Star Wars Variations

Star Wars Variations: Black Bespin Security Guard

May 17, 2011
Star Wars Variations: Black Bespin Security Guard

By the time that this classic 3 ¾-inch Star Wars action figure variation came out – first on a tie-in card for The Empire Strikes Back and then repackaged for The Return of the Jedi – it was already clear that toy manufacturers Kenner were happily set on helping kids re-enact all three movies using [...]

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Hammerhead: The Eyes Have It!

March 7, 2011
Vintage 1978 Kenner Hammerhead action figure

When Kenner launched its 3 ¾ inch Star Wars movie tie-in action figures in 1977 it soon emerged that kids wanted not only the major players – Han, Luke, Leia, Chewbacca et al, who appeared in a first wave of 12 carded figures, known ever after as 12 back figures – but that there was [...]

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Star Wars Variations: Lando Calrissian in Skiff Guard Disguise

February 21, 2011
Vintage Lando Calrissian in Skiff Guard Disguise by Kenner

Billy Dee Williams, who played Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi in the original Star Wars Trilogy, came away with something which none of the other cast members managed to obtain – a series of action figures that actually looked rather like him! Of all of the Lando [...]

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Princess Leia Organa on Bespin – Star Wars most fashionable!

January 20, 2011
Princess Leia Organa in Bespin Gown

Almost all vintage Kenner Star Wars figures seem to have slight variations that set the hearts of adult collectors a flutter, but the 1980 Leia Organa is found with three major variations – crew neck, turtle neck or the rare gold neck. Identified as the “Bespin Gown” figure thanks to a spectacular decorated vinyl cape [...]

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Luke Skywalker: Legally Blonde!

December 30, 2010
Luke Skywalker with yellow or brown hair

In many ways, vintage action figure collectors have toy giants Kenner to thank for first nurturing the collecting bug in kids when they launched the hugely popular 3 ¾ inch Star Wars action figures and thus set-off a chain reaction of film tie-in merchandising which is thriving even to this day. They also threw in [...]

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It must be Christmas…here comes Santa Yoda!

December 20, 2010
Kurt Adler Star Wars Fabriche Santa Yoda

Okay, so I’ll admit I’m cheating a bit with this Fabriche Santa Yoda from the Kurt Adler Star Wars line as this is a 5-inch figurine with zero points of articulation and technically not an action figure as such, but ’tis the season to be jolly, so I’m sure you’ll forgive me if I share [...]

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Legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett!

December 6, 2010
Vintage Kenner Boba Fett action figure

I say the legendary Boba Fett, for there can be no doubt that some vintage action figures acquire a kind of cult status and become must-haves in a collection. Boba Fett – everybody’s favourite bounty hunter and man of few words – has always seemed to fit that role perfectly! He is hardly a rare [...]

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