The release of Return of the Jedi in
1983 saw Star Wars 3" action figures
and accessories reach new heights.

When mentioning the phrases 'science fiction' and 'toy merchandise' in same breath as 'the 1970s', one can't avoid talking about the Star Wars saga - the franchise that has redefined the genre and the market place forever.

The series now totals six blockbusting epics. The first three films: Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of The Jedi actually being made and released years before the most recent trio - explaining the origins of the saga and the antecedents of famous characters like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.

Long a dream of George Lucas, fresh from the success of American Graffiti, the award winning film about the life of US teenagers in 1950s that he wrote and directed, perhaps he alone saw its real potential. Certainly, studio 20th Century Fox, who picked up the film after most others had turned it down, saw little merit in it and were allegedly preparing to hive off their investment in the property as a tax shelter.

 
Everyone remembers 'artoo' - but these droids?

It's certainly true that George Lucas waived the normal writer/directors fee in exchange for a payment of $175,000 and 40% of the merchandising rights. Seeing little value in this area, studio executives readily agreed to his terms. Even Kenner Toys, who only agree a toy-merchandising contract shortly before the film premiered, weren't convinced related toys would sell in great numbers.

George Lucas - The Force was with him…

The 1977 film was an enormous commercial success, breaking all box-office records and winning 7 Academy awards and vindicating Lucas's faith in the project. Kenner was overwhelmed by the demand and was forced to resort to providing vouchers in exchange for their toys when they became available. Alone, the merchandising rights generated so much income for Lucas that he has been financially independent of the studio system ever since.

Perhaps the most significant thing about Star Wars toys is the availability of hundreds of 3" figures associated with the various chapters of the saga. Until Star Wars, action figures were either of the traditional Action Man/GI Joe 12" tall variety or perhaps of a similar composition but only 8" or 10" tall. Star Wars toys included a large selection of the various spacecraft in the film: the Millennium Falcon,TIE Fighters, Snowspeeders and the like. These vehicles were designed to accommodate the relevant action figure pilots and crew, ensuring maximum play value from the range. To keep these toys to within reasonable dimensions, it was decided that the figures for them should be no larger than 3". Despite this, however, Palitoy's'Falcon', released in 1977 was a large and highly prized toy.

Of '12 backs' and '20 backs'…

 
Bobba Fett. The infamous bounty hunter
is the most valuable figure from this series.
This one cost all of £1.45 in 1984,
but I picked up most of them for as
little as 50p!

The initial Star Wars figures range totalled only 12-carded figures. Each figure was presented inside a clear plastic, vacuum-formed blister attached to a stiff card - hence the term 'carded'. On the back of each card were details of the 12 figures then available. Consequently collectors know them as '12 backs'. The range was quickly extended, growing to sets of 20 and 21. The 21st figure was a miniature of bounty hunter Bobba Fett. These early figures are highly prized, especially the replica of Bobba, which is worth the most.

Examples of toys from the first series and branded Star Wars are naturally the rarest. Mint and boxed items commanding the highest prices. Palitoy produced many of these. Their replica of a 'Landspeeder', released in 1978 and their Star Wars 'Cantina' Playset from the following year being particularly collectable.

'Mint and carded' - failed playthings?

The figures and playsets illustrating this feature all date from the Return of the Jedi period (1983). They were purchased from British retailers Tesco and Boots at the time and have been in storage ever since. Consequently they are in absolutely mint condition. However as all collectors know, even loose figures (as long as they are complete with their accessories such as ray guns or light sabres) are still worth a reasonable sum.

 
Solo… looking a little small in his blister pack.

Collecting Friends members might be interested to learn that the majority of the carded 3" figures were purchased at a Tesco supermarket in early 1984 most for as little as 50p. The figure of bounty hunter Boba Fett is now allegedly worth more than a 1,000 times this sum! The figures of Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo aren't far behind in the value stakes.

The success of Star Wars naturally encouraged the Hollywood studios to produce more science fiction blockbusters - it seemed the public had a real appetite for the stuff.

However, when Universal Studios released Battlestar Galactica in 1978, the year following the release of Star Wars, they were sued by 20th Century for copyright infringement. Fox arguing that Battlestar Galactica had stolen over 30 ideas from Star Wars. Nevertheless Universal counter sued, claiming Star Wars had borrowed much from the Buck Rogers serials of the 1940s and that R2-D2 and C3-PO mimicked the robots Huey, Dewey and Louie from Douglas Trumbull's 1971 sci-fi movie Silent Running. The lawsuit was dismissed in 1980.