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Post by Mr. Old School™ on Jan 30, 2014 16:30:29 GMT -5
Hey guys,
I was just watching some old clips on YouTube and came across the classic WWF LJN commercial from 1987. Man, this one bring back memories:
If you look close at the beginning, that IS Mick Foley getting squashed by Kamala. Lol. Anyway, back onto the topic at hand.
I am curious if any serious collector out there has or possibly knows the whereabouts of these WWF LJN prototypes.
If you watch the clip, you can clearly tell the prototypes for both "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell and B. Brian Blair WERE used for the making of this commercial. They've got the black edging on the bottom of their boots, which I think, looks MUCH better than the ones we did get.
If you pause the clip just right at 20 seconds, you can see the little kid in the yellow shirt actually holding the Jim Brunzell prototype figure.
The figures were definitely made and used for the commercial, so SOMEONE out there must either have them in their personal collection or knows of their whereabouts. Were they destroyed or thrown out after the making of this commercial?? I really can't see anyone doing that.
I am just astounded that in over 25 years, NOBODY, not one single person, has ever come forward to say that they have either seen them in person, owned them, or knew someone that does or did own them.
You'd think the little kid in the yellow shirt might have somewhat of an idea, since he held one. If still alive, he'd be all grown up now, as would the rest of the kids in that commercial.
You'd think one of them would've heard of this site or another one and made some kind of posting about them being in the commercial or the prototypes or something in that amount of time.
The same goes for the other prototypes of guys like Jimmy Hart with pink megaphone, Hillbilly Jim, Ricky Steamboat, Tito Santana, Adrian Adonis and Freddie Blassie. They were all obviously made and photographed, so SOMEONE must own them.
I just wish we could FINALLY get some more knowledge of their possible existence after all these years. I just wish someone would come forward and give a story of owning them and provide either a video or clear pictures.
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jason1980s
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Post by jason1980s on Jan 30, 2014 17:08:00 GMT -5
I wonder when that commercial came out and was it shown on WWF TV?
I do know it was shown on the ending of Best of WWF Volume 12, which was around a release of mid 1987.
Cool that S.D. got a feature in the commercial. That's probably the most exposure he's had, that was positive.
I think they made that outfit for Elizabeth in the commercial, rather than the LJN was made because Elizabeth wore it. The purple top and gold skirt together seems out of place and almost like she got a weird combination for cheap at the thrift store.
I too wonder about LJN prototypes. It seems we have more prototypes that weren't released, by far, over Hasbro. And it also seems like LJN toys came out in waves, like latter Hasbro. The first few series of Hasbro came out all together while the last two years came out months apart. With LJN 1987 it was the first grouping of Harts, Bees, Hercules, Roberts, Orton, Kamala, Arcidi and then probably Race, Koko, Jack and Haynes in latter 1987.
With LJN, there's also misdating. Steamboat and Andre must have come out, or were photographed, earlier in 1986 of late 1985 and sometimes are listed as 1985 while their date stamp is 1986. Same with Ken Patera (stamped 88, poster says 87, often cited as 87). Johnny V and Vince came out in 1987 but are sometimes cited as 1988 while Elizabeth and Fuji came out in 1986 and are cited as 1987.
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yeetman13
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Post by yeetman13 on Jan 30, 2014 17:51:40 GMT -5
if you notice closely in this video, Elizabeth is holding her figure above macho at the end, and its actually in a stand!
as for prototypes, didnt woodrow on ebay have tons of the prototypes?
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Post by Mr. Old School™ on Jan 30, 2014 18:18:58 GMT -5
if you notice closely in this video, Elizabeth is holding her figure above macho at the end, and its actually in a stand! as for prototypes, didnt woodrow on ebay have tons of the prototypes? Wow, I just noticed that now!! Good eyes!! I wonder, after seeing that, if this means that her figure was originally supposed to come with a stand. Would make sense, after seeing that. You never know. As for Woodrow, I have seen on eBay that he does offer prototypes of George "The Animal" Steele, King Harley Race, "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, "Cowboy" Bob Orton, "Luscious" Johnny Valiant, and S.D. Jones with red shirt. We still don't have any further info on other prototypes such as The Killer Bees with black soles, Hillbilly Jim with black under-shirt, Freddie Blassie with zipped up shirt and different cane, Adrian Adonis with boas, Jimmy Hart with pink megaphone and hearts on it, Tito Santana complete different mold and look, and Ricky Steamboat with red trunks. Someone out there must know something about those prototypes. Someone MUST own them somewhere. Why has it taken so long for any information to come out about them?? They obviously DO exist because we've all seen pictures of them. It's just a matter of finding out who exactly owns them and why haven't they mentioned anything about them after all these years. |
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ozz
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Post by ozz on Jan 30, 2014 19:18:48 GMT -5
That would be awesome to see, but consider the reality. There's more of a chance that these figures ended up going to "some random kid" whose mother ended up selling them at a garage/boot sale, damaging them beyond belief, or otherwise trading them away to someone else who has absolutely no idea that these things are/would be at all collectible 25 years later. Or the odds that someone "knows" where they are. They could be, or have been, anywhere in the whole wide world long, long ago before their likely demise. Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to see these things hit the light of day, but I just don't see it. Half the people around here don't even believe Woodrow's offerings are the real deal. I personally do, but I also am no longer a serious collector so I just see what I see online these days, smile, and take it for what it's worth. It is still amazing seeing these things "as new" though. I believe someone posted that video here a year or two ago, but I definitely remember it from the '80s because of Macho Man and the Killer Bees  Regarding Liz in the stand, didn't they release the very first few figures of her w/a stand because of the weak material used? Or was that just some random thing I saw and no stands ever made final production? I cannot recall! |
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jason1980s
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Post by jason1980s on Jan 30, 2014 19:27:38 GMT -5
To us fans, the saddest thing is that the people who made the toys or who were involved in production are not wrestling fans. If they do come to light to be asked questions, they don't know not just because it was 25+ years ago but because they weren't fans. The things we consider big aren't even relevant to them.
Stuff is coming to light, with LJNs just very slowly unlike Hasbro. For example, we have seen several Sears or JC Penney type catalogs featuring various prototypes and there have been a few LJN catalogs featuring the unproduced bendies or thumb wrestlers. Lee's guide, and I think there may have been one more toy magazine, used to have LJN pics from the catalogs but not all of them.
I still wonder where the Wrestling Ring 1989 prototypes came from. They obviously weren't card backs and I haven't seen any WWF pics from a 1989 LJN catalog. WR had to have gotten them through LJN (either from a catalog or from the company without catalog) because they are prototypes taken in a professional manner not just some wrestling sales mock ad.
Ozz, you were especially awesome back in the day. I bought some of the harder to find LJNs and accessories from you and gained a lot of knowledge about the line from your site.
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hawkwarrior
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Post by hawkwarrior on Jan 30, 2014 19:37:03 GMT -5
I still wonder where the Wrestling Ring 1989 prototypes came from. They obviously weren't card backs and I haven't seen any WWF pics from a 1989 LJN catalog. WR had to have gotten them through LJN (either from a catalog or from the company without catalog) because they are prototypes taken in a professional manner not just some wrestling sales mock ad. I am pretty sure that the photos that The Wrestling Ring used in their ad was from an LJN catalog. I recall seeing scans of the catalog online while researching a few things on the LJN line. |
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Post by Mr. Old School™ on Jan 30, 2014 19:45:43 GMT -5
That would be awesome to see, but consider the reality. There's more of a chance that these figures ended up going to "some random kid" whose mother ended up selling them at a garage/boot sale, damaging them beyond belief, or otherwise trading them away to someone else who has absolutely no idea that these things are/would be at all collectible 25 years later. Or the odds that someone "knows" where they are. They could be, or have been, anywhere in the whole wide world long, long ago before their likely demise. Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to see these things hit the light of day, but I just don't see it. Half the people around here don't even believe Woodrow's offerings are the real deal. I personally do, but I also am no longer a serious collector so I just see what I see online these days, smile, and take it for what it's worth. It is still amazing seeing these things "as new" though. I believe someone posted that video here a year or two ago, but I definitely remember it from the '80s because of Macho Man and the Killer Bees Regarding Liz in the stand, didn't they release the very first few figures of her w/a stand because of the weak material used? Or was that just some random thing I saw and no stands ever made final production? I cannot recall! Man, it would be absolutely awful to find out that those prototypes just got destroyed and more or less tossed away. I just cannot see that happening. It's more than possible, I won't deny that. I just cannot see a higher-up at LJN letting those great looking prototypes of Adonis, and Steamboat just get damaged and thrown away. I bet they are all safely packed away in storage in some attic somewhere and the original owner has either died or forgotten about them a long time ago. I bet one day they will FINALLY see the light of day. Someone will find them and hopefully show them off. |
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ozz
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Post by ozz on Jan 30, 2014 20:33:45 GMT -5
Ozz, you were especially awesome back in the day. I bought some of the harder to find LJNs and accessories from you and gained a lot of knowledge about the line from your site. Awesome! I'm so glad to have run into someone who remembers me from "the golden age of collecting". I knew so many great people back then and have no idea whatever happened to them. I found this site out of boredom once while out of collecting, and got hooked up talking about them again. Isn't it crazy to think that what were groundbreaking discoveries back then are now common knowledge? I remember being one of the first few to "unearth" the Winston Toys erasers. Those are actually the only figures I still have I bet they are all safely packed away in storage in some attic somewhere and the original owner has either died or forgotten about them a long time ago. I bet one day they will FINALLY see the light of day. Someone will find them and hopefully show them off. I sure hope so, that would be so great. I tend to lean toward the idea Jason1980s said, that those involved had no care or interest in what they had their hands on but I'd love to be wrong. I never would have expected the R&B Greg Hasbro to show up, but then again the circumstances regarding that are incredible as well. Kid's toy, played with to death, sat forever, he gets the idea to research his toys to sell years later. Not everyone has the wherewithall to investigate such things, he could have just as easily tossed them. Or he could have given them to a charity store and some other collector could have bought it for 50 cents a month later - LOL Funny sidenote that I KNOW nobody else but you guys could appreciate. My fiancee told me of a time, many years ago, when Vince McMahon showed up at her gym while she was working out. She didn't talk to him but had it been me, I would have done my damndest to kick up a conversation. Anyway, the first thing that popped into my head at that time was that if I had the opportunity I would've asked about the final series of LJN figures and if he had any memories about them. Ridiculous, I know! |
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jason1980s
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Post by jason1980s on Jan 31, 2014 9:27:24 GMT -5
Ozz, you had the site at the best time for a guy to complete the collection.
When I found you it was around 1998. Ebay was still very new and the wrestling figure forum on AOL was all but dead. I also remember you having a very detailed portion on the 1989 back, i.e. "new for 1989" or "rerelease on a black card."
I bet Vince may actually hold a key to the 1989 series but with everything else on his mind for the last 25 years, unfortunately it probably doesn't mean much to him. Funny though about the LJNs is that his name was mispelled. The owner of the company! Bret's was as well, and though he wasn't as big a deal back then, he and McMahon are two of the few guys (outside mainly first series guys) who are the most famous.
What really surprises me about the 1989 second wave is that they are pictured (albeit live pics) on t
he back. We have now come to see a few of the potential orange card figures. To me, we should be seeing LJN black before Hasbro orange. 1994 Hasbro was such a hodge podge of repaints and guys stuck randomly on cards that it would truly have seemed Hasbro was done before another series would even be thought of. Yet, in contradiction of my belief, LJN only made the live pics card back. Perhaps they wanted to do so as not to show off how many rereleases were coming out, or perhaps they never even got to the prototype phase. Strangest thing has to be one Demolition and one Power of Pain. 1989 should have seen Smash instead of Warlord. It would have been well over two years since Demolition debuted with Darsow.
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ozz
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Post by ozz on Jan 31, 2014 9:39:01 GMT -5
Yep, back then was such a great time. I mean, it was just so much fun. Nowadays you can get all the sets and variants complete on ebay in a few clicks. Back then you had to search. And you didn't have 100 other people all battling for the same stuff. A lot of my info and photos still exist on "Big Boys Toy Museum", which can be Googled and reviewed. I'm surprised that place is still going, but it's cool that it is. Also, nowadays to have an impressive collection you need to have prototypes, test shots, carded errors, etc. I'm sure the toys aren't at the forefront of his mind, but imagine what he may be able to recall when he starts thinking. It'd be hilarious if he is really into those toys but never gets the chance to talk to anyone who cares  I wonder if back in '89, the live photos & drawings were due to a situation like LJN just being given names on who to expect to create next so they could advertise. And if that's the case, production or drawings never got anywhere. That's just as likely as anything I suppose, but it would be the biggest thing possible (to me) to discover. I remember a year or so ago, the "original" Sgt. Slaughter 8" near-bendy figure showed up. The story was that it was the original Sarge that was shelved, and I guess 2 hit the auction site: 1 in non-painted fleshtone and another that was painted. Someone here bought the painted one and posted photos but a few don't believe its authenticity. The owner said that it was just like a giant bendy figure, unlike the stiff normal LJNs. That was pretty awesome either way. I like to believe it's the real thing. |
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jason1980s
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Post by jason1980s on Jan 31, 2014 19:06:51 GMT -5
Yep, back then was such a great time. I mean, it was just so much fun. Nowadays you can get all the sets and variants complete on ebay in a few clicks. Back then you had to search. And you didn't have 100 other people all battling for the same stuff. A lot of my info and photos still exist on "Big Boys Toy Museum", which can be Googled and reviewed. I'm surprised that place is still going, but it's cool that it is. Also, nowadays to have an impressive collection you need to have prototypes, test shots, carded errors, etc. I'm sure the toys aren't at the forefront of his mind, but imagine what he may be able to recall when he starts thinking. It'd be hilarious if he is really into those toys but never gets the chance to talk to anyone who cares I wonder if back in '89, the live photos & drawings were due to a situation like LJN just being given names on who to expect to create next so they could advertise. And if that's the case, production or drawings never got anywhere. That's just as likely as anything I suppose, but it would be the biggest thing possible (to me) to discover. I remember a year or so ago, the "original" Sgt. Slaughter 8" near-bendy figure showed up. The story was that it was the original Sarge that was shelved, and I guess 2 hit the auction site: 1 in non-painted fleshtone and another that was painted. Someone here bought the painted one and posted photos but a few don't believe its authenticity. The owner said that it was just like a giant bendy figure, unlike the stiff normal LJNs. That was pretty awesome either way. I like to believe it's the real thing. I remember Big Boys. The places I recall having LJN were John Diccico (McMahon), Plastic Dreams, a place in Texas and a place in Massachussetts and Sports Collectors Digest would have various companies selling a few. |
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Mr. Mojo Risin
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Post by Mr. Mojo Risin on Feb 1, 2014 13:55:32 GMT -5
I have the red pants steamboat and the panther shirt piper
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Post by Mr. Old School™ on Feb 1, 2014 15:06:40 GMT -5
I have the red pants steamboat and the panther shirt piper Some sort of proof would be nice. A few pics or a short video or something. How did you come across those two?? |
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Mr. Mojo Risin
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When It Comes To Be,That Is'nt The Light At The End Of The Tunnel,It's A Freight Train Comin For You
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Post by Mr. Mojo Risin on Feb 1, 2014 15:41:10 GMT -5
My brother actually got them from the store manager of a childrens palace back when we lived in michigan I'll. Dig them out in the spring when it isn't so cold
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jason1980s
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Post by jason1980s on Feb 1, 2014 17:02:35 GMT -5
There's no reason the Children's Palace, or any stores, would have prototypes. At best, they'd have catalogs which featured prototypes.
We'll all forget by Spring.
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Kasper.ca
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Post by Kasper.ca on Feb 1, 2014 19:16:12 GMT -5
I have the red pants steamboat and the panther shirt piper You forgot the words "Custom repaint" |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2014 22:07:36 GMT -5
I love these and would love to own the prototypes
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ozz
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Post by ozz on Feb 1, 2014 22:14:10 GMT -5
Panther Piper has been my "must see" aside from the last black cards. If it's real, I'd LOVE to see it. Can't imagine why a collector would keep it a secret for so long, though.
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figurehumble
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Post by figurehumble on Feb 2, 2014 4:16:30 GMT -5
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