Did Mego try to get Battlestar Galactica license?

[ovenmitt]

I am surprised that Mattel obtained the Battlestar Galactica toy rights back in 1978 and not Mego! Mego 8" BG figures would have ROCKED! And, maybe Mego could have made APOLLO who's absense from Mattel's BG line still puzzles me to this century! Maybe EMCE can team-up with Diamond and finally do CLASSIC Galactica JUSTICE!

[palitoy]

They sent John McNett to see the movie in Canada and Mego passed.

[weatherwizard-Corey]

I'd love to see someone make them.

I'd love for Mattel or diamond or someone to make the mego sized ones for around 15 to 20 dollars now. I'm still puzzled about the old "Mattel" Apollo too. I've thought hard about just buying a beat up old Starbuck and painting the hair black and putting him in with my collection. Anybody done this? I would of liked to have had Boomer too and perhaps a few other characters. I grew up too wondering why Kenner never made Moff Tarkin too but Starbuck just seems alot more wrong.

[LonnieFisher]

I'd love to see BSG figures get made.

[megoscott]

They sent John McNett to see the movie in Canada and Mego passed.

Did I know that and forget it? How interesting.

[david_b]

When marketing folks asked Richard Hatch about it, Richards's response in public was apparently he passed on it. I believe he mentioned it at the 20yahren in LA back in '98.

As much as I like him, the character likenesses for productions typically belong to the producing studio (in this case, Universal), so I doubt he'd (or any actor in those days..) have much say about it.

Unless the studio allowed someone like Lucas to retain worldwide licensing rights, which is all carved out in the paperwork.

Probably just 'ego' kickin' in on Richard's part.

david_b

[cjefferys]

I'm surprised that Mego passed on Galactica, considering every other SF property they were buying at that point.

[david_b]

I'm surprised that Mego passed on Galactica, considering every other SF property they were buying at that point.

I really am too, unless Mattel offered a WHOPPER of a deal ALL the other types of merchandizing as well, that Mego couldn't compete with, such as the 'Viper Launcher' playsets, the fuzzy Daggits, etc, etc,..

Mattel was also a pretty BIG player, one of the top toy manufacturers, so the deal was probably a lot more lucrative. Kenner (Star Wars..) was a major competitor, so it could have been simple 'industry posturing'.

Again, just speculation.

david_b

[Meule]

So, they passed on Star Wars AND Battlestar Gallactica? Boy, talk about lousy decisions

[Orion]

So, they passed on Star Wars AND Battlestar Gallactica? Boy, talk about lousy decisions

Yeah, but at least they got the Love Boat.

[Gorn Captain]

Yeah, but at least they got the Love Boat.

I'm sure we'll get some Love Boat EMCEs somewhere along the line.
That show has such action figure potential.....

[palitoy]

In all fairness to Mego, they got Buck Rogers albeit reluctantly and it sold really well, thanks to a hit movie and the weekly series.

Mattel didn't get a cash cow with BSG, all my news from that time suggest that the sales were good until the series was yanked, then it was DOA.

As for Love Boat, yeah that was not good but Dukes was bigger than all of them combined.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

I used the Fisher Price Adventure People to round out my battlestar cast back in the day. They were great!

I do remember a tv interview back in 1979 with Richard Hatch saying that he wanted to do more with his career and wanted to do other stuff without being typecast, so (if I recall correctly) his contract had all sorts of stuff about the use of his likeness in toys and games. i remember the Marvel comic said they couldn't use anyone's exact likeness.

[palitoy]

Weird if it's true that Hatch protected his likeness so much because he obviously ended up embracing being Apollo.

I always thought Mattel didn't release an Apollo because it would look eactly like Starbuck, who was the more popular character.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

I don't know how much of what I saw was true or I remember correctly. It was on Entertainment Tonight or one of those types of shows and it was a nice 5 minute piece done while they were shooting the War of the Gods episode with Patrick Macnee.