Tilt, open gate and other extra bonuses...

"Orbit" Pinball, Gotlieb, USA,

1971

I was born in 1971, and so did this electro-mechanical pinball machine. ("flipperkast")  It went with me to Brussels (had to climb to the 5th floor of my student room with that thing !) and Rotterdam and is now resting at my parent's place. Quite fun to play, and with real time xylophone inside ! (quite noisy too !)
Space motives (of course) and bonuses to go wild !

Well, for 1970 standards... Little fact : all wires are still the old type (yes ! fabric !)

E.L.L.I.O.T.T.

ET, bootleg and LJN figurine,
USA, 1982

Who did not cry when Spielberg came out with his fantastic movie in 1982 ? E.T. became a household name for the worl over and started a real E.T. mania. There were stickers, plush toys, glow in the dark fingers for halloween... No kid could live without him, at least not until the next box-office success !  

ET action figure (with communicator)
LJN, USA, 1982

ET (fast food toy), China,
1994

Talking ET, LJN, USA

1982

Portuguese Spaceman

Astronauta, ?, Portugal,
1950's

I don't know which planet he comes from, or if he's human or humanoid... All I know is he's as rare as rare can be and he is armed with both a ray gun and a ray rifle. Articulated at shoulder level. Transparent helmet with metal antena. There is one at the toy museum in Sintra. There is one over here. Are there other colours ? Who knows... Finding already one intact with both little guns is a miracle !

X-300, but the English one...

A lot of toy companies swapped molds and parts around the globe. It is not unseen to have robots that were produced first in Japan, then Hong Kong, then Taiwan... just to find them some years later with the "made in China" label. This swapping of molds went on also in the USA. In this case the Pyro company sent their molds to England and Australia, where similar (but very often more colorfull versions) of the same toys were made under the Kleeware, Tudor Rose or Moldex brand. This X-300 spaceship has the "made in England" stamp - but weirdly enough is missing the astronaut on the seat and any type of indication that there was an astonaut in the first place (read "no opening for any peg in the seat")

X-300 Spacecruiser, Kleeware or Tudor Rose, U.K.,
1950's

llamando a la luna, por favor, responda

Teléfonos interplanetarios, Industrias Geyper, Spain,
1950's

Who needs the new Nokia when you have these ultraweight, futuristic(ly) designed walkie-talkies to speak to one another ? And with the cord system, no interferences ! Check the box-art and the Spanish description of all the functions... and tell my why oh why they included a "micro vibrador" on that toy ! Do you really need that in space ?

Get Superclean !

Feeling dirty after saving the world ? Don't forget your best superfriend to get you that great superhero look ! Clark Kent's favorite... and my all time bubble bath brand !

Superman Bubble Bath, Avon, USA.
1978

Cape (detail)