Sitcom merchandising is always a curious thing when it goes beyond the obvious catch phrase T shirt or poster. The best example of this would be "Welcome Back Kotter" which was licensed a great deal due to it's popularity with younger kids (like me!)
But did anyone want Action Figures? I can just imagine the kid on Christmas morning who unwrapped his Mr Kotter doll, "Gee Mom, you shouldn't have". I seem to recall seeing a whole wall of unsold Mr Kotter and Horshak dolls as a teenager.....
I've featured this before but it's worth repeating, the Sweathogs Dress shirt, complete with giant floating Gabe Kaplan heads, somebody is getting lucky tonight.....
And finally, who in their right mind wanted to read the comic book adventures of the Sweathogs?
I'll tell you who, Me! For some odd reason I bought like all of these comics, years after the series was cancelled too. I never saw this fine treasury edition (image borrowed from the amazing Treasury Comics Website )but if I do, I plan on getting it. Pity me.....
7 comments:
Yeah, I remember running across a Kotter coloing book on ebay and I picked up a super cheap Kotter novel in a used bookstore once.
You know, I think I would love a Kotter Action Figure. I'd carry him everywhere and when ever I decided to crack a horrible joke I'd hold him in front of my face and say it with my best impersonation. I'd be sure to have no friends then...
when I was a kid, for Xmas either 78 or 79, mixed in with all my StarWars stuff, and FisherPrice Adventure People was a "Welcome Back Kotter" Colorforms set.
it featured the backdrop of the classroom, with all the Sweathogs...including a Horshak who had a seperate arm so you could raise and lower it while making the "Oh!Oh!Oh!" noise...
featured paper airplanes, ruler, apples, paper wads, and other assorted props.
this did NOT mix well with my Spiderman, Hulk, and UFO Colorforms sets.
I think I am in love with you now.
My husband's nervous.
I may need to steal from you from time to time; I have both "Don't Wear Wednesday" and "Bad Music Thursday" on my blog, and you are a gold mine to me.
If you wore that shirt, the only person who'd be saying "Welcome Back" would be the emergency room receptionist.
I always wondered where the "mutant Ken doll" in our Barbie collection came from. My sisters and I would always chose him last because he was several inches shorter than Barbie and was just ugly. Know I know I was the proud and unknowing possessor of my own "Horshak" doll.
Is it just me, or is the Juan Epstein action figure wearing... moon boots?
I know. That our sweathogs dolls are way better, than ken ,& Barbie. I even had a Cher doll , i wish i hadnt lost her. :(
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