# A Thank You to DEAN MILANO



## lonfan (Feb 11, 2001)

I know you guys are gonna have my head for writting what is apparently a Private message on this Fourm AGAIN Sorry But I tried to Send this PM and they said it was to many words.well then I realized it sort of applied to PL as well as Dean I Owe everybody!! lol so here goes OH BTW IF you could forward this to this guy I'd appericate it! BTW I refer in here that I saw His name in that "Invaders Saucer Thread"

Hello Sir,
I found this thread by accident although I've been Purchasing the PL/Aurora Repops for Years now. I owe my renewed Interest in Modeling (Instead of Drinking and Drugs) to YOU! I know you're saying Huh  Well it's like this, IF you are the right Guy? I spoke to a fella at Monogram in 1993/94 Because I'd JUST found the old "Luminator" Monsters at a Discount Place in FLA. for about a Buck a piece! So I was so happy to see these Staples of my Childhood And I had just gotten married and just began to Sober up. So i was happy to have something to do with my hands lol Anyhoo I Actually called Monogram (This was before The Internet) I wanted to find out if you guys were gonna be releasing Any of the other Aurora Kits.well Dean I belive it was you they connected me with, and during a brief Conversation you told me that there was in Fact a "KING KONG" Luminator! But it was a LOT more Scarce than the others.Well I began searching EVERY Toy,Hobby and Discount Joint i could Find! lol Again this was before Ebay! So one Rainy Sunday Afternoon my Senorita and I were having a Coffee When we walked past a Comic Shop in a little Strip Mall in Ft. Lauderdale OMG! There in the Window was the Elusive KONG!! lol I convinced the Guy to open the Door and we ended up shelling out SIXTY BUCKS  For him But It was in that Store that I discovered NOT ONLY that there was other people who Enjoyed these things I'd all but forgotten about But I found out that While I had been out there trying to Alter my Mind Some other guys had started Producing EVEN BETTER Kits of Classic Monsters and Even recent guys like Freddy and Ash (Screamin') Of course I noticed the Prices were a little Steep compared to what the Aurora kits went for in the 70's lol but I was SOLD!!! Then as if it could get any better! Polar Lights began to rerelease the Adam's Family House and so on Till here We are Today Still Sober still Married (With a Third Baby Due In Dec!) and still with a Healthy Hobby That I can Pass on to my Kids And All this I owe YOU DEAN,Just for makin' me go out and track down a King Kong!lol Life is funny huh?
BEST WISHES
JOHN BRANCH
AKA LONFAN


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## origAurora buyer (Jan 12, 1999)

Are you sure this is the right place to post this? I know there's a lot of people I'd like to thank for the various things that have happened in my life.....but most of them are not connected to PL....so I wouldn't post them here. 

The only thing I'm thankful for that applies to PL today is....I'm thankful Dave hasn't scolded anyone here in the past few days for asking a question! 

OAB


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## phrankenstign (Nov 29, 1999)

In a roundabout way, Dean ended up getting lonfan to discover other modeling companies including Polar Lights. I don't think there's anything wrong with him posting his note here.

In my case, I'd known about 1995 The Addams Family Haunted House and the Mummy's Chariot from F.A.O.Schwarz but I just couldn't afford to pay $79.00. I could only dream about getting those kits. It wasn't until 1997 when Kmart started selling their exclusive square box versions of Frankenstein's Flivver and Mummy's Chariot for $9.99 each that I thought, "YES!!! My prayers have been answered!!!!" Thanks Sebastian S. Kresge!!!

Afterwards, I started actively seeking out other moderately priced Polar Lights models and found most were between $12 and $25 which was much more affordable to me.


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## lonfan (Feb 11, 2001)

Well OAB I gotta go with what Phrank said. See my life is an open book If anything I would hope one could learn from the Mistakes I've made.(and theres Plenty to Learn from!lol) So Anyhoo I just happen to be reading the thread about the "Invader's Saucer" I noticed this guy Actually responded to a Question RIGHT HERE how decent was that? So Then I recalled that this is the guy I spoke to in 93' and here we are. but IF ANYTHING you could just as well Switch the Title to"Thank You Polar Lights" Cause it was while in the Same Store (Tropic Comics in FLA) I saw the Glow Mummy's Chairiot and PL Adam's House I soon Bought them all! And JUST THIS WEEK I'VE FINALLY CAUGHT UP MY POLAR LIGHTS COLLECTION!!! (Just to keep things about Modeling!  I Had been missing a couple of PL's Older OOP kits and Thanks to Mr. Fugate :thumbsup: I'm now able to add the Tricky Dick SPACE COUPE to My Collection!!! Allowing me to Now catch up to the Current Releases (Yes I'm the ONLY one who doesn't have the ENTERPRISE yet!) And when I think of all the $$ I sunk on trying to Obtain a Different State of Mind I probly could have bought that $25000 Go Cart! TWICE!!!!So Yeah I think This is JUST the PLACE! to Say Thanks to ALL OF YOU for giving me a Place to hang out I'd rather be INSIDE the Mal-Wart Buying a Model than Out BEHIND It drinking from a Paperbag!!!  
LOVE,
JOHN aka LONFAN


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## origAurora buyer (Jan 12, 1999)

Ok....so I'm a baaaaad boy. It keeps things interesting around here.

....anyway....just to go with the flow....Thanks MOM! If it weren't for you giving birth to me....I wouldn't even be into modeling!

OAB


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## lonfan (Feb 11, 2001)

Okay I get your Point :lol: My post is a little a little Surupy but it comes from the Heart.

John/Lon :tongue:


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## AFILMDUDE (Nov 27, 2000)

Well, I liked it, John! :thumbsup: I've always found your story inspiring and your openess is refreshing!


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## lonfan (Feb 11, 2001)

Thanks Filmdude but Brother You don't know the Half of it! lol  

JOHN


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I'd like to thank all the little people - Billy Barty, Kenny Baker, that Twin Peaks guy who's on Carnivale now ...


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## origAurora buyer (Jan 12, 1999)

lonfan said:


> Okay I get your Point :lol: My post is a little a little Surupy but it comes from the Heart.
> 
> John/Lon :tongue:


Hey! So my post comes from the "Heart" too! Did you know that I loved my Mother a lot more after I was born! (...although she is to blame for me being on the bottle.....until I was around 2 years old, anyway....)

OAB


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## Steve244 (Jul 22, 2001)

John P said:


> I'd like to thank all the little people - Billy Barty, Kenny Baker, that Twin Peaks guy who's on Carnivale now ...


Michael J Anderson . He's brilliant on the Twin Peaks Season 1 DVD. Gives talking backwards lessons.


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## Zorro (Jun 22, 1999)

Steve244 said:


> Michael J Anderson . He's brilliant on the Twin Peaks Season 1 DVD. Gives talking backwards lessons.


Probably my all-time favorite David Lynch scene. No one has better achieved the feeling of a dream on film than in this sequence.


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## Steve CultTVman Iverson (Jan 1, 1970)

One of the very great tv series of all time... and why do all the great ones self destruct?

Cult


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## Pygar (Feb 26, 2000)

Then there's the guy who played F'tumpch the Demon on "The Young Ones"... think he had his own TV series for a while but don't think I watched...


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## lonfan (Feb 11, 2001)

Pygar, Could you be refering to "The Wizard"? This Show was like a "Mini-Macgiver" Sadly I herd this guy took his own life Several years back.

LON/JOHN


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## Steve244 (Jul 22, 2001)

Never forget...


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## BB Moderator (Feb 27, 2002)

Moving this one John, Hope you understand


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## superduty455 (Jun 21, 2000)

John, I'm not sure if you are familiar with the Hobby Heaven Message Board, but Dean posts their quite a bit. I think if you posted this over there and got his attention in the heading he would probably respond to you much quicker.
Unless that is, he's already done so.
Here is the link to the board:
http://www.modelcarkits.com/cgi-bin/webbbs/board.cgi

Great story and glad to hear that you are on the straight and narrow modeling line.
Chris


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## deanguy (Jun 30, 2003)

Hi-

Just saw this message for the first time. 

Thanks for all the nice words and yes, I'm sure it was me you talked to at Revell Monogram back in '93. I'm glad I was able to get you started on your plastic addiction. The more of us the merrier, right?  

Dean



lonfan said:


> I know you guys are gonna have my head for writting what is apparently a Private message on this Fourm AGAIN Sorry But I tried to Send this PM and they said it was to many words.well then I realized it sort of applied to PL as well as Dean I Owe everybody!! lol so here goes OH BTW IF you could forward this to this guy I'd appericate it! BTW I refer in here that I saw His name in that "Invaders Saucer Thread"
> 
> Hello Sir,
> I found this thread by accident although I've been Purchasing the PL/Aurora Repops for Years now. I owe my renewed Interest in Modeling (Instead of Drinking and Drugs) to YOU! I know you're saying Huh  Well it's like this, IF you are the right Guy? I spoke to a fella at Monogram in 1993/94 Because I'd JUST found the old "Luminator" Monsters at a Discount Place in FLA. for about a Buck a piece! So I was so happy to see these Staples of my Childhood And I had just gotten married and just began to Sober up. So i was happy to have something to do with my hands lol Anyhoo I Actually called Monogram (This was before The Internet) I wanted to find out if you guys were gonna be releasing Any of the other Aurora Kits.well Dean I belive it was you they connected me with, and during a brief Conversation you told me that there was in Fact a "KING KONG" Luminator! But it was a LOT more Scarce than the others.Well I began searching EVERY Toy,Hobby and Discount Joint i could Find! lol Again this was before <a href=http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-1606754-2202639 target=_blank>eBay</a><img src=http://www.awltovhc.com/image-1606754-2202639 width=1 height=1 border=0>! So one Rainy Sunday Afternoon my Senorita and I were having a Coffee When we walked past a Comic Shop in a little Strip Mall in Ft. Lauderdale OMG! There in the Window was the Elusive KONG!! lol I convinced the Guy to open the Door and we ended up shelling out SIXTY BUCKS  For him But It was in that Store that I discovered NOT ONLY that there was other people who Enjoyed these things I'd all but forgotten about But I found out that While I had been out there trying to Alter my Mind Some other guys had started Producing EVEN BETTER Kits of Classic Monsters and Even recent guys like Freddy and Ash (Screamin') Of course I noticed the Prices were a little Steep compared to what the Aurora kits went for in the 70's lol but I was SOLD!!! Then as if it could get any better! Polar Lights began to rerelease the Adam's Family House and so on Till here We are Today Still Sober still Married (With a Third Baby Due In Dec!) and still with a Healthy Hobby That I can Pass on to my Kids And All this I owe YOU DEAN,Just for makin' me go out and track down a King Kong!lol Life is funny huh?
> ...


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## lonfan (Feb 11, 2001)

Thank You Dean - I'd Figured I'd Missed you. It's not many times in life you get a chance to go back and Thank someone for making a difference in one's Life, (trust me there's some Grade School Teachers I REALLY need to Apologize to for being such a bastard! lol) So this really makes my day.


NOW that being said AND since this IS a Modeling Forum I need to ask, DID that Invaders Saucer ever get released Finally? IF you have a Moment Please gimmie an E-mail [email protected] BTW I've got a Bunch of Photos Of The Family (we finnaly had the Third Baby Girl) and My Kit Collection I'd love to send to you.
OH and Btw a HUGE thank you Mr. Metzner for Refering me to Dean!! Seems like NUTHIN BUT CARING DECENT PEOPLE IN THIS HOBBY!

Party on and Have One for me! lol
JOHN/LONFAN


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Steve244 said:


> Never forget...


He was great in The Bride with Clancy Brown...who is also on Carnivale with Michael J. Anderson...hmmm...


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## superduty455 (Jun 21, 2000)

lonfan--Congrats on your new child! Hopefully Dean will come back today. 
I don't mean to step on any toes, but I'd like to add the Revell Monogram decided they did not need Deans services anymore. 
I hope he can land on his feet and continue his plastic modeling career. Thanks Dean. Thanks lonfan for your story.
Chris


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## 747 (Oct 11, 2001)

(Time Bandits Cast)


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Wow.....the Brotherhood of the FREAKY model builders club meet again! 

FAR OUT!!


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## deanguy (Jun 30, 2003)

superduty455 said:


> lonfan--Congrats on your new child! Hopefully Dean will come back today.
> I don't mean to step on any toes, but I'd like to add the Revell Monogram decided they did not need Deans services anymore.
> I hope he can land on his feet and continue his plastic modeling career. Thanks Dean. Thanks lonfan for your story.
> Chris


 Yes, just for the record- Revell "downsized" me along with a group of other long time employees a couple of weeks ago. Those of us who weren't considered essential were let go.
I plan to continue building models at my usual frenetic pace, but I don't see myself getting a job in the industry again. There just aren't that many options out there when it comes to model kit companies.


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## Cro-Magnon Man (Jun 11, 2001)

I'm sorry to hear that Dean. I've been a big admirer if your website for years, and this started out as a nice thread about the Luminators 'era' (which was a nice era!), and it ends with this sad news. I understand that you were instrumental in getting some old Aurora kits reissued by RevellMonogram, or in advising them of how the kits should appear.


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

Well, I certainly made a point to get the latest incarnation of the Invaders UFO with the revised domes. I think Dean was involved in that.

Thanks!

Dean, I'm very sorry to hear that you are no longer with Revell. It sucks when crap happens to good folks. Here's hoping that things work out well for you in spite of that!

Huzz


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## heiki (Aug 8, 1999)

Well Dean,

Will you share what really happened to the molds for the Aurora Voyager?



deanguy said:


> Yes, just for the record- Revell "downsized" me along with a group of other long time employees a couple of weeks ago. Those of us who weren't considered essential were let go.
> I plan to continue building models at my usual frenetic pace, but I don't see myself getting a job in the industry again. There just aren't that many options out there when it comes to model kit companies.


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## beck (Oct 22, 2003)

Bummer to hear that Dean . the industry has lost a man of vision in letting you go . 
but you'll do well where ever you land . 
hb


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## ChrisW (Jan 1, 1970)

Dean, let me add my condolences - you were one of the few that "got" where the modeler's heads were at, and tried to do your best for us.

Your website is a fascinating trip down memory lane as well as an interesting source for behind-the-scenes info - I hope you decide to keep it running.

Good luck in all your future plans.

Chris White


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## deanguy (Jun 30, 2003)

Hey guys-

Thanks for all the support and kind words. It's certainly appreciated.

I definitely plan to continue building model kits, but I don't know that I'll have all that much of a public profile any more. 
Glad I was able to influence the hobby in a positive way (hopefully) during my time in the industry.

As to the fate of the Fantastic Voyager model- I don't think anyone knows for sure. It was shown on a list of existing tools, but I don't know that anyone actually ever found the tooling, so it may be long gone.


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## Capt. Krik (May 26, 2001)

deanguy said:


> Glad I was able to influence the hobby in a positive way (hopefully) during my time in the industry.


I'd say you were a very positive influence, Dean. Especially after reading Lon's story.
Thanks also for getting them to rerelease the UFO kit. I picked up a couple of them and will probably grab one or two more before they disappear. It's a shame the Flying Sub didn't make the cut but hey, can't have everything,
It's a shame that guys like you and Dave Metzner are no longer at the model companies. You really care about these kits and the customers who build them.
Good luck at your next job and remember don't be a stranger around here. Can never have too many modelers visiting and contributing to the boards.


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## deanguy (Jun 30, 2003)

Capt. Krik said:


> I'd say you were a very positive influence, Dean. Especially after reading Lon's story.
> Thanks also for getting them to rerelease the UFO kit. I picked up a couple of them and will probably grab one or two more before they disappear. It's a shame the Flying Sub didn't make the cut but hey, can't have everything,
> It's a shame that guys like you and Dave Metzner are no longer at the model companies. You really care about these kits and the customers who build them.
> Good luck at your next job and remember don't be a stranger around here. Can never have too many modelers visiting and contributing to the boards.


Thanks for the nice words, but don't give up on that Flying Sub yet. It still may happen.


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

Flying Sub? Who do we write to?
Huzz


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## A Taylor (Jan 1, 1970)

Nelson Institute of Marine Research.


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

Hi AT!
I got a reply already. I'll send it to your web site's email!

Huzz:hat:


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## Capt. Krik (May 26, 2001)

deanguy said:


> Thanks for the nice words, but don't give up on that Flying Sub yet. It still may happen.


Cool! I still have my 70's issue Aurora kit I plan to rebuild some day but wouldn't mind picking up a couple of new reissue kits


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

Me too.

I think that the demand for a Flying Sub would be significantly higher than for the Invaders Saucer, which made it to production.

Huzz


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## lonfan (Feb 11, 2001)

Ahh So The Invaders Saucer DID in fact get repoped? COOL CAN I STILL GET ONE?

John/Lonfan


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## fernieo (Mar 22, 2000)

lonfan said:


> Ahh So The Invaders Saucer DID in fact get repoped? COOL CAN I STILL GET ONE?
> 
> John/Lonfan


 Right Here:
http://www.megahobby.com/cgi-bin/shopper.exe?preadd=action&key=REV6012&reference=/cgi-bin/shopper.exe%3Fsearch%3Daction%26keywords%3Dspace%26searchstart%3D0%26template%3DTemplates\NewSearchResult.html


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## heiki (Aug 8, 1999)

deanguy said:


> ....As to the fate of the Fantastic Voyager model- I don't think anyone knows for sure. It was shown on a list of existing tools, but I don't know that anyone actually ever found the tooling, so it may be long gone.


So when Monogram/Revell picked-up and moved the entire warehouse with the tools/molds, who was checking off the list of what got moved?


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

heiki said:


> So when Monogram/Revell picked-up and moved the entire warehouse with the tools/molds, who was checking off the list of what got moved?


It's not quite that easy.
I know, I just went through something like this (though on a much smaller scale) last year.
Our shop, which only had a few hundred molds closed.
Took me over a month to inventory and ship all the packaging, pieces and parts we had in the place.
Took 2 other guys in the modling department that long to paletize and strap all our molds as well.
Also, when things don't get used for a while, they tend to get buried in the back corners of the warehouses.
An operation that size has to have a lot of dead storage to look through.
Probably scattered throughout several buildings.


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

deanguy said:


> Hey guys-
> 
> Thanks for all the support and kind words. It's certainly appreciated.
> 
> ...


That's too bad Dean.
I remember when I first met you on the Aurora list.
You always had some great info and stories to share.

Hope you don't have any trouble finding something else that will pay the bills.
Good Luck!


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

Welp, I just ordered another Invaders UFO from Megahobby! Thanks very much Dean for getting this one in the stores for us guys! 

Huzz :thumbsup:


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## deanguy (Jun 30, 2003)

*UFO kit source*



Dave Hussey said:


> Welp, I just ordered another Invaders UFO from Megahobby! Thanks very much Dean for getting this one in the stores for us guys!
> 
> Huzz :thumbsup:


Quite alright, and if anyone else needs the UFO kit, let me know.

Toys-n-cars.com

Click on STUFF FOR SALE


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