Star Wars timeline display panel (photo: © Jason Dailey)
National Museum of Toys and Miniatures welcomes Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca and more in an exhibit of retro Kenner Star Wars action figure toys
The kids transfixed by TV commercials touting Kenner Toys’ original 1978-1985 line of “Star Wars” action figures could dream of getting it all — every 3.75-inches-tall plastic iteration of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C3PO, R2-D2, Darth Vader and the rest of the blockbuster film franchise’s evolving cast of archetypal heroes and villains, along with oodles of related vehicles, playsets and further accessories to help young imaginations soar.
The kids portrayed in the commercials were certainly having a high time by dramatically acting out their own “Star Wars” scenes, happily equipped with so many adventurous characters and swooping spaceships held firmly (somehow) in so many wiggling hands. Sure, they were only ads, but the Force was strong with them — and it was all very cool.
But then came the dreaded message that items were “sold separately.” As Yoda might have uniquely uttered: “A bummer, that is.”
Because it wasn’t necessarily a snap for kids to find, let alone afford, all the assorted stuff to be had from Kenner’s exclusive and increasingly popular “Star Wars” line, which became lauded for its attention to detail and adherence to the look and spirit of the cinematic source material.
If you missed out, you missed out. So being that kid to get it all? Good luck.
Fortunately for classic “Star Wars” fans, the luck is with them, thanks to “The Nostalgia Awakens: Retro Kenner Star Wars Action Figure Toys” exhibition, which provides a special opportunity to view, if not possess, the complete vintage collection through Jan. 26 at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures.
Kenner’s “Star Wars” toys were released in conjunction with the initial trilogy of “Star Wars” films: “Star Wars” (1977), “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) and “Return of the Jedi” (1983). These were the toys that successfully riffed on the early “Star Wars” mythos and further expanded its legendary appeal, by simultaneously capturing and reflecting the imaginations of children.
Clockwise from left: “Return of the Jedi” Action Figure Toys (1983-1984), Kenner Products, United States; two shots of visitors enjoying the exhibit’s opening reception (photo: © Jason Dailey)
Long before these plastic playthings were exalted by knowledgeable collectors for their place in “Star Wars” history, they were actively played with, perhaps strategically tossed across a room or ceremoniously flung from the top of a jungle gym. Hey, nobody said saving the universe wouldn’t leave a dent on Luke’s lightsaber or scuff-up a few Battle-Damaged X-Wing Fighters or Tri-Pod Laser Cannons.
But, fear not, the actual toys on display in “The Nostalgia Awakens” all look great, as supplied by obviously obsessed (in a good way) Wisconsin “Star Wars” collector Jarod Roll, whose traveling collection includes 100 action figures, five larger creatures, 37 vehicles and 17 playsets, which resemble a diorama format.
Everyone will have their favorite objects. Some may like best the Millennium Falcon spaceship, which is hard to resist for heft alone. Others may go for the life-size Chewbacca Bandolier or the imposing Darth Vader Collector Case — just don’t ask what the dark lord might have put in there.
Judge if you must, but I was especially drawn to the sordid Jabba the Hutt Action Playset. The set’s totally non-idyllic scene shows the enormous and grotesquely slug-like Jabba, as in “Return of the Jedi,” grandly reclining and placidly smoking his hookah. At Jabba’s side is the conspicuously enslaved Leia, who, as in the film, is chained — but, unlike in the film, has a whole lot more clothing on.
Consider the ironically revealing pop-culture contradiction: It was perfectly fine to have action figures in a toy line equipped with “lethal” weapons, but don’t risk showing any female skin, especially to impressionable kids. Yet impressionable kids were packing movie theaters to see “Return of the Jedi.” And what they saw was Leia in a crazy metallic slave bikini. After seeing the flick, I can only imagine little Billy or Susie’s disappointment in the inauthentic toy costume change. It’s at least one instance when Kenner’s devotion to the “Star Wars” screen image was a no-show.
“The Nostalgia Awakens” also includes an entire wall devoted to a super-informative timeline detailing the rise of the films and the rise and fall of the original toy line. By the mid-1980s, with no more “Star Wars” movies then planned to hit theaters, Kenner’s “Star Wars” sales declined and the line was discontinued.
Decades later, the rage for all things “Star Wars” has far from abated. But if you were a kid watching other kids playing with Kenner’s “Star Wars” action figures in those long-ago TV commercials, some of which are delightfully shared with visitors to “The Nostalgia Awakens,” there may be no greater thrill than seeing the elusive members of the “sold separately” band get back together.
“The Nostalgia Awakens: Retro Kenner Star Wars Action Figure Toys” continues through Jan. 26 at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, 5235 Oak St. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday – Monday. Admission ranges from $5 to $10. For more information, 816.235.8000 or toyandminiaturemuseum.org.
