The Merchandise Of Space Patrol

Unlike the massive merchandising campaigns undertaken by the Gerry Anderson series, Space Patrol had little in the way of related products. Most of what merchandise was available appeared as the screenings of episodes were winding down, in 1964 and 1965.

Whether this was due to poor promoting - the series having less fanfare in the television media - or lack of interest from merchandisers, we may never know.

Regrettably, in the hunt for memorabilia, 'Space Patrol' is one of the most used titles for space related merchandise. No less than four television series bear the title (though in the case of the German Raumpatrouille and Japanese Hopper Uchu Patrol, these are translations) and a number of totally unrelated items also come under that name. The same is true of the American title 'Planet Patrol' (right), with a recent film, some ecological groups and a spate of generic toys bearing the same name.

In the past few years, interest arose from the series with the discovery of the entire series and its subsequent release on video and DVD. There is talk, as with a lot of cult television and science fiction these days, of potential new merchandise such as a collector card series.

We have also been unable to establish whether any merchandise appeared overseas. Some articles in television magazines appeared but we have no details. If you know of any, please do contact us.


The Rumour Mill

A number of Space Patrol items have been rumoured to exist but have yet to be confirmed. We'll list them here to see if they jog anyone's memory:

• A Space Patrol annual - we are fairly sure one was not produced, with most claims actually referring to the Secret Weapon storybook. But we live in hope... This recently received e-mail suggests there was one. Does it jog any memories?:
"I would like to add my opinion concerning the Space Patrol annual. I'm convinced that at least one existed - not least as I recall being given 2 SP books that my father bought from a second hand bookshop (one being The Secret Weapon - I remember the cover & the space helmets). The second was definitely an annual - I can't remember much except it had a 1960s year on the front of it & mainly had text stories & illustrations with perhaps 4 sides of cartoon strips. The other thing I remember (there being a number of distinct stories/picture items in it) was the references to 'martian sausage' in at least 2 different stories which the engineer allegedly ate. I think that there were also 'in a hundred years time' types of features, but It's a long time ago." Nick, from London.

And Bill Lindsay if very much of the opinion there definitely was one!:
"I have been looking at your site, and can confirm an Annual did exist. I had one a few years ago, which I obtained from a dealer in Cardiff for the huge sum of £6.00!!!!
Sadly I no longer possess it, as I passed it on to a friend who passed away, and I was unable to get it back. I now have a copy of "Secret Weapon" and I am certain that is not what I had before."

The hunt continues... !!!

• A Dot-to-Dot book by World Distributors

• A toy Galasphere, as indicated in this message from Sam:
"There was a tin space toy of Larry Dart's Gallosphere complete with launching platform. I believe it was Japanese made. There is an image of the toy shown in the French Boogaert's book on tin space toys titled 'Robot'."

• A toy gun. However, a lot of generic space guns bear the legend 'Space Patrol', as well as a popular one which tied-in with the US series.

• A jigsaw puzzle or puzzles

• A set of figures by Britains (these may be a generic 'Space Patrol' item, as mentioned above - see picture for a possible example)



Off The Record...

As far as we are aware, no music from the series (as some fans refer to the 'electronics') was made commercially available and no cover versions recorded. Tracks entitled Space Patrol occasionally crop up on record compilations but these would appear to have nothing to do with the UK Space Patrol, nor the American or German versions:

• Music from Thunderbirds and Dr Who:
This single, released in 1975, has a B side entitled Space Patrol. The record label states Music from Space Patrol on Mars, and is uncredited, simply stating Damil Music - a Damil USA production, but is also believed to have nothing to do with any TV series.

• Geoff Love's Big Disco Sound:
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind:
Side Two, track 5 - This is a piece of stock music by composer/arranger Nick Ingram.

For the record (no pun intended) the end theme of the US Space Patrol is called 'Stratosphere', composed by Eric Spear.

The composer of the German Space Patrol (Raumpatrouille Orion) is Peter Thomas, and both the music and the original seven part series from 1966 come highly recommended (if you either speak German or can obtain the rare English subtitled version). Think Star Trek produced by ITC and you'd be getting close...