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**Werewolf** · Apr 25, '13, 11:18 PM

Originally posted by RSS

[[*]A display of original 12 back Kenner Star Wars figures that brings back warm memories.

That is really cool.

**Earth 2 Chris** · Apr 26, '13, 5:19 AM

Yah! My work day is saved!

Chris

**Chris** · Apr 26, '13, 7:55 AM

Friday just became loads more fun!!!! THANK YOU, Lenzi & Heiler!!!!!

**Earth 2 Chris** · Apr 26, '13, 9:24 AM

Well, that was a great show as always. It's fascinating for me to hear these Star Wars stories, because I feel I missed out on much of the excitement around these films, especially the first film.

Like Brian, I missed out on Star Wars theatrically, and in fact never saw any of the films in their original runs. I was 2 and a half when the first film came out, and my parents probably thought it was too scary for me. My mom did take me downtown for the local premiere to meet Darth Vader, who was actually her boss in a costume. So she was perfectly fine for a living breathing Vader to scare the beejeezus otu of me, just not a celluloid one.

Missing out on that experience put Star Wars in a different perspective for me. I had a Darth Vader figure, but that was it from the first film. He fought my Mego Pocket Super Heroes. I had the pop-up storybook, and a few other sundry items, but didn't see the first movie until it aired on TV for the first time. I was aware of the film and most of its characters. I still have a Grand Moff Tarkin sticker affixed to an old Snoopy lunch box that had belong to my sister. I remember wondering who this old creepy guy was. It's ironic that I'm so fond of Peter Cushing's Hammer films now.

When Empire came out, I had the book and record set, and the Bespin Luke figure. He was a utility 3 3/4 guy who could be just about anyone.

When Jedi hit, I didn't get any of the figures, but I did get Han's blaster, which is odd that I would have it, and mega-fan Jason here didn't.

Superman: The Movie was MY Star Wars. It cemented my love for super heroes, and blew my nearly 4-year old mind. It's still my favorite film.

Star Wars has been a fun bonding experience with my son, from the films (yes, even the prequels), the toys, and the Lego games. He's much more of a fan than I ever was, and he prefers the originals as well.

Again, a great show guys, and I look forward to the Empire episode.

Chris

**SeattleEd** · Apr 26, '13, 5:41 PM

Great podcast and very interesting again.

One point that I have yet to see surface online and see anyone else report is the giveaway of star wars figures before they were released to the market.
I grew up in Hollywood so I was one those that managed to see Star Wars at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd.
I do recall that sometime in early 1978, and it was when we were still in school, I had a friend who came back from seeing SW for the nth time but this time he came back with a Luke Skywalker figure and his sister came home with Leia. Apparently there was a couple of guys giving away SW figures, with no weapons, to kids that were present in line to wait to see SW. Not sure if this was a marketing gimmick but that was the first time I saw a Kenner SW figure. I vividly recall saying let's go down there but my friend replied that they were all gone. Needless to say, they hadn't appeared in the market yet because that evening we went to Hollywood Blvd to Bert Wheeler's Toys next to his Magic Shop and Hollywood Toys and Costume. They told us they hadn't gotten them yet but were on order. We even went to Sunset Toys in Echo Park with no luck either. I still talk to my friend about this and he still remembers that day. Lucky guy!

The first time I got SW figures was a couple of months later when my brother had to go to the doctors so he took the day off from school and my aunt had taken him. When he came home, he had in his hands Chewbacca and Han Solo. I was so psyched out. Then my aunt handed me a paper bag with C3PO and R2D2. I literally screamed with joy. I was just 7. They bought them at Zody's, if anyone remembers that place on Western and Sunset.

Thanks for the memories and great podcast!

**EmergencyIan** · Apr 26, '13, 6:07 PM

Listened. That was a lot of fun!

- Ian

**cjefferys** · Apr 28, '13, 11:10 PM

I finally got a chance to check it out and was thoroughly entertained. I agree that the time between 1977-79 was really magical as far as Star Wars went, it was absolutely everywhere. At this point, I don't collect vintage Empire or Jedi stuff, but I'm still very nostalgic for late 70's Star Wars items, that period was a big deal for me as a kid, and still collect items from that era.

While listening to you guys struggle to remember mail in figures after Boba Fett, I kept yelling "Bossk!", "Bossk!" at my computer.

He was indeed the first one after Fett, and yes he was a "secret" figure initially. Those SW necklaces were definitely licensed, I still remember the TV commercials for them that aired back in the day, where they mentioned that R2 had movable legs and Threepio had movable arms. In the Star Wars starved, pre-Kenner toy times, I really wanted those. Oh, and the Ark die cast toy that Jason was talking about was probably the Red King (from Ultraman). Ark did make a Baltan, but Red King was the only one with a gattling gun type of feature. Great toys, which did receive a limited US release, their King Kong is a grail for me.

Another great job guys, thanks!

**MIB41** · Apr 29, '13, 1:45 PM

Great podcast. Always fascinating to hear the different accounts of how Star Wars initially touched fans of the series. For myself, I've never seen a film sneak up on an unexpecting public quite like the first Star Wars did. In 1977 I was in 7th grade. And as a very big movie fan, I can remember just how UNDER the radar this film was before it's release. But what stands out above all things, is what I was hearing specifically from different critics. And this is where I discovered how history gets rewritten. I had seen the trailer and I just couldn't wrap my hands around what the heck Chewbacca was. I said, "Is that an ape?" What is that thing?" Upon first inspection it looked like Barry Gibb and King Kong had created a love child. And my friends were equally baffled. I had seen Gene Shalit, who was a big critic in those days for the Today Show, give it a big thumbs up. I mean he couldn't have been more enthusiastic about it. And that surprised me coming from an adult. Because in those days, adults and kids shared little common ground in regards to science fiction topics. The very industry of science fiction was not even a blip on the radar except what was left of the POTA franchise and reruns from 60's television shows. So Gene Shalit giving an enthusiastic approval of this very kid-looking trailer was intriguing. Here's where it gets fun... Siskel and Ebert had started broadcasting their reviews on this show called "Sneak Previews". It was part of the local programming at PBS. And I got to see their review of this movie. They HATED it. And that's not REMOTELY overstating it. They thought it was childish, ridiculous in scope, and sloppy in execution. I'll NEVER forget that because it set the stage for my thinking before I saw this film. When some of my friends wanted to see it, I was on the fence because of this review and my own inability to figure out what I was seeing. I ended up not going with them. So the next day I was stunned to see my buddies making all sorts of commotion over it. Then it broke big. I saw it shortly thereafter when a few of my friends were going back for a second time. And in those days we had to get into line early and just hope we got in to see it.

Of course once the film went Supernova, Siskel and Ebert revised their reviews to fall into line and NEVER questioned the series again. They even defended Jedi later on in the 80's against a fellow critic who ironically sounded alot like them from that original review. Of course at that point their show had become syndicated and was then called "At the movies". So any retractions from their early years were easily covered I guess.

But I will never forget that original review, because it played such a pivotal role in why I passed that first time and why I never took them all that serious thereafter. Especially since I walked out of the theater blown away. Of course the second most lasting impact of this movie was the merchandise and what it forever changed with action figures.

I can remember waiting to see 8 inch figures pop up and was baffled as to why there was no product. So when Christmas rolled around and the hottest item on the block was a Star Wars early bird package which was nothing more that a cardboard display, I was impossibly disappointed. I didn't ask for one because I couldn't relate. And when I saw the figures, I was beside myself. When you were like me and had grown up having adventures with GI Joe, Mego superheroes, Big Jim, and a host of other figures with cloth outfits, a 3 3/4 plastic figure left me utterly cold. I ended up picking up Chebacca, C3PO, R2D2, and a land speeder for a trial run. But they did nothing for me. Ironically I still have them too. But all things considered, it was understandable. By the time those figures hit, I was in eighth grade and soon graduating into high school. So the simplicity of the figures and my disconnect seem to suggest a new generation was coming on board so I moved on to other..."hobbies".

The last thing I will add is that the name "Star Wars", in my mind, will always apply to the first film ONLY. While the series went on to be an event with Empire and Jedi, it never again matched what that initial experience was like. That was a transformation on SO many levels. It gave an admiration and respect to science fiction, that the industry had never seen, because it lumped all ages of people together. That was rare in those days. Jaws had just reset the blockbuster standard two years earlier and it was happening again. Only on an even bigger scale. But this time the film changed everything. It not only changed attitudes about fantasy films, but how a film could be merchandised. And I don't think the industry has ever looked back since. Star Wars truly turned the page on movies, merchandise, and society's attitudes towards those two.

**The Nawd** · Apr 29, '13, 3:40 PM

I downloaded the podcast and listened to it over the weekend.

Good news:
I was one of the kids who got one of the Early Bird packages on Christmas day.

Bad news:
When my dad found out we'd have to send away for the figures he got angry, yanked it out of my hands went back to the store he got it from (I would hazard a guess that it was a smaller mom & pop store for it to be open on Christmas day), and actually got his money back.

He got me something else that I had wanted that year, but I can't remember what.

When the figures finally hit retail I got half for my birthday and the other half for Christmas. One of the figures I got was...the vinyl cape Jawa, and this next part is going to kill some of you Star Wars figure collectors. So don't say I didn't warn you!

I opened it up, and played with it.

HEY! I was just a kid at the time! This was a toy, and it was before they switched over to the cloth version. Of course I was going to play with it! I played with it until the vinyl cape ripped, and I had to toss the cape away, and then I kept on playing with it. I didn't know the vinyl cape version was rare at the time, if I had known maybe I would've taken better care of it. But I doubt it.

**SeattleEd** · Apr 29, '13, 3:54 PM

^^ I recall seeing the vinyl cape Jawas on pegs at a store in SoCal called Akron. My mom use to shop there a lot so one saturday night we went to TRU and I think my brother scored a Ben and I got a Death Squad Commander. Then we drive across the street to Akron and my brother and I hit the toy section only to see wall to wall SW figures. They had the vinyl cape jawas and was bummed that I didn't score that one over at TRU. My parents said no and thought next we come I can get it. Needless to say went we went back a few weeks later they were all gone as was the majority of the figures. We must have arrived when they just put them out. Never saw those again. Only the cloth versions.

**VintageMike** · Apr 29, '13, 5:24 PM

Finished listening to this today at work. Fantastic show. My experience mirrors Jason's quite a bit as I was six when the movie hit. The memories kick in a year later when I saw a re-release and my parents bought me my first figure R2-D2 at the movie. Still have it along with my other originals (from the first movie) although they are worse for wear. I too would be rewarded with a figure of two for behaving myself on shopping trips. The other lasting memory for the first movie figures was mom picking me up at school and bringing my Boba Fett which had FINALLY arrived. Christmas would mean a "bigger" Star Wars item like a ship or playset. I also had a friend who would get everything and I jealously coveted his Death Star playset. "The Story of Star Wars" record really hit home. I still have the cassette version which my parents would gracioulsy play on every trip to my Grandparents house.
I had to laugh when the "secret figure" was being discussed. I knew it was Bossk and was thinking "c'mon it's Bossk!"

**palitoy** · May 1, '13, 8:56 AM

Guys I'm really elated to hear so many of you checked it out and both Jason and myself appreciate all feedback, thank you.

"c'mon it's Bossk!"

It's really bothering me that I don't remember this, like at all. My only theory is that this was during the period where I cheated on Star Wars with other things.

I opened it up, and played with it.

Good! You were supposed to!
I remember a whole wall of vinyl capes in my local Dominion Playworld, they kind of turned me off, I loved the cloth.

**Werewolf** · May 1, '13, 11:37 AM

I never saw the plastic cape Jawa as a child. My Mom hunted all over for the little guy. It took forever just to find the cloth robe Jawa. I kinda dig the look of the cape Jawa. Shows off the figure's great sculpt which the robe totally covers.

**dee T.** · May 4, '13, 8:10 AM

I listened to this show the other day and enjoyed it, it was interesting and fun at the same time. I'm looking forward to listening to the ESB episode.

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Pod Stallions Episode 3: Growing Up Star Wars (volume 1)

Pod Stallions Episode 3: Growing Up Star Wars (volume 1)

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