Answers and Replies (1 Viewer)

[King & Country]

Hi Guys,

A couple of points...

1. “Patton”

Following on from this J.S. thread...Let me clarify a couple of points from my friend Louis’ explanation of the “Patton” incident.

Firstly, we were not sued...we got a letter from a company that represents the heirs of George Patton telling us we had not received official permission to reproduce a figure of the man himself and use the “Patton” name. They told us we should either stop producing or pay a fee to get official approval. We chose the latter option...wrote an apology and asked what the fee would be. Back came the answer US$4,000...This we happily paid and everybody went away happy. The actual production run was 800...500 with fixed wheels and 300 with running ones.

As far as earlier incidents...Chaplin...Elvis...The Fab Four...I really did not know any better. Sadly, ignorance of the law is no excuse as one of my lawyer friends pointed out. These figures are as rare as hen’s teeth these days...so if you see any of them at your local flea market or swap meet — grab’em with both hands.

On a related matter not so long ago I wanted to do another “personality” piece...got in touch with their representatives and got the shock of my life. They wanted a huge fee upfront...US$25,000...design approval...advertising approval...unspecified numbers of the finished figure at factory cost...US$1,000,000 insurance policy to cover any potential liability for almost any circumstances regarding the figure...etc, etc, etc.

You get the picture, right? Needless to say I exited stage left and decided not to go down that road and did something else. Oh well, such is life!

2. Famous People & Their Copyrights

Generally, famous military and political figures are not “copyrighted / trademarked” — Patton is the exception as far as I know. Re Entertainment...Movie and TV stars...Pop idols...Sporting Heroes...most definitely are!

So, as long as we stick with Winston...Monty...Sepp Dietrich...Adolf and assorted others we’re on reasonably safe ground...But as for Jimmy Stewart...Clark Gable...Marilyn Monroe...or other Hollywood biggies better to steer clear.

Actually, my good mate Chris Howse, who is one of Hong Kong’s leading lawyers (and a big toy soldier collector) told me...There was a court decision a few years back when the descendants and relatives of Marilyn Monroe...Groucho Marx...James Dean and a few others get a US law passed that protected their images from exploitation by manufacturers of coffee mugs...beach blankets...‘T’ Shirts and so on and so forth.

Up until that point anyone could do anything with Marilyn...James Dean...Groucho and the rest of the gang.

Certainly made me pause in my tracks...

Best wishes and...happy collecting!

Andy C.

 

[Rob]

Andy,do you think you will be doing more WW2 personalties then of those you are allowed to do?.

Rob

 

[Capitolron]

Andy, better to pay $4,000 and done with it.

How about a little peak at some of this Civil War stuff?

 

[King & Country]

Hi Guys,

In answer to Rob and Ron’s questions...

1. More WW2 Personalities...

You bet! And not only WW2 personalities...the new First World War has FOUR “biggies” and the new Civil War has also FOUR.

All will be revealed at the upcoming “WESTCOASTER” at the IRVINE MARRIOTT, CA., from Wednesday 28th February until Sunday 4th March. Gordon and me will be there with a whole big bunch of displays. So, please bear with us...or stop by.

2. “Getting Dragged Into WW2”

Don’t fight it Ron...resistance is futile...remember it’s only money...

3. Favourite Sean Connery movie...Although I love all of his James Bond flicks especially “Dr. No” my all-time fave rave is “The HILL”. Connery plays a British Army Sergeant who’s been busted and sent to the Army “Glasshouse” (Detention Centre) in North Africa during WWII. The film is tough, brutal and very realistic. Connery is outstanding in this dramatic role and is ably supported by such great British actors as Harry Andrews...Ian Bannen...Ian Hendry...Roy Kinnear and a host of others. The movie was directed strangely enough, by an American Sidney Lumet.

You must see it...buy it...or steal it!

Best wishes and...happy collecting!

Andy C.

 

[Rob]

Thanks for your answers Andy,much appreceiated.Hope we can get some pics/info on the westcoaster from our U.S friends,for us on this side of the pond.

Rob

 

[jrsteel]

Hi Guys,

In answer to Rob and Ron’s questions...

1. More WW2 Personalities...

You bet! And not only WW2 personalities...the new First World War has FOUR “biggies” and the new Civil War has also FOUR.

All will be revealed at the upcoming “WESTCOASTER” at the IRVINE MARRIOTT, CA., from Wednesday 28th February until Sunday 4th March. Gordon and me will be there with a whole big bunch of displays. So, please bear with us...or stop by.

2. “Getting Dragged Into WW2”

Don’t fight it Ron...resistance is futile...remember it’s only money...

3. Favourite Sean Connery movie...Although I love all of his James Bond flicks especially “Dr. No” my all-time fave rave is “The HILL”. Connery plays a British Army Sergeant who’s been busted and sent to the Army “Glasshouse” (Detention Centre) in North Africa during WWII. The film is tough, brutal and very realistic. Connery is outstanding in this dramatic role and is ably supported by such great British actors as Harry Andrews...Ian Bannen...Ian Hendry...Roy Kinnear and a host of others. The movie was directed strangely enough, by an American Sidney Lumet.

You must see it...buy it...or steal it!

Best wishes and...happy collecting!

Andy C.

The movie "The Hill" is excellent. Nobody I know has seen it. Should be on dvd but it's not. Once in awhile it's on TCM.

 

[Rob]

Just looked on TCM and you can vote for The Hill to be released on DVD.I like TCM especially when i'm laid up with my back.Can't tell you the times i've watched 'Red Badge of courage'(love that film)

Rob

 

[Capitolron]

Hi Guys,

In answer to Rob and Ron’s questions...

1. More WW2 Personalities...

You bet! And not only WW2 personalities...the new First World War has FOUR “biggies” and the new Civil War has also FOUR.

All will be revealed at the upcoming “WESTCOASTER” at the IRVINE MARRIOTT, CA., from Wednesday 28th February until Sunday 4th March. Gordon and me will be there with a whole big bunch of displays. So, please bear with us...or stop by.

2. “Getting Dragged Into WW2”

Don’t fight it Ron...resistance is futile...remember it’s only money...

3. Favourite Sean Connery movie...Although I love all of his James Bond flicks especially “Dr. No” my all-time fave rave is “The HILL”. Connery plays a British Army Sergeant who’s been busted and sent to the Army “Glasshouse” (Detention Centre) in North Africa during WWII. The film is tough, brutal and very realistic. Connery is outstanding in this dramatic role and is ably supported by such great British actors as Harry Andrews...Ian Bannen...Ian Hendry...Roy Kinnear and a host of others. The movie was directed strangely enough, by an American Sidney Lumet.

You must see it...buy it...or steal it!

Best wishes and...happy collecting!

Andy C.

That was our little peak?

On WWII - nothing like your Crack Dealer encouraging you - huh ?

 

[Rob]

Can't wait to see who all the personalities are.I am totally useless at putting pics up on the forum but i hope some of you going to the westcoaster can?.

Rob

 

[Capitolron]

Can't wait to see who all the personalities are.I am totally useless at putting pics up on the forum but i hope some of you going to the westcoaster can?.

Rob

Yes, Westcoasters - please take photos!

 

[jazzeum]

I would think that these will be at the Symposium for the east coasters.

 

[Combat]

On the WWII personality side we could use:
1) Rudolf Hess - LAH series or w/ME110 flying to England!
2) Manstein and Kesselring
3) Von Arnim (AK)
4) Henrici (Berlin)
5) anything non-german/american/brit! How about Mannerheim and some winter Finns - one of the best armies in WWII.

 

[Rob]

Will be relying on you Brad, your our UK Ambssador on the west coast/ New york symposium,to lift a term from Saving private Ryan "you gotta be Johnny on the spot"!

Rob

 

[Rob]

I like the idea of a Hess figure,perhaps under Home guard arrest.We have some remains of the 110 he flew over here in at the IWM.I wonder what he was REALLY thinking when he did it.

Rob

 

[Louis Badolato]

A K&C ME110, what a great idea! I wonder if Andy would ever think to do one?

 

[Rob]

Hey Louis,do you mean a crashed ME110 or an intact warbird?.Either would be cool

Rob

 

[Louis Badolato]

Either would be very cool, and I would love both. I know Andy bought one of these cool "Metalshed" welded models of a crashed Russian plane with some Luftwaffe pilots climbing on it, so Andy apparently likes the crashed plane idea as well. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Combat]

Hey Louis,do you mean a crashed ME110 or an intact warbird?.Either would be cool

Rob

So long as it is Hess either way is good for me. He certainly was a strange guy even by nazi standards. My take on his flight is that he had fallen out of favor during the war as a non-military party official. He understood that Hitler's plan for a one front war in the east had been derailed by the western allies. He put these factors together and rolled the dice on trying to convince the English that Hitler had no designs on their empire and thereby end the hostilities between those countries. That of course was absolutely hopeless, but a common trait of many nazis was an incredible ignorance regarding the mindset of other countries. One of the more interesting questions is whether he was actually insane or faned mental illness once he realized that his mission had failed.

 

[Capitolron]

So long as it is Hess either way is good for me. He certainly was a strange guy even by nazi standards. My take on his flight is that he had fallen out of favor during the war as a non-military party official. He understood that Hitler's plan for a one front war in the east had been derailed by the western allies. He put these factors together and rolled the dice on trying to convince the English that Hitler had no designs on their empire and thereby end the hostilities between those countries. That of course was absolutely hopeless, but a common trait of many nazis was an incredible ignorance regarding the mindset of other countries. One of the more interesting questions is whether he was actually insane or faned mental illness once he realized that his mission had failed.

Churchill sure did throw him in a dark hole and threw away the key......I wonder what concerned him so much??

 

[Rob]

It certainly was a strange case wasn't it.Whatever his motives he spent a long lonely life in prison because of them.Still better than dying with Hitler in his bunker i suppose.

Rob