1979 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century TV Series

In 1979, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was a science fiction adventure franchise that encompassed both a theatrical film and a subsequent television series. Developed by Glen A. Larson and Leslie Stevens, they were inspired by the success of Star Wars. The 1979 film, starring Gil Gerard as Captain William "Buck" Rogers and Erin Gray as Colonel Wilma Deering, was originally produced as a television pilot. Universal Pictures, however, decided to release it in theaters in March 1979, where it proved to be a box-office success. This success prompted NBC to commission a weekly television series, which premiered in September 1979. The television show ran for two seasons, concluding in April 1981, and recycled many props and special effects from the earlier Battlestar Galactica. The pilot episode was edited for television, with some scenes added and others (such as the original, more suggestive, opening credits sequence and the death of a character named Tigerman) modified or removed to set up the ongoing series. The story begins in 1987, when a NASA deep-space probe piloted by Captain Buck Rogers is blown off course into an orbit that freezes his life support systems. He awakens 500 years later in the 25th century, where Earth has rebuilt itself after a nuclear holocaust and faces threats from alien invaders, specifically the Draconian Empire led by Princess Ardala and her henchman Kane. Buck must adjust to the future and help Earth's Defense Directorate protect the planet. The popularity of the 1979 production led to a variety of tie-in merchandise: Action Figures: Mego Corporation produced both 12-inch and 3.75-inch action figures and scaled spaceships. Comics and Books: Gold Key Comics (later Whitman Comics) published a comic book series based on the show, and Dell Publishing released two novels. Games and Models: Milton Bradley produced a board game and jigsaw puzzles, while Monogram released plastic model kits of the Earth Defense Directorate Starfighter and the Draconian Marauder. Other: Die-cast toys, trading cards, and a painted metal lunch box were also available.