The original "Star Wars" was famously turned down by Universal, United Artists, and Disney before 20th Century Fox hit pay dirt with a tale from a galaxy far, far away. But they weren't the only companies to miss out on a cash bonanza of Death Star proportions.
When George Lucas started pitching the merchandising rights for the movie, the management at Mattel (the toy giants then best known as the home of Barbie and Hot Wheels cars) decided to pass on the opportunity to make action figures. A small Cincinnati company called Kenner's subsequent gamble on Lucas paid off big time, leaving Mattel hunting for a fantastical behemoth of its own.
