UNIDENTIFIED FLYING MONTY'S

 I've been browsing Century 21 Merchandising on Ebay this year and found a couple of Monty Gum card images I'm intrigued by.

From 1970, these illustrated cards had nothing on the back.

This one, #17, is called Lift Off apparently, although there's no reference to that on the card. What I really like is the domed rocket depicted on it. Now that looks great. Anyone know what it is? The domes top really reminds me of the wondrous Photonic Space Station top from the Tri-ang SpaceX range of toys as seen here https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3Auyc6bC1ay1PfpqjzuU9u9nlBA0MToi0Y7BWf5Ks37ihsbC2IKG99dBrSZ97e-MDSS1JK98IqS-eE77ui22eXClJWWlLln9IaCmazz6HG76tOHEdimk14NMIL5oHLSakFj7jYmpH48p/s1600/photonic+boxed+2+15.JPG

Similarly, #59, "Naval Battle2, has a fab ship on it. Typically Century 21, is that a ship from the series? Anyone know?

Anyone got the Monty Gum UFO set of cards?

KONG CAPERS

Kong is on my mind at the mo. 

I know some of you have seen Godzilla V Kong already and I'm gearing up to. It'll be strange to go into a cinema again. Part of me still doesn't want to, which is scary in itself. The last time was probably February 2020, although I've no idea what I saw now.

Are you going to the cinema soon?

In the meantime I found this old King King game in the attic. Its based on  an earlier incarnation of the movie, the Jeff Bridges Jessica Lange 1976 version. The box art is the same as the cinema poster although the Empire State building has been ditched for the tallest buildings of the age. Despite the use of the Twin Towers, now a symbol of tragedy, I quite like it. Do you?

Only this morning reader Paul Adams sent me a picture with a different take on this iconic scene that fits in well here. I'll let Paul take up the story.

Hi, 

Not being a fan of heavy metal music, I have only just discovered this album cover by the British group Tygers of Pan Tang (never heard of them). Crazy Nights was released in 1981.

It features a truly great cover painting of a tiger atop the Post Office Tower in London, fighting off a pair of Tiger Moth biplanes.

Is this taking off King Kong, or the Kitten Kong episode of the TV series The Goodies ? What a great model this would make. The picture is from Amazon.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

SPACE TRUCK'S GOLDEN ASTRONAUT BUNDLE

Hi Thought you might want to look this over. I scored a hay bale sized lot of Golden Astronaut figures, all in Multiple Toymaker poses and some with very odd characteristics. Here's my blog on the matter

https://spacetrucks.blogspot.com/2021/02/golden-astronaut-space-figure.html

The first video is just me opening the mail, prolly not that interesting but the pix of the figures hopefully is. And I gotta have a Moon HQ set. Goddamn pandemic!

Steve N.

NYC

WHEN WERE KIDS' TV SHOWS ON WHEN YOU WERE SMALL?

Thinking back to my Sixties and Seventies childhood many of the TV programmes I watched here in England seemed to have been on one after another in an endless stream of goodness and joy.

But this can't be right.

Certain things I know: The Magic Roundabout was always at the end of Kids TV weekdays before the grown-up stuff started like the News. Other possible finalists were Rhubarb and maybe even Jackanory. These all ended around 5.45 I think. Is that right?

Another deffo was Crackerjack, which we all know was on at 5 to 5. You got a pencil too!

Beyond these fixtures I'm stuck. When was an hour long show like Thunderbirds on? After the News? When was Scooby do on? Around 5pm. When did Kids TV start? 4pm?

What about stuff like Watch with Mother, Andy Pandy, the Woodentops and my favourite, Tales from the Riverbank? Were these on during the week? During the day?

Saturdays is safer ground. I know I saw programmes like the Banana Splits and the Double Deckers on Saturday morning. That means I saw Shazan, the Three Musketeers, Danger Island and the Impossibles on Saturdays too.

Sundays was a desert. Nothing for Kids as far as I recall. Is that correct readers?

What was kids TV scheduling like in your country when you were little?

S.W.O.R.D AT HATCHETTS PLAYGROUND: RESEARCH RESOURCES

Online Resources I have used in researching how Hatchett's Playground, Project SWORD and 2001 A Space Odyssey came together in London. You may want to dig a bit yourself.

https://garagehangover.com/hatchetts-playground/

https://imgur.com/a/sWtBd#24

https://hydeparknow.uk/2018/04/01/2001-space-odyssey-1968/#:~:text=The%20UK%20premiere%20was%20meant,here%20on%201%20May%201968.&text='Awesome%2C%20often%20startingly%20beautiful%2C,helluva%20movie%2C%20unlike%20any%20other!

WHAT DO WE DO WITH A ROBOT LIKE MARIA?

 

 The classic Maria Metropolis transformation.

Was this the birth of movie Sci-Fi as we know it?

STAR RIDER ANYONE?

 

This Star Rider set is from 1996. I saved the pic I saw online. 

The very dark packaging is unusual for a toy line but its the Thunderbird 5 lookalike that caught my attention.  Thunderbirds really has had a wide impact in space toys hasn't it.

Is this a line of toys you know?

Munsters Key Rings

Hi all

Bella, from Bella's Toy Chest, shows off her latest haul. Mostly 1980s onwards, but towards the end of the clip there are a couple of key rings from The Munsters - Lily and Eddie. I have never seen these before. Very nice. After a bit of checking (I could not really find much on these), there were also figures of Herman and Grandpa. I seriously doubt these are 1960s vintage, but can not be sure. From the few photos I could find on Ebay showing the underside of the base, they have © date Kayro-Vue Pro. and Made in China. The date is very hard to read, it could be 1964 or 1984, and would a 1960s vintage US toy really have been made in China ? In the comments section, one reader does say he thinks they are late 1980s. They also look rather too new to be from the 1960s. Any keyring experts out there ?

(5) First Toy Show Haul of 2021 - YouTube

Paul Adams from New Zealand