1976 - It's Time for Action ..... Figures, that is

Time for more lost toys of the 70's.......

Bicentennial Badassery

Probably not the most exciting action figures ever made, but never the less in 1976, who wouldn't have wanted a set of bicentennial action heroes?

Washington, Jefferson in a really bad hat, Franklin, Revere, Jones, Henry and Nathan Hale, noose not included, all stand ready to fight for our individual freedoms, plus they fit in GI Joe gear.

Jumping the Shark Playset not included

Mego was the king of 70's action figures running lines of figures based on superheros, movies, television series and classic monsters. One of their more obscure figures was the Fonz from Happy Days, who came with articulated thumbs.

Some of the other television based action figures that were a bit more on the obscure side were toys for the one time popular ABC crime drama the Rookies....

The Rookies ready to put those damm hippies in their place

The Rookies, with their supply of bullhorns, and riot gear, was the show for all the kids out there who wanted to grow up and become cops, just so they could write tickets.

Starsky came dressed in his finest 70's Leisure Suit

I keep looking at the gear that comes with the Rookies and I can't help but think of the cops in New York City macing protesters, but the Starsky and Hutch figures are cool.

Gage and DeSoto ready for some paramedic excitement

The figures based on Jack Webb's hit series Emergency, came with limited gear, but still the combination of firemen and medicine made for a toy with some potential.

Most of the early Mego's featured characters with removable masks, including both Batman and Spider-Man

As for the Mego superheros, I was a huge collector of the DC characters, but never seemed to be able to find any of the Marvel ones for sale at my local store, which was really frustrating.

I was almost 30 before I got my Captain America figure.

Batcave Playset, Batmobile and Jokermobile

I loved the Jokermobile and tried to convince my mother to buy me one when we saw it in a store, but sadly it never happened, but the good news was that she had bought me Corgi cars instead.

The stylish ships of Space 1999

While not a huge fan of the series, I was however a big fan of the design of the British television import, Space 1999.

Everything in the series had a practical look to it but with an obvious futuristic intent, which was very common from shows by the team of Gary and Sylvia Anderson.

Space 1999 reused sets from their earlier series UFO, but with a more somber color scheme and a slightly more practical look.

Action Figures based on Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, and Martin Landau

The figure based on Lee Major's Six million Dollar Man, was actually pretty nifty.

The arm opened up to show the bionics inside, the legs opened as well, plus you could look through a tiny hole in the back of the figures head and there was a tiny telescope inside.

Steve Austin, The Six Million Dollar Action Figure

I also really enjoyed the lines evil robot foe, Maskatron, who had his own face plus a Steve Austin and Oscar Goldman face for use in espionage.

Next time time I'll take a look at Star Trek toys.


That should be fun.