CONVENTION IS SOARAWAY SUCCESS
MORE than 1,000 people flocked to the Clacton Sci-fi Convention. The show was even bigger than last year's success, as visitors queued to talk to stars such as Dave Prowse, Elisabeth Sladen and Barry Morse.
Curtain was up at 10.30am at the Princes Theatre on September 9 2000. But even before that queues were forming down the street, and Darth Vader and some Star Trek helpers were on the road handing flyers out.
Within 15 minutes of opening there was a long queue all the way down the stage and the hall itself. The hall itself was packed with people looking at the dozens of trade stands who were there.
Among the dealers were Forbidden Planet from Colchester, Dave Philips, one of Europe's leading autograph dealers, Suffolk Sci-fi and 10th Planet.
In the video room was a special showing of the Star Wars send-up Troops, fan film Dark Redemption and then The Phantom Menace itself.
But it was the stars who were the main attractions. The wonderful Barry Morse kept visitors and other guests entertained with his stories and anecdotes, including how he got Star Trek legend William Shatner his first job!
Michael Sheard was typically charismatic and Elisabeth Sladen proved popular with fans, as did Dave Prowse, the legendary Darth Vader.
Other guests who signed and chatted were Hattie Hayridge, Holly the Computer in Red Dwarf, Benedict Taylor, a Naboo fighter pilot in The Phantom Menace, Bruce Boa, General Riekaan in The Empire Strikes Back, Kenneth Colley, Admiral Piett in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi and Michael Munn a journalist on the set of The Empire Strikes Back.
By 11.30am the queues had snaked their way to the end of the theatre, around one corner and were starting to go up the next.
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For details and photos from the 1999 event click here. For more info call 01255 253220.