Yes, merchandise! A huge sum of merchandise was released as a result of the success and popularity of UFO. In 1970, Bassett and Barratt released 70 UFO cards in the UK, (the only difference between the Bassett and Barrett cards are the fine print identifying the company). The same year, Anglo Confectionery released 64 UFO cards whilst Monty Factories in Holland released 135 UFO gum cards (basically combined Anglo and Basset set bar the fine print is different and the backs are blank. A 14-page album for these cards was released by PEZ-Unimint in Germany, sold in also France, Holland and Belgium. Meanwhile in Italy, a set of 400 UFO stickers and a 50-page album were produced by Panini in 1973. The album has one page for the main characters and the remaining pages are for 8 UFO episodes all in 227 x 240 mm of size. In Austria, Piatnik released a UFO card game in Germany and Austria. The game has a title card with rules on the back and 32 game cards. Released in 1971, the cards are 66 x100 mm in size.
In terms of other original miscellaneous collectables during the original 1970s, perhaps the first piece of merchandise of UFO was released in 1969! In America, GAF produced a UFO Viewmaster using photos taken during the filming of the episode Close Up. The UK, quite different from the US version, was released in 1970. A German version was also released the same year. At some point during the early 1970s, UK Quaker Oats puffed wheat cereal boxes had a mail-away offer for a UFO board game called "Red Alert", and could be played in the dark as it had a glow-in-the-dark board & pieces! Meanwhile, in 1971, an original UFO picture story and record set were released in Japan by Biken. The picture story was on 16 cards (drawn by Shigeru Komastusaki - who also did the artwork for the UFO's Japanese model kits). The package is 260 x 190 mm, and the record is 175 mm in diameter. A puzzle was distributed after the Italian UFO photo-novelization magazines "I FILM DI UFO". Also in Italy in 1974, was the DISTRUGGETE BASE LUNA board game, produced by SALINI. 4 UFO "school exercise books" were also released in Italy in 295 x 205 mm size, produced by ICCI. The covers feature photos from UFO and inside are 50 white pages with small squares for doing homework/classwork. Finally, in America 1973, King Seeley Thermos Company sold a metal UFO lunchbox and plastic thermos in America.
Toys, comics, books, and later merchandise is covered further on.
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UFO: The Vault
Non-FictionGerry Anderson's UFO was the first big budget British live-action television series of a secret government organisation named SHADO (Supreme Headqauters Alien Defence Organisation) combat a dying alien race who have come to Earth in order to survive...
