It sounds like a punchline. Or maybe a fever dream cooked up by a bored film student on a Tuesday night. You've got two men sitting in a high-end Manhattan restaurant, eating quail and talking about the death of the theater, the nature of reality, and whether or not we are all living in a "prison of our own making." It is the ultimate "talkie." And yet, if you’ve spent any time in the niche corners of the internet or toy collecting circles, you’ve probably heard the legend of the My Dinner with Andre action figures.
The idea of Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory as plastic, articulated toys is inherently hilarious. It’s the antithesis of what an action figure is supposed to be. Action implies movement. It implies laser guns, Kung-Fu grips, and saving the universe from a giant purple alien. My Dinner with Andre is about sitting still. It’s about the action of the mind. So, did they actually exist? Sorta. But the reality is a lot more interesting than a simple store-bought toy.
The Simpsons, 1993, and the Birth of a Myth
Most people who search for these figures aren't actually looking for a vintage toy from the 80s. They’re remembering a joke. Specifically, a joke from The Simpsons episode "Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood," which aired back in 1993.
In the episode, Martin Prince is seen playing an arcade game. It’s not a fighter or a platformer. It’s a "My Dinner with Andre" arcade game. You see the joystick move, and the onscreen character—Wallace Shawn—simply says, "Tell me more." It was a brilliant jab at high-brow culture being shoved into a low-brow medium. That single gag planted a seed in the collective consciousness of pop culture nerds everywhere. If there could be an arcade game, why couldn't there be action figures?
For years, people assumed the figures were a real promotional tie-in that flopped. They weren't. Louis Malle’s 1981 masterpiece didn't have a merchandising budget. It barely had a budget for the food they ate on screen. But the joke stuck so well that it eventually manifested into physical reality decades later.
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When the Joke Became Plastic
The real-world My Dinner with Andre action figures are actually the work of Warpo Toys. This wasn't a mass-market release you’d find at a big-box retailer. It was a very specific, very self-aware piece of "meta" merchandise.
In 2014, as part of a Kickstarter campaign for their "Legends of Cthulhu" line, Warpo offered a "Stretch Goal" that felt like a love letter to 80s cinephiles. They actually produced a two-pack of Andre Gregory and Wallace Shawn. These weren't high-end statues. They were designed to look exactly like the 3.75-inch Kenner figures from the late 70s and early 80s. Think original Star Wars style. Five points of articulation. Blister card packaging.
Honestly, holding them feels weird. Wallace Shawn’s figure is tiny, wearing his signature rumpled suit. Andre looks appropriately gaunt and intense. They come with a little table and two chairs. No accessories like swords or shields—just a bottle of wine and some glasses. It is arguably the most "meta" collectible ever produced because it exists solely because a cartoon joked about it twenty years prior.
The Rarity Factor
If you’re looking to buy these today, good luck. Because they were part of a niche crowdfunding campaign and produced in extremely limited quantities, they don't pop up on eBay often. When they do, collectors pounce. You're looking at a price tag that far exceeds the original "novelty" value.
Why do people want them? It’s not about the toy. It’s about the irony. There is something deeply satisfying about owning a physical representation of a film that argues physical possessions and "The Machine" are destroying our souls. It’s the ultimate hipster trophy.
Why This Movie Still Breaks People's Brains
To understand why the My Dinner with Andre action figures are such a cult phenomenon, you have to look at the film itself. It’s a 110-minute conversation. That’s it.
Wallace Shawn (Wally) is a struggling playwright. He’s cynical, grounded, and just wants a good meal and an electric blanket. Andre Gregory is a director who has been traveling the world, having mystical experiences in Poland and being buried alive in the Sahara as part of a "rebirth" ceremony.
- Wally's Perspective: Life is hard, reality is what we see, and comfort is a valid goal.
- Andre's Perspective: We are living in a dream state. Modern life is a corporate-sponsored hallucination. We need to wake up.
The film works because it doesn't tell you who is right. By the end, you feel like you’ve been sitting at the table with them. You’re exhausted, exhilarated, and maybe a little bit annoyed. That emotional resonance is what makes a "toy" version so funny. You aren't playing with dolls; you're playing with existential crises.
The DIY and Custom Scene
Beyond the Warpo release, there is a whole subculture of "bootleg" toy makers who have tackled the My Dinner with Andre theme.
Custom toy artists like "Sucklord" or various underground resin casters have made their own versions over the years. These are often one-offs or runs of ten figures. They usually lean harder into the absurdity, sometimes adding "Action Features" that aren't actually features at all, like "Real Blinking Action" (which is just the eyes painted on) or "Intense Listening Pose."
This DIY spirit fits the movie perfectly. The film was an independent triumph that defied every rule of Hollywood. It makes sense that its "merchandise" would follow the same path—produced by fans, for fans, outside the traditional corporate system.
Collecting the Uncollectible
If you are serious about tracking down these figures, you need to change how you hunt. You won't find them at a local comic shop.
- Monitor Niche Forums: Sites like Rebelscum or specialized toy groups on social media are your best bet.
- Verify the Maker: Make sure you are looking for the Warpo Toys version if you want the "official" unofficial ones.
- Check the Packaging: For these figures, the card back is half the art. It usually features hilarious copy that mimics the tone of 80s toy advertisements but applies it to 110 minutes of talking.
It’s easy to dismiss this as just another weird internet artifact. But the My Dinner with Andre action figures represent something bigger. They represent the moment when the "nerd" obsession with collecting collided with "art house" cinema. It's a bridge between two worlds that should never have met.
Moving Forward with Your Collection
If you can't find the plastic versions, the best way to "own" a piece of this history is to revisit the source. The Criterion Collection release of the film is actually the best "collectible" available. It includes interviews with both Shawn and Gregory that peel back the layers of what was scripted versus what was real (spoiler: it was almost entirely scripted, despite looking like a raw conversation).
For those determined to get the toys, set up a saved search on secondary markets for "Warpo Andre Gregory." Don't expect a bargain. These have graduated from a "joke gift" to a legitimate piece of film-adjacent history.
The next time you're at a dinner party and the conversation turns to the meaningless nature of consumerism, you can smile knowing that somewhere, on a shelf, there is a plastic Wallace Shawn sitting at a plastic table, forever waiting for his quail. That, in itself, is a very Andre-like realization.