post production at Elstree Studios.

The location scout was going to be Harry Oakes a good mate of mine he was a VFX  director of photography at Slough, Gerry and myself. We were met in Malta by a well known 'Fixer' with VIP contacts who's name was Paul.

Paul had arranged my first meeting was for a very  private location whose permission was through  a Goverment Minister, which was no problem for Paul except the only time for me to see the Minister was first  thing in  morning on the beach during his morning  swim.  It all went according to plan and the first location was fixed. We had no difficulty selecting others, including a monastery; but our next one was difficult as we needed a cave by the sea.

You would think that would be easy, but no,so it meant going over to Gozo which is an island close to Malta. Paul arranged a friend who would  fly us over in his own plane, a Cessna. We had all flown in Cessna's before, but not with this pilot...

We met up with him and got on well, explaining what we were looking for and arranged to meet at Hal Fa  airport which is actually a military base. We arrived on time and joined pilot Hank Alfonso on board  the light plane.

Settled in, we taxied onto the runway and took position for takeoff, gathering speed as we went. All of a sudden, Hank had to brake sharply, sending everyone, including Gerry into a heap on the floor! Overhead a huge Vulcan bomber soared past, almost directly in our path. Hank said quiet calmly that it was the problem with not having a radio on the plane!

Shortly after, we took off in great weather, Hank said he knew the perfect beach with a cave which is just what we want. When he drew close he started to fly along low over the sea looking across at the shoreline.  Suddenly, Hank curved in and flew low just above the beach, close to the cliffs shouting at us but instead of looking ahead he was too busy looking for the cave!

Gerry shouted "Thanks Hank, but we will look now!!"  We  scouted the cave, which was ideal for our location and made our way safely back to the studio.

Some while later, Gerry got a call from U A. To say that there had been a change in management and the guy who set the programme up was finished and his desk cleared including  the Investigators, tough eh !   Thats Show Business !"

best regards, Ken Holt