The Star Wars Killer! Battlestar Galactica

[@seanmc7128]

I'll never forget my parents getting the Christmas catalogs for sears jc penny's and Kmart. It was a mesmerizing event for me as a kid lol I use to absolutely love seeing toys like these in the catalogs

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

I miss those days so much!! Nothing now even comes close.

[@mrcydonia]

Those catalogs were magic. I remember going through them and circling every Star Wars figure I needed so I'd get them for my birthday or Christmas. Good times.

[@erictallant4965]

The Sears/JC Penny Christmas catalog made my childhood memories amazing. Kids will never know the joy of studying those catalogs, and dreaming.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

I agree! What a different world we live in now!😔

[@Scotty-Z70]

imagine if Kenner got the BSG license...and if they did it as well as Star Wars...imagine the # of figures!

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

Ok, I don’t even want to think about it! It hurts too much!! 😂

[@mikeselwa2298]

These pics make me nostalgic for my viper, stellar probe and scarab. I even had the viper " launch station". I used to pour over the Sears and JC Penny catalogues. Fun times and fond memories.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

Great toys! I loved that Launch Station!!

[@thelj3279]

Loved this line so much, wonderful memories!! We were on holiday with family in Canada (Burlington, Ontario) during the first run so this was how we discovered the show!! It was hugely popular there right from the get go and even then you could watch 2 or 3 episodes several times in a week!! We were used to 70's UK tv so that in itself was amazingly cool!! Got the viper and raider in a mall in Edmonton and they were like the best things ever, then straight after saw Superman The Movie on the biggest screen we'd ever seen!! It's actually surprising that we didn't get loose rockets as these would have been from a very early run and like the show probably hadn't even hit US shelves at that point!! Anyway, 3 weeks later we returned to the UK and within a few weeks the movie edit was the latest big thing in cinemas!! We saw it 3 times and had all the merch apart from the Scarab which was never available here!! I think there was actually other stuff that didn't get here but we had both big figures which back then were very unique!! We were so lucky and have been totally in love with all things BSG ever since!!!💚!

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

The show and movies did very well. Still makes no sense why the show was canceled!

[@Teletran35]

April 29th 1979? That was my 13th and I loved the BSG merch

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

1980 would had been the big year. You would have seen less odd toys and more action figures (which is what retailers and kids wanted!).

[@cyrusq5999]

My 1970s next door neighbour had the BG toys (we went to school together). He gave me quite a few of his toys (either he had little interest in them, or was trying to buy friends?). I benefited from his generosity. Lol. He had SW, BG, and one of the Shogun large plastic robots (Mighty Mazinga, I think he was called?). I never actually owned any (bought for me) BG toys, but loved the look of the Cylon Raider. I still believe the Battlestar Galactica ship designs rival - or better - some of the SW ships. The chrome Centurian Cylon robots were certainly more impressive to look at than b/w Stormtroopers - and they died better onscreen! I have very fond memories of the 1970s toys, and growing up with them.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

Thank you for sharing that! I loved that Cylon!!

[@mrcydonia]

The 70s were a great time to be a kid.

[@diggingattycho7908]

That was a great time for toys in general. I have so many fond memories of going through toy stores in the 70's. The stuff on the shelves was unbelievable. That was before Star Wars and He Man, which is my biggest complaint about the toy channels on KZbin. One would assume there was nothing before GI Joe. BC yours is one of the few who venture into the void ;). Sadly there are so many toys lines that have been lost to memory, simply because they didn't make it into one of the big chain store catalogs.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

Couldn't agree more! I plan on looking at some of those forgotten lines in the future. Let me know what you would like to see.

[@diggingattycho7908]

@@battlestarcollectica7106 That's a tough one, memories going back over 50 years. I went though Ward's and Sear's catalogs, hoping to jar some memories. Which they did, but I remember the toys but sadly no names. Just images in my head, which sadly I can't download. I grew up in Phoenix(and still live in Phoenix), there were toy stores all over town. I remember stores not all carrying the same stuff. The one place that had the most unique toys was "The Broadway", they had a lot of Japanese stuff. I didn't see anywhere else in town. Wouldn't we like to talk to their purchaser back then. My family would go to Newport Beach California every August, my grandmother would take me to several toy stores near there. The selection in those was even more mind-blowing. Going into a ToysRUS, that was going to another planet. ToysRUS didn't get to Phoenix till the very early 1990's. Even then the selection wasn't as good. I'll think on it, see what I can remember.

[@peppermintspacecapsule9898]

I think that 12" Colonial Warrior figure looks like Adama, specifically in the episode *The Magnificent Warriors...* but it's probably just a coincidence. Great to see the Stellar Probe again! Based on your recommendation, I'm partway through *Saga of a Fugitive Fleet* ...and they use the Stellar Probe! 🚀

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

The Colonial Warrior is a reissue of a Major Matt Mason figure issued by Mattel in the 1960s. The outfit does look like the one Adama wore!

[@peppermintspacecapsule9898]

@@battlestarcollectica7106 - Just like Captain Lazer! 🚀

[@blackhuffer6831]

The Stellar Probe! YES!!!

[@RichardEKranz]

I do remember seeing all the BSG toys in Toy R Us in Bayonne NJ in 78. I still remember the smell! I even remember seeing the talking Muffet plushie toy, but passed on it due to it looking not "On Model". I still got all those toys. Alsoi rinally got my Cylon Funko Pop figure, my very first Funko and even got all 5 Battlestar 2023 Ornaments so that I can make my 5 ship diorama. Anyone remember the 5 names? Atlantia, Galactica, Solaria(Robert Thurston novel), Pacifica(novel), Colombia(mentioned by cadet Cree), Rycon from "Take The Celestra" episode. I think that was it. Someone years ago mentioned Acropolis but I cant hear is anywhere from the 3 hr. premiere. Thanks for making this vid and keeping us informed. Appreciate it.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

Thanks for all that info! I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of all those Battlestars. Very cool!

[@Jack_Stafford]

Surprised Pegasus wasn't one of them?

[@RichardEKranz]

@@Jack_Stafford In the Living Legend the Pegasus was deemed lost with the 5th fleet 2 yarns prior to the destruction of the colonies. Hey you aren't the actor are you?

[@Jack_Stafford]

@RichardEKranz really, I always assumed it was lost at the cylon surprise attack. Thanks for letting me know! ( I may be distantly related to the actor but I'm more closely related to the football player LOL)

[@GooeyGluey]

@Battlestar Collectica: I remember waiting for that BIG Galactica toy, with the little vipers, etc. But, I just never saw it in stores -- at least where I lived. Do you have one in your collection, Collectica? Another great video, BTW.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

I think only one or two of those Galactica were made. I’ve never seen one. I wish Mattel would issue it!!

[@FotogInkArt]

I had a lot of the Galactic Mattel line...including the stuffed Muffit. Only have the space pistol/laser left. But what a line. I loved em as a 8 year old.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

I had both the 12” figures as a kid and loved them. I miss those days!! Thanks for sharing your memories!

[@volkerc]

Best handheld game. Still have it boxed.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

It was fun then and now. What was your high score?

[@volkerc]

@@battlestarcollectica7106 Sounds stupid, but the highest possible. I played it so often I would know when to hit the button and hit them right after they appeared, learning the sequence. Because I haven't played it for decades I can't give you the exact number...getting old you know...fyi: i used a lego head to extend the length of the lever to become fast

[@darylsmith4267]

I had the blaster pistol and the electronic game but weirdly both had lost the BG branding by the time they hit the UK( despite the recognisable Cylon raiders and Galactica on the game screen.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

That is interesting! I’ve never seen a generic version of that game!

[@rogersjolly1]

No offense, but I'm so thankful Mattel did not get the Star Wars license! I love the Battlestar Galactica toys, but I don't think I would have liked the Mattel versions better than Kenner. Kenner nailed it with the 3.75" figure size. But, you can sure guarantee that I had multiples of all the Battlestar Galactica toys!! Still have most to this day.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

I agree with you! Kenner was innovating while Mattel was resting on past successes!

[@manlystranger4973]

This video is a good recap of the accepted BSG Mattel toy line lore. But what if Mattel had picked up the Star Wars license? Would Mattel have seen success? Would Mattel have used a 3/4 inch scale, which combined with Star Wars is what made the toys a hit for Kenner? Would 3/4 inch Star Wars figures with no face paint details have sold? Would Mattel's first run of Star Wars figures been as small as their BSG line? Would Mattel have created any vehicles in the 3/4 inch scale, which is what really made the big bucks for Kenner, since they failed to do so with BSG? Why did the cancellation of the TV show have any impact on the continuation of the line? Kenner produced Star Wars figures based on a single movie which was not even in theaters during their biggest sales periods and only hope there would ever be a second movie released for at least 3 years. The difference between Kenner's Star Wars and Mattel's BSG is not the licensed property, but the fact Kenner went all in and Mattel never fully committed to the product.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

We will never know what Mattel or Mego would have done with the license. Kenner was very lucky as had SW been a bomb they probable would had gone out of business.

[@cyrusq5999]

Glad things went the way they did. Kenner did an excellent job with STAR WARS. The prototype figures, seen in early advertising, had even more detailed painting applied to them before they were simplified for mass production. I don’t think Mattel would have made the same effort.

[@Stansman63]

No wonder I had trouble finding Galactica merchandise, the show had been cancelled over a year before I even saw the first episode..

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

Still makes no sense that show was canceled!

[@royceburris9419]

They advertised the Galactica toy but never went into production, no one could by it just see it in the catalog. The launch bay was cool but made very cheap. the other toys were pretty cool though.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

Mattel had major plans for 1980. Ships, figures, playsets…. All plans thrown in the garbage! 😔

[@kenasche3114]

Mattel botched it in a lot of ways, They already had a line of figures they could have used to make Great BSG Figures. That was The 10 inch Big Jim line, instead of fowling what Kenner did, and made the 3 1/2 inch figures, that looked like CRAP! All they would have to do is change the heads and make the uniforms, the Bodies could stay the same except they would have to make 10 inch Cylons. And the Colonial Vipers would have to be bigger.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

The problem was retailers wanted action figures in the Kenner scale. Mattel had no choice but to comply.

[@Jack_Stafford]

Figures and ships in that scale would have been so much more expensive, that's kind of why the Star Wars figures were downsized, to make the ships and things like the Death Star practical that wouldn't take up an entire room lol

[@DBialy]

The variance in scaling on this line drove me nuts. Still can't wrap my head around the decision to have a line of action figures that don't fit into their respective vehicles...

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

If BSG had a second season we would have seen a HUGE expansion of the figure line. A scaled Viper was planned as well as a playset. We were robbed!!

[@DBialy]

@@battlestarcollectica7106 UGH! We were ROBBED!

[@Scotty-Z70]

FIRST!

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

Congratulations!!

[@captlazer5509]

If Galactica 1980 was better, toys would have likely continued.

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

By the time G80 premiered it was over. Retailers had moved on from Galactica and Mattel put their efforts into Flash Gordon.

[@MarK-x9y]

I had the imperial leader figure, cylon figure & the 12" cylon. I always wanted the two opposing fighter ships. Some of those other vehicle/space ships didn't appear in the movie so I had no interest

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

The Scarab and Probe Ship were created by Mattel BUT supposedly based on rejected BSG designs. I’ve yet to find proof of it but still kind of cool!

[@Degro76]

Lets not forget a kid choked on a toy missile from that line. Big lawsuit

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

Yes, just a horrible incident!

[@the_weed_in_your_garden9319]

That stupid kid. Ruined the chances of getting a Boba Fett figure with a working missile

[@kunserndsittizen2655]

That idiotic kid cost me enjoyment of my toy. The missiles didn’t deploy on mine but they did on my cousin’s. I had a starship ENTERPRISE toy that shot torpedoes and I didn’t eat them.

[@peepachu]

Everything about Battlestar was mishandled from the beginning. From ABC rushing it to series and the creators having to pivot from a series of mini-series to a weekly TV show at breakneck speed to the way that the toys were produced by slapping the name of the series on to items that barely had any relation to the core show. Let's not even talk about ABC's unbelievably stupid decision to cancel the show because it's high ratings weren't quite sky-high enough due in large part to the short-sighted decisions that they imposed on the show. Galactica could have had so much long-term potential and have been a perennial moneymaker if not for greed and hubris. The cast gave it their all. The production team gave it their all. The fans were committed. The studio and merchandising team dropped the ball and yet the show lived on in the hearts and minds of the fans and series actors. What could have been...

[@battlestarcollectica7106]

Let’s not forget Universal not taking advantage of the successful movies over seas. GL begged them to make a brand new theatrical film but instead we got Conquest of Earth! 😡😂🤣

[@peepachu]

@@battlestarcollectica7106 Yes. Missteps every step of the way.