While still in production of ‘Star Wars – A New Hope’ George Lucas and Twentieth were seeking a toy partner for their licensing efforts. After being turned away by many of the larger toy manufacturers they pitched the movie to Kenner Toys, a middle tier company at Toy Fair in February 1977. Rather than rejecting the license because it was it was a science fiction movie opening in just a few months the representatives from Kenner agreed to take a look. Waiting in Cincinnati was a designer that was primed to receive the license. Jim Swearingen was that designer. He was the first person at Kenner to read the screenplay and look through the accompanying book of photos from the completed live shooting. Familiar with George Lucas’ work, ‘THX1138′ and American Graffiti’ and alerted to the ‘Star Wars’ project in the November issue of ‘Starlog’ magazine, Jim jumped at the chance to convince Kenner’s Marketing management that they should take on the project and to show George Lucas and Twentieth Century Fox.