Catacombs Reference LibraryCollecting press
Toy Shop
Catacombs Reference LibraryToy Shop, 10 September 1999, p84-85
By Rick Kelsey
As a child growing up in the 1970s, Corey LeChat loved fantasy and science fiction shows. In fact, the 8-year-old New Jersey boy had the good fortune of access to the giant New York television market, which included not only TV shows like Star Trek, Lost in Space and Speed Racer but series like Captain Scarlet, Kimba the White Lion and Ultraman as well.
It was during one of his after-school TV marathons that LeChat saw a commercial for a new sci-fi series - Space: 1999.
He recalled that stations promoted the show as the new Star Trek. "I was hooked, and never missed an episode," LeChat said. "There was the hurtling moon, the strange insect-like Eagle ships, the stun guns - which I thought looked like horseshoes at the time - dark, brooding music, huge sets and menacing aliens. Star Trek was never like this."
Space: 1999 was created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. The British series was syndicated in America, deubting in 1975. The Andersons also did the Thunderbirds and Stingray TV series, among others. Space: 1999 took place in 1999 on Moonbase Alpha, a fictitious permanent settlement on the moon.
In the first episode of the series an unstable lunar nuclear waste dump exploded, propelling the moon, occupants and all, out of Earth's orbit and across the galaxy. Future episodes centred on the Moonbase Alpha residents efforts' in finding a way home.
"The interesting thing about the series is that season one and season two are very, very different," LeChat said. He noted the first season, which he prefers, has a darker, brooding feel. "A lot of strange and interesting things happened with those stories, but when the series was renewed for a second year, the powers that be decided to cater to the American audience more with faster pacing, new characters, flashier and more colourful sets and rubber monsters. It wasn't renewed for a third season," LeChat noted.
Animosity occurred between Space: 1999 and Star Trek fans even though Star Trek was cancelled in 1969. Even today, LeChat said he gets "some negative feelings about the [Space: 1999] show from old Trek fans."
Today, the 1970s series is popular in America, England, France, Italy and Germany. Since this is 1999, interest in the series has increased.
A large convention in which many original cast members will be guests is planned for Sept. 13, 1999 in Van Nuys, Calif. That was the fictitious date in which the moon blasted out of the Earth's orbit.
Guests are scheduled to include actors Martin Landau (Commander John Koenig), Barbara Bain (Dr. Helena Russell), Barry Morse (Professor Victor Bergman), Nick Tate (Captain Alan Carter) and Prentis Hancock (Controller Paul Morrow). To find out more, check out the web site at www.breakaway-con.com
Space: 1999 model kits have been re-released, Columbia House Video placed the series on video, and Slow Dazzle Worldwide released a Space: 1999 calendar. Demand was so great that another calendar is planned for 2000.
For LeChat, 1999 is indeed the year. He started collecting Space: 1999 toys and paraphernalia during the show's original run. In fact, one of his fondest memories is a Christmas present he received in 1976.
At the time, LeChat's father was recovering from an illness, and family finances were tight. LeChat wasn't expecting much, but much to his delight his presents included a Chest Pack Radio, a replica of the spacesuits' chest packs on the series.
"It lit up and had roughly similar details as the ones on the show, except the toy had a built-in speaker and microphone," he said. When school reopened after Christmas break, LeChat strapped on his radio, got on the bus and proudly told the other kids that "I was Alan Carter from Moonbase Alpha."
LeChat also remembers the radio for other reasons. Many collectors recall their mothers getting rid of their prized possessions, and LeChat's tale of woe involves his mother selling his beloved radio at a garage sale.
However, unlike some collectors, LeChat's story has a happy ending. Twenty years later, his mother made up for the error when she presented LeChat with a replacement Chest Pack Radio (with box) she found at a flea market.
LeChat stopped collecting Space: 1999 memorabilia for a while, but 11 years ago he started again, occasionally picking up items he originally owned as a child or items that caught his attention.
"Within the last five or six years however," he said, "I've picked up just about anything I didn't already have, from original costumes, props and models to dealer and toy manufacturer catalogues. Now that I've grown up, I'm able to afford the toys I couldn't afford 20 years ago."
According to LeChat, some of the rarest Space: 1999 collectibles are the same Chest Pack Radio he remembers so fondly and the Comlock Communicators in their original boxes. The Chest Pack Radio can bring $200, while the communicators are estimated at $165 Mint in Box.
Also, the carded Eagle water pistol and the battery-operated Azrak-Hamway International (AHI) Walking Spaceman and Moon Car are very rare in MIB condition. Expect to pay $85 for the water pistol, $300 for the spaceman and $400 for the car
An extremely elusive piece is the LJN box set of die-cast vehicles- an Eagle Transporter, Zantor's Ship and Moon Buggy. Each of these vehicles was sold separately on blister cards. These vehicles are common, but the boxed set is rare and highly prized because of the illustrations. Value for the set ranges from $300 to $500.
LeChat explained that this "is the only example known of a box set of the three vehicles. The box set utilizes an illustration instead of photographs." LeChat added the illustration "features the lunar surface with an astronaut driving a moon buggy in the foreground away from an alien ship while a Hawk spacecraft, which is similar to the Eagle spacecraft, flies overhead."
There are also many foreign Space: 1999 items that collectors actively pursue. These items include a die-cast Eagle One from Japan which includes miniature figures and firing missiles and an electronic board game from Italy (Spazio 1999 game).
Palitoy released five different carded figures - John Koenig, Alan Carter, Paul Morrow, Mysterious Alien and Captain Zantor. Figures in Mint in Package condition are valuable, - especially the elusive Carter - Carter fetches $450 MIP, Morrow brings $275, Koenig is priced at $250, Zantor fetches $165, and the alien is worth $150.
Although they may not be as valuable as rare Space: 1999 toys, other items are also in demand. One of the most popular toys is the Mattel Eagle One Spaceship play set. Others included the battery-operated Remco stun Gun ($125 MIB) and Remco Utility Belt ($125 MIB).
According to LeChat, any Eagle is in demand, from the plastic ship and the die-cast Dinky and LJN versions to the Mattel Eagle One play set. In great demand is the Mattel Flying Eagle. Since it was made near the end of the series' run, few were produced compared to early Space: 1999 toys.
"I've been trying to track down the Mattel Flying Eagle toy for years now, and I always seem to just miss it!" LeChat said. "I've missed out on it three times in the last two years by being just a little too late at a show or calling an ad. I was offered it when I just started to get into collecting again, and I passed on it as [it was] out of my price range at the time.
"Since then," he added, "I missed it at a toy show last year. It was walking out as I was walking in! And a dealer friend sold one two days before I called him because he thought I'd already had one. But eventually it'll turn up, and I'll be quite pleased."
Other items LeChat would like to find include carded Larami and AHI items and children's clothing. LeChat owned a pair of Space: 1999 pyjamas when he was a boy, and he is still trying to locate T-shirts and pyjamas that were released when the series was originally on the air. He said it's especially tough to find clothing in Good condition, but he holds out hope because he has tracked down Star Trek shirts and pyjamas from the period.
And what are LeChat's favourite Space: 1999 toys? He said they include the LJN boxed set of die-cast space vehicles and Larami's carded items.
He said he's "still missing two of the ones [Larami items] I had 23 years ago - the Superscope [a plastic toy periscope] and the Stamping Set [rubber stamps and an ink pad featuring Space: 1999 characters].
He noted that Larami items were "quite a bargain looking back on it. I could go to the grocery or drug store and buy a toy for 79 cents and years later have priceless memories. Isn't that what toys are all about?"