Waiting In Line To See Star Wars: 1977-2000

1977

People maintain their places in line awaiting the midnight premiere of “The Empire Strikes Back,” the sequel to “Star Wars,” May 21, 1980. Some of the fans expected to be in line as long as 36 hours in order to be among the first in the nation to view the new movie. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

DECEMBER 27th: Star Wars opens to british Audiences for the first time on 27/12/1977. The queue outside the Leicester Square Theatre for the London opening of the movie “Star Wars”

In this June 7, 1977 file photo, theater goers wait in lines in front of the Avco Center Theater in Los Angeles to see “Star Wars.” (AP Photo, file)

In this June 7, 1977 file photo, theater goers wait in lines in front of the Avco Center Theater in Los Angeles to see “Star Wars.” (AP Photo, file)

The queue outside the Leicester Square Theatre, in the morning, for the London opening of the movie “Star Wars”.
MAY 14TH: On this day in 1944, ‘Star Wars’ movie series creator George Lucas was born.
Ref #: PA.1542048
Date: 27/12/1977

“Star Wars” fan Danny Fitzgerald of Staten Island, in Darth Vader costume, poses in front of Loews Astor Plaza movie theater in Times Square in New York, May 25, 1983, where fans are lined up for the premiere of “The Return of the Jedi,” the third in a series of the “Star Wars” saga. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff)

Three costumed fans of the “Star Wars” movie trilogy stands in a line of ticket buyers outside a Boston Theatre Wednesday May 25, 1983, before the first Boston performance of the film “Return of the Jedi.” From left are Kevin Maguire, as an Imperial Fire Control Officer; Stephen Robards, centre, and his brother John Robards as Rebel Fighter Pilots. (AP Photo/Southwick)

Movie fans line up on Philadelphia’s Chestnut Street for the premiere of the Movie “Return of the Jedi” Wednesday May 23, 1983. Fans began lining up Tuesday night to see the Star Wars trilogy. (AP Photo/ George Widman)

Star Wars fans have queue outside the Odeon Leicester Square cinema in London as they clamour to be the first in the UK to see the latest part of the saga. More than 100,000 seats were booked after tickets went on sale just after midnight, with many buying in person.
Ref #: PA.1204258
Date: 01/07/1999

Brian Pate of Burbank, Calif., foreground, hides his hand of cards from friends Melissa Filbeck of Sunland, Calif., and Ben Johnson of Fullerton, Calif., as they wait in line at the Mann Chinese Theatre for “Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace” tickets, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles on Wednesday, May 12, 1999. The three have been waiting in line since midnight last night. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

“Star Wars” fans Apollo Nguyen, left, David Browne, center, and Monica Morero, all of Los Angeles wait outside the Mann Village Theater in Westwood, Los Angeles, Sunday, April 18, 1999 to be among the first ticket buyers for “Star Wars: Episode 1- The Phantom Menace,” Director George Lucas’s next installment of the science fiction tale is set to hit theaters on May 19. Nguyen and Browne have been waiting outside the theater since April 9. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)