Kenner | Vintage Action Figures

Nikto – Skiff Guard from ‘Return of the Jedi’

One of the things that has made Kenner‘s ground breaking 3 ¾ inch Star Wars action figures so popular with fans of both the original movie trilogy and also vintage action figure collectors today is the company’s unstinting attention to detail even with the most minor of characters in the Star Wars universe, some with the merest blink-and-you’ll-miss-it split second of screen time!

Nikto here, who was first released just in time for Christmas 1983 as part of the Sears Exclusive Jabba the Hutt Dungeon playset alongside Klaatu and 8D8, returning later the following year as a Return of the Jedi carded figure, is one such character.

Han Solo (in Trench Coat) tops best-dressed on planet Endor list for 1984!

When Kenner launched their first Han Solo 3 ¾ inch action figure way back in 1977 they made one of the very few errors in the company’s history, creating a likeness of Harrison Ford with a disproportionately small head. Eager to correct their mistake, the ensuing re-sculpt saw them err on the generous size with the new Han sporting a oddly large bonce. This, of course, is all grist to the mill for collectors who just love tracking down varieties.

Alongside the legendary small and big-headed Han Solo action figures, Kenner released several versions of our swashbuckling Star Wars hero over the years. This version in a camouflage trench coat as he appeared on the planet Endor in Return of the Jedi, the final movie in the original trilogy, is another opportunity for collectors to chase down the different variations.

The Man in Black…Darth Vader!

During 1978 to 1985 Kenner created over 100 action figures based on characters in the original Star Wars movie trilogy. These 3 ¾ inch Star Wars action figures became legendary and are enormously popular as collectibles even to this day.

But for the fledgling collector, where to begin? Concentrating initially on the first twelve releases – known as “12-Back” figures because the original packaging cards featured a picture of all 12 characters in a row on the back of the card – is certainly a great place to start.

It’s Ol’ Blue Eyes himself…Squid Head!

If poor old Walrus Man was a rare example of a Kenner Star Wars action figure which saw the toy company cutting corners on movie-likeness accuracy in the design, their work on Squid Head shows just how good they could be when at the very top of their game. Making his first outing on the Return Of The Jedi 65 back cards in 1983, this may be a later figure in the Star Wars original trilogy figures, but he’s certainly on my list of must-haves thanks to the sheer attention to detail.

And if don’t remember him from the movie…? Don’t feel bad – you may well have blinked when he appeared as an extraterrestrial extra seen in the background when Luke enters Jabba the Hutt’s palace!

Goo Goo G’Joob…It’s Pink-tusked Walrus Man!

Whilst almost all of Kenner’s 3 ¾ inch Star Wars action figures were pretty accurate movie-likenesses by the standards of the day, Walrus Man here – later revealed as being called Ponda Baba when secondary characters were issued with colorful back stories too – stands out from the crowd as being one of the least like his movie counterpart.

Walrus Man’s screen time may be brief, but it is certainly a memorable moment when Obi-Wan Kenobi slices off his arm with his light saber during the famous cantina scene. As the camera lingers over the bleeding limb just about everybody, with the exception of Kenner’s toy designers, must surely have noticed that he wasn’t wearing an orange tank top over a blue body suit!

Oscar Goldman – The Six Million Dollar Man’s Boss!

If they were handing out awards for the best dressed action figure of the 1970s then you can bet that Steve Austin’s boss at the OSI – that’s the Office of Scientific Intelligence to any readers too young to remember cult TV show The Six Million Dollar Man – the always dapper Oscar Goldman would certainly be in the running for top prize!

Kenner did a wonderful job with this 12-inch figure – the attention to detail with his plaid jacket (including buttons), dazzling green turtle-neck sweater, tan trousers, as well as socks and slip-on shoes, was absolutely spot-on. As with their version of Lee Majors, the likeness to actor Richard Anderson was also extremely good. Honestly, what vintage action figure collection would be complete without one of these figures!?

Star Wars Variations: Sand People aka Tusken Raider

George Lucas just can’t stop meddling with those Star Wars movies! Star Wars: Episode One – The Phantom Menace will be hitting cinema screens all over the world AGAIN this weekend – only this time in 3D. The 2D version was already bad enough, so I think I’ll pass on that one…Instead, let’s take a look back at a vintage Kenner Sand People action figure from the original trilogy, indeed from the very first Star Wars movie, which is nowadays known as the rather less catchy Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

The Six Million Dollar Man on a critical assignment…to Mars!

Gentlemen, we can rebuild him… We HAVE the technology!

That was the promise made, week after week, during the opening titles of the hit 1970s television show The Six Million Dollar Man. It made total sense, therefore, when Kenner and General Mills acquired the toy license to manufacture the action figure spin-off merchandise in 1975, that kids should also be given the chance to rebuild their own 13-inch version of Steve Austin, the Bionic Man.

The decision to make the Six Million Dollar Man action figure so interactive, issuing him with interchangeable “Critical Assignment” arms and legs, a bionic eye you could actually look through,