Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Remembering Actor Van Williams who played the GREEN HORNET and has passed away at 82 :(

Van Williams played Britt Reid and his alter ego the Green Hornet for one season in 1966, acting alongside Bruce Lee who played Green Hornet's sidekick Kato. The show even crossed over with 1966's other major superhero show, Batman, teaming the Green Hornet and Kato with the Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin. Unlike Batman, however, Green Hornet was an attempt at a more serious superhero show.

Here's a tribute to the late actor:
"Another challenge for the Green Hornet, his aide Kato, and their rolling arsenal, the Black Beauty. On Police records a wanted criminal, Green Hornet is really Britt Reid, owner-publisher of the Daily Sentinel, his dual identity known only to his secretary and to the district attorney. And now, to protect the rights and lives of decent citizens, rides THE GREEN HORNET."

That was how the TV series always started, each episode begins with the monologue, narrated by producer William Dozier. AND this is another look at my upgraded Captain Action The Green Hornet figure. I replaced the Captain Action figure with a Dragon Models DML 12-inch figure instead and I like the new look ;) Check out my earlier post on the 1:6 scale Captain Action Green Hornet figure HERE


This is a repost of a January 2011 entry from my toy blog reviewing the Captain Action Green Hornet set by switching out the original 12-inch body with a Dragon Models Limited (DML) body.

Scroll down to see the rest of the pictures.
Click on them for bigger and better view.

Here's The Green Hornet with his trademark green fedora / trilby hat, mask, Green HORNET coat / jacket over white shirt with black tie, black pants, socks and shoes. He also has his gas pistol / Hornet Gas Gun. The gun could fire a stream of potent knock-out gas.


The Green Hornet is actually Britt Reid, debonair newspaper publisher by day, crime-fighting masked hero at night, aided by his manservant / chauffeur / bodyguard / enforcer Kato (wow, all-in-one aide, hope Reid pays him well).


The character of Britt Reid / Green Hornet was created by the same people who created The Lone Ranger, and Reid is a descendant of the western hero. The character of Dan Reid, who appeared on the Lone Ranger programme as the Masked Man's nephew, was also featured on the Green Hornet as Britt Reid's father, making the Green Hornet the grand-nephew of the Lone Ranger.


Unlike the campy 1960s Batman series, the TV version of The Green Hornet was played straight.


The Green Hornet also has his Hornet Sting. It appears to have 5 telescoping segments coming out from the basic unit. The TV series shows this telescoping action to be automatic and later with just a wrist flick to extend! The "Hornet's Sting" produced electric shocks.


The Green Hornet with his two specialized guns - gas pistol and Honet's Sting


Another look at the Hornet gas gun


and Hornet's Sting


Captain Action The Green Hornet also comes with his BRIGHT YELLOW gas mask



Here's a closer look at the Captain Action Green Hornet mask with the Green Hornet logo / symbol on it. The problem with the original Captain Action Green Hornet figure is that the green hornet mask is worn over a full head mask which goes over the head of Captain Action and all these layers made the head BIG and not appealing at all


Here's what The Green Hornet wears under his green Hornet jacket / coat - black tie, white long sleeve shirt, shoulder holster for his gas pistol, black pants, socks and shoes.


The Captain Action 1:6 scale Green Hornet attire / outfit / costume fits better on the taller Dragon 12-inch figure. Scroll down for the turnaround views






Closer look at the Captain Action Green Hornet 1:6 shoulder hoslter



Close-up view of the Captain Action Hornet gas gun. This entire Captain Action set was designed as a toy for kids, hence the dials and gauges Haha


And this is the Green Hornet's Gold Transmitter Pocket Watch. The watch can be used as a voice communicator with the Black Beauty or to activate the "buzz" signal in District Attorney Scanlon's glasses. This was the 1960s, people, technology wasn't what it is today :) but they certainly were FUN times haha


"Hornet gun... check. Hornet sting... check. Let's roll, Kato!"

NEXT: Captain Action 1:6 scale Kato 12-inch figure Revisited

See my take of the upgraded pair of Captain Action's The Green Hornet and Kato figures HERE

1 comment:

  1. How far we've come now! But there is still an appeal to the classic toys, when toys looked and felt like toys, not museum quality showpieces.

    That being said, I love my Enterbay Kato.

    ReplyDelete