Planet of the Apes

Planet of the Apes

Synopsis of Toy

Few science-fiction concepts were as durable as the one that fueled Planet of the Apes. The success of the first Planet of the Apes film led to four hit sequels, a live-action television show, and an animated series. Any entertainment series this successful is bound to inspire tie-in toys, and Planet of the Apes was no exception. This film and television juggernaut led to a series of action figures that became some of the most popular toys of the 1970’s.

Mego’s Planet of the Apes toys were the follow-up to their wildly successful line of World’s Greatest Super Heroes figures. The first line of Apes toys consisted of a series of eight-inch plastic figures modeled after the characters from the Planet of the Apes movies and were released in 1974 to capitalize on the debut of an original Planet of the Apes show on television. The major characters reproduced were Cornelius, Zira and Dr. Zaius, and since Mego could not get the rights to reproduce Charlton Heston’s image, they included a generic Astronaut figure to replace his Taylor character.

The first line of Planet of the Apes toys was rounded out by Soldier Apes, which were released with four slightly different costumes. Depending on which one you bought, the uniform would include a tunic that was Navy, Brown, Silver or “Lizard” (a scaly, shiny looking material). They also came with bandoliers and rifles that had arm straps. All in all, this first line of figures did quite well with toy fans, and their success inspired a second line of Planet of the Apes figures. This time, the figures were modeled after the characters from the television show.

The second series of Planet of the Apes figures included two new human characters, Burke and Verdon. Both were attractively designed, with nicely-sculpted facial features and well-crafted “slave outfits” complete with frayed sleeves and moccasins. Just the same, the Verdon doll’s name was actually a typo, since the character’s name was spelled on the show as ‘Virdon’. There was also Galen, an ape figure based on a character played by actor Roddy McDowall. Since McDowall also played Cornelius, the Galen figure looked a lot like the Cornelius figure.

The other two major characters in the second Planet of the Apes toy line were Ursus and Urko. Ursus had a smart-looking helmet molded onto his head and wore a purple outfit topped off with a yellow tunic. He also came with a machine gun and a bandolier that contained a detachable knife. The Urko figure was similar to Ursus, but did not have the molded-on helmet. Urko also had a different uniform, which closely resembled the uniforms of the Soldier Apes.

There were also several Planet of the Apes playsets to use as backdrops for apocalyptic action. For instance, there was the Treehouse set, which included two bats, three machine guns, and a capture net that made it a perfect place to host an apes-humans rumble. It also included a Jail and an Examination Table in case the apes wanted to study their human captives up close. There was also a Village set that came with similar accessories but also included a cardboard backdrop that depicted the famous demolished Statue of Liberty shown in the first Planet of the Apes film ("You maniacs...!!"). The Forbidden Zone was quite possibly the coolest of these playsets. It depicted a half-demolished building that included a jail with a trap door.

Rounding out the Planet of the Apes toy line were some nifty accessories that made a collector’s ape action scenario complete. These included a Battering Ram on wheels that was perfect for busting down the cardboard walls of the playsets, and a Catapult & Wagon set that functioned both as transportation and a weapon. One of the most popular accessories was the Throne, which included a cage that transformed it into a trap. Other accessories included the Rock Launcher and the Action Stallion.

Despite their success, the Planet of the Apes toys were discontinued after the second series. Just the same, Planet of the Apes fans and toy lovers remember them fondly, and they continue to be highly valued items on the collector’s market today. Their enduring appeal also inspired a 1998 line of 12-inch Planet of the Apes figures from Hasbro. These figures were modeled on the movie characters and included an official Taylor figure. Like the originals, they were a success and proved that toy fans still love to “go Ape.”

Release History of Toy

1974 - Planet of the Apes figures

Sub Categories of Toys

action figures

Toy and Game Manufacturer

Mego

Other Toy Links