Jim Swearingen was the principal conceptual designer for Kenner's line of Star Wars toys — the vintage toy line we seek, covet, and celebrate at ICCC events! We are pleased to announce that Swearingen will return to ICCC this May to engage with collectors, meet fans, and tell more stories about his legacy in the vintage toy business.

In 1976, Swearingen was working in Kenner's preliminary design group when his boss, Dave Okada, came in with a script and some photographs from a new movie called “Star Wars.” Jim took the script home and read it. The next day he insisted Okada lock himself in his office and read it. "We have to do this," he told him. "We have to make these toys." From 1976-79, Star Wars became Swearingen's baby.

The success of Kenner's "Star Wars" toys eventually shifted the entire toy industry's focus toward thinking small. Until then, action figures were foot-long dolls like vintage G.I. Joe. Kenner's 3 3/4-inch Lukes and Leias stemmed from the UC designer's mock-ups, the size of which were based upon what he rummaged from the company toy bin.

Besides "Star Wars," Swearingen contributed to many popular product lines while with Kenner, including PlayDoh, Spirograph, Baby Alive, Care Bears, and Strawberry Shortcake. He then spent 15 years doing contract work making licensed products from movies such as "Alien," "Jurassic Park," "Men in Black," "Pirates of the Caribbean II: Dead Man's Chest."

ICCC 2023 will be held May 26-28, 2023 at the new Farm Bureau Exposition Center in Lebanon, TN, just outside of Nashville. Tickets are on sale now. Book a room at our host hotels before they sell out. #ICCCon