SPACE:1999-The television series.
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Having been responsible for a plethora of incredibly popular Science-Fiction television programmes, including FIREBALL XL5, THUNDERBIRDS and JOE 90, Gerry Anderson and his team commenced filming SPACE:1999 in December 1973. Evolving from the proposed second season concept of the earlier live-action show UFO, SPACE:1999 was the most expensive television programme ever produced up until that point. Starring two of television's most popular personalities, husband and wife pairing Martin Landau and Barbara Bain known around the World for their roles in MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE, SPACE:1999 boasted some of the most incredible sets, costumes and special effects ever seen on the small screen. The first episode 'Breakaway' aired on British television on September 4th 1975. The following twenty-three episodes introduced viewers around the globe to Barry Morse in the role of Victor Bergman, along with fellow 'Alphans' Paul Morrow and Alan Carter played respectively by Prentis Hancock and Nick Tate. SPACE:1999 devotees were also lavished with an amazing roster of international artistes assuming guest-starring roles as aliens encountered by the crew of Moonbase Alpha and included names such as Joan Collins, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. With the series proving a success in many territories a second season was commissioned and a further twenty-four episodes of SPACE:1999 went before the cameras at Pinewood Studios. A re-formatting of the concept brought Catherine Schell to Alpha, in the form of 'Metamorph' Maya, along with Security Chief Tony Verdeschi played by Tony Anholt. Although still immensely popular around the world ratings for the second season were not as high as those enjoyed by the earliest episodes. This disappointment led, albeit indirectly, to the cancellation of SPACE:1999 with the final episode airing on November 12th 1977.
SPACE:1999-The concept.
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The year is 1999 and mankind has established a huge base on the surface of the Moon, Alpha. The two main tasks performed by those on the outpost are scientific research and the exploration of deep space. Given the more peaceful political climate enjoyed by those back on Earth the lunar landscape is now peppered with a number of nuclear waste sites following large-scale disarmament. The responsibility for the maintenance of these sites is also assigned to the 'Alphans'. On September 13th 1999 a freak increase in magnetic radiation detonates this enormous waste deposit and the Moon is blasted out of Earth's orbit hurtling uncontrollably into deep space. Under the command of John Koenig the crew of Moonbase Alpha must do their best to survive the almost daily trials that await them as they encounter a myriad of often hostile aliens, environments and civilisations.
SPACE:1999-The Palitoy Action Figures.
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With the British toy company Palitoy having enjoyed no small amount of success with their own release of Mego's popular PLANET OF THE APES and STAR TREK lines it was unsurprising that both companies eagerly awaited the new Science Fiction extravaganza SPACE:1999. Unfortunately for Mego the major action figure licence for the United States had been negotiated by industry giants Mattel. In England however Palitoy were able to strike a deal with Roger Caton of ATV Merchandising to create a line of SPACE:1999 action figures. Mego were then invited to produce these figures to their usual high standard of excellence on Palitoy's behalf. Spring 1976 saw the release to stores all over England of the five figure SPACE:1999 line. With the three key roles seen in SPACE:1999 comprising a rugged, heroic leader of men, a female medical officer and a balding professorial-type character it was indeed apparent that only one would fall into Palitoy's requirement of 'dominant male' . To this end only Martin Landau's character, Commander Koenig, appeared as part of the series despite being referred to on packaging as "Captain Koenig". Of the two other 'dominant males' seen regularly in SPACE:1999 the first was Paul Morrow with the character's rank being correctly acknowledged on the card as Koenig's "2nd In Command". This figure portraying the controller of Moonbase Alpha's Main Mission, like Koenig, wore a very close approximation of the actual costume designed by internationally renowned fashion guru Rudi Gernreich. The two piece costume comprised a white tunic with a single metal stud at the back of the neck. A coloured left sleeve designated rank or position within the Alphan infrastructure. Morrow wore red, or flame as it is more correctly referred, whilst Koenig sported black to denote a command position along with a thinner black stripe along his right sleeve. Such was the level of detail afforded these figures that both Koenig and Morrow had foiled plastic strips applied to the left sleeve and trouser leg of their uniforms to replicate the zippers seen on the actors' costumes in the series. The white trousers reflect the era in which SPACE:1999 was filmed and are quite possibly the most flared ever produced by Mego! A yellow plastic belt finished the uniforms off and despite the costumes being produced in white, as opposed to the more accurate fawn seen in the television show, the overall appearance of the figures is pleasing to both Mego collectors and SPACE:1999 enthusiasts. The third regular character seen in the series was Alan Carter an Australian responsible for Alpha's fleet of sleek combat/rescue/haulage vehicles, the Eagles. Clad in a red space suit the figure bore only the vaguest resemblance to his on-screen counterpart. Keith Wilson's original design for the Alphan environmental suits included full face helmets and both chest and back packs with the outfits themselves being orange in colour. The Palitoy version included neither of these packs with the figure wearing the standard Mego helmet supplied for Action Jackson and the PLANET OF THE APES 'Astronaut' although produced on this occasion in red plastic. Early advertising for the SPACE:1999 line showed Alan Carter wearing Alphan fatigues with his correct sleeve colour of pale orange denoting his status as a Reconnaissance Operative. It was decided however to produce the figure in full flight mode adding variety to the line-up. All three figures came supplied with an accurately contoured red plastic Commlock used in SPACE:1999 as a communications device with no combative purpose. The three characters were all produced using the type two body standard to the period. Koenig and Morrow featured the now famous STAR TREK-style boots moulded into the lower leg in white while Carter wore removable boots, similar in design to those worn by 'Mr Fantastic', also in this colour. To provide obvious play value a pair of alien figures were also included in the series allowing young SPACE:1999 followers to create their own versions of two of the series most popular episodes. The first, 'Earthbound', aired on December 4th 1975 and featured 'Hammer' legend Christopher Lee in the role of the enigmatic Kaldorian, Captain Zantor. Palitoy are to be applauded for encouraging Mego to provide the character with an authentic costume and perhaps best of all, 'real' hair. Exhibiting the character's distinctive facial markings the figure is one of the most unusual ever produced by the company and it is simple to see why he was chosen to be part of the line-up. Resplendent in his brown and black gown, with no footwear, Captain Zantor was a favourite with youngsters and followers of SPACE:1999 alike with the figure capturing perfectly Lee's ethereal quality in the role. The second alien figure was The Mysterious Alien as portrayed by Anthony Valentine in the episode 'War Games'. The figure's purple flowing robes match almost exactly those to which viewers were first introduced on September 25th 1975. The beautiful authentically sculpted head, bearing a 'Mego 1975' copyright like the others in the series, sits in a standard type two body with traditional STAR TREK footwear on this occasion. Lacking individual production or catalogue numbers the SPACE:1999 Mego/Palitoy line only offered the assortment '22830' on the cards on which the figures were made available. Using the earlier STAR TREK card design as a template Palitoy thus offered the retailer an appealing display piece attracting much interest from both children and parents in 1976. Now almost three decades later these figures remain a stunning testament to those responsible for their creation and also to the television series from which they spawned, SPACE:1999 "The Most Spectacular Space Series Ever". |
