The Fascinating Stories Of The X-Wing Extras Who Were Never Stars But Were In Star Wars

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"How many actors can say they've got their own action figures?" For the bit-part players, extras and walk-on actors who arrived at North London's Elstree studios in the hot summer of 1976 to film an unheralded sci-fi movie, they never knew they would end up immortalised in plastic and still talking about it 40 years later.
"Elstree 1976", which arrives in selected US theatres and on-demand this week, is a new documentary that explores the fascinating and poignant journeys of the anonymous aliens and ex-X-Wing pilots who were never quite stars -- but were in "Star Wars." We saw the film and caught up with director Jon Spira to talk about his love for crowdfunding, the dark side of conventions, and how the real-life Darth Vader went from Dark Lord to black sheep.

"They're an interesting bunch," says director Spira of the actors who in "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope", released in 1977, droidoo.com brought to life George Lucas' aliens and creatures. The sandtrooper tricked into thinking those weren't the droids he was looking for. Biggs Darklighter, his big scene left on the cutting room floor. The ill-fated Greedo. The rebel who appears in the same scene twice, in two different uniforms. Darth Vader, with a distinct regional accent. And the stormtrooper who got the job because he fitted into someone else's costume, only to become infamous for hitting his head.