Kenner Products

Kenner Products was a post-World War II era American toy company founded in 1947 by brothers Albert, Phillip, and Joseph L. Steiner, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Under subsequent ownership of the General Mills Group Kenner Products acquired a master license from Lucasfilm Ltd. to produce all toys, games and crafts based on the 1977 Star Wars film release.

Kenner, named after the street where the original corporate offices were located, manufactured a wide range of Star Wars-branded playthings, with the most popular being their line of basic 3¾-inch sized action figures. In 1995, new Kenner brand owner, Hasbro, Inc. reintroduced the Star Wars 'basic figure' line, which has been in constant production since. Hasbro closed the Cincinnati offices of Kenner in 2000, and Kenner's product lines were merged into Hasbro's.

History
As a division of CPG Products Corporation, a subsidiary of the General Mills conglomerate, Kenner Products created several lines of Star Wars toys during its run, the most popular being a unique set of 96 colorful 3¾-inch (approx. 95mm) action figures, produced between 1977 and 1985, modeled after characters appearing in the Original Trilogy. Kenner acquired the license to produce Star Wars toys when the Mego Corporation rejected it in 1976, and upon the success of the line, popularized the 3¾-inch 'scale', which became an industry standard that dominated the action figure toy market for years. In addition to producing action figures based upon Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, the toy company also produced more stylized figures for the Droids and Ewoks cartoon series.

After several changes of ownership, Kenner was purchased by the toy company Hasbro in mid-1991. Following a long hiatus, Hasbro relaunched its Star Wars line under the Kenner brand, in 1995, with release of a revived The Power of the Force Collection.

Collections

 * Star Wars (1977-1980)
 * Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1979-1982)
 * Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1982-1985)
 * Star Wars: Droids (1985)
 * Star Wars: Ewoks (1985)
 * Star Wars: The Power of the Force (1985)
 * The Epic Continues (1986)

Table of Kenner Star Wars action figures
The table below takes information as given on the cards with which each action figure debuted. After the debut of an action figure, details in the packaging, in the shape of the action figure and the name of the action figure were subject to change. No one characteristic (name, shape or product number) completely defines the list, rather all the characteristics taken together form a clear list.

Note that there are 96 action figures listed below, though the final card-back promoted a full line of 93 action figures. This is because when Kenner produced new versions (with new, unique product numbers) of R2-D2 and C-3PO action figures, they discontinued previous versions. Two versions of R2-D2 were discontinued. One version of C-3PO was discontinued.

Also note that the identical name "Bespin Security Guard" is given to two action figures. The first figure (No. 39810) is white, the second figure (No. 69640) is black. On card-backs the two Bespin Security Guards are shown separately, but still labeled with the same name.

In popular culture
In the 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Star Wars action figures are included in a scene in which Elliot is introducing E.T. to objects in his everyday life. The scene begins with Coca-Cola and extends to fish, PEZ candy, a peanut, money and a car: Elliot: "Coke. You see, we drink it. It's a, it's a drink. You know, food. These are toys. These are little men. [Elliot shows E.T. several Star Wars action figures.] This is Greedo, and then this is Hammerhead. See, this is Walrus Man, and this is Snaggletooth and this is Boba Fett. See... and look, they can even have wars. Look at this. [Elliot has the action figures shoot each other.] Look, fish..."

In the 1994 The Simpsons episode "Lisa's Rival", Ralph Wiggum says "I bent my Wookiee" when he falls on his figure of Chewbacca. Ralph also enters a diorama of re-packaged Star Wars action figures in a contest. His collection includes Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Chewbacca.