INTERVIEW: Laurel & Hardy return, this time in action figure form
Image courtesy of Wandering Planet Toys / Provided by Superfan Promotions with permission.
Sometimes collectors don’t realize they need a particular set of action figures until a team of designers dreams big. That’s the case with brand-new Laurel & Hardy collectible action figures, which will soon be available thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign. The figures, which are billed as highly articulated and screen accurate, are courtesy of Wandering Planet Toys.
The company’s crowdfunding campaign has amassed more than $80,000, as of press time, which is double what the designers expected. Comedy lovers shouldn’t wait though; the campaign finishes Thursday, Oct. 17.
Chris “Doc” Wyatt and Gavin Hignight are the co-founders of Wandering Planet Toys, the company behind the Kickstarter campaign; they also successfully released action figures based on The Prisoner TV series, so Laurel & Hardy seems to be in their wheelhouse. For this project, they have brought to life everyone’s favorite comedy duo, in 6-inch deluxe form, with a full-color version and alternate black-and-white version. There are interchangeable hands, facial expressions and bowler hats for Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, according to press notes.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Wyatt and Hignight to learn more about the figures. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
When did your company settle on Laurel & Hardy as your next project?
HIGNIGHT: Laurel & Hardy are actually a line we’ve been working on for a while. Shortly after our success with The Prisoner wave one (our first line!), we reached out to the rights holders of Laurel & Hardy. We’re both big fans, and with Wandering Planet, we’re getting in the habit of celebrating the films, TV, stars, books we love.
WYATT: The second Gavin suggested it, I was all in.
What sets these action figures apart?
HIGNIGHT: So much! For starters Stan and Ollie have never been made in this scale and style. The 1/12 scale action figure is very popular right now with collectors, and we’ve all been spoiled with many figures in this scale. But early era Hollywood legends from the silver screen — not so much. Laurel & Hardy are a unique edition to someone’s collection. We also take great joy in creating figures that may just appeal to someone who’s normally not a toy collector. Appealing to toy folks like ourselves, but also hopefully sparking interest in film, comedy and Laurel & Hardy enthusiasts. Another thing that sets these figures apart is design and construction. The hair/hat combo and “faceplates” portraits give fans great screen-accurate ways to display the figures.
Are these figures meant to be displayed or played with?
WYATT: I’m going to play with mine!
HIGNIGHT: Both! A good figure can do both. As a collector I get frustrated with collectible “toys” that are overly fragile, so we work with our design and factory to make sure the figures are durable, can stand on their own, and are fun to play with and display. But, packaging in itself is part of the art form, and our designer Jenny Moore has really established great packaging throughout our lines. So we try to make figures that display well inside or outside of their package, and when possible, making packaging that is re-sealable.
Who is your target audience with this Kickstarter campaign? Who do you think will enjoy these figures?
WYATT: Who wouldn’t.
HIGNIGHT: Laurel & Hardy fans, toy collectors, fans of cinema, those who are young at heart and the old souls. Laurel & Hardy and their comedy legacy is timeless, so that means these figures can appeal to so many. So far when Doc and I make figures, there’s always a moment of, “We sure would like these figures on our shelf. We bet there are others out there like us who would like the same.”
Is Kickstarter a vital component of your sales model? How important is crowdfunding?
HIGNIGHT: Crowdfunding and Kickstarter is absolutely vital to small businesses like us, who are producing niche collectibles. Manufacturing costs are so expensive that it takes a crowdfunding and pre-order-like relationship with our community of fellow fans to make these figures happen.
WYATT: It takes a village as they say, and we are so thrilled for the platform and community who have enabled us to make such unique toys that may otherwise not have been made.
Do you have any favorite Laurel & Hardy movies or sketches?
WYATT: Way Out West, of course. Towed in a Hole. Definitely Music Box.
HIGNIGHT: I always go back to Below Zero as one of my favorite Laurel & Hardy films, or films in general. I just love it. I love the vibe and tone and their comedy in the film. County Hospital and The Music Box are timeless classics. Pardon Us is one of their longer films I enjoy, and I’d say that the table drinking scene in Blotto is one of the funniest scenes in cinema history.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
