Home / Arts and Entertainment / Star Wars Disco Stormtroopers & Pryor: Marketing Revolution
Star Wars Disco Stormtroopers & Pryor: Marketing Revolution
29 May
Summary
- Star Wars characters appeared on "Donny & Marie" and "The Richard Pryor Show".
- Promotional efforts included singing Stormtroopers and a Mos Eisley cantina sketch.
- These cross-promotions aimed to remind audiences the film was still in theaters.
In the summer of 1977, "Star Wars" utilized unconventional cross-promotional tactics on television to sustain its box office momentum. Charles Lippincott, Lucasfilm's VP of advertising, approved character appearances on variety shows.
One notable instance was an 11-minute segment on "Donny & Marie" in September 1977. This featured R2-D2, Darth Vader, C-3PO, and Stormtroopers singing a parody. Even Redd Foxx appeared as an Obi-Wan "force ghost."
A week later, "The Richard Pryor Show" aired a "Star Wars Bar" sketch. This reimagined the Mos Eisley cantina with adult humor, pushing boundaries with its content.
These efforts, including disco-dancing Stormtroopers and a Mos Eisley cantina skit, were designed to remind viewers the film was still in theaters. They fundamentally changed movie marketing, influencing studios for decades.
