Personal photographs taken by a British woman who worked on the original Star Wars movies during breaks in filming include Han Solo actor Harrison Ford holding a sizeable fish he had just caught during a fishing trip and a group photo signed by the late Carrie Fisher.
Pamela Mann, now aged in her 90s, was the continuity supervisor on The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. She also worked on the Steven Spielberg movie Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Her job involved taking polaroid pictures of actors such as Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill at the end of a filming session to ensure there were no continuity errors when the recording resumed.
But the candid photographs, sold for more than £4,000, were taken during breaks in filming. There was also a group picture signed for Pamela by many members of the cast including Mark Hamill, who wrote that working with her had been a ‘continual pleasure’.
The late Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia, described her as ‘the most deeply, deep, deepest fun woman I have ever fish or filmed with’. The picture sold for £2,000.
Other photos kept by Pamela included some of her with Steven Spielberg on location in Tunisia for the filming on 1981 movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. And there was one of her alongside George Lucas during the making of Return of the Jedi. A humorous cartoon drawing of Luke Skywalker that Hamill had made for her was also included in the archive.
The actor’s annotated notes on the drawing poked fun at the continuity challenges Pamela faced. Some of the ‘instructions’ listed included ‘check position on head’, ‘check all hair tucked in’, ‘check face mike not up left nostril’ and ‘check position of mole’.
Harry Ballin, auctioneer at Windsor Auctions in Berkshire, said: ‘By all accounts she was very popular and did the job with humour and in a positive fashion. For the likes of Ford, Hamill and Fisher, they were early in their careers so they appreciated her help. These items are quite personal which is why they are valuable.
‘There is a lot of Star Wars memorabilia out there but this has personal messages from the cast to the crew which makes it valuable.’
Other items in Pamela’s collection included a signed photo of the late Peter Mayhew who wrote ‘To Pam, love from a wookie’. Pamela also kept a sample of Wampa fur, the terrifying 10ft snow creature that resided on the ice planet of Hoth and attacked Luke Skywalker in the opening scenes of The Empire Strikes Back.
Star Wars filming shot in the woods near Crescent City in California showing Han Solo actor Harrison Ford (right) and the late Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia (centre). The candid photographs, sold for more than £4,000, were taken during breaks in filming by Pamela Mann, who was the continuity supervisor on the set
Photograph shows a continuity polaroid of Yoda during filming near Crescent City, California. Pamela’s job involved taking polaroid pictures at the end of a filming session on the original Star Wars movies, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, to ensure there were no continuity errors when the recording resumed
Pamela (right) with George Lucas (centre, looking into the camera lens) on the set of Return of the Jedi in a behind-the-scenes photograph. The 1983 film is the final movie in the original Star Wars trilogy and was shot in the Redwood forests near California and at the Chetham Grove section of Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park
A continuity polaroid of Ford, who played Han Solo, during Star Wars filming. Other items in Pamela’s collection included a signed photo of the late Peter Mayhew who wrote ‘To Pam, love from a wookie’. The archive was sold at Windsor Auctions in Windsor, Berkshire by Pamela, who is now aged in her 90s
The collection included a picture of Han Solo actor Ford wearing binoculars around his neck and holding a sizeable fish he had just caught during a fishing trip with Pamela near Crescent City while they shot Return of the Jedi in California
A group picture, sold for £2,000, signed for Pamela by many members of the cast including Mark Hamill, who wrote that working with her had been a ‘continual pleasure’. The late Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia, described her as ‘the most deeply, deep, deepest fun woman I have ever fish or filmed with’
The grateful cast presented Pamela with a humorous drawing of Luke Skywalker in his X-wing fighter helmet with a personal message from Hamil, who played Skywalker, reading: ‘We’re in big trouble!’ The actor’s annotated notes on the drawing poked fun at the continuity challenges Pamela faced. One of the ‘instructions’ listed included ‘check position on head’
Pamela (right) standing next to Steven Spielberg, alongside some actors from Raiders of the Lost Ark, a 1981 Indiana Jones film directed by Spielberg and written by Lawrence Kasda. The filming took place in the Tunisian desert
Pamela (left) holding a ring binder while on a Star Wars set. Harry Ballin, auctioneer at Windsor Auctions in Berkshire, said the archive is ‘valuable’ as, despite there being ‘lots of Star Wars memorabilia out there’, these items are ‘quite personal’
Pamela (front left) with Spielberg and the crew filming Raiders of the Lost Ark in Tunisia. Pamela worked on the Spielberg movie, alongside being the continuity supervisor on The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi
The former continuity supervisor’s ‘Revenge of the Jedi’ pass and a continuity sample hair of a Hoth Wampa. Lucas famously changed the movie title to ‘Return’ late after deciding Jedi’s would not seek revenge