Soon passing its incredible 45TH ANNIVERSARY legacy, this is a celebration of the classic, world popular original TV series from 1978, created by Glen A. Larson for UNIVERSAL TELEVISION. Re-live the heroic adventures of the crew of the mighty GALACTICA, fleeing the Cylon tyranny, in its epic search for the lost Thirteenth Tribe on Earth.
The inmates have taken control of the asylum, as the saying goes, of which Adama and his command crew, watched by a now powerless Siress Tinia, must take swift command of the situation against Baltar's actions towards the Galactica and his hostage taking, in a tense scene from Baltar's Escape.
Its a busy time on the Galactica bridge as its main command officers confer on their ongoing flight with the Cylons. I assume that this must be from the filming of Gun on Ice Planet Zero rather than the pilot episode (unless its a deleted scene).
An innocent man once again, Starbuck rejoins his loyal-to-the-end friend and Triad game partner Apollo, where he is also cheered on by sports fans across the Colonial fleet, as well as his dearest friends, in this warm-hearted character scene that the Classic Galactica series always did best, closing Murder on the Rising Star.
Our three favourite Galactican heroes pose for an early publicity shot in or after Saga of a Star World, likely taken mid to late 1978. Their search for Earth continues with heroism and insight.
We wish all our worldwide readers a safe, happy and very Merry Christmas, and a prosperous 2026!
It's life pods to the ready as all the Viper squadron pilots are taken out by a mystery disease brought back to the Galactica by Lt.s Jolly and Boomer. Dr. Salik is working to isolate the infection's cause, but who will meantime defend the fleet from future Cylon attacks?
A tense scene from fan favourite, Lost Planet of the Gods.
A spectacular sequence from the film (with great stunt work and pyrotechnics), even if it had been pinched from the weekly series episode Fire in Space, as the Galactica bridge and its crew are caught in a brutal kamikaze attack by a Cylon fighter packed with Solenite explosives that near destroys them, bringing many casualties and critically wounding Commander Adama at the worst possible time, his injured body soon taken to the Life Centre medical area for upcoming dangerous surgery amidst a now compromised, fire-stricken Galactica.
Running from a major explosion.
Tigh and Lt. Omega tend to the fallen Adama in the international lobby card for the film.
Lorne Greene is given his 'wounds' by the Universal make-up team.
With the firepower of three Basestar compliments of fighters at his command, Baltar launches his most devastating Cylon Raider attack yet on the Galactica, bringing destructive carnage in its wake, deliberately targeting its bridge and the landing bays.
Baltar relishes the last Battlestar's destruction...
Attacking the Gemini freighter.
Colonial Vipers speed in to attack the Raiders.
The Raiders continue their fleet attacks.
The fleet's food supplies are threatened, as the Agro Ships come under fire.
Fires spread out across the Galactica bridge. How much longer can they hold out?
The Vipers are overwhelmed but valiantly fight on against the Raiders, as the enemy conflicts spreads out across the Colonial Rag-Tag fleet, a deliberate action by Baltar so as to drain their colonial battle thruster fuel supplies further.
As the Colonial Viper squadrons of the Galactica and Pegasus begin integrating, so as to build a strong sense of teamwork, Adama and Cain make plans to capture a supply of Cylon fuel tankers to aid the depleted Colonial Rag-Tag fleet that is now stuck dead in space, ready prey for enemy attack. But Cain is unhappy with the planned intercept scenario, and will deviously find a way to make sure that the enormous fuel depot on Gamoray will be targeted instead. Tensions between the two leaders on future plans will soon reach breaking point.
Tracing the route of the Cylon Tankers and their escorts.
Back in 1979, I was aware that the Battlestar Galactica saga was already a successful series in the US, but so far the British Thames/ITV channel that had purchased the one season run had had, at that time, some kind of delay in airing it, presumably because Universal/CIC were about to launch a second adventure on big screens - soon great news to this eager near ten-year old and I'm sure many many other fans like myself around the country. Mission: Galactica - The Cylon Attack was blasting its way to us, bringing us all-new action and all-new additional characters that would make an impact on the saga!
Though I'm sure I recall seeing poster promotions on selected red London buses about town, as well as the obvious Tube station publicity, plus promos in teen related magazine titles like Look-In and 2000AD on the actual release, as far as I was aware there was very little early publicity for the theatrical run - my mum and I literally found out about the movie whilst shopping in the West End and talking to someone at the Empire Leicester Square when we saw the coming soon poster outside of it. Once again, we would soon experience Galactica's second 'movie' in the seat-rumbling Sensurround experience they had there by release time, literally opening mere weeks before the return of the Star Wars saga with The Empire Strikes Back, which we'd also go on to see in the West End at the opposite Odeon Leicester Square. It was clear that Universal were trying to cash-in quick with their own sci-fi hit before Lucas's release, of which they still needed to make money back on the series enormous production costs of the time, but I didn't care, it was just great to have the mighty Battlestar and its heroes and villains back on the big screen, and would prove such a nostalgic experience!
And my thoughts on the film at the time? Well it was very enjoyable - I always liked Lloyd Bridges as the unflappable and bold Cain, was surprised by the return of John Colicos as Count Baltar, and the spectacular Cylon kamikaze attack was impressive, a sequence which I later discovered was culled from another series episode and not specifically shot for the film. The reuse of footage from the original theatrical adventure of 1978 was noticeable and irked a bit, exemplified by the Cylon Tanker sequence (albeit with new space battle action woven around it) and the Ovion minefield of Carillon, but, to compensate, there were thankfully some noticeable new effects shots added to the film from Universal Heartland that were much appreciated - I remember loving the Viper strafing run on the shocked Cylon civilians in their city (part of some great action on Gamoray, of which I also certainly liked Sheba and Cassie in their black outfits!) plus certain exciting shots in the space battles against the Cylon Raiders. I wore my Galactica poster art jacket with pride at the cinema that afternoon on school holiday!
From the debut of the legendary Commander Cain and Sheba, to the bold attack on Gamoray, enjoy our Forty-Fifth Anniversary celebrations for Mission: Galactica - The Cylon Attack!
It may not have gone past its fourth and final issue back in 1978, but the distinctive Battlestar Galactica poster magazine series, published by Paradise Press with Universal, remains treasured by fans. I still have to get hold of this one after all these years, what with its memorable Adama/Lucifer cover.
In the UK, I only remember the first issue coming out, specifically targeted with the theatrical release of Saga of a Star World. Am I wrong about this?
Two powerful forces for good and evil meet in Commander Adama and Count Iblis, as Lorne Greene and Patrick Macnee share great character scenes together during the storytelling within the fan favourite War of the Gods.
Adama, Apollo, Starbuck. The three classic heroes forming what viewers will discover, and thrill to, as part of the unique Battlestar Galactica, assemble in this great cover art by David Edward Byrd that was specially commissioned for the US TV Guide magazine back in September 1978. I'm sure it garnered a lot of American viewer attention heralding the series then eagerly-awaited debut.
The quest for Earth continues to delight fans old and new, of which our classic characters, heroes and villains, endure brightly for another special celebration day!
The marketing of Battlestar Galactica as event TV was none more keenly felt by teenagers after the success of Star Wars, and the American Scholastic schools magazine Sprint made the most of that excitement ahead within one of their 1978 issues.
No longer captured by the weird environs of the Memory Machine, Commander Adama has new problems on his hands, with what looks like a kamikaze Cylon Basestar on the attack, in this great opening artwork to the classic series Marvel Comic issue 12, with stellar work once more from regular talents Walt Simonson and Klaus Janson, featuring colouring by George Roussos
Truly one of the series saddest moments, the tenderly written and played finale scenes to Lost Planet of the Gods, as a tearful Boxey and Apollo say their final goodbyes to the fatally wounded Serina (Jane Seymour, getting the finale she wanted and deserved onscreen) in a private area aboard the Galactica.
The arrival of the trailblazing Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica States-side saw the debut of many all-new cash-in magazines celebrating their impact in cinema and on TV, alongside articles on other classics of the genre like the original Star Trek, The Outer Limits, and many Gerry Anderson productions. Weird Worlds made Galactica their launch launch cover (with a rare image) back in 1978, but did it ever make it to a second issue?
Despite the huge loss of Apollo and Starbuck, Galactica fans must surely have been excited for the then upcoming new series that was Galactica 1980, of which this US TV Guide magazine publicity looked intriguing enough to get viewers watching its opening installments. But such potential promise wasn't to last, as the series became too restricted and noticeably too budget strapped in its soon family audience format.
That long lost shiny planet of Earth has been found and now the next generation of Galacticans must engage in its culture, as the Cylon menace returns to threaten all humanity. A nice promo card apparently used by ABC TV to promote the short lived Galactica 1980 series, promising much with its diverse mixture of old and new.
It's a shame that the exciting card was actually more interesting and intriguing than the actual show itself, in many ways!
As the critical point of potential destruction is is reached, Lt. Rigel picks up the incredible news that the Ravashol Pulsar weapon has been destroyed in an immense explosion on the planet's surface. The Galactica and the human fleet have been miraculously saved, and jubilant celebration is soon in the air around the bridge as an equally joyous Adama and Tigh order the immediate dispatch of a shuttle and fighter escort down to Arcta to retrieve their friends and family...
The mountain is confirmed destroyed!
The bridge crew celebrate their success and camaraderie under pressure.
Another close shave for the Galactica as its bridge crew react to the continuous bombardment of Arcta's pulsar weapon against them, which generates too many and numerous destructive near misses.
The energy beams grow closer and closer...
And the Cylon Basestars are closing in behind them...
A tense sequence of building threat that was well edited for this episode...
