About Eclipse Theme
Me & Richard LeParmentier (Admiral Conan Antonio Motti from Episode IV) with a little treat I created for him. Gave him one. Got mine signed.
He opted for the ‘non-choking’ version I made, and I kept the choking version for myself. (which I was hoping for)…
The best part of our conversation - in addition to the photo - was the story he told me about where the first and middle names for his characters came from…
… apparently, there is a bit of ‘harem’ of ladies who reside in the greater San Francisco area who have a strong admiration for Imperial Officers. For years, they practically knocked down the doors of Lucasfilm to get first names assigned to all the Imperial Officers from the original trilogy. Admiral Motti’s first name, Conan, was taken directly from Conan O’Brien.
Here’s the whole story from Wookieepedia:
Motti was one of the last Imperial characters from the original trilogy to receive a full name. Michael Reaves and Steve Perry intended to finally give the character a first name with their 2007 novel Death Star, and had already chosen the name “Zi”—used in the as-yet unpublished novel—when George Lucas created his own name for the character while being interviewed on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Following this, the writers were forced to change the name before printing, although one instance of “Zi” remains in the novel. Motti’s full name was given by Lucas on the May 1, 2007 episode of Late Night with Conan O’Brien, during which Lucas was challenged to a trivia question by a fan—O’Brien Associate Producer Jordan Schlanski—as to the name of the Imperial officer who Darth Vader Force-chokes in A New Hope. Lucas jokingly replied “Conan Antonio Motti,” after O’Brien’s full name. Although the character had previously been known only as “Motti,” Lucas’s statement finally gave a full name to this character. On the day after the episode aired, Late Night posted a blog entry on the NBC website about their surprise at the quick response of Wookieepedia, a fan-made online Star Wars Encyclopedia, in adopting the new name for the character, as well as their appreciation for Lucas in naming a Star Wars character after O’Brien.
When asked at Celebration IV to confirm the canon status of Motti’s first name, Leland Chee said that “It’ll be revealed eventually.” The name was finally confirmed when Sue Rostoni, executive editor of Lucas Licensing, posted the dramatis personae for Death Star on the StarWars.com message boards.
Figure #5 of 21 complete - Han Solo in TK-422 Stormtrooper Armor!
I think it’s serendipity that this figure is hitting the same day that CollectAll21.com and it’s creator were featured on the “Boring Conversation Anyway” podcast! http://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/boring-conversation-anyway/id405724734 May the 4th be with you!
Figure #5 of 21 revealed - Han Solo (in TK-422 Stormtrooper Armor)*
*TK422 also happens to be the license plate on my car…
Figure #4 of 21 - Tedn Dahai (Cantina Band Member)
Tedn Dahai was a Bith musician and professional fanfar player for the popular Jizz band known as Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes. Along with his band mates, Tech was a registered member of the Intergalactic Federation of Musicians (IFM) in good standing. Like many Bith, Tech possessed a highly evolved brain, which allowed him a special acuity when it came to analyzing and relating to music. As such, his talents helped to greatly enhance the quality and popularity of the Modal Nodes’ music.
from Wookieepedia
Kickstarter - Plastic Galaxy: A Documentary About Star Wars Toys
The documentary on vintage Star Wars toy collecting that I have a (extremely small) part in has been chosen for a Kickstarter campaign, and there are some cool rewards for pledges!
I guess I wasn't the first one to think of a project like this...cool!
“My goal for this project was to create an extension of the vintage line. This particular subset is meant to fall between the 21-back and 31 back cards — as if Kenner had released a third wave of Star Wars figures in 1979. Each figure needed to be repeatable - any modifications must be easy to replicate or failing that, I need be able to cast the modified parts. Paint applications whould be limited similar to the Kenner figures — typically this meant less than 4 colors per figure. They were to be all carded in replica bubbles with feet and inserts appropriate for the theoretical release period. I tried to make these as close to Kenner’s line as possible so they fit seamlessly in.”
- Posted by ‘tykrazen’ on the Sandtroopers.com forum back in October of 2008…his approach was a little different though…’what if Kenner released a THIRD wave of Star Wars carded figures between ANH and ESB?’
BONUS POST: Restoring a vintage 12” Jawa (that was found in a wall 10 years ago…)
Over a decade ago, my Dad (who is my toy finder partner in crime) was trolling the yard sales of the greater Tampa area, and came across this little gem: a vintage 12” Jawa action figure made by Kenner in 1978.
The plastic figure under the clock and bandolier were in both decent shape, but the rest of it wasn’t (with a missing gun and torn cloak), but there was a good reason for it.
Turns out, the owner of the house where the yard sale was taking place was doing some remodeling, and actually found the Jawa trapped inside a WALL! (How it got there was anyone’s guess.)
I recently had the opportunity to bid on a loose cloak and gun from a local toy shop here in Phoenix on eBay, and was fortunate enough to win both items, which allowed me to fully restore the figure. So, I thought it’d be cool to document the restoration for CollectAll21.com
- KG
Figure #3 Complete: Beru Whitesun Lars
Beru Lars was the closest thing to a mother that Luke Skywalker ever knew. She and husband Owen lovingly raised Luke as their nephew, and trained him in the mundane ways of moisture farming on their arid Tatooine homestead. All along, Beru understood that a larger destiny awaited Luke.
