Star Wars: A rare 'Empire Day' poster for The Empire Strikes Back,
Lucasfilm / Twentieth Century Fox, 1980,
printed on card stock paper, designed by Ralph McQuarrie for the World Premiere for the film which took place at the Odeon Theatre, Leicester Square in London on the 20th May 1980, 22 1/4in x 16 1/4in (56.5cm x 41cm)
Footnotes:
Provenance:
This poster was gifted to the vendor as a leaving present on his last day of employment at Twentieth Century Fox's head offices in London in 1991. Presented to him by the marketing department who were in possession of a number of identical posters in this size and format, a smaller version to the 20in x 30in posters which are known to exist.

This rare promotional poster was part of a large marketing campaign devised by Lucasfilm/Twentieth Century Fox for the premiere of The Empire Strikes Back released in 1980. The idea was to resurrect 'Empire Day' as close to the British 'Empire' holiday which had been previously observed by members of the British Empire between 1902 and 1958 to celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday on 24th May. As such an army of stormtroopers were released throughout London's mainline and Underground stations handing out T-shirts, posters, and buttons bearing the 'Empire Day' logo, this poster being one of these rare pieces of original marketing material.
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