This is the sixth in a video series highlighting props and costumes in the upcoming Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 40”. This segment provides Joe Maddalena, CEO of Profiles in History, an opportunity to discuss the provenance of a prop lightsaber attributed to use by the character Darth Vader in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. This is one of many props being sold in the auction event, to be held June 10-12 in Calabasas Hills, CA.
During my extensive interviews last week, I had asked Mr. Maddalena about questions raised by hobbyists concerning the origins of this resin prop attributed to Return of the Jedi (1983), as some have speculated that it may be a casting of lightsaber made for an Energizer Bunny commercial broadcast in 1994. It is my understanding that the metal-based lightsaber that appeared in the commercial was made by Don Bies (as he explains on his website), who has worked extensively for both Lucasfilm and ILM.
Below is the catalog description of the prop lightsaber consigned to the Profiles in History sale event:
894. “Darth Vader” Lightsaber from Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. (TCF, 1983) This Darth Vader lightsaber was actually constructed by Stuart Freeborn’s department as it was considered a make-up effect prop. This saber is constructed of resin rather than metal to minimize weight and was one of several made specifically for use when Vader’s mechanical hand is severed by Luke in the climactic battle at the end of this film. As this scene was to be shot several times, four hands were made up and dressed to look as though Vader’s mechanical hand was inside a glove. Stuart Freeborn stated that the sabers were also used in other scenes during the film’s production, as by the end of filming some of the crew kept taking them as souvenirs for their children. In the end the props department would borrow them from time to time and sometimes they would not be returned so more had to be made to replace what went missing. This lightsaber, along with many other items from the Star Wars films, were acquired from Stuart Freeborn. Freeborn stored most of the items he made for the films he worked on over the many years of his career. When interviewed he revealed the purpose of these Vader sabers and how they were made. This is an amazing Darth Vader lightsabre and a major historic film prop made for such a milestone sequence in Return of the Jedi where Luke strikes down his father, the turning point of the whole Star Wars saga. This lightsaber was acquired with many other production pieces and creature masks from Stuart Freeborn and are now part of producer Gary Kurtz’s archive. This item is being sold to help raise money for future acquisitions and restoration for the archive, so that future generations can see these amazing pieces of history in years to come. Comes with a letter of authenticity from the Kurtz archive. $60,000 – $80,000
The same video can also be viewed directly on YouTube: LINK
Below are some images I’ve prepared for this article in order to provide additional information to supplement the video interview.
Coincidentally, I had visited “Bob Burns’ Basement” in 2005, and I and those with me had taken some photos of the Darth Vader hand and lightsaber used in Return of the Jedi that is part of his collection.
A topic about the Profiles lightsaber on the RPF (Replica Prop Forum – see “Energizer Bunny saber – who has pics?“) includes detailed photos purported to be of the lightsaber seen in the “Energizer Bunny” commercial.
Also included directly below are photos I had taken of the prop featured in the Profiles in History auction during my visit last week.
The Bob Burns example appears to be most different from the two other examples in style and components.
Below is a close-up comparison between the Profiles in History lightsaber and the Energizer Bunny lightsaber. While there are many similarities, there are also some distinct differences, such as the greeble/panel that appears below the shroud on the Profiles example and not on the Energizer example, the triangle LEDs on the side of the main control box of the Energizer lightsaber that don’t appear on the Profiles lightsaber, the differences in the circuit plate at the top of the main control box, the lack of a screw head below the D-Ring in the flat side of the shroud on the Profiles prop, and the difference in endcap types in both examples (with the Energizer version being more rounded).
Additional video features will be published over the coming week (click here to see all video previews); 270 high resolution photos taken of those pieces on display were published last week. All items and detailed descriptions can be viewed via their online catalog as well as on the official www.ProfilesInHistory.com website and the www.LiveAuctioneers.com site. All news coverage by The Original Prop Blog can be found here:
Jason DeBord