Star Wars Accessories

The accessories released during the Star Wars era closely mirrored the same products available in the U.S.. The accessories' boxes had both English and French printing on both sides; a tell-tale sign that the item is Canadian.


Give-A-Show Projector   -   Play-Doh   -   Radio Controlled R2-D2

R2-D2 Bop Bag   -   Light Saber   -   Laser Pistol   -   3 Position Laser Rifle

SSP Vans   -   Mini Action Figure Collector's Case   -   Movie Viewer   -   Star Wars Utility Belts (Exclusive to Canada)


SW Give-A-Show ProjectorRed Give-A-Show Projector

Give-A-Show Projector:


The Canadian version of the Give-A-Show Projector came in a removable top box, unlike the American "flip-top" box. The projector that came with the Canadian version was molded in red with a blue lens; just the opposite of the American version.






SW Play-Doh

Play-Doh:


The Canadian version of the first Star Wars Play-Doh set.









Radio Controlled R2-D2

Radio Controlled R2-D2:


The Radio Controlled R2-D2 in a Star Wars box.












R2-D2 Bop Bag

R2-D2 Bop Bag:


The R2-D2 Bop Bag was aimed at the younger set of the Star Wars generation. The R2-D2 and Darth Vader Bop Bags were released in Canada as part of the first series. The reader can see that the American box template was used for the creation of the Canadian packaging. Look closely to the left of the 'E' in the "La Guerre des Etoiles" logo at the top and you will notice that the 'W' from the original English Star Wars logo can be partially seen. The Canadian printers simply placed the French logos over the English layout for the printing of the French side of the Star Wars boxes. Normally, the printer would black out the complete English logo before placing the French logo over it, but in this case, the French logo was simply placed over the English logo.









Light Saber

Light Saber:


The Inflatable Light Saber in a Star Wars box. Essentially a flashlight with an inflatable yellow tube, the Light Saber also came with a repair kit which contained several square "patches" to cover any punctures the inflatable tube would incur while dueling with your opponent. The Canadian version of the Light Saber box has the saber's measurements in metric and the pyramid French Star Wars logo; "La Guerre des Etoiles", appears on the inside spine on the reverse of the box.








Laser Pistol

Laser Pistol:


The Laser Pistol in a Star Wars box. Han Solo's blaster was one of two guns that was released by Kenner Canada during the Star Wars era. The laser pistol had a battery operated motor with two speeds activated by a "secret button". When the trigger and secret button were pulled together, the motor sounded slowly or rapidly, depending on how hard the trigger was pulled. The first release had the round battery compartment knobs, trigger and secret button molded in black, while subsequent releases saw them molded in a flat grey.






3 Position Laser Rifle

3 Position Laser Rifle:


The 3 Position Laser Rifle in a Star Wars box. The 3 Position Laser Rifle (or Stormtrooper blaster) was the second of two guns that was released by Kenner Canada during the Star Wars era. Unlike the Laser Pistol (above), the 3 Position Laser Rifle was only available on store shelves in Canada for a very short time, and it is rarely seen today. The 3 Position Laser Rifle had a battery operated motor with two speeds activated by a "secret button". When the trigger and secret button were pulled together, the yellow and black barrel rotated either slowly or rapidly, depending on how hard the trigger was pulled. It was replaced by the Electronic Laser Rifle during the ESB era. The three positions were: 1) Laser Battle, in the position shown above; 2) Sneak Attack, with the stock and handle folded up; and 3) Standing Guard, with just the handle folded down.



Heroes SSP Van

SSP Vans:


The "Heroes" or "white" Star Wars SSP van was released in a different style in Canada. It was released with an early 1970's Dodge Van front grill (ie: non-custom) with an air-conditioner on the roof and black upcurl exhausts.


The American version had no air-conditioner on the roof, but sported a custom front grill and sun roof, as well as custom chrome exhausts. The Canadian "Darth Vader" or "black" van was the same as the American version.



The 1970's Dodge front end    Roof Air Conditioner and black upcurl exhausts



Mini Action Figure Collector's Case:


Mini Action Figure Collector's CaseMini Action Figure Collector's Case

The Canadian version of the Mini Action Figure Collector's case had bilingual printing on the face, as well as a product number in the upper left. The Kenner logo is conspicuously absent.


The original Star Wars Mini Action Figure Collector's Case was the only version that came with the bilingual printing. The 1981 release of the vinyl case was the exact same as the American version. The Star Wars art version of the vinyl carrying case (shown above) was first released in 1979. The case was sealed with a vinyl plastic band and the sticker seal on the reverse sported the Star Wars logo in English with bilingual text throughout. The Canadian vinyl carrying cases only came with the pack-in catalogues. Unlike the Kenner USA versions of the carrying cases, the Canadian versions did not come packaged with the cardboard photo insert showing the action figures aligned in the case trays, nor did the case come with the action figure names sticker sheet. The colour of the trays that came with the 1979 release of the Canadian action figure collector's case was grey.

Mini Action Figure Collector's CaseMini Action Figure Collector's Case

In 1980, with the release of the Empire Strikes Back, the Canadian version of the Mini Action Figure Collector's was released yet again with the same Star Wars art as the previous release in 1979. Kenner Canada did not update the movie logo on the front as the Kenner USA release did, however, the sticker seal on the reverse sported the Empire Strikes Back logo in French with bilingual text throughout (as shown above). The photos on the sticker seal showing the inside of the case still showed the action figures from the Star Wars era and remain unchanged from the 1979 release. Once again, the Canadian vinyl carrying cases only came with the pack-in catalogues; they did not come packaged with the cardboard photo insert showing the action figures aligned in the case trays, nor did the case come with the action figure names sticker sheet. The colour of the trays that came with the 1980 release of the Canadian action figure collector's case was black.



Movie Viewer (Front)Movie Viewer (Back)

Movie Viewer:


The SW Movie Viewer with the "May the Force Be With You" movie cassette. Unfortunately for Canada, the single movie cassettes released in the U.S. for the movie viewer; Danger at the Cantina, Battle in Hyperspace, Assault on Death Star and Destroy Death Star, were never available in bilingual packaging in Canada.






Luke Skywalker Utility BeltPrincess Leia Organa Utility BeltDarth Vader Utility Belt

Star Wars Utility Belts:


Among the rarer Star Wars items to emerge from Canada are the set of Utility Belts. There were three made; Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Darth Vader. The items included in these sets did not resemble anything from the movie at all. The respective sets included the following items:


Luke Skywalker Utility Belt:    black belt, black pistol, grappling hook and rope, lightsaber
Princess Leia Utility Belt:    white belt, black pistol, red watch, black walkie-talkie
Darth Vader Utility Belt:    black belt, black pistol, lightsaber

The Utility Belt sets are basically reissues of older utility belt sets made by Remco with different items included. Remco was successful with their Super-Hero Utility Belt sets in Canada in the early to mid-1970's, and Kenner Canada used them to cash in on the Star Wars phenomenon. Some of the items used in the Super-Hero sets were re-used in the Star Wars sets including Princess Leia's walkie-talkie and watch (used previously in the Batman set with the Batman logo replacing the Star Wars logo seen below, as well as the Captain America set with the walkie talkie molded in blue, and a Captain America sticker on the watch; also seen below).

Remco's Batman Utility BeltRemco's Captain America Utility Belt

The Star Wars Utility Belt sets came packaged in a brittle, white plastic tray or a cardboard insert to hold the sets' pieces in place inside the window box.