Alan Carter (Nick Tate)
The Mego Alan Carter figure is the most unique in the line,eventhough he was pictured in the Palitoy catalogue as wearing a moonbase uniform Mego decided to put him in an ersatz version of his space suit (he was a pilot)but his helmet is all wrong and shouldn’t his hands be white? Still the toughest doll in the line and a fine likeness.
Alan Carter’s helmet was also used for Action Jackson, Dinah Mite and the Planet of the Apes Astronaut just in different colors.
The original Alan Carter prototype featured in the 1976 Palitoy Catalog showed him in his Moonbase Alpha unfirom. One might venture a guess that Palitoy decided it looked too generic to have three of their characters in white
Actor Nick Tate continues to pop up in movies and TV usually as a crusty “Crocodile Dundee” type. He has appeared on Star Trek:TNG and many TV commercials. Ironically, the original pilot for Space:1999 had Carter being killed but Tate proved so likeable that they kept him on.
Mego palitoy Alan Carter MOC
MOC Carter courtesy of Brian (Palitoy)
Alan Carter’s space suit has been factory reproduced by Classic TV Toys. The repro is baggier, more noticeably in the chest and arms area. The material is very similar but the thread lines going across the torso on the reproduction is a touch farther apart than on the original. The collar on the reproduction is sewn in a little shorter as well. The repro is unmarked.
Alan Carter wears the same style helmet as the POTA Astronaut, Action Jackson, Dinah, and the Mego Mystery Man, except in red. It has been factory reproduced by CTVT. The repro has a slightly different shape, especially across the top where the visor slides into the helmet. It is unmarked.
Comlocks have also been reproduced by CTVT and can be difficult to spot until you know the telltale signs. The repro’s are unmarked, and can be difficult to identify. The first thing to look for are comlocks cast opposite an original. Many were cast like a mirror image of an original, with detail and indents on the opposite side. This doesn’t apply to all since many were made orientated properly. Another clue is the button size. The CTVT buttons are larger than the original. There is also a line that goes across the top of an orginal separating the main body of the comlock from the top part. That line is missing on the reproductions. The final clue can be spotted on the clip. The ball shape on the end of the belt clip is much bigger on the reproduction.
The 1999 crew belts have been factory reproduced by CTVT and are unmarked. These are almost exact reproductions in all aspects. Very hard to spot. The reproductions tend to be just a little more glossy and a little brighter yellow.
Alan Carter wears a pair of white boots, one of which can be found on Cheron in the Star Trek line. They have been factory reproduced by Classic TV Toys on their version Alan Carter and on the EMCE reproduction Cheron figure. Like the Mr. Fantastic boot, it is a factory cut version of the WGSH Hero boot. The CTVT reproduction is cut a little taller than the original, and is a little more glossy, with a lot of flashing evident. This version is unmarked. EMCE’s reproduction is also a little taller than the original. It is a factory cut version of Doc Mego’s white hero boot, and is stamped with the DM mark on the bottom. It is thicker than an original and also more glossy. Also reproducted by both companies is a tall white hero boot that can be cut down to size to make a proper height white Alan Carter boot. The repro tall hero boots from both companies share the same characteristics of the same company’s version of the short boot.
Carter’s head has been factory reproduced by Classic TV Toys. The reproduciton is a softer material and is smaller than an original. The eyebrows are painted a little darker as well. The repro head is unmarked.