Here's an interesting story I heard from Jerry Ohlinger. He says that George Lucas has a one sheet (not quad) with the Hildebrandt art in his office and that only 50 of them were printed.
I think he's mistaken or I misheard. I believe Lucas has the original Hildebrandt art, not a one sheet printed poster.
Anybody ever heard this?
Kilian did do a re-release poster with that art.
No, to the best of my knowledge, Jerry isn't mistaken.
Back in 1977, after acquiring the "A" sheet, the 1/2 sheet (22x28) and the Hildebrandt Factors commercial poster, I was pretty disturbed when the Tom Chantrell "C" sheet appeared because I thought I had missed a "B" sheet. Well, what the heck was this "B" sheet? I
had to get one.
Back then, there were very few movie poster outlets. I used to buy from Fred Clarke of Cinefantastique in Illinois, the Movie Gallery on Long Island, Hollywood Poster Shop in CA, and Jerry Ohlinger and Howard Rogofsky, both in NYC. I contacted all of them and was told the same thing...
The Factors commercial Hildebrandt
was the "B" sheet that never made it to theaters. Apparently, the Hildebrandt art was used as the first UK Quad and, when Lucas saw the art reformatted as a one sheet, he nixed it for domestic theatrical use and it became the Factors commercial poster. There was also a lot of talk about 50 printers proofs floating around Fox and I remember seeing a photo of one on the wall of what was supposedly Lucas' office. I have no reason to doubt this chapter in Star Wars poster history unless Greg Hildebrandt or George Lucas say otherwise.
I eventually did acquire a Spanish language Hildebrandt "B" sheet and the Kilian anniversary one sheet that you posted. But. if these Hildebrandt printer's proofs do exist, they would undoubtedly be the most rare and most valuable of all Star Wars posters.
