Can we start a serious discussion of the Tonnika Sisters yet?

[keknivek]

I feel like we need a full on fan club blast of Hasbro (and WHOMEVER may be holding these back) to get the Tonnika Sisters made. My cantina will never be complete until they are in it. I will probably eventually just buy a couple customs, but I shouldn't have to.

1) Characters with WAY less screen time have been made. Pax Bonkik, Rum Sleg, Leesub Srlin, Gragra, Hermi Odle, (they've even made up characters like Selig Kenjenn)
2) Characters with WAY more scandalous look and/or dealings have been made. (Elan Sleazebaggano is a drug dealer. Ayy Vida..., Anakin Skywalker murdered children)

I don't believe what Hasbro is feeding us about them being off limits because of rights or because of the nature of the character... Star *****s or whatnot. Lucasfilm, Hasbro, Fox, The Empire... whomever is blocking these, needs to get over it.

SDCC 2016 Exclusive!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brian's Toys Exclusive!!!!!!!!!
FAN CLUB Exclusive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MAIL-IN offer from boxes of Miller Lite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Masterfett]

No. lets talk about them after they get released. Then we can complain about how they are inaccurate, or that Hasbro included the wrong accessory.

 

[keknivek]

No. lets talk about them after they get released. Then we can complain about how they are inaccurate, or that Hasbro included the
wrong accessory.

Sounds about right.

Shoot... give me a Tonnika Sister head and I'll do the rest.

 

[AaylaSecurasMan]

If you would like to beat a dead horse then by all means go for it :\

 

[DarkArtist]

I think if the fans rally behind this really hard and get petitions to both Hasbro and Disney then they might actually have a shot at getting released. After all now that Disney owns all the rights to Star Wars I could see Disney paying off the actresses/family to get these made.

If not then Hasbro needs to give us the inaccurate Super Bowl Commercial twins and just give them a generic name like space girl twins and make them a HTS/con exclusive and be down with it.

 

[keknivek]

I think if the fans rally behind this really hard and get petitions to both Hasbro and Disney then they might actually have a shot at getting released. After all now that Disney owns all the rights to Star Wars I could see Disney paying off the actresses/family to get these made.

If not then Hasbro needs to give us the inaccurate Super Bowl Commercial twins and just give them a generic name like space girl twins and make them a HTS/con exclusive and be down with it.

There you go DA... (I feel I can call you DA since we are best buds now). :| Generic Space twins is good enough. I see this being a really popular con exclusive. If they can make Cammie and Fixer work, this will work.

Does anyone have a link to an actual explanation from a credible source as to why these can't be made? I just have what I've heard from around the cyberwater cooler.

 

[bigbarada]

I think if the fans rally behind this really hard and get petitions to both Hasbro and Disney then they might actually have a shot at getting released.

That Sail Barge petition pretty much went nowhere. Even though they had multiple fan sites supporting it they could only drum up about 2988 signatures, way below their goal of 10,000.

The Sail Barge site is still up, if you still want to see what the rotting corpse of Star Wars fandom looks like:
Hasbro Sail Barge Petition

I have trouble believing that a Tonnika Sisters petition would do any better.

 

[Masterfett]

Especially since they were banned form the Fans Choice Poll!

 

[GNT]

They aren't getting made period, what's more to discuss that hasn't been already over the years?

 

[keknivek]

Well, you guys have been around the boards for a long time so you'd know better than most. Is it really that dead in terms of an issue.... Disney has the license now, but I imagine that's not going to help things. Is there a link to an official reason the Tonnika's won't get made?

Disappointing to hear the Sailbarge petition hadn't gone so well.......

 

[GNT]

Well, you guys have been around the boards for a long time so you'd know better than most. Is it really that dead in terms of an issue.... Disney has the license now, but I imagine that's not going to help things. Is there a link to an official reason the Tonnika's won't get made?

Well to sum it all up one of them never signed over their likeness and has since refused to/or her family hasn't (can't remember if she's alive?). The other one has signed over her likeness rights but it doesn't help, if Hasbro makes a figure of her, the one that refused could argue the likeness is of her because both the characters look the same. It's not worth getting sued over at the end of the day.

How they could get around it is by having some characters that look similar in the ST with a few differences.

 

[DarkArtist]

i know this is beating a dead horse so to speak but does anyone know if the actress of the "original Tonnika Sisters" received any royalites from SW when the Super bowl commerical was made a few years ago featured "not the original but close too it can't be called Tonnika Sisters due to Likeness rights"?

if not then Hasbro can say we are making the characters as they appeared in the Superbowl Commercial and not the exact copy of the original sisters from the movie and that's that.

I think more then anything it's Hasbro's stubborn position on the concept that the figures would not sell and those they would never hear the end of it from the fans who would complain that they are clogging the shelves.

 

[darth_sidious]

Let me sum it up for hopefully the last time - LFL never had the actresses sign a likeness rights waiver during filming. Years later, they were both approached. One actress, Christine Hewett, apparently signed the waiver for Hasbro, and has since passed away. The other actress, Angela Staines, allegedly did not because she and Hasbro / LFL allegedly could not come to terms regarding compensation. This story was never in a press release or anything like that, so you wont see an "official" reason anywhere.

LFL owns the rights to all characters, including the Tonnika Sisters - the only thing the actor / actress signs off on is their face being used. Actors have no voice is whether a character they played is used again. Hasbro could release figures from the commercial, CW cartoon, or even figures with generic faces if they wanted to. Its a liability issue at this point - if they were to release the figures, the surviving sister could sue them and claim one of the figures has her likeness. Neither Hasbro or LFL / Disney are likely to take that chance over an action figure.

This is the best option, since a cartoon and an animated figure cant really be challenged:

 

[urbnns69]

Hard to believe Hasbro couldn't come up with something by now being that most all of their Princess Leia figures don't look anything like Carrie Fisher.

 

[Masterfett]

Ha, ha! Milk, nose, you fill in the blank! lol ^

This does sometime baffle me. I mean even if Hasbro made a "Bar Patron" figure that resembled her, would this lady even know that an AF was made!?
Although I'm sure with the internet something would get back to her about a figure that resemble her character, but sheesh how greedy can some people be!

 

[ThallJoben]

Now that Torryn Farr will be made (hopefully), the Tonnika Sisters are among a handful of not yet made figures that I would like to see from the OT. I agree that any Cantina Diorama/scene is sadly incomplete without them. Even though they are only on-screen for an instant, IMHO they are iconic characters that even non-hardcore SW fans would recognize...

The rights issues re: their likenesses always baffled me; I'm not saying the reasons behind their not being made are untrue, I just didn't think that actors/actresses from films generally benefited from having action figures made of them (if their faces are seen in a film). I.e., did Mark Hammill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Alec Guiness have to sign off on something before figures were made of their character in the films? And, did the estate of Peter Cushing need to sign off on the 1997 Grand Moff Tarkin figures (both 3 3/4 & 12")?!

In any case, I'm sure that Hasbro would be able to get around the likeness issue somehow. As GNT mentioned, we may have to wait until the ST to get figures. Obviously, Hasbro & Lflm. are aware of the situation re: these characters - so, maybe the Tonnikas (or similar-appearing characters) can be in the ST & figures can be made of these characters. Since the actresses playing the characters would obviously not be the same ones from ANH, there shouldn't be an issue here...

Also, I think the animation idea (i.e., making Tonnika sisters animation-style from the CW cartoon) would also work - since, they are not from ANH either. However, this wouldn't be my first choice since I would strongly prefer realistic-looking Tonnika Sisters rather than animation-style figures...

 

[DarkArtist]

i say Hasbro should just make the figures and roll the dice. the odds of her finding out that she has a figure that has a somewhat likeness to her is slim and even if she did find out I'm sure that Disney would just silence her by sending a check to keep her quiet.

 

[ThallJoben]

i say Hasbro should just make the figures and roll the dice. the odds of her finding out that she has a figure that has a somewhat likeness to her is slim and even if she did find out I'm sure that Disney would just silence her by sending a check to keep her quiet.

Good point, but I'm sure that Lflm./Hasbro is trying to avoid any legal action or having to pay even a small fee to anyone re: these potential/possible Tonnika Sisters figure(s). There are huge # of other figures they can make that don't involve having to pay anyone for using their likeness (all of the numerous never before made aliens, characters with face-obscuring helmets/masks, troop builders that aren't based on a specific character, etc.).....It's no skin off their nose if they don't make the Tonnikas, despite their being wanted by collectors/fans...This will be even less of an issue when the ST & spin-off films are released, since they will have a ton of new characters to make figures of...

Going along with this & to elaborate on my last post, I still think that if Hasbro/Lflm. does indeed want to make these figures, that somehow having characters that resemble the Tonnikas but aren't the Tonnikas in the ST (maybe as an homage to the characters in ANH) would enable Hasbro to make figures of these without any repercussions. I don't know this for sure since the only info. I have on this issue is what I've read online, but it seems to me that this may be a viable alternative. After all, if the actresses are not the same, if they are wearing slightly different clothing, and go by a different name, then it would be tough to claim they are the same characters. However, if they made figures of these characters & if they looked similar enough to the Tonnikas, then we collectors could possibly use them in our cantina dioramas....

BTW, does anyone remember the very small Tonnika Sisters figurine(s) that came with a Galoob small playset years ago? I never had them, but it's interesting that they did come out in this capacity - granted, the figure(s) is so small that you can't see any detail, but I doubt the Tonnika sisters actresses got compensated for that...LOL

 

[R1G4R3PO]

. I don't know this for sure since the only info. I have on this issue is what I've read online, but it seems to me that this may be a viable alternative. After all, if the actresses are not the same, if they are wearing slightly different clothing, and go by a different name, then it would be tough to claim they are the same characters. However, if they made figures of these characters & if they looked similar enough to the Tonnikas, then we collectors could possibly use them in our cantina dioramas....

BTW, does anyone remember the very small Tonnika Sisters figurine(s) that came with a Galoob small playset years ago? I never had them, but it's interesting that they did come out in this capacity - granted, the figure(s) is so small that you can't see any detail, but I doubt the Tonnika sisters actresses got compensated for that...LOL

I remember those Galoob Micro Tonnikas. But I've wondered if Hasbro could've done Tonnikas Marvel style like as in the top pic and even given them the imposters names from "Tales from the Cantina" novel

 

[ThallJoben]

I remember those Galoob Micro Tonnikas. But I've wondered if Hasbro could've done Tonnikas Marvel style like as in the top pic and even given them the imposters names from "Tales from the Cantina" novel

Excellent suggestion. Maybe having the Tonnika sisters in a Marvel-based comic pack (if those ever come back) w/those comic-book colors would work work as an alternative. I'm not that concerned about the color of the figures' jumpsuits (they were dressed in green & blue jumpsuits in the film), since the color can always be modified by collectors - I myself am far from being a customizer, but as long as the figures resemble the characters in the film with the exception of the jumpsuits (for example, if the jumpsuits are purple like in the Marvel comic you posted), I'm sure I can figure out how to paint them with the correct ANH colors. And, since I'm not a customizer, Hasbro will be able to come up with better sculpts than anything I could personally come up with....

 

[keknivek]

Where are my Shada D'ukal and Karoly D'ulin action figures??????


Where's Brian's Toys on this one? What about Convention Exclusive?

 

[keknivek]

Was anyone else disappointed we didn't see anything that looked like the Tonnika Sisters in Rogue One?

I just thought of that when I looked at this thread again... sigh.

 

[darth_sidious]

A fan interviewed Angela Staines, the Tonnika sister that's still alive, so in her own words, this debate can be put to rest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8Yu1fKCDko&feature=youtu.be

Everything she mentions has been previously confirmed.

 

[bigbarada]

A fan interviewed Angela Staines, the Tonnika sister that's still alive, so in her own words, this debate can be put to rest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8Yu1fKCDko&feature=youtu.be

Everything she mentions has been previously confirmed.

Listening to Mrs. Staines side of the story, I really can't blame her for not signing the contract. Maybe Lucasfilm shouldn't have lost the original likeness rights in the first place and, after the film became a worldwide phenomenon, they shouldn't be expecting the actors and extras to just sign over their likeness rights for free. At least give them a lump sum of $10,000 as an incentive to sign, or something.

 

[keknivek]

A fan interviewed Angela Staines, the Tonnika sister that's still alive, so in her own words, this debate can be put to rest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8Yu1fKCDko&feature=youtu.be

Everything she mentions has been previously confirmed.

I'm not certain what you are putting to rest... The debate over why Hasbro claims they can't do a figure may be confirmed... but not what it would take to get it done.

Yes, she confirms that she wasn't offered anything to sign and apparently there was a letter about the likeness sent from a lawyer pertaining to the Galoob minifig. I couldn't tell if it was affluence speaking (she seemed flattered to still be desired) or if it was British cheekiness (she was rather confused or indifferent about the idea that a random letter has caused such a fuss... but was that a veiled response to cover up the fact that she really does expect a large sum for her likeness?)

But she never says that she doesn't want a figure made and she never says she doesn't want to go to conventions. She nearly said the opposite really. I think a persuasive person could appeal to her vanity and get her positioned to make a good deal of money going to a few conventions. I say promise her a bunch of money for the convention and a small amount for the right to a figure as well as sending her a batch of them for herself... you got a deal.

If we the fans can't make this happen, I'll be shocked. I don't know anyone at Lucasfilm or Hasbro personally, but if we were able to get a document for her to sign and raise some funds as well as get her connected with whomever does guests for the next Celebration, I think we can do it.

Who's with me?

 

[Masterfett]

Well, i can see her wanting some payout. I doubt much work comes her way these days, and extra coin is always good to have.
The issue is likely the amount Hasbro feels is profitable, doesn't meet the number she wants.

 

[darth_sidious]

I'm not certain what you are putting to rest... The debate over why Hasbro claims they can't do a figure may be confirmed... but not what it would take to get it done.

Yes, she confirms that she wasn't offered anything to sign and apparently there was a letter about the likeness sent from a lawyer pertaining to the Galoob minifig. I couldn't tell if it was affluence speaking (she seemed flattered to still be desired) or if it was British cheekiness (she was rather confused or indifferent about the idea that a random letter has caused such a fuss... but was that a veiled response to cover up the fact that she really does expect a large sum for her likeness?)

But she never says that she doesn't want a figure made and she never says she doesn't want to go to conventions. She nearly said the opposite really. I think a persuasive person could appeal to her vanity and get her positioned to make a good deal of money going to a few conventions. I say promise her a bunch of money for the convention and a small amount for the right to a figure as well as sending her a batch of them for herself... you got a deal.

If we the fans can't make this happen, I'll be shocked. I don't know anyone at Lucasfilm or Hasbro personally, but if we were able to get a document for her to sign and raise some funds as well as get her connected with whomever does guests for the next Celebration, I think we can do it.

Who's with me?

People have been speculating for years what the issues surrounding these characters are, that's why I said, "in her own words, this debate can be put to rest" - She is finally speaking out so collectors get a definitive answer and can stop whining about it. If they get her to sign, and they release the figures - cool, if not, that's fine in my book too.

 

[keknivek]

People have been speculating for years what the issues surrounding these characters are, that's why I said, "in her own words, this debate can be put to rest" - She is finally speaking out so collectors get a definitive answer and can stop whining about it. If they get her to sign, and they release the figures - cool, if not, that's fine in my book too.

It is good to know that it wasn't all BS. I'm not ready to put it away yet though. I want those figures. I'd love to see Angela Staines welcomed back into the Star Wars fold.

 

[Trooper31]

I'm sure they could work out a deal easily enough. She seems willing to make this happen, so why not give her a small part in an upcoming film and invite her to celebration as well as the convention circuit. She could probably make more money signing autographs than just getting a lump sum payment for her rights.

Also, they should just use the actresses from the SB commercial from a few years back if they're too cheap to cut a deal.

 

[bigbarada]

The issue is likely the amount Hasbro feels is profitable, doesn't meet the number she wants.

Except it wouldn't be up to Hasbro at all. Likeness rights for actors and extras would be something that Disney/Lucasfilm takes care of.

 

[keknivek]

I have contacted Victoria's Cantina and she confirmed that she can get information to Angela Staines. I have also contacted ReedPop to see if they can get me in contact with whomever does guests for Celebration. No response.

If anyone has any information to share.... let's see if we can get this done!

 

[keknivek]

Welp.... my efforts went nowhere... anyone else have more time or resources then I have?

 

[Jadesfire133336b]

i remember reading there was a likeness rights issues with the actresses as well as they were fighting over who was which one. one of them died i think so youd think they could settle it with the other one at least.
but so far i guess the micro machine cantina tonnikas are all we get for now :/

 

[ThallJoben]

I'm an older collector (I was 6 when ANH hit theaters back in May '77), and have wanted a two-pack of the great The Tonnika Sisters ever since the Vintage days. Even though they were only briefly glimpsed in the Cantina scene, I consider them to be:

1) Iconic characters in an iconic scene;
2) They're some of the very few female characters in the OT; and
3) They have nice colorful costumes & great hair

It's too bad that likeness issues with the two actresses who played the roles (one of whom is now deceased) have kept these figures from being released. I have a feeling that even if the living actress eventually passes, there will still be a problem with releasing these figures; the womens' estate/families will still block this - unfortunately.

My understanding is that if Hasbro were to pay the actress (or in the case of the deceased actress, her family/estate) $ for the rights to the likeness(es), the figures could be made. However, there is absolutely 0 reason for Hasbro to do this since there are a plethora of alien/human figures that can be made from all existing 10 films (3 OT films, 3 PT films, 2 ST films, 2 spin-off films) which don't have any likeness/rights issues & which won't cost Hasbro any extra $ to produce. In fact, AFAIK the Tonnikas are the only characters in all 10 of the existing films where likeness rights are an issue - please correct me if I'm wrong here.

The only hope for these figures to ever come out will be if Hasbro can somehow figure out a way to produce them without the likeness/rights issues. I.e., if characters who looked similar to the Tonnikas ended up appearing in any of the future SW films (i.e., not the same characters but two who were dressed in similar clothes & had the same hairstyle), then I can see Hasbro making figures of those two & then we collectors could use them as The Tonnikas. But, I'm not sure that this would even work, and even if it did I'm not sure if Hasbro would even want to bother doing this. Just a thought.

Other than something like the above (which may not even be plausible), if the one surviving actress & the family/estate of the deceased actress change their minds & agree to give permission to make the figures - then they could be made. However, I don't see this happening either.

 

[VideoViper]

If you really want the figures, the parts are there. (TFA Leia being a good base once the dress is removed.)

But at this point I don't think anyone working in Star Wars/Toys/Movies has the give a dam to recreate the characters & then use the new character's likeness due to the history & the unneeded legal challenge that would be files.

 

[darth_sidious]

Actually, Angela Staines has been doing autographs lately, so its possible that LFL secured the likeness rights, because that may have been a prerequisite, as previously explained. Someone should ask Official Pix, as some of those guys are mods/admins here, and the site owner from what I recall. Christine Hewett (deceased) already signed over her likeness.

 

[ThallJoben]

Actually, Angela Staines has been doing autographs lately, so its possible that LFL secured the likeness rights, because that may have been a prerequisite, as previously explained. Someone should ask Official Pix, as some of those guys are mods/admins here, and the site owner from what I recall. Christine Hewett (deceased) already signed over her likeness.

Thanks - I did not know any of this. So, I'm thinking that just because the late CH signed over the rights to her likeness, they still can't make the figures because they need the go-ahead from both actresses, given that they wouldn't just release one figure. Oh, well.

As a huge fan of the films & also a huge collector of the toys, this whole thing is very frustrating. If you watch the blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene with the T. Sisters in ANH, they are obviously wearing unusual wigs, quite a bit of make-up, and colorful futuristic jump-suits. So, their unique appearance(s) was obviously Lflm.'s creation, and if they took the wigs, outfits, etc. off they almost certainly wouldn't have been recognized as their SW personas. Despite this, they are still claiming rights to their likenesses, even though Lflm. created the characters. I get that the reason for this is because their faces were still showing (unlike the full-head masks that most of the other Cantina aliens wore), but it still reeks of entitlement & greed.

Going along with this, I haven't heard about the main Star Wars human actors who faces were clearly seen in the films (Hammill, Fisher, Ford, Guiness & Guiness's estate, Cushing's estate, BD Williams, etc.), the guy who played Wuher the bartender, the many Imperials, the actor who played Lobot, the various Rebels, etc. (and that's just in the OT), whining about not getting profits from figures made of them. Maybe these rights were already established in deals we're not aware of, but I somehow doubt it...

 

[darth_sidious]

Nearly all actors sign away their likeness when they agree to a production. LFL either lost or forgot to get this pair. During filming, they likely never imagined what some in production referred to as the "space hookers" would ever have merchandise, let alone action figures! Times have certainly changed, decades later and Hasbro has made a great many characters with a second or two of screen time. Someone should reach out to Angela Staines again, and see if she signed them over, now that shes doing autograph signings, and finally cashing in.

 

[ThallJoben]

Nearly all actors sign away their likeness when they agree to a production. LFL either lost or forgot to get this pair. During filming, they likely never imagined what some in production referred to as the "space hookers" would ever have merchandise, let alone action figures! Times have certainly changed, decades later and Hasbro has made a great many characters with a second or two of screen time. Someone should reach out to Angela Staines again, and see if she signed them over, now that shes doing autograph signings, and finally cashing in.

Good to know. However, an actor/actress signing their likeness over would only matter if they were playing character(s) whose faces were clearly seen in the film(s), correct?! I.e., I don't see any of the costumed characters (R2-D2, C3-PO, Darth Vader, Chewie, any of the many creatures in the OT, etc.) needing to sign over their likeness due to Lflm. owning the costumes that they were wearing, correct?! Just curious.

 

[darth_sidious]

Yes, absolutely - no actor can claim ownership of a likeness for a masked character. Any pre-production or final design becomes the property of LFL as soon as its submitted for consideration. This is why Hasbro can release figures / vehicles based on concept art as well. Likeness pertains only to someone's actual face appearing in a film.