In
1977 George Lucas's Star Wars was released in cinemas all over the
world. The film revolutionised the cinema industry, and the two
sequels, The Empire Strikes Back, and The Return of the Jedi were
equally successful.
Around the films has been built a massive merchandising industry
which seems set to grow as a new generation of fans arrives willing
to buy figures, comics, posters, autographs, cells, games, puzzles,
light sabres, masks, stationary, videos of the films, videos of
the making of the films, display pieces, promotional material, Pez
dispensers, Tazos etc etc etc.
  Outside
of the main characters which we are all so familiar with, there
was a cast of hundreds. At a recent collectors show WCN met John
Chapman who played one of the X-Wing Pilots in the briefing room
scene.
This scene never made it into the final cut and eventually only
the scene with the back of the X-Wing pilots viewed. The lost briefing
room scene still exists and has caused a lot of debate among die
hard fans. His character Gil ‘Drifter’ Viray was one of the survivors
of the assault on the Death Star and John also appeared in the end
ceremony where Luke, Han and Chewbacca are awarded medals.
John Chapman is attempting to find other members from the lost briefing
room scene to have a re-union. He is also attempting to develop
his character further with stories of Drifter's adventures after
Star Wars.
Although in only a small, non-speaking part John Chapman is developing
a fan base, especially among completist Star Wars collectors, who
just have to have everything associated with the film.
As well as attending memorabilia fairs, John has been a guest at
several Star Wars conventions where he has been surprised by the
interest in his character. "I'd never bothered with the convention
circuit as I didn't have speaking part, I was just one of the extras
in the briefing room scene".
Will Drifter memorabilia be collectable?
Probably not, but to the many Star Wars fans out there, this is
another slice of unusual Star Wars history that adds a new dimension
to their collecting.
Star Wars message
board at the World Collectors Net.
John Chapman's X-Wing Pilot
web site
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