It’s Photon month at TiviachickLovesLaserTag.com! Every day during the month of March 2024 I have been posting a piece of Photon nostalgia. However, to keep the other blog posts from getting buried I will consolidate the Photon Month posts here. Enjoy!
Photon Month - Day 1:
In honor of March 28th being the 40th anniversary of Photon and the start of the laser tag industry, the entire month of March will be celebrated as “Photon Month” at TiviachickLovesLaserTag.com. Every day this month I will share a piece of Photon nostalgia on my website (and here too) so together we can remember the game that started it all 40 years ago!
Let’s start by “Remembering Photon” with memories shared by some of the players in attendance at Phocon 2019 at XP Lasersport in Laurel, MD.
https://youtu.be/Rmb6KDPriDY?si=4ah2oR_m4XkgEhoU
Photon Month - Day 2:
It’s “Photon Month - Day 2” and today we revisit this interview with Photon inventor George Carter III from April 18, 2021.
https://youtu.be/DP1ARvpDVLk?si=pXY3_a6-CCshGz29
Photon Month - Day 3:
Photon month - Day 3: Hanging with Mandarr. Here are some excerpts from when my friend David Stay invited me to be a guest on his Photon Disco Hour on March 26, 2021. I had to be up at 3 o’clock in the morning to make the live appearance on his show at midnight. He was quite a guy!
https://youtu.be/QikHZZT_bbU?si=9iXCXbyDlMCl-YBJ
Photon Month - Day 4:
For day 4 of “Photon Month” we revisit an interview with the real Lord Beathan, former Photon Dallas manager Beathan Miller, recorded on January 22, 2017. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/JdmZbdAB7ew?si=By3ZpgQSi7et-vh-
Photon Month - Day 5:
For Photon Month - Day 5 here is a clip of Photon in Motion featuring some game footage from Phocon at XP Lasersport. While you may not be able to see much of the game, the sights and sounds of the arena should bring back some memories!
https://youtu.be/DENrWY4vATM?si=jC65WO78UOqdQS6m
Photon Month - Day 6:
It’s Photon Month - Day 6, so I’m sharing this pic of cast and crew of the Photon television series from 1986. This photo is from a collection graciously shared courtesy of David Stay.
Photon Month - Day 7:
It’s Photon Month - Day 7. Today we’ll revisit the podcast episode where we hear the story of the last Photon from Jim Strother.
https://youtu.be/9FkH9Q59JRc?si=x38drBuxiLmQXprU
Photon Month - Day 8:
This week is a bonus episode of the podcast! Enjoy a brand new interview with Loretta Heywood, the actress/singer who played Photon’s Tivia back in 1986. So this week “Tivia Talks with Tivia” as she joins me for some Laser Unfocused Tag Talk in honor of Photon Month - Day 8. :)
ON SPOTIFY:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0xzXT3aqGa2edIlXpcaJBS
ON APPLE PODCASTS:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/laser-unfocused-tag-talk-with-tivia/id1632442213
ON YOUTUBE:
https://youtu.be/3klRXla4NbI?si=-d-nBA4KTBkiNVcA
Want to check out Loretta’s new music? Here are the links to the reissue of The Boy Across The Road:
https://bfan.link/the-boy-across-the-road
And her new song, Satta Massagana:
https://bfan.link/satta-massagana
Enjoy!
Photon Month - Day 9:
Photon Month - Day 9: They made what? Some of the more eclectic merchandise produced with the Photon branding includes a canvas soft lunch bag, inflatable kite, Japanese home video game and sunglasses.
Photon Month - Day 10:
For Photon Month - Day 10 we revisit this discussion with director Jason Helton about his upcoming Photon documentary.
https://youtu.be/j0urro1Oc30?si=x8eNaDZZEpFVbt3t
Photon Month - Day 11:
Last week we heard from the real Lord Beathan. For Photon Month - Day 11, hear from the actor who played Lord Beathan, Graham Ravey, in this interview from March 13, 2015.
https://youtu.be/Zoj_56aTDSM?si=m-mkJugvdhv2OjZ8
Photon Month - Day 12:
Photon Month - Day 13 is a personal memory as I my game passport from the 2019 Photon at XP Lasersport in Laurel, MD.
Photon Month - Day 13:
Photon Month - Day 13: The “Ultimate” Mystery. You may remember how between Photon and Worlds of Wonder, home laser tag dominated the Christmas toy shopping season of 1986…This is NOT that. This may have been a follow-up idea that never made it past the initial stage.
So what is it? I acquired this packaging art cell, what appears to be a card such as would have been in a product book or possibly a Toy Fair catalog (but I own the books from that year, so I can tell you it was not) and a set of drawings depicting what appears to be a newer version, perhaps still in the concept stage, for an “Ultimate Photon” home game that was never released. Even George Carter knew nothing about this when asked, so I am not suggesting it was anything that got past the earliest stages of an idea. However, there is at least proof that the idea existed. So for now, I will just call this the “ultimate” mystery.
Here is a more complete look at this lot.
https://www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com/single-post/what-s-the-story-on-ultimate-photon
Photon Month - Day 14:
I want to celebrate the 40th anniversary of laser tag by playing laser tag in a Photon arena (or as close to it as is currently possible). New Orleans, I’m looking at you! Here’s a look at a new take on the old magic inside the modified Photon-style arena at Game On Social Hub in Kenner, LA.
https://www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com/single-post/friends-wherever-i-end-up
Photon Month - Day 15:
On this week’s new episode of Laser Unfocused Tag Talk we have a reunion of Photon players sharing their memories from the very first Photon center in Dallas, TX. As we approach the 40th anniversary of Photon and the start of the laser tag industry, hear the stories from these players who were actually there in 1984 when it all began. It’s Photon Month - Day 15: Photon Warriors for 40 Years with Andrew Laska, Jet Clark and Jason Bock!
ON SPOTIFY:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0xzXT3aqGa2edIlXpcaJBS
ON APPLE PODCASTS:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/laser-unfocused-tag-talk-with-tivia/id1632442213
ON YOUTUBE:
https://youtu.be/Kfo3wLXi5D0?si=acNA2cSlmKJtp9-R
Photon Month - Day 16:
Five years ago was the 35th anniversary of Photon. It coincides (not by accident) with my completion of laser tagging in all 50 states (the first time around!) and I was delighted to have George Carter join me to celebrate at Laser Quest North Richland Hills on March 28, 2019.
https://youtu.be/dHZgfPNbi-0?si=pfjf1J1rNexWYDxu
Photon Month - Day 17:
For Photon Month - Day 17 enjoy this throwback interview with Tamara Johnson, the actress who played Barbara Jarvis on the Photon television series, from March 25, 2015.
https://youtu.be/fVcwOG1D8Qo?si=RUi1SJlfqSDBrihk
More Photon Month posts will be added and consolidated on this page throughout the rest of the month of March. Enjoy!
Photon Month - Day 18
Enjoy Mandarr’s Private Collection of behind the scenes photos from the Photon tv show shared courtesy of David Stay.
https://tiviachick.wixsite.com/photonforever/mandarrsprivatecollection
Photon Month - Day 19
For Photon Month - Day 19 please enjoy this throwback interview with George Carter from July 2, 2015.
https://youtu.be/uq1TnyOstUs?si=2_fdzByCa6Us8a3K
Photon Month - Day 20
For Photon Month - Day 20 read all about it and check out a synopsis of the Photon young adult book series synopsis and the standalone novel Thieves of Light.
https://tiviachick.wixsite.com/photonforever/booksynopsis
Photon Month - Day 21
Photon month continues on Day 21 by revisiting an interview with Christopher Lockwood, the actor who played Bhodi Li, from March 30, 2016.
https://youtu.be/cJVloW50wzk?si=wdJsZTHJt4C4I9ZO
Photon Month - Day 22
Photon Month - Day 22 is a photo actually taken this morning while visiting with Lord Beathan and a look at some vintage photos of the character he inspired. I’ll have a more complete story to post soon, but for now enjoy these pics!
Photon Month - Day 23
Photon Month - Day 23 is a shout out from the man, the myth, the Mandarr!
https://youtu.be/6-2K6wZshUE?si=HrNDre2kz38ddI7O
Photon Month - Day 24
It’s Photon Month - Day 24, so enjoy some Behind The Scenes stories from the Photon television show, shared by David Stay (aka Mandarr).
https://youtu.be/7JApMKO9rK4?si=6JXSGX89Tvk9EQMZ
Photon Month - Day 25
This was part of a one-of-a-kind customized set of Photon players created from Stewie Funko Pops to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Photon. I got the green guy and George Carter received the red helmet version.
Photon Month - Day 26
At the beginning of last year we lost a generous friend of Photon, David Stay, who was the actor who played Mandarr. Besides contributing a wealth of photos and souvenirs from the show, my delightful friend was also the very first “laser tag” related interview on my fledgling blog. Here is the first interview I ever conducted with David Stay.
Photon Month - Day 27
Today we take a peek at the prototype and ultra-rare figures. This shelf includes complete unpainted prototypes for the Tivia and Parcival figures, pieces of Pike and Buggar prototypes and a Destructarr figure that is not a prototype, but is extremely rare.
Additional rarities are the boxes Leon and individually boxed Bhodi Li (as this one was most typically sold as part of a set with the Warriarr figure).
The other day we featured a photo of Lord Beathan holding the prototype figure he inspired. Here’s a closer look at something incredibly special.
Photon Month - Day 28
Today is International Laser Tag Day and also the 40th anniversary of the start of the laser tag industry! Photon was the first commercial arena-based laser tag game system, created by George Carter III and developed with engineer James Dooley. The grand opening of Photon Dallas was held on this date, March 28, 1984. It was a privilege to be able to present George Carter with an official poster in Dallas with thanks on behalf of the laser tag industry, which has evolved over the last four decades and began with the development of Carter’s original Photon game. George Carter III has been a lifelong innovator in the amusement industry.
Photon Month - Day 29
40 years later, who would have thought there would be NEW news to share about Photon?
Piko Interactive is a company to keep on your radar, particularly if you are a fan of all things retro getting a resurgence. I appreciate being offered an advance peek at something that will be coming down the pike (no firm word on the details yet). As Piko Interactive has acquired the Photon branding they are in a unique position to bring new things to the market, inspired by all that we loved back in the day. One of their upcoming projects is a Photon comic book and after having read an advanced text of the book I am impressed and ready for more! Here is my early review of the upcoming comic, Photon Re-Energized, written by Steven A. Roman.
The new Photon Re-Energized comic book is not a remake of the original Photon story line, but rather a reboot that incorporates plenty of nostalgia into a modern day scenario. There is a relatable premise that will hit home with anyone who has ever wondered “what happened to the place where I spent all those hours playing the game?” Once that idea is established, one discovery leads to another in a story that starts out with a loose parallel to the “Bhodi Li becomes a Photon Warrior” introduction to the 1986 television series, but then reveals a whole new adventure featuring completely new characters with just enough details for the reader to know there is much more to learn about our new hero’s journey. The Photon references are liberally interjected throughout the book and if you are someone hoping to see more parallels to the original they are definitely in there, but this book is not replicating the Photon of the past. Instead it plays with the idea of different dimensions and hints at something more, which I hope leaves open some possibilities for bridging not only dimensions for the characters, but also for the reader. If you were a fan of Photon in the 80s this book has plenty of references you will recognize, but with a fresh take on the intergalactic premise of the past it will also be a gateway to showing a new generation that the light still shines.
My thanks to Piko Interactive for the advance look at this upcoming comic book. When details are available about how, when and where you can find it I will be sure to post the info here.
Photon Month - Day 30
Today seems like a good day to just binge watch the Photon tv show.
https://youtu.be/P66m5cF2BJo?si=mUT6bh8jTLyjYRDV
Photon Month - Day 31
It’s Photon Month - Day 31! On the heels of the 40th anniversary of Photon, let’s revisit the dinner event held during PHOCON 2014 (the year of the 30th anniversary) when George Carter III was welcomed with a standing ovation as he spoke to the audience and answered questions about Photon.
https://youtu.be/sJGzHqbrOnk?si=cDCmENL9-FxAY6lA
At the beginning of March I announced that this would be “Photon Month” at TiviachickLovesLaserTag.com and I would post Photon content every day for the entire month. I did put up a post each day, but now at the end of the month I have consolidated all 31 days of content into one single post to make it easier to reference. So if you want to check out all the Photon nostalgia that I posted each day this month, it is all right here.
Comments or Questions?
Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com
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