  RANCOR KEEPER 
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Source: Date Stamp: 1984 Release Date: 1984 Carded Availability: Return of the Jedi Tri-Logo Assortment No. : 71350 Retail: $2.99 Weapons and Accessories: Point of Interest: This figure first appeared on the Return Of The Jedi 77 back card. | |
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Comments: OK, really, what was Kenner thinking when they decided to make the Rancor Keeper. Lets see, a fat, bald, shirtless old white human with a stick; yup, sounds like a big draw for boys ages four and up, don’t it? Needless to say, this is likely the most notable blemish on the toymaker’s near flawless track record. Nonetheless, this figure became the world’s quickest and longest lasting peg warmer. For that matter, it’s likely the toy responsible for the phrase.
Major Variations: Though all vintage figures have minor variations, the Rancor Keeper action figure itself has no documented major variations. Its accessories on the other hand did have a couple of interesting variations.
This hood was produced in both soft and semi-hard plastic. The softer of the two is moulded in a brown/ gray plastic similar in tone to the plastic used on the legs of the Han Solo (In Trench coat) action figure. The semi-hard version was moulded in a gray plastic similar in tone to the plastic used for the AT AT Commander action figure. Of the two, the semi-hard version seems to be more scarce, but it may be more available in some regions.
This accessory was produced in using two sculpts, both of which are different at the bottom (blade) end. One version, shown here moulded in glossy plastic, has a thin border attaching the blade to the staff, while the other, moulded in matte plastic, has a thick border separating the blade from the staff. There is no indication that either staff was moulded exclusively in glossy or matte plastic.
Text & Photography by D. Martin Myatt. |
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