Bif Bang Pow anounces MANY cancelled Twilight Zone megos...

[MegoMark71]

This is a bit of a bummer.

[Bizarro Amy]

That's a real good thing you did CBS. Any Twilight Zone fan should get that reference and why I used it.

[HardyGirl]

I really haven't been interested in the TZ action figures, b/c all I wanted was the 18" Talky Tina doll. But I would have bought Anthony Fremont and the Battling Maxo figures. Darn it. I wonder if Billy actually knows about that? I'll have to go to his message board and ask. (and yes, he does reply to messages).

Rats, Billy's site is having trouble w/ the guestbook/message board. But I'll keep trying.

[The Toyroom]

The Rod Serling thing has always been because of his widow Anne, at least that's what I've understood. This is a real shame. I was so looking forward to all of those!

Carol Serling....not Anne

[The Toyroom]

I think this is a big blow to this line..."monsters" on TZ were few and far between....a lot of the main characters were just "average joes"...

BBP made the 3-Eyed Venusian, but will they know be able to do the 3-Armed Martian from the same episode? Or is a John Hoyt likeness out of the question?
They've already done Burgess Meredith as Henry Bemis...so could they still do Mr Dingle, The Printer's Devil and Romney Wordsworth if they wanted too?

[ironman1188]

I wonder if the Bill Mumy rights are tied up because of Babylon 5?

Or maybe Lost in Space?

[Mego Magyar]

Or maybe Lost in Space?

There was a figure for his B5 character that's why I thought B5 rather then Lost.

[Toyman_Chris]

There was a figure for his B5 character that's why I thought B5 rather then Lost.

My guess would be the licensing issue of Mummy as a child. (Lost in Space & TZ)

I don't believe his likeness as an adult from b5 would be a factor. Just my thoughts.

[ironman1188]

I know Lost in Space was licensed for 1:6 figures, including Mumy. Don't know if that would impact smaller figures.

[johnmiic]

^^^Yeah Trendmasters/Playing Mantis did release a classic LIS Will Robinson in 1997 coinciding with the movie. I don't even think they're in business anymore.

I don't understand this. They gave the likeness rights to some characters but not to others? Ultimately the actors likenesses reside with their estates/next of kin. They couldn't make the 5 Characters in Search of an Exit? One of them was a clown. Can't they just make a generic head and paint it with the same makeup? Is anyone really going to call them on not have the true actors likeness of the guy under the clown makeup? I scratch my head at the intricacies of licensing.

[Tothiro]

It could be something to do with an area we haven't thought of yet too. As examples there might be something specific to author rights for particular episodes, though they hardly paid the writers, so I'm sure they signed those rights over as for hire work as well - I suppose it depends on how all the contracts are/were drawn. It may also be a license issue with a similar property - as has been suggested. It seems unlikely that a broad number of actor's likenesses would be contested by separate estates all at the same time - though the Rod figure sounds like the likeliest candidate for that. I know Lugosi is notoriously difficult to license because of his family's estate.

Clearly I know nothing about the straight dope and I'm talking in generalities here, and BBP! has already stated they can't go further into specifics than the blanket statement that their working relationship with everyone is solid and it's not an actor or CBS issue... Which, devil's advocate, is exactly what they'd be required to say to keep relationships solid if there were a license issue somewhere in there. So who can say?

It is common though to have approval yanked once given on items, and I suppose that too is dependent on the conditions of the contract. I would normally say it sounds like CBS may have difficulty committing - but the character choices are weird ones to sandbag.

And actor likeness rights don't always reside with the actors or estates - look at Star Wars. Harrison very famously has never received a dime from merchandising, and Lucas is free to use his likeness in perpetuity for whatever he wants because that's how the contracts were made. I mean George could make Han Solo blow up bachelorette dolls and printed toilet paper and HF couldn't really say anything about it.

[johnmiic]

^^^I think Lucasfilm can make Han Solo merchandise using Harrison Ford's likeness *as Han Solo in any of the 3 SW films*. His resemblance is probably limited to costumes and hairstyles from those 3 films, (I would think). Actual photos that they merchandise could be limited to promo shots in costume or stills from the films. That might not seem like a limitation but is is.

[Comix]

Man, this guy makes it sound like the whole series is about to end.

I don't think it's as dire as he's making it sound, or at least I hope it isn't.

http://tinyurl.com/c7gocgq

[Comix]

Man, this guy makes it sound like the whole series is about to end.

I don't think it's as dire as he's making it sound, or at least I hope it isn't.

http://tinyurl.com/c7gocgq

Oh, and I forgot to mention, but that guy scooped a new upcoming figure.

Old Ben in Alien Disguise (from “The Fugitive”)

[Tothiro]

^That's a beautiful thing! Now I'm confused, I wonder how in the heck it appears 5.6mm tall against that ruler?