On May 25, 1977, the line stretched from Grauman's Chinese Theater down Hollywood Boulevard as sci-fi fans waited to catch their first glimpse of a new era in fantasy film making. With the rumble of a monolithic Star Destroyer passing over the heads of awed moviegoers, that era began with a flash of laser fire and the gleam of space-faring ships locked in pitched battle. Star Wars had arrived, and pop culture would never be the same again. The movie introduced us to a lightsaber-wielding hero, a rogue with a heart of gold, a damsel in distress, two comical robot sidekicks, and a black hat villain - literally - with a pronounced breathing problem.

In December 1977, Kenner was preparing a line of tie-in toys but was caught off-guard by the whirlwind success of the film. With no toys ready for Christmas, Kenner debuted its first Star Wars product - an empty box with a mail-in certificate for the first four action figures ever made. The merchandising of a milestone movie had begun and Kenner's line of toys itself became a milestone in the history of pop culture collectibles.

The overwhelming success of Star Wars-almost $776 million worldwide in box office returns to date-led to the production of two sequels-The Empire Strikes Back, released in 1980, and Return of the Jedi, released in 1983. Between 1977 and 1985, Star Wars-related merchandise in every category imaginable flooded store shelves, from toys based on the characters, vehicles and environments seen in the films to household items, clothing, and much more. The marketing juggernaut that was the Star Wars trilogy established a modern template for the exploitation of entertainment that continues to be followed to this day.

In the thirty years since the first Star Wars film premiered, the empire that it spawned has grown to include five more films, cartoons, TV specials, books, magazines, toys, and collectibles of every conceivable category. After a successful reintroduction of the original trilogy with digitally enhanced effects in 1997, the 20th anniversary year, Lucasfilm extended the saga with three all-new prequel films that told the story of Darth Vader from his youth as Anakin Skywalker to his fateful transformation into the villain we all know. With the new films came a whole new wave of merchandise and media awareness that continues to this day.

Star Wars has woven itself into the lives of generations of children, many of whom grew to adulthood and then introduced their own kids to the wonders of that galaxy far, far away. Today, Star Wars is a permanent fixture in the American pop culture landscape and part of our "Expanding Universe" gallery at Geppi's Entertainment Museum. The Force will be with us...always.