268 - Green Hornet Black Beauty

The Green Hornet TV show was completely unknown in the UK when the ‘Black Beauty’ was introduced by Corgi in November 1967. Nevertheless, it sold in excess of 800,000, cementing its status as an iconic 60s-era Corgi Toy. Featuring two miniature figures – the crime-fighting Green Hornet in the back seat, who swivelled to fire his pistol through an open window and his faithful assistant Kato in the driving seat.

Kato was played by the legendary actor Bruce Lee in the TV show! However, the best features were a chromed front grille that lowered to fire missiles and a boot that flipped open to impressively propel flying ‘radar scanners’ skywards. Both were operated by levers on the side of the model. Presented on a card plinth that housed an instructions leaflet plus spare missiles and radar scanners, the ‘Black Beauty’ was available until 1972. It was relaunched by Corgi in 2001.