Odd laser cannon thingee (from ______?)

[GKvfx]

OK, what the heck is this thing? Actually two things. One is a laser cannon, approximately 48" long and about 5" in diameter. It's got a metal sleeve that moves and the thing lights up with a combination of incandescent bulbs and LED's. To make it super-cool looking, it has an exposed, "high-tech" area at the base.

The other, box-like thing doesn't appear to be from the aforementioned laser cannon. None of the lights work, but it does appear to have them (dead batteries, I suspect).

We have no clue as to what show(s) they are from. But we do know that the current owner got them just before he stopped working on the Universal lot in 1981. Given the time period and the studio involved, Buck Rogers and Battlestar Galactica come to mind as the obvious choices. So, could this be some sort of specific background prop? Or was it just something they had lying around as set dressing?

Interested to hear your suggestions,

Gene

 

[KitSmasher]

Is that the Laser Scalpel the bad guys are going to cut up Miss Cosmos with in the Buck Rogers episode "Cruise Ship to the Stars"?

 

[Replicant]

May have been from the tram ride.I rode it in 81 and threw up sunkist going through the spinning tunnel.

This pic is too big to post...

http://http://lh6.ggpht.com/_k2a7NH7XAK0/SgaekeEWkKI/AAAAAAACdA8/VARMbjFt_ys/Book39A-Page58-03.jpg

 

[blownhemi]

May have been from the tram ride.I rode it in 81 and threw up sunkist going through the spinning tunnel.

This pic is too big to post...

http://http://lh6.ggpht.com/_k2a7NH7XAK0/SgaekeEWkKI/AAAAAAACdA8/VARMbjFt_ys/Book39A-Page58-03.jpg

You know what's a crime? I lived in Southern California most of my life and I only went to Universal Studios once, when I was 9. Your pictures bring back memories for me. I remember the spinning tunnels and the Cylons being hit with lasers and splitting in half from head to torso. My grandfather, who had a rather disturbing sense of humor, got the timing of Jaws down and switched seats with me so I was next to the water. Right when the shark popped out, he grabbed the back of my shirt and shoved me toward the thing's open mouth as it popped out of the water. I screamed like a little girl. lol It was at almost 10 years before I'd watch the movie after that.

It was a neat experience apart from that, though. I got to watch the A-Team stunt show and got to play in KITT. I was disappointed that they used one of the early models, though, that just had a speaker and not the digital light voice box. I also got picked to take part in the western "movie" thing they did, but we didn't buy a copy after it was over.

 

[Charles Kline]

Almost looks like the tip of the Honey I shrunk The Kids ray thing.

-Charles

 

[GKvfx]

Well, it's not from Cruise Ship to the Stars - I scanned through it last night. I thought it might be from the tour, but the tour was still going at the time that this guy left the studio. He's pretty definite about the time period - no later than 1981. That would exclude "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" as well.

Gene

 

[dbuck]

My grandfather, who had a rather disturbing sense of humor, got the timing of Jaws down and switched seats with me so I was next to the water. Right when the shark popped out, he grabbed the back of my shirt and shoved me toward the thing's open mouth as it popped out of the water. I screamed like a little girl. lol It was at almost 10 years before I'd watch the movie after that.

I'm sorry, but that's the best laugh I've had all day. My dad did the same thing. We were in the front tram, on the right side, and that shark came right up to me and my dad grabbed my shoulders and screamed something like 'look out"!
I had never heard of that attraction until we drove up to 'Amity', and that movie had scared the living heck out of me. My brother and I had begged, and I mean begged (something we never did) for our parents to take us to see that movie.
I bet they were pretty darn sorry they gave in. Heck, we wouldn't even use the pool for weeks.

And.....back on topic. I have no idea what that thing is from, but is sure looks familiar.