LEGENDARY KENNER STAR WARS PHOTOGRAPHER KIM SIMMONS RETURNS FOR ICCC 2023

Kim Simmons, also known as “The Man Who Shot Luke Skywalker”, is a name that any Star Wars fan should know. He is the celebrated photographer who shot most of the imagery of the vintage Star Wars toy line produced by Kenner. Simmons is returning as a guest for ICCC 2023, where fans can meet the man behind the iconic images that have captured the imaginations of children and adults alike for decades.

Simmons started his career in commercial photography under the mentorship of Roy Frankenfield in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was there that he got his first assignment for Kenner's Star Wars toy line in the 1970s and ‘80s. He was placed behind the camera several feet high up in the air, looking down at Star Wars action figures on a yellow background. That was just the beginning of his photographic relationship with Star Wars and his love of creating scenes for toys that would capture the hearts and imaginations of children around the world.

In 1982, Simmons created and shot a large-scale Hoth Battle Scene for Kenner, which he also used as the centerpiece of his Master of Photography college thesis. Simmons believed in the potential historical value of the images being created and archived most of the film that he could salvage from trash cans that were sitting in two inches of water within the studio’s basement. It was a wise decision as the images he created became iconic and have been reproduced in numerous books and publications.

Simmons continued shooting Star Wars products until Hasbro left Cincinnati in 2001, right about the time the “Episode I” line was released. He had been the official freelance packaging and catalog photographer for Kenner's vintage Star Wars toy line, creating some of the most memorable images in toy history. His work has been featured in books, magazines, and other publications, and his impact on the toy industry cannot be overstated.

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