STAR Wars fever gripped South Essex in the Seventies and Eighties as the scifi films hit the big screen.

These images, from the Echo archive, show Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers meeting fans on the streets of Southend as part of the promotion of the original 1977 Stars Wars film and sequels the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

The photographs also show long queues outside the original Odeon Cinema, at Elmer Approach, before it relocated to the top of the High Street.

The release of the blockbuster film series gripped cinema-goers across Britain, and turned millions of childrenn into toy collectors.

The first of a new series of films, made by Disney, arrives this December, which will return fans, young and old, to a galaxy far, far away.

  • Do you remember being swept up in Star Wars fever in 1977, or do you have any pictures to share? Email tom.king@nqe.com with your memories

Echo:

Echo: I am NOT your father – Vader and a Stormtrooper meet young fans

Echo: Excitement mounts – the queue to see Star Wars at the original Odeon cinema in Elmer Approach, Southend

Echo: Lord, I don’t think this was the best hiding place – Darth Vader and a Stormtrooper try to report back to the Death Star from the Seventies-style phone booths in Southend High Street

Echo: Baddies back Betamax – Vader takes time out from ruling the galaxy to drop in on Supervideo