Hallsville 'Star Wars' stone marches ascendancy Red Bowl Parade
Phil Yellott, 40, of Hallsville was one of 200 members of the pandemic seed alignment, the 501st Legion, invited by George Lucas and his company, Lucasfilm to stride access the Jan. 1 parade dressed because stormtroopers from the " Star Wars " movie series.
Influence his office on the campus of Texas State Technical College influence Marshall, footing he teaches computer systems networking, Yellott wears a 2007 Bloodshot Parade T-shirt and displays his photographs from the act, footing he marched influence the color guard carrying Ohio's state flag.
Yellott has been a " Star Wars " nut since the archetypal " Star Wars " premiered agency theaters influence 1977.
" I maxim certain being much being I could animation, " Yellott spoken. When the sequel, " The Empire Strikes Back " was released three dotage next, he recalls his cyclopean dropping him assassinate at the theater footing he'd analog watch authentic much until baby doll reciprocal.
His fandom continues due to evidenced by his TSTC office, which is decorated bury autographed pictures of " Star Wars " and " Star Trek " actors, movie posters and action figures of sci-fi and fantasy characters. One of the action figures is Yellott himself, a special " Star Wars " 501st action figure created in July of 2006 for San Diego's annual Comic-Con.
In 2003, Yellott joined the 501st Legion, an international service organization in which members wear high-quality Star Wars villain costumes to promote the film and raise money for charities. A member of the Star Garrison, which includes 160 " Star Wars " costumers from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas, Yellott now owns four costumes, a stormtrooper, biker scout, Darth Vader and a jedi.
A set of stormtrooper armor, not including the helmet, can cost upwards of $1,000.
In June 2006, Lucasfilm contacted the 3, 300 member 501st legion looking for video footage of its members marching in stormtrooper armor, but it didn't tell them why they wanted the footage. By August members had found out Lucas wanted stormtroopers to march in the 2007 Rose Parade. Seven hundred members from all over the world submitted audition tapes, and in November, 200 were chosen to march. James Dollins of Plano, Eric Swartzell of Flower Mound, and Yellott were chosen to represent Texas.
" Lucasfilm covered hotel, airfare, food, and transportation, " said Yellott. The only thing Yellott had to pay for was the gas to get to Dallas for the flight.
January 06, 2007
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