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Rare Books and Manuscripts

A Featured Collection in ASU's Distinctive Collections

About the Film Collections

Spanning the history of American film, theatre and television, the collection features theatre and movie playbills, film press kits, and materials from many notable personalities in the American performing arts. The collections includes, among many others: 

Star Wars Collection

The Nicholas A. Salerno Star Wars Collection houses publicity materials and merchandising products for the Star Wars film series from 1976-2005. The bulk of the materials focuses on the original trilogy: Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983).

In this collection are press kits, including the rare white Revenge of the Jedi pre-release press kit and two fold-out posters for Revenge of the Jedi, as well as other promotional materials, journal, magazine and newspaper articles, still photographs, vinyl phonograph and magnetic tape audio recordings, and digital, magnetic tape and film moving images. Rounding out the collection are posters, fabric textiles, and co-branded and licensed merchandising products, including 130 action figures, the Millennium Falcon, and the Dagobah and Ewok Village playsets .

For a detailed description of this collection, see the Nicholas A. Salerno Star Wars Collection Finding Aid on Arizona Archives Online. Please note that some boxes have restricted access to preserve the original items.

Related Article

ASU Star Wars Collection at Hayden Library is a Trove of Jedi Wisdom, by Elizabeth A. Giudicessi, ASU Now

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