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Vintage Star Wars Collecting
Vintage Reference Library
Comprehensive Guide to Baggies
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<blockquote data-quote="Frunkstar" data-source="post: 482142" data-attributes="member: 314"><p><span style="font-size: 26px"><span style="color: #00BF00">Cinema Find </span></span></p><p></p><p>Here is what the guy wrote about what he knows about his great find -</p><p></p><p>"<span style="color: #0040FF">It was 39 years ago so it's hard to get the details right without finding it in writing somewhere. However I'm sure the film opened at the Westgate in May 1977, although I can't say for certain that it was May 25. </span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF">Some theaters apparently opened a couple of days later. It was an exclusive run in the Portland, OR market, no other theaters in that market could play it as long as we were running it. I think that may be why we kept it running so long, to exclude other theaters from playing it. The owner, Tom Moyer had a brother Larry who also owned a theater chain in Portland, and they were bitter, bitter competitors. </span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF">When I entered the scene I believe in September 1977, it was still very busy, selling out both shows on Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday matinees. We also had two other auditoriums that were busy with other films. </span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF">I remember finding the box under the counter in the box office, and asked why we had these toys. The cashier said they were given away to ticket buyers in the opening days of the film. I don't know, but it's possible they ran newspaper ads with a coupon, and something like the first 50 customers each show got a toy. </span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF">That kind of promotion was not unusual in those days, but I have no proof. Maybe with a little more research. </span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF">Today is the first time I've ever emptied the box to see what was really in there, and must say I was a bit disappointed. Instead of being a bunch of sets of four, here is the inventory: 19 of R2-D2, all wrapped 15 of Luke, one unwrapped 6 of Chewbacca, one unwrapped 2 of Leia, both wrapped I also noticed that Luke's lightsaber is extendable via a little mechanism in the back of his arm. </span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF">I am wondering if the figures in the Early Bird sets have this feature as well. The address on the box shows it didn't come directly from Kenner, but from The Maple Plains Company, Inc., One Industrial Drive, Maple Plains, MN 55359. The box also has written in felt tip pen '150 pcs Luke'. </span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF">It's possible each figure came in bulk in it's own box, and the theater just lumped them all into one at the end of the promotion.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0040FF">Just from my knowledge of the movie theater business in those days, I think it unlikely that Tom Moyer Luxury Theaters would buy toys for a promotion. It's much more likely they came through the distributor, which was 20th Century Fox (or a company distributing for them). I know that when the film opened there was not any idea it would be so huge, and that's why Kenner wasn't geared up to make more toys quickly.</span>"</p><p></p><p>Below are the images of what was found, it is worth nothing this is the only known SW era shipper for baggies, though it does not state "bagged" IE a specific baggies shipping case like later examples as you can see, but these are what the figures were sent in for the promotion.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]167243[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]167244[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]167245[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]167246[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]167247[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]167248[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]167249[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]167250[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]167251[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]167252[/ATTACH]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Frunkstar, post: 482142, member: 314"] [size=7][color=#00BF00]Cinema Find [/color][/size] Here is what the guy wrote about what he knows about his great find - "[color=#0040FF]It was 39 years ago so it’s hard to get the details right without finding it in writing somewhere. However I’m sure the film opened at the Westgate in May 1977, although I can’t say for certain that it was May 25. Some theaters apparently opened a couple of days later. It was an exclusive run in the Portland, OR market, no other theaters in that market could play it as long as we were running it. I think that may be why we kept it running so long, to exclude other theaters from playing it. The owner, Tom Moyer had a brother Larry who also owned a theater chain in Portland, and they were bitter, bitter competitors. When I entered the scene I believe in September 1977, it was still very busy, selling out both shows on Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday matinees. We also had two other auditoriums that were busy with other films. I remember finding the box under the counter in the box office, and asked why we had these toys. The cashier said they were given away to ticket buyers in the opening days of the film. I don’t know, but it’s possible they ran newspaper ads with a coupon, and something like the first 50 customers each show got a toy. That kind of promotion was not unusual in those days, but I have no proof. Maybe with a little more research. Today is the first time I’ve ever emptied the box to see what was really in there, and must say I was a bit disappointed. Instead of being a bunch of sets of four, here is the inventory: 19 of R2-D2, all wrapped 15 of Luke, one unwrapped 6 of Chewbacca, one unwrapped 2 of Leia, both wrapped I also noticed that Luke’s lightsaber is extendable via a little mechanism in the back of his arm. I am wondering if the figures in the Early Bird sets have this feature as well. The address on the box shows it didn’t come directly from Kenner, but from The Maple Plains Company, Inc., One Industrial Drive, Maple Plains, MN 55359. The box also has written in felt tip pen ‘150 pcs Luke’. It’s possible each figure came in bulk in it’s own box, and the theater just lumped them all into one at the end of the promotion. Just from my knowledge of the movie theater business in those days, I think it unlikely that Tom Moyer Luxury Theaters would buy toys for a promotion. It’s much more likely they came through the distributor, which was 20th Century Fox (or a company distributing for them). I know that when the film opened there was not any idea it would be so huge, and that’s why Kenner wasn’t geared up to make more toys quickly.[/color]" Below are the images of what was found, it is worth nothing this is the only known SW era shipper for baggies, though it does not state "bagged" IE a specific baggies shipping case like later examples as you can see, but these are what the figures were sent in for the promotion. [ATTACH=full]167243[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]167244[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]167245[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]167246[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]167247[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]167248[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]167249[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]167250[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]167251[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]167252[/ATTACH] [/QUOTE]
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