Why was Grand Moff Tarkin excluded from the original run?

J

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When the original Star Wars figures were released, why did they never make a Grand Moff Tarkin played by Peter Cushing? It's a question that's always puzzled me over the years. Does anyone know why Kenner never made an action figure of him? He did play a larger part than some characters Kenner released but had a smaller part and less important than him.
 
It may be possible he never gave permission to be immortalised in plastic. Same way the Tonnika twins have never had figures made of them too.
 
Think from what I have heard that MarkG is spot on, Cushing did not want a figure made of himself - stupid if you ask me, another small Cushing fact for you - after the first scene he was in traten carpet slippers as his boots were uncomfortable :lol:
 
Yeh I too heard Cushing didn't want his likeness used, I guess if he did there would have been no Death Squad Commander :?
 
I'm surprised at this, as I thought Lucas had all the rights to merchandise and the actors didn't have a say whether their characters were used or not. Very interesting. :)
 
Well there's a difference between up and coming actors and established actors like Cushing and I'm sure this was probably a factor and as I've heard Carrie say plenty of times she only has to look in a mirror and she has to send George a cheque!

But yeah would have been nice to have more important players immortalised and not ones where you blink and you miss em!...
 
I didn't know that either. There was an old wives tale going about that it was because the figure would have been boring, children would'nt want to play with an old geezer in a grey suit? But the same could be said of Death Squad dude, bit boring and Obi-Wan is an old geezer so who knows!? I was more miffed they never made an Imp spy Mos Eisley long snout bloke.
 
Robstyley said:
I didn't know that either. There was an old wives tale going about that it was because the figure would have been boring, children would'nt want to play with an old geezer in a grey suit? But the same could be said of Death Squad dude, bit boring and Obi-Wan is an old geezer so who knows!? I was more miffed they never made an Imp spy Mos Eisley long snout bloke.
Click to expand...

Yeah the only thing I would say is OB1 and DSC have important roles in action sequences I suppose, so it does make sense and with the POTF line released with Imperial Dignitary it makes sense that Peter Cushing had some sort of special deal/request or whatever.
 
I used to love the playground rumours of non-existing figures that pre-internet you couldn't prove. I remember one kid claimed he had an 'American version' Luke Bespin with removable hand! :lol: And another was adamant my Luke X-Wing was Wedge and he had a blonde one at home (thinking the visor was black hair)
 
We had a kid like that at our school, swore blind he had a remote controlled AT-AT - now that would hve been cool. I also thought LXW's visor was hair at first.
 
Frunkstar said:
another small Cushing fact for you - after the first scene he was in traten carpet slippers as his boots were uncomfortable :lol:
Click to expand...
I love the idea of Grand Moff Tarkin shuffling around the Death Star in slippers :lol:
487398_3253168187900_1335681899_n_zpsorom9lps.jpg
 
If they had of made him he would have been bordering on Madine territory for most boring figure. No way he'd be winning figure of the year on the forum.
 
I think this had more to do with Tarkin's death and the fact that he never used a blaster in the movie. And Kenner had plans to release him if the line had continued.

http://theswca.com/index.php?action=disp_item&item_id=48983
 
Loved the old playground tales. American Luke Bespin is one I remember. Usually claimed to have been purchased by a rich fat kit on a summer holiday spent in florida. Tellingly he never managed to get it into school to prove its existence.
 
My, totally off the top of my head, theory was that Tarkin didn't make the second wave because Kenner went for brightly coloured aliens and robots figuring that they had more playability than old fellas with no action potential. Bearing that in mind he could have appeared in POTF


On a separate note, my uncle in America did send me a Vader whose mask comes off but I can't show you it because my mum says I'm not allowed.
 
ZippyNL said:
We had a kid like that at our school, swore blind he had a remote controlled AT-AT - now that would hve been cool. I also thought LXW's visor was hair at first.
Click to expand...


You've just blown my mind :shock: Its not hair? :eek:
 
There was a friend at school who was into SW figures as much as I was and swore blind his Dad brought him back a Tarkin from a trip to the US. (Somehow it then got lost before the next time I went round his house...)
 
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