Kenner Star Wars Action Figures - History

History

The license for Star Wars action figures was offered in 1976 to the Mego Corporation, which was the leading company in action figures in the 1970s. Mego refused the offer and the license was subsequently picked up by Kenner, a subsidiary of General Mills.

Although the original Star Wars film had been released in May 1977, Kenner was unprepared for the unprecedented response to the film and the high demand for toys. Unable to build sufficient stock in time for the lucrative Christmas market, they instead sold an "Early Bird Certificate Package" which included a certificate which could be mailed to Kenner and redeemed for four Star Wars action figures. The box also contained a diorama display stand, some stickers, and a Star Wars fan club membership card.

By the time the action figures were offered for direct sale in shops, the range had been augmented with a further eight figures, bringing the total number of figures in the initial release to twelve. These were supplemented later in 1978 with a number of vehicle and playset accessories, as well as the J.C. Penney exclusive Sonic controlled landspeeder and the Sears exculsive Cantina adventure playset which introduced four new figures.

The four figures that were first brought out in the Sears Cantina set were released for individual sale with a further four figures later in 1978, bringing the total number of figures to 20. Demand for the action figures and accessories was such that Kenner continued to have difficulty fulfilling demand. Shortages of the toys in the lead up to Christmas 1978 lead some to claim that Kenner were deliberately manipulating the market. Sales of Kenner's Star Wars range in 1978 reached 40 million units, accounting for a turnover of $100 million.

In the anticipation of the release of the sequel The Empire Strikes Back, Kenner offered their first mail-in promotion, in which five proof of purchases could be redeemed for a new action figure, Boba Fett. This figure was originally intended to feature a backpack with a firing missile, but this was abandoned due to safety fears. Similar mail in promotions were periodically offered through to 1984.

Sales in 1979 again topped $100 million. Kenner continued to introduce waves of action figures from the sequels and in 1984, the year following the release of Return of the Jedi, the range totalled 79 unique character designs.

In 1984, the figure range was renamed Power of the Force in which a further 17 figures were released through to 1985. In 1985 two further ranges of Star Wars action figures were released, based on the animated series, Star Wars: Droids and Star Wars: Ewoks. The Droids range comprised 12 figures (two of which were identical to figures from the main Star Wars line) and the Ewoks line comprised 6 figures.

By mid-1985, the demand for Star Wars merchandise had slowed and Kenner discontinued production of its action figures.