An early script draft for the first Star Wars movie owned by Harrison Ford was sold for $13,600 at a recent auction organized by Excalibur Auctions. According to the auction house, the sellers came into possession of the scrip after Ford forgot it in a rental in London, UK.
The script in question was the fourth draft of George Lucas’ movie that would later become Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. The copy, dated March 15, 1976, was incomplete and came with an original title, The Adventures of Luke Starkiller. It features several scenes and characters that were removed in the fifth draft, which ended up being used for the movie.
“It’s got his DNA on it. It might even have his sweat on it,” said Excalibur Auctions’ co-owner Sarah Torode.
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope was filmed at London’s Elstree Studios, and upon arriving in the city, Ford needed a place to stay. He ended up renting an apartment in a house owned by a married couple through a newspaper ad.
Ford lived in the same apartment throughout the shooting of the movie and became friends with the couple, who were apparently unfamiliar with his celebrity status. He was occasionally visited by Star Wars co-stars Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill.
When he left the apartment, Ford left various items behind him, including the script, a shooting schedule with a handwritten note, and a letter from his agent. The couple ended up holding onto the items for almost 50 years before putting them to auction.