The Mego General Urko Page- Planet of the Apes Wing Megomuseum

MEGO GENERAL URKO

Named after a character from the Planet of the Apes TV series, this gorilla was given the most colorful outfit of this action figure series. The brilliant purple was never accurate to film OR television costuming, but may have been inspired by the box art found on the Addar model kits.

To be complete, General Urko needs the following: Purple pants, tan vinyl top with purple fabric sleeves and tan vinyl cuffs, smooth general boots (with creased toes), general's bandolier with short sword, and rifle with string. There are two confirmed versions of the general's top: one with coffee color vinyl, shown left, and one with mustard color vinyl, as seen on the right. They appear to have been released in equal numbers. Like all of the figures in Mego's POTA line, the General is found on both Type 1 (metal joint) and Type 2 (plastic joint) bodies. Bear in mind that this figure was released as both General Ursus AND General Urko.This all gets thrown out the window when you consider the pantless, orange cuffed Cipsa Version of General (Gral) Urko (pic of the good General courtesy Mike J).

The Mego Forum Is the perfect place to discuss or buy sell and trade Mego General Ursus Figures

Boxes were believed to have been used in 1974 and 1975, but the carded figures remain far more common. Note that the Urko box shows Ursus in the earlier Soldier Ape uniform.

Mego General Urko on his first issue card (courtesy of Mike J).

Yellow carded Mego Urko signed by Mark Lenard

Yellow carded Urko signed by the late Mark Lenard in 1989, he was not happy about seeing two Mego figures based on his likeness. (Courtesy of Brain who was the one who got it signed)

Green Carded Mego Ursus/Urko is courtesy of the Apes wing Curator, ABMAC.

Mego Urko on the very tough Palitoy card

Palitoy UK Card for the Mego General Urko is one of the most desired among Ape collectors (courtesy of Mike J).

Boxed Cipsa version of Mego General Urko

Boxed Cipsa General Urko looks as if to be saying "Where are my pants?" (from the collection of Luis Felipe).

Like the first series of Planet of the apes figures, the second series ( Galen, Urko, Ursus, Virdon, and Burke) also have three card variations for each figure. Unlike the first series, these variations have to do with copy right information and the Ursus / Urko switch. The first issue cards credits Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp with all the characters. On this card Urko has a helmet (as he did in the TV show) and Ursus is the black faced general.

Since Ursus was not part of the TV show, a correction was made and a second card was issued with an asterix next to Ursus's name, creditting the character to Apjac Productions Inc. and Twentieth Century with all the rest of the characters still creditted to only Twentieth Century. For, as of yet, some unknown reason, Mego decided to switch the names of the Urko and Ursus figures leading to the third and last variation. Figures on any of these three cards can be found with either a type one or type two body.

General Urko Galen Virdon and Burke General Ursus

Dr Zaius Cornelius Zira Soldier Ape Astronaut

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