Artist Celia Strain’s promotional poster for the Star Wars Radio Drama was part of NPR’s successful publicity campaign in 1981. This prelim done in ink is her first draft of the poster art. The close-up of C-3PO was later scrapped and replaced with a full figure of the character, but Strain kept the same posture in the final painting. See the finished painting
HERE in my gallery. The prelim is on vellum, mounted to a thick illustration board. The image area measures, 11” X 16”.
The National Public Radio (NPR) produced and broadcasted an expanded radio dramatization of Star Wars, A New Hope as 13-part radio serial on March 9, 1981. George Lucas sold the rights to NPR for just one dollar. He also allowed them to use all the original sound effects and music from the film. The Star Wars radio drama became a huge hit, adding 750,000 new listeners to NPR.
