Mego Bill Maxwell Prototype Found! [Archive]

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Jul 18, '08, 7:20 AM

http://megomuseum.com/GAHBill/bill1a.jpg (http://megomuseum.com/teevee/gahbill.html) A startling new discovery today, the Mego Greatest American Hero Bill Maxwell (http://megomuseum.com/teevee/gahbill.html) figure, long thought lost is now up for display at the Megomuseum (http://www.megomuseum.com/).

One cannot begin to go on how incredibly cool that 25 years after Mego folded, that stuff like this is still being found.

Discuss this at the Mego Forum! (http://www.megomuseum.com/community)

More... (http://www.megomuseum.com/blog/2008/07/mego-bill-maxwell-prototype-found.html)

SlipperyLilSuckers

Jul 18, '08, 7:40 AM

Wow! How exciting! Where did this turn up?

The Toyroom

Jul 18, '08, 7:41 AM

Very cool! How do you still find this stuff after 25+ years? :terror:

Mikey

Jul 18, '08, 8:08 AM

Oh wow !!!!!!!!!!

This is GREAT ... I love that fact that new discoveries are still happening :grin:

BTW, B
On the regular GAH gallery 8" prototype page, the writing is crazy tiny --- almost unreadable.

Sowth

Jul 18, '08, 8:11 AM

Cool bananas! Amazing.

Will

palitoy

Jul 18, '08, 8:16 AM

Oh wow !!!!!!!!!!

On the regular GAH gallery 8" prototype page, the writing is crazy tiny --- almost unreadable.

Yeah I got a fix that, something happened to it.

ScottA

Jul 18, '08, 8:25 AM

I'm guessing wow is going to be used a lot today. Interesting they gave him a watch. So - who, where, when and how?? Inquiring minds want to know.

palitoy

Jul 18, '08, 8:28 AM

I'm guessing wow is going to be used a lot today. Interesting they gave him a watch. So - who, where, when and how?? Inquiring minds want to know.

The owner asked not to be publicly named and we're going to respect their wishes. I'm just happy they shared.

ScottA

Jul 18, '08, 8:29 AM

The owner asked not to be publicly named and we're going to respect their wishes. I'm just happy they shared.

No problem and we will for sure. I too am happy they shared and it gives us hope of finding another one out there.

mitchedwards

Jul 18, '08, 8:36 AM

Will the mego surprises never end? This is very cool

dumbldor

Jul 18, '08, 8:43 AM

Wow, that's awesome. This is a big score for Mego Museum.

Wee67

Jul 18, '08, 8:48 AM

It was an ebay lot of random 'used' figures about 3 weeks ago.

Holy Poop!!!! Really?!?! What a find and nice job by the eye that spotted it. I do wish we cold get a little back story on where the figure's been all this time, etc. I do respect, however, your respect for the owner.

palitoy

Jul 18, '08, 8:51 AM

Out of respect for the owner, I'd rather we didn't go there publicly. Suffice to say, it can be traced right back to Mego.

Wee67

Jul 18, '08, 8:54 AM

Darn you and your ethics!!!

rchatlin

Jul 18, '08, 9:34 AM

Wow, what a discovery,
and a major coup for the Museum.

Thanks to our mysterious benefactor -
Please think about joining our community.

r
o
b

Raydeen1

Jul 18, '08, 10:57 AM

Missed it by THAT much!

I had a bid on this figuring it was Bill. I'm certainly happy we got some pix and it's legit.

Awesome stuff.

Goblin19

Jul 18, '08, 11:01 AM

Wow, that's pretty amazing.

Megospidey

Jul 18, '08, 11:12 AM

Definitely an amazing discovery....kind of like finding an undiscovered Picasso in our little neck of the collecting woods!

fallensaviour

Jul 18, '08, 11:26 AM

I am completely speechless!!!
This has got to be one of the coolest discoveries I have ever witnessed...

palitoy

Jul 18, '08, 11:33 AM

That Sculpt is a great likeness .

Agreed, I'd go as far to say it's superior to the Ralph.

Blue Meanie

Jul 18, '08, 12:52 PM

Very cool indeed. I wonder if the same can be said for Bill that is fact for Ralph?? Ralph has about 5 - 10 proto's out there that exist...maybe more. Same for Pam. I wonder if there is more than one Bill out there??? Have to keep my eyes peeled.

palitoy

Jul 18, '08, 1:12 PM

dumbldor

Jul 18, '08, 1:23 PM

The winner of the auction should think about joining the Museum. He would be a welcome addition.

jwyblejr

Jul 18, '08, 1:51 PM

Pretty neat anyway you look at it. I imagine that since it's a prototype,Mego had plans to change the color of his hair?

ScottA

Jul 18, '08, 1:59 PM

Well, congrats to the winner. This is just so cool. They actually did a really nice job on Bill. You gotta love the watch. Too bad these didn't get farther in the production process.

DocDrako

Jul 18, '08, 2:53 PM

:terror:

What can I say? Wow. The Mego Museum continually RoCkS! First there was Jet Jungle, and now Bill. How cool is this place? How many more discoveries will be made? I'm gonna hang around and find out!

:grin:

highquality

Jul 18, '08, 3:21 PM

I'm equal parts happy and jealous.

Good for you though...seriously. That's such a cool find. A find of a lifetime.

Raydeen1

Jul 18, '08, 3:51 PM

When I found this and bid on it a few weeks ago, I showed it to my wife and told her what I thought it was. I just showed this to her and she gave me a smack and said I should have bid more. lol. She hates it when I cruise Ebay usually. I love my wife. :)

Raydeen1

Jul 18, '08, 4:07 PM

Just a note,
To those asking for the link to the auction, I cannot post or PM it to you as the buyer could be indentified and that's not what he or she wishes so out of repect for the buyer, I have to decline.

cjefferys

Jul 18, '08, 4:59 PM

I know there is at least one more out there in a private collection, from what I know it's jacketless and at one point belonged to Angel Bonilla. Who bought two Ralphs and the Bill at a Long Island Flea Market in the 80's.

Ok good, I thought I remembered reading about a jacketless Bill being found at a fleamarket in a toy magazine article about 10 or 15 years ago. When no one was mentioning that figure, I thought I had misremembered the article.

wyatterb

Jul 18, '08, 4:59 PM

Could someone post the pic from the auction (IMO, it's a safe request)? I'm just curious what else was in lot and how easy or hard Bill was to pick out.

megowgsh

Jul 18, '08, 5:46 PM

Another Home Run for the Mego Museum.

Awesome job!

Thanks for sharing.

Captain

Jul 18, '08, 6:09 PM

Cool stuff. Amazing that after so many years this stuff still turns up!

I know its rare, but I really hope somebody can make a cast of this head?

MegoScott

Jul 18, '08, 6:27 PM

Hulk

Jul 18, '08, 6:37 PM

Thanks for sharing yet another amazing Mego Discovery. Congrats to the buyer.

apes3978

Jul 18, '08, 7:33 PM

This is not to knock anyone or anything... I'm asking this as a serious question:

If the GAH line had actually been produced rather than just a few odd prototypes floating around, who here would have actually bought the line? I'm sure a few of you would have, but something tells me if the GAH line were mass-produced at the time, we'd all be setting here saying they're in line with The Waltons, Happy Days, and Our Gang/Little Rascals... In other words just another MEGO line that most could live without...

Raydeen1

Jul 18, '08, 7:41 PM

I never liked the show all that much and I would have had zero interest in the toys. However, it's still a great figue to have in one's collection for sure!

NewForce

Jul 18, '08, 7:42 PM

amazing!...

Earth 2 Chris

Jul 18, '08, 7:54 PM

I'd have been all over this line. Loved the show as a kid, and it really holds up now that I'm an adult and can appreciate it for more than just Ralph crashing every 5 minutes.

Not trying to be a downer, but if the guy doesn't want to be identified, let's just leave it be. I'd like to see more of these rarities come out of private collections for photographing on the museum. Who cares who owns it? We don't, and as long as they share, we benefit.

Chris

MegoScott

Jul 18, '08, 8:17 PM

I loved the show as a kid, but I might have been too old at that point for the dolls. But purely from a toy design standpoint I think it shows how weak Mego was creatively at the end. This is the kind of thing they should have knocked out of the park, it's right up their alley.

toys2cool

Jul 18, '08, 8:46 PM

wow how cool is that? :grin:

Marvelmania

Jul 18, '08, 9:01 PM

Congrats to the owner of this historic figure and a big thanks for sharing it! Only here at the MM do finds like this continue to come out of the woodwork.

LOU

Jul 18, '08, 10:22 PM

Wow, this is indeed impressive! Great looking figure, love the CHiPs watch!

megocrazy

Jul 18, '08, 10:37 PM

Truthfully these probably would have been a weak line if it was released. Logan's Run probably would have been similar. Very few things would have run with the Star Wars stuff at the time IMO. Kenner completely changed the course of toys with the smaller, molded body, figures. The market at the time took a drastic switch from singular figures to mass groups. SW had tons of figures, as did GI Joe. Both had their biggest heyday almost simultaneously. The 12 inch SW figures, which never had the selection that the smaller counterparts had, also never had the popularity. Even stuff like Barbie at the time, had tons of items available. Far more at the time than ever before was offered at once. Transformers was another. Lots of figures to collect. It really became a quantity not quality preference. How many kids had 20 or 30 GI Joe or SW figures? Almost everyone. Most parents probably would not have had 20 or 30 8 inch figures floating around, but the smaller size allowed for continuous purchases. TV also played a part in the success of toys at the time. Most of the popular lines had time slots on Saturday morning TV and were directed at the kids, while many of Mego's were prime time TV shows. I think there were a lot of factors that played into Mego's demise, but times were changing and they couldn't adapt fast enough. Even the lines that were released by Mego in the 3 3/4 inch size had limitations on the selection. Micronauts being the one exception. Though it never had the following that GI Joe or SW had. Even the CAH lines had far fewer offerings. Once you had em all there was no more to buy, while SW and Joe just kept rolling out any character they could find. Either way this is a tremendous find. I too would like to say Thanks to the owner for sharing this great find with the MM. Even all these years later new stuff keeps appearing and keeping it exciting.

GeneralApeGuy

Jul 18, '08, 10:39 PM

Wow, that's amazing found!!! Glad to have him in our Mego Museum. :2thumbsup:

I would like to have a clone one for me. :grin:

Congrats to the buyer and thanks for sharing! :)

saucerful

Jul 18, '08, 11:25 PM

very nice find! i'm excited about the possibilities for the future!

i watched GAH a LOT way back when....and i think these figures would have sold pretty well. i woulda wanted them. :-)

starsky

Jul 18, '08, 11:37 PM

what an awesome discovery!!! definitely the find of the year! looks very similar to the 3 3/4 inch bill counterpart. brian, do you know if the owner just found it or has been sitting on it for awhile?

Captain

Jul 18, '08, 11:38 PM

This is undoubtedly a fantastic find and we're grateful to have it here at the Museum. The owner is very lucky!

That said---I'm kind of surprised by this line. I disagree that this is a good likeness of Robert Culp or the character. Both this and the Ralph seem very undercooked to me and don't capture the personalities very well--not as well as other lines of the time like CHiPS or Dukes.

Why the white jacket when the character was nearly always in a rumpled grey FBI suit? Perhaps that was intended to change after prototypes and toyfair photos?

Part of it may be the paintjob or lack thereof--it looks like they sculpted Culp's weird gritted teeth smile but without toothpaint it doesn't come across...?

Looking at photos online today I was reminded what a funny show this was, especially Culp. The Jack Davis card art is right on, but the figures are oddly subdued.

Very interesting figure...

I was wondering about the white jacket myself...Mego already had a suit pattern from the alter ego stuff, so you would think they would have went that way. Then I realized, if you look at the collar and cuff designs, it might be a protottype version of a baseball (or club style) jacket? Maxwell wore one from time to time.The white hair really throws him off a bit too. I wonder if it really is white, or some kind of color change that occurred over the years?

The head sculpt here looks more refined than the photos in John B's book, not sure if thats from the different paint job or what? Ralph's head sculpt was horrendous in those photos...The difference in the Bill sculpts may be a sign that the figures were still works in progress??

Should have clicked on the link...its grey, just photgraphs white!! DOH!

jemboy2004

Jul 18, '08, 11:53 PM

for about 200 it looks like this buyer did very well. I thought about going for it but I just don't like this series or these figures that much but for what it sold for I sure wish I had paid better attention to it. Congratulations!

AcroRay

Jul 19, '08, 12:35 AM

An excellent score for Mego history and this community! I love the fact that it was scored for so relatively little, which really energizes collectors - I think - when it becomes apparent that you don't absolutely have to be independently wealthy to obtain something like this.

Objectively, I'm a little underwhelmed by the figure's design (True, though, it must have been tough to make Federal-drab Bill into an exciting figure.) and the head sculpt. I look at the head & wonder "Could I make a Trent (Demon With A Glass Hand) out of it?" and I don't think I could. Yes, I am inclined to believe that the GAH line might have wound-up like Waltons.

As popular as the GAH figure that was briefly offered a year or so ago (at FX, Fla?) turned out, would a similar repro of Bill be as popular?

AUSSIE-Rebooted-AMM

Jul 19, '08, 2:37 AM

WHAT an amazing discovery - so are those shoes? boots? can't really make too much out there, but they don't look like standard footwear.

How cool that a member here won this. . .and for not too many $$$$'s too.

Congrats and enjoy it. . . savour your moment!

megowgsh

Jul 19, '08, 6:04 AM

The owner asked not to be publicly named and we're going to respect their wishes. I'm just happy they shared.

we don't need their name, just their address:smiley1:

Action Martin

Jul 19, '08, 6:29 AM

If the GAH line had actually been produced rather than just a few odd prototypes floating around, who here would have actually bought the line? I'm sure a few of you would have, but something tells me if the GAH line were mass-produced at the time, we'd all be setting here saying they're in line with The Waltons, Happy Days, and Our Gang/Little Rascals... In other words just another MEGO line that most could live without...

I would not have purchased a GAH line. To me it would be just like you said, lumped in with The Waltons, Happy Days, and Little Rascals.

Dave Mc

Jul 19, '08, 8:03 AM

WHAT an amazing discovery - so are those shoes? boots? can't really make too much out there, but they don't look like standard footwear.

"Bill sports Duke boots and a Chips watch. The body is a standard Type 2 Mego body with black lower torso. " :wink_y:

ctc

Jul 19, '08, 9:31 AM

>Bill sports Duke boots and a Chips watch.

That watch looks like it has more detail than a CHiPs one.... not just the paint, but it looks like it has raised detail.

Don C.

joshvox

Jul 19, '08, 2:45 PM

wow. This hobby just never gets old or dull. Congrats to the buyer!

palitoy

Jul 19, '08, 9:40 PM

I'd have been all over this line. Loved the show as a kid, and it really holds up now that I'm an adult and can appreciate it for more than just Ralph crashing every 5 minutes.

I was crazy about the show too as a kid and would have bought any merchandise.

Meule

Jul 20, '08, 4:06 AM

I don't believe it. We're still finding new discoveries after all this time? Un-friggin-believable. And thanks to the owner for sharing :hokay:
Are there any discoveries left to be made?

txteach

Jul 20, '08, 9:32 AM

I remember the story about 15 years ago about finding these at a flea market. I wish someone would repost it.

palitoy

Jul 20, '08, 9:41 AM

I wish I still had that copy of Jim Maine's old magazine that featured it.

cjefferys

Jul 20, '08, 10:29 AM

I remember the story about 15 years ago about finding these at a flea market. I wish someone would repost it.

I wish I still had the magazine that had that story. Unfortunately, I threw out most of my old toy mags years ago.

palitoy

Jul 20, '08, 10:33 AM

I wish I still had the magazine that had that story. Unfortunately, I threw out most of my old toy mags years ago.

Even worse, finding back issues of them at comic shops is not really possible. Most stores blow them away or throw them out. I came into my shop once to find 40 free copies of Tomart's in my file.

rchatlin

Jul 20, '08, 12:17 PM

I can't remember which magazine the article came from,
but I've had it in my archives for years.

http://home.earthlink.net/~rchatlin/GAH1.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/~rchatlin/GAH2.jpg

r
o
b

AcroRay

Jul 20, '08, 12:29 PM

So, is that an under-arm pistol holster on the Bill figure?

rchatlin

Jul 20, '08, 1:19 PM

I think it's the AJ Spy set pistol/holster.

It certainly adds a little play value to the character.

r
o
b

palitoy

Jul 20, '08, 2:07 PM

That's the one I was thinking about, thanks Rob!

cjefferys

Jul 20, '08, 2:39 PM

Thanks Rob, that's the one I was thinking of too. The magazine title was Collectible Toys and Values. I bought it regularly for awhile back in the day. I think the very first issue predated Lee's and Tomart's magazines (I remember being so excited to see an actual action figure collectors magazine on the newstand).

DocDrako

Jul 20, '08, 3:02 PM

I'd buy this line even now. It's funny, but I like "regular" characters like Bill. I mean, they look like they could be anyone, which makes for some great play. You always need "innocent bystanders" in every adventure.

:grin:

Sideshow Spock

Jul 20, '08, 5:32 PM

It's startling how much that scanned figure resembles Culp, while the prototype really doesn't at all. The shape of the head even looks different.

Wee67

Jul 20, '08, 7:13 PM

Thanks, Rob. Assomeone who didn' get back into Megos until later, I had only heards bits of how these were found. I find these stories fascinating.

MegoScott

Jul 20, '08, 7:46 PM

What a great article, thanks, Rob!---yes, I think a more complete paint job on that head would do wonders.

So I understand--McGonagle had one of these--the only previous example? So the one that's been found now is the only one with a jacket, and presumably with a different paint job. Where is the first one? Does anyone know?

palitoy

Jul 20, '08, 7:49 PM

A collector I knew in California said they were offered to him in 1999, he didn't remember who it was though.

John MacGonagle was a really good friend to me, we spent countless hours on the phone dealing back and forth, he was a captain action collector primarily but also had a real passion for Mego. He was honestly the first collector I met who was, most of the other people viewed mego as lesser at that time.

megowgsh

Aug 13, '08, 3:27 PM

Now I know who this looks like. A young Merv Griffin

http://megomuseum.com/teevee/images/billcloseupa.jpg

monkey tennis

Aug 13, '08, 3:35 PM

Very Cool.

I thought he looked like Hannibal from The A-Team.

http://blogs.ya.com/fiestabrutal/files/Hannibal.jpg

Close but no Cigar.....:grin:

Brue

Aug 13, '08, 9:16 PM

HOLY COW!! I was gone from the 12th of july through the end of July and missed this announcement! Very Cool.

kryptosmaster

Aug 14, '08, 2:03 AM

I speak for myself but I'm sure others must feel the same way.
I guess I'm just naturally curious but I could care less what the guy's name is and ebay doesn't normally give out real names, just user ID's and if someone wanted to spend the time combing through completed auctions don't you think they could eventually find this one??
I'm more interested in the story behind it and where it's been. Who cares if some former Mego employee stole it? (which is almost the implication I read into the answer in one post) Mego isn't going to come after the guy. There is no Mego.
Sorry if this isn't proper board etiquette but I don't understand the "hush-hush".
:wall:

Rich