Apes invade Japan! Taylor needs your help!

Many foreign distributors put their own mark on the Mego Planet of the Apes line but one of the most interesting was  by Japanese distributor Bullmark who packaged the apes in pretty window boxes with each figure in an action pose. They also included this ultra cool catalog which thanks to Scott from Megocipsa.com we have a better look at.

As an added bonus, Mego guru John Bonavita has provided us with translations to a few of the panels which give offer a  unique take on the Apes saga.

"The logic of Dr. Einstein follows the terrifying future of the earth. The Orion of the Andromeda galaxy is the future of earth 2,000 years later but you don't know it. But the Capt. Taylor are now looking at it."Read More

This isn't the toy business.It's show business

Wed., June 23,1976

"This isn't the toy business.It's show business." That approach brought Martin Abrams, 33, the flashy young entrepreneur of Mego International, a real-life fortune in make-believe. Abrarns' dolls are made in the image and likeness of television and motion picture deities such as Sonny and Cher, Muhammed Ali, the Waltons, the characters from Star Trek and the Wizard of Oz, as well as old established comic strip heroes like Superman.


Their appeal has catapaulted Mego from about 300th to sixth in return on sales in the highly competitive toy business nationwide since Abrams took over in 1971. Mego's newest offering is a 10-inch image of the current hip sensation, Henry (The Fonz) Winkler of television's "Happy Days." Abrams was still in his twenties when be took over the family business and bet on his instincts, sensing that there was a vast pre-developed market among children and youth for the stars and "cult" figures of the moment

He piled one on top of the other, signing dozens of personalities for up to 5 per cent of safes, and getting the doll rights to whole shows. "We grab the top stars and pay big." said the jaunty young New Yorker.


No matter if a few should become obsolete in a hurry, like his "Planet of the Apes" line did when the TV show folded. He just took the bodies and put new heads on them.

His promotions include huge parties for buyers featuringthe personalities themselves. One was a 150,000 bash in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria where 1,000 guests met all the surviving stars of the 'Wizard of Oz." including Scarecrow Ray Bolger  and Tin Man Jack Haley.


Mego's dolls have flexible arms and can sit, stand or be placed in attitudes of leaping  tall buildings in a single bound. They're all American and all made in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but distributed jnternationally from a center on Long Island. Abrams' father, Marty, (Editor's note: the author meant to write David) founder of the business in 1952, runs the production end of it in Hong Kong. His father,mother and brother are all in the business, but Martin is calling the shots.


That's because he's tripled sales in the past three years  alone, to an estimated 180 million for the fiscal year just ending, and has multiplied  earnings five times, to about $4 million. For all the flash and razzledazzle, Abrams says Mego hasn't overexpanded and is into stay. He says he's found a way to beat one of the main drawbacks of the business-copycatting— by signing up thestars long in advance and locking everyone else out"We're already negotiating for our 1977 line," he says.

Ape Mania at Masons

This ad could only be from 1974.

Megomuseum Planet of the Apes Gallery

Spider-Man, The Cowardly Lion and Dr Cornelius visit Long Island.

When Mego celebrated a grand opening, they invited only A listers to the event, as evidenced by characters from the biggest lines of 1975, namely Wizard of Oz, World's Greatest Superheroes and Planet of the Apes. Note the wonderful assortment of product behind them. Click on the photo for a better view.

Discuss this at the Mego Museum Forums

1978 ReImagined Catalog Ready to Order!

What if?

Mego hadn't passed on Star Wars?

There were additional waves to the World's Greatest Superheroes line?

The KISS dolls were 8" tall so you could use them on other adventures?

Scooby and the Gang got in on the fun?

These are just some of the answers the MegoMuseum community tries to provide with their newest publication "1978 REIMAGINED" a full color fantasy catalog created entirely by the members of the MegoMuseum forums!

The project started as a challenge to our customizers to come up with concepts that may have been included and were then judged by a panel including former Mego Employees.

The end result is this fantastic publication with artwork by Anthony Durso, which provides full color pages of fantasy Mego catalog layouts for Star Wars, the World's Greatest Superheroes, Star Trek, Universal Monsters, Wizard of Oz and much more.

It's a tribute to the World's Greatest Toy Company and to the many talented customixers we have in our fold.

The 1978 REIMAGINED Mego Catalog is now available for order, quantities are limited. Each order includes a free, never before seen MegoMuseum sticker as well as other surprises.

Wholesale rates available Email here

Click Below to Order Via PayPal

Shipping Options

One Copy US/Can $11.95 Two Copies US/Can $20.00 Three Copies US/Can $28.00 One Copy Europe $13.95 Two Copies Europe $22.00 Three Copies Europe $30.00

The 1974 Mego Planet of the Apes Show Room

A rather epic addition today to our Planet of the Apes Galleries, the first (but hopefully not last) known shot of the 1974 Mego Toyfair showroom featuring the Planet of the Apes action figures and Doctor Cornelius himself (obviously one of the store appearance suits) click on the image for a larger view.

Thirsty for more Explore the Mego Museum Planet of the Apes Galleries!

Discuss at the Mego Forums

A Triple shot of Mego Planet of the Apes

A beautiful new addition to the Mego Museum Planet of the Apes Galleries courtesy of Mike D'Aloia. Three stunning window boxed Mego General Ursus figures each with an outfit variation, click on the picture to visit the gallery and see larger shots.

Watch for more "Ape Updates" this month.

Meet Spider-Man, the Wicked Witch and Cornelius the Ape at Gold Circle!

There is just so much to love about this vintage Mego store appearance ad, like the word Shaboom and the use of Aquaman and Tarzan in the toy ad. Below are some of the pieces of paper you would get from such an appearance.

Spidey would hand these little fliers to kids, fortunately kids saved them!

Lucky Apes kids would get this, a signed picture of Caesar acting as Cornelius, a McDowell is a McDowell to mego....

Best Wishes, Cornelius or Planet of the Apes Day!

Neat piece added to the Mego Museum Planet of the Apes gallery today. It's an autographed handout from a store appearance made by Cornelius, although any fan worth his salt could tell you that it's Caesar in the photo. Those toy company execs can't tell their McDowell's apart. Mego did a great deal of promotion for Apes, here are some wonderful back in the day photos.

The infamous Apes Macy parade float, some new photos have come out thanks to the generosity of the Abrams family, check out this thread for more.

A Long Island store appearance for Planet of the Apes, dig the minty rack of action figures....

A colour shot of a similiar appearance.

Discuss Planet of the Apes at the Mego Forum

Visit the MegoMuseum Planet of the Apes Gallery

Mego Apes Selling Well in Miami

This report is from March 1975

Planet of the Apes Store Appearance 1975

Scott W sent in this amazing shot of him at a Long Island Planet of the Apes appearance at a toy store. Check out the stacks of Mego Treehouse playsets behind Cornelius.

Thanks to Scott for sharing this truly amazing memory!

Mego of the Day: Allan Verdon

Thursday's Mego spotlight goes to Astronaut on the run, Allan Verdon. Many 70s kids fondly remember actor Ron Harper for other his other big genre role in the 1970s, Uncle Jack on Land of the Lost...

Mego of the Day: Forbidden Zone Trap

Mego of the Day is the Planet of the Apes Forbidden Zone Trap playset, what a time we lived in when our folks let us have a post nuclear city environment....

The Mego Doctor Zaius Prototype

We end our week of never before seen shots of the original hand made Mego production prototypes of the Planet of the Apes figures with the big guy himself, Dr. Zaius. Thanks for reading!

Click Here to see the original Prototype Dr. Zaius figure by Mego.

The 1974 Mego Cornelius Prototype

As promised, we kick off a week of never before seen shots of the original hand made Mego production prototypes of the Planet of the Apes Characters.

These original samples have been rumoured to exist for years and now we finally have beautiful full colour shots of the very first Mego Planet of the Apes characters.

Just like Zira yesterday, Cornelius proves to be another wonderfully detailed figure.

Click Here to see the original Prototype Cornelius figure by Mego.

Also, don't forget to register for this year's Megomeet convention, which is being held this June 5 & 6th in Wheeling WV. Admission is $20 and a dealer table (which includes admission) is $32. It's the only all Mego event of it's kind. Click here to register.

The Original 1974 Mego Zira Prototype

As promised, we kick off a week of never before seen shots of the original hand made Mego production prototypes of the Planet of the Apes Characters.

These original samples have been rumoured to exist for years and now we finally have beautiful full colour shots of the very first Mego Planet of the Apes characters.

Click Here to see the original Prototype Zira figure by Mego.

Small Doll Bonanza!

Come on, just try and take on Peter Burke and Kor, I dare you!

Toy maker grows into a giant on Hollywood, comic motifs

"He is now bringing out toy figures based on the popular TV series "The Waltons." He expects they will do as well as the "Planet of the Apes" line, which had $10 million in sales "

Hey, you can't win them all....

We Don't Monkey Around!

"Giantway" is the coolest name for a store ever. This ad makes me giddy.

Planet of the Apes! As Seen on TV!