WIMPY HAMBURGERS

We discussed Wimpy Bars and burgers a while back. Andy B has sent me this pic of Wimpy from the Popeye TV cartoon. Andy thinks the Burger bar's name derives from Popeye's friend Wimpy, who always guzzled hamburgers.

What do you think readers?

ARE THE PROJECT SWORD SCRAMBLE BUG AND THE ALPS LUNAR EXPLORER CONNECTED?

Continuing my research into possible toy connections to Project SWORD toys, I would like to look at the Scramble Bug.

As seen above, the Bug's pilot is a golden astronaut with his arms at his side moulded in a seated position. I can't show you one outside of his dome as I don't have one loose [anyone?]

I would like to suggest that he looks very similar to the silver pilot in the Alps Lunar Explorer, as you can see in this comparison.

Similarly, the ribbed wheels of the two vehicles are also very similar in design.

You can see more closely in this comparison of the outer/ inner Bug wheels and the Alps wheel. It is the inner Bug wheel, with its flattened edge [bottom left], which is most similar. A comparison of the two toys actually side by side would help here greatly particularly with scale.

Another rarer version of the Alps Lunar Explorer even appears to have EXACTLY THE SAME wheels as the Scramble Bug, complete with rounded edge and red hub cap! [ courtesy of Alphadrome: Joe K].

There are other more circumstantial similarities too: the Scramble Bug is numbered 6 and the Explorer is numbered 7 and both of them have a red arrow emblem: the Bug has the SWORD emblem and the Explorer has double arrowheads in white and red.

There is also one other connection between Alps and Century 21 Toys. Both companies borrowed elements of the 1960 Ideal Astro Base Scout Car for their own toys: the Century 21 Moon Ranger pilot [blogged previously] and the Alps/Rosko Rocket Man Rockets [courtesy of Alphadrome: Gernot].

The chronology of these two toys is difficult. We know that the Scramble Bug was released in 1967 by Century 21 Toys. The year of manufacture of the Alps Lunar Explorer is less clear to me. Some online sources state it as 1966, which would certainly help the case that it may have influenced the Bug. However, the year is as yet unconfirmed until I find a definite source [anyone?]

So what do you think readers? Is there a connection between the Bug and the Explorer?

MYSTERY PANEL IN THE PROJECT SWORD CAPE KENNEDY SET

This was in my photo archive and I've only just noticed it. Its from an Ebay auction earlier this year of a Century 21 Project SWORD Cape Kennedy Set.

The odd things is that the base of the rocket has what appears to be a panel missing from the side! Its a very neat rectangular hole and looks like it should be there!

I've never noticed this on my own toy and don't recall it when I was a kid. I shall have to go in the loft and check mine but in the meantime any ideas readers?

Kevin's Blakes 7 Liberator Intercom

I've made a quick replica of the wall intercoms seen throughout the Liberator in Blakes 7. I've put a speaker in it so that it can play music!

Take care,

Kevin

DECEMBER'S MONSTER QUIZ

OK folks, here's another monstrously quick-fire December brainteaser. One answer per reader please - in the comments. You can do it!

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1. Which actor connects the films The Ghoul and ALIEN?

2. How is the bronze statue Warrior Talos, who comes to life in the film Jason and the Argonauts, defeated?

3. Which two actors connect the films Star Wars and Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell?

4. Name two other names for the Abominable Snowman.

5. Which actor connects The Avengers TV series and the film The Howling?

6. What have Tomato ketchup and Kensington Gore got in common?

7. Which is bigger, a Wampa or the Rangor monster?

8. What does Glynis Johns, the long-suffering wife, in the Vault of Horror movie anthology story The Neat Job, do when Terry Thomas, her obsessively neat husband, comes into the cellar at the end of the story?

9. Why is Calibos turned into a monster in the film Clash of the Titans [1981]?

10. What is wheeled out of the Motel room at the end of the film Poltergeist?

MEMORABLE MEALS IN THE MOVIES

Being a film nut and video collector there are certain things I remember if I see them on the screen. One is people eating. I have blogged about this before but here are a couple more memorable movie meals.

Here we have Michael, the hybrid vamp-wolf, scoffing in an olde worlde tavern in the film Underworld, which single handedly invented the leather-clad lady vampire. I've often wondered what Michael is tucking into in this scene. I have always assumed its in Eastern Europe.

Well, having researched some food for a family member going to the Czech Republic I came across this, a plate of dumplings, sauerkraut and what looks like pork. Could thus be a contender for Micheal's final human meal? What do you think readers?

Another classic meal can be found in RKO's 1932 creepy Welsh house epic The Old Dark House. In fact it could well be the mother of all movie meals as James Whale uses the lengthy dinner to frame the scene of a decrepit family in a creaking house slowly going mad in a raging storm. It begins with Miss Fem, the old hag who owns the place, shrieking "Supper!". You can see it here. 

The meal itself is simple enough: roast beef, large white potatoes, crusty white bread and pickled onions, a meal I would love to emulate one dark winter Sunday! The film is stuffed with horror stars: Karloff [too famous to bother with his first name at the time], Ernest Thesiger, Melvyn Douglas and Charles Laughton as the loud Yorkshireman, who at one points sings about the roast beef! 

The stand-out line has to be Ernest Thesiger, famed for his role in Bride of Frankenstein [often cited as the best horror film of all time] when he passes the spuds round saying 'Have a Potatoe' in a precise and thespian way. I seem to recall whole potatoes like that from my childhood but certainly not one recently. Miss Fem also loves her pickled onions. How about you readers?

You can watch the whole classic film here courtesy of You Tube:

THE UFO WONDER GUN AND THE SHADO UFO ECHO GUN

This toy pistol, the UFO Wonder Gun, appeared on the Bay a while back. There was a suggestion from the seller that it MIGHT be connected to UFO the Gerry Anderson TV show.

In my opinion the UFO Wonder GUN has nothing to do with UFO. Its one of countless generic toy pistols linked to ufo's. Here's an advert for it from 1967 [bottom right].

This toy pistol had the added novelty of firing plastic disks. You could get these as spare ammo bags by Barton. The monster destroying the ship on the header looks kinda familiar.

There was of course a real toy gun connected with the UFO TV series, the rare Doppelganger/ SHADO Echo or Acoustic Gun, screengrabbed below courtesy of Modmart aka Jim Lewis's You Tube channel [Jim used to contribute to the blog a lot].

The toy was featured in Dennis Nicholson's memorabilia guidebook, in front of what appears to be a backing card. It was made in Taiwan. I've never seen one in the flesh and certainly never one carded or boxed [I think it came boxed for some reason]. 

You can see it in action and hear it's incredible sound effect on Modmart's excellent You Tube tour of his Gerry Anderson toy pistols [it starts here at the Echo Gun part] https://youtu.be/V8KFyOCJw1c?t=3m52s. I would be interested to know the history of this pistol on Gerry A's shows and films if anyone knows.

UFO toy guns are rare and so do have a certain mystery about them. The appearance of a so-called UFO toy pistol caused a controversy among UFO fans as far back as 2005! http://shado-forum.com/Re-UFO-pistol-on-ebay-Rip-off-td1505775.html [not sure whuch one they are talking about here].

Anyone have the Echo Gun?

HAPPY NIKOLAUS READERS!

Today is the feast of St. Nikolaus.

St. Nick is the forerunner of Father Christmas and Santa Claus.

He was a Greek Bishop of Myra in what is now modern day Turkey. Associated with his generosity to children, he is the archetypal gift-bringer of Old Europe.

Missus Moonbase comes from the Continent and along with millions of European children celebrated St. Nikolaus as a kid on the Sixties and as they still do now. In many ways it is an early Christmas Day.

My Wife recalls leaving her shoes outside the house door. These would be filled with sweets. 

Inside the candle-lit kitchen would be a Bunte Teller or colouful platter of sweets, nuts and fruit like this:

The whole family would dress for the winter cold and join many others to witness the St. Nikolaus procession proceeding through the town centre. St. Nick was escorted by 'bad monk' Knect Ruprect and others handing out sweets to the enchanted kids.

Largely if not completely absent from Great Britain, if you are celebrating St. Nikolaus's day then I hope your shoes were stuffed with goodies and your candles burn bright.

Let us know if you are!