BEHIND THE SCENES: GUN READY!

At Apogee, model maker and technician Jon Erland manipulates the lower cannon of one of the Galactica's formidable weapons bays, either for the filming or as a test, in this great behind the scenes image for Saga of a Star World.

THE CONTINUING SPACE JOURNEY...

Another great, rarely seen angle of the massive Galactica model from the series' opening episodes, as one of its impressive landing bays prepares to receive an inbound shuttle.

I wonder how much more unused Apogee shot footage of the Galactica resides in the Universal Studios Archives...?

INSIDE THE KINGDOM OF THE OVIONS!

The discovery of the Ovion civilisation inside the Tylium mine caverns of Carillon sees Apollo and his recon party encounter the aliens' mysterious Queen leader, Lotay, in a reshot sequence from Saga of a Star World.

It's a shame that the series couldn't reveal more alien creatures during its singular season run.

CLASSIC ART: STRANGE NEW WORLDS!

Another of the iconic Ralph McQuarrie's gorgeous and evocative production painting for Galactica's pilot episode, featuring a lone patrol Viper landed on Carillon. I love the purple sky and the use of the alien moon.

BEHIND THE SCENES: TUNNEL VISION!

At Apogee, effects legend Richard Edlund handles the camera for the background shots of the Viper tunnel, to be used as back projection for the launching pilots, in this great shot from Saga of a Star World that I'd never seen before.

MASTER AND SERVANT!

Within his vast throne area located deep within a Cylon Basestar, the all-powerful machine creature that is the Imperious Leader (played by actor/stuntman Dick Durock) sits atop his mighty pedestal to issue the latest orders to destroy the pest that is mankind, in another classic image from Saga of a Star World that was so effectively used for worldwide publicity.

BEHIND THE SCENES: BASESTAR DESCENDENT!

The Apogee team were hard at work blue screen filming lots of models in mid 1978, and the impressive and formidable Cylon Basestar must have been one of the most interesting, as seen here in the great image.

CLASSIC ART: 'LAUNCH FIGHTERS!"

A superb early storyboard for Galactica's pilot episode showing a vast array of Colonial Fighters launched from the mighty Battlestar against the oncoming surprise attack by the Cylons. In the final version of the episode we got a looking down side shot of only three vipers launching outwards.

CLASSIC IMAGE: LIKE A DAGGIT ON A SUN SPOT!

It's a bad time to be cooped up in a cockpit for Lt. Starbuck, agitated after his recent steam burn injuries, and especially at a time when he, Apollo and comrade Boomer are about to go flying near-blind into the middle of an ultrabright starfield, the Nova Madogan, littered with Cylon mines!

A classic scene for our Colonial hero trio from Saga of a Star World. 

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE ORIGINAL 'SAGA' VILLAINS!

A true image gathering of the terrifying creatures encountered by our Colonial Heroes from the original pilot episode, Saga of a Star World, where the Cylons (and their Imperious Leader) were genuinely scary in their intent to destroy humanity, and the Ovions strikingly creepy as they attempted to eat the Twelve Colonies survivors within the underground depths of their Carillon-based casino.

CLASSIC IMAGE: BROTHERS AND WARRIORS!

Captain Apollo couldn't have a better wingman on the 'Armistice' patrol than his fresh out of the Academy brother Zac, who scored higher skills ratings than even the formidable leader of Blue Squadron himself. 

Anther great posed image of TV heart-throbs Richard Hatch and Rick Springfield, linked to a deleted scene from Saga of a Star World. 

'MERRY CHRISTMAS!' (2025)

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! 

BEHIND THE SCENES: A CYLON ARMADA!

Another great, sadly unused effects shot image from Saga of a Star World, this time showcasing an armada of Cylon Raiders coming in for the kill on Colonial targets. Interestingly, bar one model on a Blue Screen support pole, the other craft images are all seemingly cut out images assembled together on a glass sheet backing. I would love to have seen this shot completed!

CLASSIC ART: A LOOK AT MANKIND'S PAST FUTURE...

Another iconic piece of conceptual art by the legendary Ralph McQuarrie representing the lush, futuristic realms of an alien world in the Colonies, we assume the ultimately doomed Caprica, from 1977/78. It was used for promotional purposes by ABC TV, sadly in B/W form, during their early push for what was originally Star Worlds, then the singular Galactica.

CLASSIC IMAGE: BOOMER FIGHTS BACK!

Shocked and surprised alongside his comrades to discover the truth about the Ovion's Casino on Carillon, Lt. Boomer's expert warrior skills soon come into play against advancing Cylon's deep within its lower levels. in a great action photo from Saga of a Star World.

BEHIND THE SCENES: VIPER TRAIL!

Making the most of all the effects filmmaking talent at their disposal, refining their past work seen with Star Wars, and creating all new ideas and techniques, the Apogee team would bring Galactica to spectacular life for the small (and big) screen, as seen here with the unique Colonial Vipers fuel blasting into action and battle.

BY THE LEADER'S COMMAND!

Reporting the latest news on their ultimate victory against humanity, an impressive looking lone Cylon Centurion is received by the Imperious Leader, in a great image from Saga of a Star World.

CLASSIC ART: THE UNIVERSE OF 'GALACTICA'!

A rare and intriguing piece of official Galactica series/cast art that I've never seen before, credited for use by ABC TV for publicity. If anyone knows anymore about it, or who the artist was, please get in touch...

BEHIND THE SCENES: SPACE LUXURY THE 'RISING STAR' WAY...

Before but also during the Cylon War, the humans of the Twelve Colonies would carry on enjoying the realms of commercial space travel where they could, and what better way for them to begin their vacations than boarding the beautiful and luxurious Rising Star passenger vehicle (created by the people of Scorpio), which, with the original TV series pilot launcher, would become a home to women and children refugees for the most part. It would ultimately return back to a more leisure-related existence with the regular series, once the Galactica's Rag-Tag fleet had become more organised and efficient for its surviving peoples.

Enjoy these behind the scenes images from the Apogee filming for Saga of a Star World in Summer, 1978.

Concept design.

Jon Erland works on the model at Apogee.

Model filming.

Photographed by Richard Edlund with the Dykstraflex camera. Interesting that the model is quite small but looks bigger on screen. The same visual trick was used with the original Star Destroyer model used with the beginning of the first Star Wars movie of 1977.

Rear view of the impressive model ultimately sold at auction.

BEHIND THE SCENES: LADIES WHO LUNCH!

Backstage from their busy work onscreen ensnaring audiences within the Ovion's cannibal casino of death on Carillon, the actresses playing the intriguing and talented Toucana Sisters (including actress/singer Patty Brooks),still in special make-up, take a break during filming of Saga of a Star World.