• Home
  • TV & Movies
    • Star Wars
    • Battlestar Galactica (1978)
    • Indiana Jones
    • Star Trek
    • Planet of the Apes
    • The Real Ghostbusters
    • The Six Million Dollar Man
    • Universal Monsters
    • Doctor Who
  • Comic Book Heroes
    • Kenner Super Powers
    • Mattel Secret Wars
    • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
    • The Uncanny X-Men
    • Spider-Man
    • Batman
    • Superman
    • The Incredible Hulk
  • Mego
  • MOTU
  • G.I. Joe
  • Transformers
  • Wrestling

Vintage Action Figures

Reviews of collectible action figures inspired by comic books, TV shows and movies from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989)

Whilst George Lucas' surprise box office smash Star Wars movie may have reinvented the science fiction genre, the collection of Star Wars action figures also spawned its own sub-genre in the field.

Since the advent of the Star Wars prequel movies (which did not always thrill hard-core fans of the original series), the collection of Star Wars action figures has been subdivided into three distinct eras: Vintage (1977–1989), Neo-classic (1990–2000) and Prequels (1999–present). The vintage era covers the three original movies - Star Wars (aka A New Hope), The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

Vintage action figure collectors have targeted Star Wars figures for investment purposes for many years, but many more choose to focus on them because of sheer nostalgia and a real love for the series of movies. It may seem strange today when every cinema release is preceded by a huge merchandising campaign, but when the Star Wars action figures first came out, giving fans the opportunity to recreate scenes from the films and even invent adventures of their own at home, it was an entirely new movie merchandising concept!

With the release of the J. J. Abrams' directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens in December 2015, a new era of Star Wars movies begins with a trilogy of sequels. And with it, a brand new generation of action figure collectors...!

Hammerhead: The Eyes Have It!

March 7, 2011

1978 vinatge Hammerhead by Kenner

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 also a clear market for practically the entire cast! No matter how few the seconds of screen time, there was a place for every weird and wonderful being that had populated any of the movies in the original … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989) Tagged With: Hammerhead, Kenner, Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989)

Star Wars Variations: Lando Calrissian in Skiff Guard Disguise

February 21, 2011

Lando Calrissian in Skiff Guard Disguise

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 figures, this stunner which shows our redeemed hero in his Skiff Guard Disguise, is not only my absolute favourite Lando, but also one of my favourite vintage Kenner Star Wars action figures from … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989) Tagged With: Kenner, Lando Calrissian, Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989)

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 that does an excellent job of representing the cloak that Carrie Fisher wore on Bespin in The Empire Strikes Back, my crew neck version is possibly the easiest to track down, but … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989) Tagged With: Kenner, Princess Leia, Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989)

Luke Skywalker: Legally Blonde!

December 30, 2010

Luke Skywalker - brown and yellow haired versions

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 a enough variations in paint work and molds on certain figures, that over thirty years later adult collectors are still kept extremely busy tracking them all down. Back in 1977, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989) Tagged With: Luke Skywalker, Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989)

Legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett!

December 6, 2010

Boba Fett - 1979 vinatge action figure by Kenner

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 figure and was available from his first appearance as a The Empire Strikes Back movie tie-in, right up to, and including, the Droids animation line, but he is just so perfect in his detailed moulding and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989) Tagged With: Kenner, Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989)

Lando Calrissian: Show me your teeth!

August 27, 2010

Lando Calrissian by Kenner

When today's toy manufacturers launch a new action figure with myriad variations it's hard not to smile ruefully and picture the board meeting in which that decision was made and to hear the Kerching! of the cash register ringing in one's head as collectors scramble to add every version to their set. It's fun, therefore, to look back at vintage action figures with genuine oddities or variations depending on their country of origin or for reasons which are hard to explain. Kenner's Star Wars … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989) Tagged With: Kenner, Lando Calrissian, Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989)

Han Solo: Two heads are better than one!

May 15, 2010

Star Wars Variations: Big and small head Han Solo

Without wanting to seem mono-thematic here at Vintage Action Figures, last week's look at Indiana Jones made me want to take a closer look at another Harrison Ford action figure – indeed, not one but TWO figures: the big and small head varieties of Han Solo. When in 1978 kids could finally get their hands on Kenner's 3 ¾ inch Star Wars action figures (with 1977 stamped on the back) the Han Solo figure complete with Rebel Blaster proved enormously popular. Let's face it, not only was he the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989) Tagged With: Han Solo, Kenner, Vintage Star Wars (1977–1989)

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Next Page »

Action figure search

Vintage Star Wars on eBay!

“Early Bird” Star Wars Figures

If Star Wars changed the way movies were made, then the Kenner Star Wars action figures reinvented the toy industry with the popularization of the small 3 ¾ inch action figure. Amazingly, however, in 1977 when the film was first released, the success of the film caught Kenner (and Palitoy in the UK) entirely by surprise and they were unable to produce any Star Wars action figures in time for Christmas, meaning they might well have missed out on the peak gift giving period! In what was undeniably an audacious move by Kenner, they created the very first of what would later become prized collectibles, when they pre-sold the so-called “early bird” certificate packages which were essentially empty boxes with an order card that could be redeemed for figures of either Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2 or Chewbacca when they were ready. The kit also contained a cardboard fold-out which illustrated the first 12 figures which would be made available. True to their word, these “early bird” figures were the first figures Kenner then produced and posted out to customers who had ordered them.

Neo-classic (1990–2000)

Han Solo in Carbonite with Carbonite Block

Han Solo in Carbonite with Carbonite Block!

Nabrun Leids

Nabrun Leids – Cantina Alien

From Kenner to Hasbro

The figures were later released individually and just about any vintage Star Wars action figure still found in its original packaging sells for considerable sums nowadays. Loose figures are still readily available, however, and you'll find a large selection of Star Wars action figures on these pages. Budget obviously influences the choices any collector makes, but tracking down the 90 odd vintage Kenner Star Wars figures is a great place to start - whilst Hasbro continues to produce toys and merchandising for all six Star Wars films, the original Kenner or Palitoy items are arguably the most sought-after by serious collectors.

Prequels (1999–present)

Deluxe Darth Maul by Hasbro

Deluxe Darth Maul by Hasbro

Recent Posts

  • Ghostbusters Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man …signed by Sigourney Weaver!
  • It’s Clobberin’ Time with The Thing by Mego!
  • Up, up and away! Comic version 12-inch Superman by Mego
  • Remembering Princess Leia Organa
  • Indiana Jones, the daring archaeologist and world adventurer of the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark!
  • Stunning C-3PO sixth scale figure by Sideshow Collectibles
  • It’s Alive! The Monster Frankenstein from Mego’s Mad Monster Series
  • Wonder Woman the Amazing Amazon – Kenner Super Powers
  • Grrr…it’s Grizzlor! The Hairy Henchman of the Evil Horde
  • Ming the Merciless – The evil emperor of Mongo by Mego

Archives

Copyright © 2009-2023 · VintageActionFigures.net · All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the Poster and opinions expressed are those of the Poster and do not necessarily represent the views of VintageActionFigures.net · Please read our Privacy Policy, GDPR Compliance Statement, Affiliate Disclosure and Cookies Policy - We know...Zzzz!!