This new History of Mego Short film covers all the basics of the Mego Starsky and Hutch Toy Line. Subscribe to us on Youtube for more!
If you have it, go get your Mego Commercials tape #1 and cue up the S&H spots and crank the soundtrack thru your stereo. One of these days I may actually add some annoying sound loops to this site for the sole purpose of making sure that funky bass song accompanies this page. While you’re at the commercials, watch and enjoy again the kids JUMPING OFF buildings to jump the bad guys just like their TV heroes! Oh, those were the good old days.
In 1978, Mego released this line based on the hit TV show with a blonde and brunette detective team. Sold quite well. I will confess disinterest in them, but as always, a few hours playing with them
on the computer has made me a believer.
Original Reproduction Artwork of the Mego Starsky and Hutch Crew.
I think the added thrill is seeing a mint set all posed together. Toss in the Ford Torino? Suddenly, this looks fun. But let’s also investigate the players individually and get to know them up close and personal, shall we?
First, the SUPERFLY Huggy-Bear models the Starsky and Hutch Card art with a cool painting of the Grand Torino parked on the grimy asphalt of a dingy back alley where dreams are cheap and life is cheaper. Ahem.
Det. Dave Starsky (Paul Michael Glaser)
Mssr. Glasser’s credits include “Fiddler on the Roof”,
“Butterflies are Free”, and TV’s “Single
Bars, Single Women”. He has been directing of late,
most recently behind the camera of “Kazaam”, with
Shaq O’Neil.
Carded S&H set courtesy of Scott Arendsen And Tom.
UK Dual Box by Palitoy, the boys actually carry guns, Starsky can often have
a Space:1999 body and Hutch has the UK issue leather vest(courtesy
of Bill Frost)
The boys as they appear in the two, all nicely tucked into baggies. Selling them this way is so nice and logical.(courtesy
of Bill Frost)
A good look at the insert that seperates the buddy cop team.(courtesy
of Bill Frost)
An inside shot of the two pack (courtesy
of Bill Frost)
Det. Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson (David
Soul)
UK Dual Box by Palitoy, the boys actually carry guns, Starsky can often have
a Space:1999 body and Hutch has the UK issue leather vest(courtesy
of Bill Frost)
The boys as they appear in the two, all nicely tucked into baggies. Selling them this way is so nice and logical.(courtesy
of Bill Frost)
A good look at the insert that seperates the buddy cop team.(courtesy
of Bill Frost)
An inside shot of the two pack.(courtesy
of Bill Frost)
This is a Canadian Grand Toys carded Starsky courtesy of Mark Schmidt. As you can see Grand merely stickered the US product to make it bilingual. All five of the Starsky and Hutch characters were available in Canada
Close up of the Canadian sticker.
Huggy Bear (Antonio Fargas) The Huggy Bear Mego figure has a lot of the character that it portrays, but it’s a minor oversight that they didn’t include one of John Boy Walton’s floppy denim hats that are more suited to Huggy. Mister Fargas was in many of the important “blacksploitation” films of the Seventies including “Shaft” and “Cleopatra Brown”. He also appeared in “Pretty Baby”, “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka” and had a regular role on “All My Children”. He will always be Huggy Bear to us, though.
Under-appreciated as a minor character in a lesser line, Captain Dobey
is nonetheless one of the better facial sculpts. The outfit, a kind of
denim leisure suit, is classic to it’s time.
Capt. Harold Dobey (Bernie Hamilton)
Carded S&H set courtesy of Scott Arendsen
In addition to his role as the gruff but lovable police Captain,
Mr. Hamilton was featured in episodes of the Dick Van Dyke show,
and the Twilight Zone. Film roles included Shambu in “Tarzan
and the Perils of Charity Jones” (1967) followed almost immediately
with the part of Chaka in “Tarzan and the Four O’Clock Army”
(1968) Mr. Hamilton apparently stopped working after Starsky and
Hutch.
The figure of Chopper is not based on any one actor, but is more a combination of various bad guy/tough dude characters on the show. He is a pastiche, if you will. Nonetheless, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen him in reruns of Hawaii 5 O, Mannix, Barnaby Jones, and several other Quinn-Martin productions.
It’s as cool as you’ve dreamed it was. A little
cramped, but very cool.
Didn’t think there was a point in collecting S&H Figures? This bad boy will change your mind in a hurry and be one of the prizes on the toy shelf. It’s pretty hard to find these days. The American Version of the car is motorized, one large wheel in the center of the car to propel it, and a swiveled “crazy wheel” on the front to spin the car in random different directions. The American version also came with police barricades, trash cans and a fire hydrant. The UK version shows up now and again, without the motor or extra accessories. Both versions have a working police light on top. You lucky folk with one in a box are invited to get some pictures in…
Below is the Palitoy (UK) release of the Torino. Palitoy removed the Alley playset pieces and the “Twist out” motor (most likely to keep cost down) but LOOK AT THAT SWEET BOX! Palitoy never seemed to slouch on Mego packaging, they obviously used many of the same artist that created artwork for the Action Man line of toys.
Original Reproduction Artwork of the Mego Torino.