Kenner's Duke

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Before becoming a true 70's juggernaut with licensed lines like "Star Wars" and the "Six Million Dollar Man", Kenner was more experimental with their action figure branding, often creating fun generic lines such as Steve Scout and Duke The Dog.

Duke truly was an original concept, never had a toy line such as this been tailor made for a character who didn't even wear pants. The resulting toys were kind of surreal but oddly cool.


Check out the 1974 Kenner Duke Catalog Here



Duke lasted a couple of years actually and would see TV star "Run Joe Run" added to the line as well.

More Goodness from the fine people at Kenner:

Over at Sitcom Diablo I've penned a list (I know) entitled "The worst Sitcom replacement characters ever" Please do check it out.

For more Fashion Mockery and 70's toy love visit us at Plaid Stallions.com


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[megoat]

If I had received Duke back when I was a kid my older brother woulda stood behind me telling me what a lame toy it was and I woulda been fascinatingly bored with it all the while. Sorta like when we attempted to play the Waltons board game at our baby sitters house.....

[HardyGirl]

Headquarters for a dog? Gimme a break! If Steve Scout was w/ him, fine...get some other figures and play Lassie's Rescue Rangers, but I don't think even the dumbest kid would have thought a dog who plans his own missions was fun.

[toys2cool]

That's really cool,I never saw that one before

[Drain]

Brain, I cann't remember but do you have the Kenner Boy Scout on your site.

[sauce]

I am totally going to find that Duke slide set!

here's a loose Duke!

[jwyblejr]

Headquarters for a dog? Gimme a break! If Steve Scout was w/ him, fine...get some other figures and play Lassie's Rescue Rangers, but I don't think even the dumbest kid would have thought a dog who plans his own missions was fun.

The worse part about that headquarters is that it looks like it doesn't come with a doggy door.

[starsky]

did kenner use it for max the bionic dog too?

[jwiz154]

Being a young kid in the early 70's, Duke was the cruel joke my parents played on me when I asked for a puppy for Christmas!! I don't know if they used Duke for Max the Bionic Dog. But back in the day I remember there was a live action show on Saturday mornings called "Run, Joe,Run". I think it was about the adventures of a German Shepard that was trying to find his young master( or trying to clear his name for a murder he didn't commit). I'm pretty sure they reused Duke for that.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Great sitcom replacement list there Brian. Of course McGinley finally hit replacement pay-dirt on Married...with Children, but it was a LONG time coming.

Wasn't Lamont replaced on Sanford and Son by a large white guy? Or am I nuts?

Chris

[The Toyroom]

Wasn't Lamont replaced on Sanford and Son by a large white guy? Or am I nuts?

Technically not on "Sanford and Son". When NBC brought back Redd Foxx and the character for the short-lived crappy "Sanford", they stranded Lamont in Alaska, working on the pipeline. So Lamont sent his buddy Cal, the fat white guy, to help his father run the business. Cal bought a share in the "Sanford Empire".

In between these two sitcoms we also had the equally crappy, equally short-lived* "Sanford Arms" with some dude and his family living in the house while Aunt Esther presided over the Sanford Arms next door (which used to be Julio's house).

* By no means am I saying "Sanford and Son" was crappy...a true classic IMO. Too bad the sequels weren't up to par. And don't get me started on "Grady".....

[ScottA]

Never had Duke but did have Steve Scout, since I was a Cub/Boy Scout. It was a pretty cool figure and I look for it on ebay once in a while.

[MIB41]

Here's a shot of Duke dog. Got him for Christmas the year he came out. He came with a minature comic book and canyon slide gear.



And here's a shot of Steve Scout... He also had his own little booklet and Boy Scout stickers.



$3.99 in the 70's and I got him from one of my favorite local stores, Roses...

[ThatBatmanGuy]

Never had them as a kid. But I do remember the toys. I always wanted that Duke HQ. Would've been perfect for megos.

Bob

[kryptosmaster]

I definitely remember the ads and I think I remember some commercials vaguely but I never got it nor wanted it. Seems like a dumb toy line. Would have been better as an accessory figure to another line (or was he an accessory figure to the scouts?)
Rich