I guess I had a mild mid life crisis the other day and watched some old TV show intros from when I was a kid in the 60s. This show was a favorite for me. I was ten in 1968 and I owned the TV Friday nights. I remember the action packed line up on various channels. Starting at 7:30 it was “Green Hornet”, Wild Wild West, “The Man From Uncle”, T.H.E. Cat”, and “Laredo”. Here’s the intro to TMFU…

THE MAN FROM UNCLE Season One Long Opening - YouTube

Jill Ireland..BB...before Bronson. Can't say I watched much of the show back then ( I was 10 in 68 as well). I wasted most of my time riding my mini bike.

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Remain Viable

I was 21 in 68, but I enjoyed the show.

I had the whole "Man from UNCLE" spy set, gun, shoulder holster, badge, etc. On the playground, we talked about that show, Combat, and whatever goofy stuff was on Laugh-In or F Troop.

Yup, recall those Friday nights...

...and I also had the the rig that included the plastic attache case that would shoot plastic bullets from the gun inside with the touch of a button. Fun stuff for a kid.

I had the Man from Uncle toys. One was a large radio with a handle and a stock folded out and a barrel sprang out the front and you looked through the handle which was a "scope". I had an ink pen which I believe had disappearing ink and if you push on the sleeve water would shoot out the end. Also there was a small camera that unfolded and a barrel and grip came out and it turned into a pistol.

Loved that show as a kid. Watching the intro now I’m wondering what in the hell is Waverly doing ?

I was 12 in 1968, and returned to the states after 4 years in England that year. Man From U.N.C.L.E. was OK, but I was missing Dr. Who.

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Only a cold warrior

I had Secret Sam which was the attaché case I think you're talking about. besides pushing that button, I think there was also a button for a secret camera. That was a good one. As well as the Mattel Tommy gun which was my fave.

And it didn't make us go out and shoot people for real, did it?

I belive you are correct. Had my fantasy spy sets mixed up (had both of 'em)!

Also had a Johnny Seven OMA (One Man Army) gun. Now that was a rig!

Nope.....

Like many on this Forum, I had a pretty substantial arsenal of cap guns growing up in the 1950's and '60's. I think one of the main reasons that we didn't shoot up schools was that we weren't a generation that were prescribed all kinds of behavior modifying drugs.

Loved being reminded that "Topper" was the boss.

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Always Stay Strong!

Ah yes, loved TMFU! I was 12, also had the gun and accessories, trading cards, jigzaw puzzle too LOL. "Open Channel D"!!

Funny sidebar, in an older NCIS episode one of the characters wondered what "Ducky" played by David McCallum looked like when he was young. Gibbs responded as he walked past the main camera "Illya Kuryakin" LOL.

I was the coolest kid around until everyone else got theirs.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

I was 10 also and remember the show but not as well as some here seem to. I don't think I watched a lot of TV on Friday nights for some reason. Now Sunday nights the family did. We only had one tv and I was the youngest so I probably didn't get to choose the shows often. No older brothers only two sisters so it was shows like the Monkey's.

The Solo gun set was cool. I recall having one. At school we converted our Bic pens into covert transmitters (with a nail in place of the ink cartridge to act as an antenna). "Open channel D please"

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Tony

Some might remember that there were eight "Man from U.N.C..L.E." theatrical feature films released in the late 1960s. Fairly sucky, mainly just stretched out versions of the TV episodes. They show up on TV occasionally.

I remember one of the "Pawn Stars" episodes in which some guy brought in a like-new in-the-box U.N.C.L.E. toy gun set. I think it was valued at something over $1000.

Seriously, THANK YOU for this post! It literally brought chills to my body! I was literally Napoleon Solo growing up….

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Stay Safe...
jd SWCA #3276

Here’s Kurt Russell in an old commercial I remembered that I thought might
Be the toy you mentioned but it’s a different one.

Zero-M Sonic Blaster 1960s toy commercial - YouTube

Even as a kid I could tell that Robert Vaughn was having trouble keeping it together during that show. Probably the funniest thing was that David McCallum playing his role so straight.

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Release the Kraken

I got to meet Van Williams, the actor who played the Green Hornet, at a mini-comicon down in Gaithersburg, MD. It was long after the TV show went off the air, and he was genuinely touched that so many people remembered him. And there was nothing "Hollywood" about him. When I asked him if I could stand next to him so my buddy could get a picture of me with him, he put his hand on my shoulder and grabbed my hand so my buddy could take the picture.

The Man From Uncle Movie they made about 8 or 10 years ago was pretty good and I’ve watched it three times. It has Kevin Seville as Solo and Armie Hammer as the Russian.

He was also in “Surfside 6”. All I remember about this show is the theme song and a few of these images by the water. I came across this once and said, “Hey, that’s the Green Hornet”. My big dilemma as a kid was Green Hornet was on during the first half of The Wild Wild West so I had to switch channels a lot to watch both Bruce Lee and Robert Conrad beat guys up.

Classic TV Theme: Surfside Six - YouTube

Hey! That was Ducky!

Al Hirt played the theme song for the "Green Hornet" and cut an album entitled "The Hornet Meets the Horn" or something like that
which had Van Williams in character and Al Hirt on the album jacket. I remember how happy I was when I tracked down a copy of the album.

A great old show!!

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No baby we aint

Henry Cavill as Solo. He is also the current Superman in the DC movies.

When the original show opened in 64 I was 12 and fascinated with Solo's tarted up P38 and found the thrush modded up M1 carbines hilarious.

It was indeed, and in one of the NCIS episodes, Kate asks what Ducky looked like when he was younger. Gibbs quips: "Like Illya Kuryakin".

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So many S&W's, so few funds!!