has anyone ever seen one of these for sale?

[robpmarsh]

http://io9.com/5944000/the-force-beam-perhaps-the-very-first-bootleg-star-wars-toy

Remember getting one of these for Christmas after Star Wars came out.

Would really like to find another one.

 

[tiefighterboy]

They come up from time to time. Many times mis-listed.

 

[Michael Sith]

Check your pm mate

 

[chipsteak]

I thought they'd be quite common as they were everywhere circa ROTJ. On the occasion I've seen them come up for sale they went for way more than I fancied them for.

 

[ZippyNL]

My cousin and I both got one for Xmas. We stuck the batteries in, turned the lights off, turned them on and bashed them together. Both instantly knackered

 

[Simply Sci-fi]

Wow. You must have really gone at it with those Force Beams to break them. The toy was pretty tough. Mine is badly beaten up and is bent like a banana but it’s still basically in one piece.

The Force Beams were very popular in 78 – 80 but I don’t recall seeing them on sale in ’83. I would have bought one to replace my beaten up one. The official lightsabre was on sale in my area when The Empire Strikes Back arrived; the one that didn’t light up but made a sound as you waved it about.

I have been attempting to get to the bottom of the Force Beam affair for my book, with little success. I've been unable to confirm it but I believe that the Force Beam was invented and copyrighted before Star Wars arrived (re-named Force Beam to tie in with the film). An American toy inventor got very, very lucky.

If the Force Beam was breaking copyright, the powers-that-be did a terrible job of shutting down production because it just continued to be produced. Also if LFL was able to copyright a solid plastic sword that lit up, where was the official Star Wars version? There never was one and fans had to put up with the rubbish inflatable version.

Was the Force Beam a bootleg or in fact a product that hit the shelves at exactly at the right time? More information would be very handy!

Craig.

 

[Pomse2001]

Never seen it before :shock:

 

[chipsteak]

The Force Beams were very popular in 78 – 80 but I don’t recall seeing them on sale in ’83. I would have bought one to replace my beaten up one.

Yeah. The first-film era is just before my time. It wasn't until I went reading about them recently that I discovered they were originally from the '70s.

Maybe a Glasgow cash'n'carry found a shed full of them in 1983. I can't be sure that I saw them in the big chains around that time but they were really common in independent shops around that time so it might have been a local phenomenon.

Anyone else remember circa-ROTJ Force Beams?

 

[db94]

Chipsteak it's 0300 get to your bed
I loved my force beam - thought it was one if the coolest toys ever.
Definitely on my wish list

 

[ZippyNL]

Well OK, when I say knackered, they both had pretty severe kinks in the plastic tubing in a couple of places. We weren't happy as you can imagine. I remember looking for one in later years but never did find one.

 

[Simply Sci-fi]

I’ll second that. The plastic tubes didn't look pristine for very long . We just kept battling away despite the damage done to the plastic beams. It still lights up – who cares!

I did a little digging around last night and came up with some Force Beam related cuttings. The toy shop ad is from February 1978 and shows that the Force Beam was the only toy available at that time. Palitoy must have been collectively slapping their foreheads.

The kids are posing with a “Darth Vader” employed to promote a Star Wars display at the Grants department store in Croydon. He’s wearing a Don Post Studios Vader mask which were not cheap at the time. But what’s that kid in black wearing on his head? Some kind of Imperial officer cap?

The other photo is of some kids holding a cinema manager hostage with their Force Beams for a publicity shoot. They’ve gone out and bought Force beams before the film had opened. That’s the power of hype for you!

Craig.

 

[Lom]

I'm still poking around in the loft and guess what I found today??? A little battered and bruised...

Picture of the end cap.

Pop of the end cap and you find out that it is basically an Eveready torch - which makes sense I guess.

Cleaned the contacts, stuck some new batteries in and still works fine. Given the passage of time (some 35 years) and the abuse it got at my hands when I was a nipper, that's nothing short of a miracle!

 

[robpmarsh]

if you ever wanna sell it let me know!

(did you find the other bit of the handle?)

 

[Lom]

if you ever wanna sell it let me know!

(did you find the other bit of the handle?)

Sorry - no can do - my Son's already claimed it!

Haven't found the missing bit so far but getting random pieces turning up all the time. Just discovered the little plastic Rebel cruiser that fits into the belly of the diecast Star Destroyer; mind you, can't now remember what box I put the Star Destroyer in!

 

[Dark Sith Lord]

Never seen one of those before! Awesome 8)

 

[Stuart Skinner]

Another great find Lom and even more of a find is that little rebel cruiser, great find

 

[robpmarsh]

I just picked up a die cast cruiser without the rebel ship inside it!

lol

 

[Lom]

I just picked up a die cast cruiser without the rebel ship inside it!

lol

Reunited!