‘Star Wars’ fever hits: ‘Phantom’ toys vanish

Monday, May 3, 1999 | 11:11 a.m.

They came. They waited. They seized. They bought. And the first batch disappeared.

After waiting up to two hours, nearly 200 people rummaged through the shelves of Toys R Us, 4550 Meadows Lane, to grab "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace" merchandise that went on sale at 12:01 a.m. today.

The movie is a prequel to the "Star Wars" trilogy: "Star Wars," "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." "Star Wars," which broke all box office records at the time and received seven Academy Awards, was released in 1977.

The movies spawned a subculture with conventions dedicated to trading memorabilia, books furthering the story line and websites dedicated to the phenomenon.

The new movie doesn't open until May 19 but by searching the "Star Wars" websites, fans and collectors of all ages knew what they wanted.

With action figures shoved under their arms and stuffed into their carts, they wheeled to the checkout lines where they paid hundreds of dollars for spaceships, creatures spewing goo and toy guns.

"We're just grabbing -- sort it out later," Gabriel Hink said as he looked around. "We've got to find a 12-inch Darth Maul."

"I got everything I saw -- anything I could grab," Collin Davis, 15, said as he stacked his items on the counter. "I wouldn't miss this for anything. I'm a collector."

Those wanting to make sure they left with exactly what they came for found corners or empty aisles where they could sort through their claims. Like many of the "Phantom Menace" action figures, the 12-inch Darth Maul was gone within 30 minutes.

The most popular items sold were the smaller $6.99 action figures.

Store employees began stocking shelves just after the 6 p.m. closing time Sunday. The store reopened six hours and one minute later, and customers were ushered in 20 at a time.

"Toys R Us has never done this before," manager Marc Smithline said. "Normally we put the merchandise out as soon as it comes in."

But at the 20th Century Fox's request, selling of the "Phantom Menace" merchandise was prohibited until today. Nationwide, Toys R Us doors opened at 12:01 a.m. to accommodate eager fans.

FAO Schwarz at Forum Shops at Caesars closed at 11 p.m. Sunday, then reopened at 12:01 a.m. today as well.

"This is a special occasion," FAO Schwarz spokesman Doug Spear said. "This is probably going to be the biggest movie of the summer and of all time.

"Some collectors have been waiting for the toys since announcement of the new release a couple of years ago."

In the company's 137-year history, this is the single biggest grouping of merchandise for one movie it's ever seen, Spear added.

"The hype is going to heat up between now and when the movie's release," he added.

It's hype now, but one fan noted that the new movies may have the same long-term appeal as the originals.

"Our kids will be growing up in the new 'Star Wars' generation, and they'll understand why we have all the toys at home," 25-year-old Jessica Baldwin, who lined up at Toys R Us on Sunday, said.