"Old West Minis suggestions - updates to wanted list" Topic

Ned Kelley

As to your want list.

Artizan is doing the Magnificent Seven, at least the gunfighters.

West Winds has in their Cowboy Wars line the following.
A couple of figures from Silverado, Danny Glover and Kevin Costners characters (mounted and on foot).

They have figures from El Dorado; Mississippi, the sheriff, the duke, and the deputy/old indian fighter.

They also do the Cartwights (I think they call them the Wheelwrights or some such.).

As a matter of fact, most of West Winds cowboys wars stuff is based on movie and tv characters. Some of what you are looking for is in their line, such as Texas rangers, etc.

London War Room does a not Dr. Loveless figure, with his huge minion.

Was wondering where the "F Troop" gang were in that list, but then recalled that Foundry hit a couple of the more recognizable characters already.

"Thanks for the notes. The "7" are a reuslt of my being a semi-annual pot-stirrer over at Artizan. Mike has promised the seven, but I don't have a date yet from him."

He doesn't plan to release the seven figures all at once. He's going to release them one at a time in his western line. So far he's done one that I know of. They posted a link to it a few weeks ago. It's a mini of the Yul Brynner "Chris" character. It's a very static pose. He's just standing there with his hat *off*. Yup.. That's right. Ya can see his shaved bald head just a-shinin' in the sun. And any fan of the "Mag 7" films can tell you that he *never* took his hat off in either of the two that he appeared in. Not even in the publicity stills. The studio thought that he wouldn't look heroic and "western" enough. He could certainly get away with it now in the post "spaghetti western" age, but back in 1959 TV westerns like "The Rifleman", "Have Gun, Will Travel", and "Wanted, Dead or Alive" were still being aired and the heroes had a certain "look" that wouldn't be strayed from until Sergio Leone's westerns became popular. It's also interesting to note that when Brynner appeared in "Adios Sabata" which was a "spaghetti western" he didn't even take off his hat in *that* one. In fact he looked so android like without his hat that he was perfect for "Westworld" where he was supposed to look like the "Chris" character, but he was a *robot*. Now in *that* one when he took his hat off he looked absolutely perfect. LOL So if you want to do a "Westworld" scenario you're all set, but IMHO this mini doesn't capture the image of "Chris" in "The Magnificent Seven" at all.

"Django characters. Dragging a coffin…or action shot with that silly vickers wannabe. Maybe just dragging the coffin."

Heyyyyy…you're a euro-western fan? I have a very large library. I just finished watching "Don't Wait Django…Shoot" where the hero looked about as much like "Django" (Franco Nero) as *I* do. Man, they sure got a lot of mileage out of the name "Django" in Europe. Anyway, I agree. I'd like to see some "Spaghetti Western" characters too. Including, as you mentioned, those from "Once Upon a Time in the West".

I agree with you on almost all of the western characters that you mentioned. I'm familiar with all of them.

I'd second the "F Troop" call.

Also Rabbi Avram from "The Frisco Kid" (mounted and unmounted, of course).

:)

I'd like to see the Hispanic lawman Elfego Baca, either the Disney version fiftiesweb.com/western-3.htm or the historical version link

Jane Russell!!!? Yesss!!

Grelber

Don't forget Brisco County Junior!! Bruce Campbell with a shootin' iron and dynamite, yee-hah!

Terrement

I had a look at your list again and I had a little trouble identifying a couple of the characters that you referred to. Is the "Arizona Ranger" Hobie Gilman from "Trackdown", or Captain Rynning from "26 Men"? I love the song "26 Men". It's one of my favorites themes along with "Have Gun, Will Travel", "Maverick", and "Tombstone Territory".

It took me a few minutes to figure out that you had misspelled "Felina" as "Feleena" and that you were referring to the song "El Paso" by Marty Robbins.

"Out in the west Texas town of El Paso
I fell in love with a Mexican girl"

It was a very popular record and had great lyrics too!

"Felina is strong and I rise where I've fallen,
Though I am weary I can't stop to rest.
I see the white puff of smoke from the rifle.
I feel the bullet go deep in my chest."

You stumped me on one though. Who is "Texas Red"?

I don't think that you're going to find too many people who know who Frankie Darro is. He was more well known for playing a tough kid in flicks like "Boys Reformatory" and "Wild Boys of the Road". That part in "Radio Ranch" was pretty unusual for him. In fact, I had forgotten that he was even in it.

Texas red is also from a Marty Robins song..

"Big Iron"

The song is about a Ranger with a big iron on his hip who comes to town looking for the outlaw Texas Red

As for figures….A tall John Wayne figure with the gut in his standard outfit or the cankerous version from True grit ought to be big sellers. Tboth for nostalgia and the second as it actually has a lot of character.

Skipper

"The Searchers" – Duke, Jeff Hunter, Rev Capt Samuel Clayton, Old Mose, Scar, the Jorgensons, and a young Natalie Wood.
"Unforgiven" the Burt Lancaster version, esp the Abe Kelsey character.
"Ride the High Country" 0 Joel McCrae & Randy Scott in the final gunfight against the Hammond brothers (Henry had a crow).
"Red River" include the wagons with the girls & liquor. A young boy driving a cow, another with his hand in the cookie jar, etc
"The Virginian"
Anybody do any card players or a travelling shyster?

Forgot "The Comancheros", Lee Marvin & his topknot, the dude, the various folks out at the Comanchero ranch.
"McKenna's Gold" plenty of character types there.

"If they are as obscure as they appear to be, Mike (or anyone else) won't be eager to do them."

Actually, many of the names are just way way back in film history. You aren't going to find many people alive today that have seen a Tom Mix or Hoot Gibson western. *I* have, but i'm ridiculous when it comes to film. Especially westerns. LOL I've seen at least one film starring each of those "matinee hero" cowboys of the 1930's like Buck Jones, Ken Maynard, Bob Steele, Tim McCoy, and many others as they were frequently on tv in the early to mid 1950's because they were so cheap for the stations to rent. They were good, but long forgotten by most people.

A set of "winterized" westerners (heavier coats, etc.) for The Great Silence (See: link )
would be truly nice. Most of the characters from the film would not need specific sculpts that capture the actors' faces, etc. That said, if someone could capture the intesity of Klaus Kinski as "Loco" in 28mm that would be something special.

>The Great Silence would be truly nice. Most of the characters from the film would not need specific sculpts that capture the actors' faces, etc. That said, if someone could capture the intesity of Klaus Kinski as "Loco" in 28mm that would be something special.<

Good flick! Corbucci is my 2nd favorite euro-western director and TGS is one of my favorite Euro-westerns. To see snow in a "spaghetti western" is *truly* unusual too. Kinski is as crazy as an outhouse rat. His "look" would be quite an achievement for a sculptor. "Silence" would certainly need a specific sculpt as well because of his scarf and C96 Mauser pistol.

God bless your memory, Shadow! I'd forgotten about Silence weilding a special pistol. Scruffy beard and scarf: pretty generic; Pistol with a stock: Unique, and needing a special sculpt too.

Via Netflix, I have been watching some spaghetti westerns. Watched Companeros last night. Great fun. Django is up next.

Sculpts of the Bandidas might be fun too. (See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandidas )

"Via Netflix, I have been watching some spaghetti westerns. Watched Companeros last night. Great fun. Django is up next."

You'll *love* it! You're going to see a lot of euro-westerns with the name "Django" in the title, but you won't be getting the Franco Nero "Django" character. The name was very marketable, so no matter what the original title and who the character was, it got changed in the "dubbing" to "Django". So there must be 20 westerns with the name "Django" in the title. Some are good and some are terrible! As I mentioned in an earlier post I watched "Don't Wait Django…shoot" a couple of days ago and it wasn't very good. I have "W Django", but I haven't watched it yet. It stars Anthony Stefen, who's one of my favorite "spaghetti western" actors, so I have high hopes for it.

"Companeros" is another favorite. I like both Terrence Hill and Thomas Millian and they didn't disappoint me in this one. Terrific Ennio Morricone score too!

"Vamos a matar…vamos a matar companeros"

My last addition to this list would be a good Jonah Hex. (The clix one looks pretty bad.)

Well I have already seen a range of 25-28mm movie/TV cowboys put out by a british company back in the 1980s. The range even had a Miss Kitty and a Doc from Gunsmoke.

I sold them well in my store so similar ranges should do well as well.

More recent Hollywood flicks have had cowboys wearing more 'realistic' and accurate clothing which I am not sure have been 'flluy utilized as sculpts, yet.

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, one company did plains tribes with interchangable heads in both 15mm and 25mm. This may be an idea whose time has come again. Especially for tribes and American civilians.

I also agree with the mentions of the need for more Mexicans.
Good luck with your efforts and future sales.

"Well I have already seen a range of 25-28mm movie/TV cowboys put out by a british company back in the 1980s. The range even had a Miss Kitty and a Doc from Gunsmoke."

Really??!! I don't remember seeing that range at all! What other TV cowboys did this range include?

Well Stone Mountain cast them under contract. I carried them through my store. The blister packs were yellow and had 4 castings in each (I think).

I do remember a Clint Eastwood drifter and a Matt Dillon from Ginsmoke. i think one pack had Bat Masterson in it and might have had the Earps or the Maverick brothers as well.

Yes terrement the scuplts were rough but I assumed that was to avoid problems in trademark issues.

You can easily produce a lot better sculpts now, especially with your skills.

Did anyone mention Lonesome Dove, a made for TV special? Gus, Call, Blue Duck, Deets, etc.

Jeff

Various comments:

- There are several versions of Rooster Cogburn out there, and West Wind made Big Jake McCandles. The only generic Wayne figure – with two eyes, bib-front shirt and vest, armed with a carbine – that I know of is an Old Glory which is not too good in quality and more importantly rather short.

- I think Brynner did take his hat off very briefly in 'Magnificent 7', but I was surprised to see the hatless model. I think a shaven-headed pistolero has a certain appeal, but it won't be Chris to me. I am, however, looking forward to Vin and O'Reilly if they work.

- The Arizona ranger and folks looking from their windows go with Texas Red to form a 'Big iron' set. What I can't remember at this stage is whether that was my idea or just one I liked !

- West Wind produced all four 'Silverado' heroes, plus at least some of the baddies although I sadly didn't found one for Brian Dennehy.

- Artizan's Texas Rangers include reasonable approximations of Gus and Call.

- One of mine that I don't think is on the list above is for The Colonel's Lady in natty soldier suit (see Joanne Dru in 'Yellow ribbon' or Rosanna Arquette in 'Son of the morning star').

Oh good grief,

>I sadly didn't *find* one for Brian Dennehy.

Sorry

EBob's website has a very nice 28mm Eastwood figure!

Maybe it is just my lack of skills with finding them, but there do not seem to be any children in typical western dress. I saw one pack by Foundry that had a farmer's wife holding a small child but that in it but that is it. If they don't exist some children to supplement both farmer (or Copplestone's hillbillys) and town-folk packs that already exist seem like they would sell. These would seem a natural for kidnapped by ___________ (Apache, rival bootleggers, white slavers, etc.) scenarios.

Artizan does a Klaus Kinski "Hunchback" like character in their Bandidos I set.

I'd like to add my vote for Once Upon a Time in the West figures including Woody Strode.

Also a good Lee Van Cleef figure would be nice.

I think that Dixon (if you can find them) might work for some western characters. For example Dixon has a Western Gunsling in a frockcoat firing 2 revolvers who looks like Lee from Mag 7 his face and hat are a bit off but with paint he might look better. As for Eastwood/dollars figs, Artizan's Ill Bruno, Ill Bruto, Ill Cativo set is probably the best. The Eastwood is perfect right down to the cigar, and the "Ugly" is perfect, he can also double as pretty much any bandido or Mexican villain from the Spaghetti Westerns anyway. The Bad looks a little wimpy but he is ok.

ALV

""Shane" Ladd in buckskins, looking cool…"

picture

Apache wmen & kids
Plains women & kids
McBride style Crockett
Mounted versions of his 'hired guns'
Mounted buffalo soldiers
More tex-mex

"Plains women & kids" -- How about some non-generic actual Plains Indians? Plains Indians wearing hunting shirts & not all bare chested.

How about personalities? Billy Dixon, Ranald MacKenzie, Nelson Miles, Frank Baldwin, Lone Wolf, Satanta, Big Bow, Quanah Parker, Little Robe, White Horse, etc.

Definitely need mounted buffalo soldiers. Black Seminole scouts & Tonkawa scouts. Delaware scouts updated to the 1870s, Foundry's Delaware are from the 1830-1850 era.

While not so interested in border-line "personalities" from TV/Movies as in the past, I would like to also say that generic Indians (Apache, Yaqui, other SouthWest nations) , Mexicans, and civilians additions are high on my list.

Gracias,

Glenn

I lied.

Cisco kid and Pancho.

Gracias,

Glenn

I would like to see a Brisco County Jr. set with Lord Bowler, Pete Hunter, Aaron Viva, Whip Morgan, Professor Wickwire and maybe the Blythe Gang. There is a whole cast of characters that could fall into the sets From Dixie Cousins and Socrates Poole to Comet the wonder horse. I mean does anyone actually make a horse in the rearing-up pose?

Wingnut