This lot will be auctioned on Thursday, November 3rd. The auction will begin at 3:00PM GMT and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on Friday, November 4th; Saturday, November 5th; or Sunday, November 6th.

A story synopsis for "The Adventures of Luke Starkiller," an early title for George Lucas' Star Wars: A New Hope. Early versions of Lucas' screenplay featured additional variations on the title, including "Adventures of the Starkiller."

This brass brad-bound, six-page synopsis comes from the collection of the film's advertising and publicity supervisor Charles "Charley" Lippincott. The cover is dated "May 1, 1975" with the subheader "(episode one) 'The Star Wars.'" Page 2 describes the story as "an engaging human drama set in a fantasy world that paralyzes [sic] the imagination." The synopsis is hole-punched and the cover exhibits yellow staining. Dimensions: 21.75 cm x 28 cm (8.5" x 11")

Lots in this section of the auction come from the collection of Charles “Charley” Lippincott. Lippincott is considered among the foremost marketing and merchandising experts in the history of fantasy and science-fiction. After an early start in traditional Hollywood publicity, his career exploded when college friend George Lucas hired him as Lucasfilm’s VP of Advertising, Publicity, Promotion & Merchandising, a role he used to create arguably the most successful – and bombastic – marketing campaign ever for Lucas’ 1977 blockbuster Star Wars. Lippincott subsequently masterminded the publicity strategies for such era-defining properties as Ridley Scott’s Alien and Mike Hodges’ Flash Gordon. The popularity of these projects further propelled him into the top ranks of film executives, leading him to produce Danny Cannon’s cult classic Judge Dredd.

While Charley Lippincott passed away in 2020, his personal collection of rare unseen production and marketing materials reflects a legacy of influence on some of cinema’s most memorable titles. All auction registrants will also be entered into a random giveaway drawing to win a T-shirt or brochure produced by Lippincott for the 2016 convention MidAmeriCon 2 (“MAC II”) which re-united Gary Kurtz, Alan Dean Foster, Marc Pevers, and Gary Kurtz. The giveaway is made possible by Lippincott’s estate.

Estimate: £1,500 - 2,500 Ω

View all lots from STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE (1977)

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