Star Boy to the Cult of Everything that is Will

On March 27th I received the below email from a Mr. Jeff Colson. Back when I ran a comic book store in Westminster, MD in the mid 1980’s he was a customer of mine. Jeff has been reading my web site for a while now. Because I thought this would make a cool entry and my readers would find this bit of Will trivia fascinating I asked Jeff if he minded my posting the email and answering him via my site. He was agreeable. What follows is Jeff’s email and my reply.

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I first read about you in the Carroll County Times. You were the big Star Wars fan of Westminster. Then there was that great store Docking Bay 94. I think about that place every time I visit the location. It made Westminster such a cool place, which is not an easy thing to do. But what I've always wanted to know was how many times did you see Star Wars and in which theatres? I saw it at Carroll Towne the first time and sixteen times at Carroll Theatre. Carroll Theatre is now half art museum and half theatre. They show DVDs on a big screen. It's not the same to say the least but I go anyway from time to time. I grew up in that theatre and saw everything from That Darn Cat to Monty Python and the Holly Grail there, but Star Wars is my record for that theatre or any theatre. Star Wars played for six weeks in 1977 at the Carroll which was the longest any movie was held over. Smokey and the Bandit followed with five weeks. Star Wars came back to the Carroll in 1978, 1979 and 1982. Four of my favorite viewings were at the old Westview which had a really big theatre and Dolby sound. That theatre became three and now the whole complex is gone. I seem to remember that you saw Robocop there. Legend also has it that you dressed up as Q from Star Trek for some science fiction conventions. True or false? I really enjoy the web site; it keeps the cult of everything that is Will alive. Your former customer, Jeff

P.S. The new Star Wars movies just don't seem the same. I have some hope for the last one but not much. Maybe a few minutes of Darth Vader will help. I just read that Vader translates to father in Dutch. If only I knew that back in 1979.
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Yes, I did appear in a feature article in the Carroll County Times. It was supposed to be more about my Star Wars collection than me personally, but the paper made it a bit more personal. I was also hoping for a title like, "The Force is With Him". They gave the article the title “STAR BOY”. I know that MM will giggle when he reads that. I do have a copy or two of the edition that my article and photos appeared in. I think I know where too, so if I can find them I will post something more about it. It was because of this article that I met another Jeff... Jeff Stoner.

Yes, I did also own a comic book store in Westminster off of Main Street. It was called Docking Bay 94 after the docking bay where Han Solo stored the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars Episode IV. I had it less than two years. Why? Thee words; location, location, location. The only retail space I could find was on the second story of the back of the Main Street mall. No one came up to the second floor and it was hard to find. I had heard that a lot of the college students from Western Maryland College looked for my store, but never found it. I did have fun with it though and I still have the sign for the store. Thanks Jeff C. for saying that my store made Westminster cool.

Okay, how many times have I seen Star Wars in theatres? I first saw Star Wars Episode IV at the Paterson Theatre on Eastern Ave in Baltimore with my father. We stood in line for three hours. It is one of the best memories I have of time spent with my dad. We had a great time in line talking to all of the people around us and the movie blew us away. I had chills and goose bumps when that Star Destroyer appeared and just kept going and going and going. Having been twelve and having the summer off from school I walked the sixteen city blocks to the Patterson Theatre almost every morning to catch the early bird special – 95 cents – at 9:30 AM. I would stay in the theatre all day, sit somewhere in the middle and watch four or five showings. I snuck in some snacks and a PB&J sandwich. I bought a coke at the theatre and then would fill the cup with water the rest of the day. The theatre staff caught on, but never kicked me out. It was like they adopted me. I saw Star Wars approximately 150 times that first summer in the Patterson Theatre. I was twelve. I could quote the entire movie from the beginning scroll to Chewbacca's growl at the end and this included sound effects. On trips I could entertain others in the car by doing my one man show. I have also seen Star Wars at Security Square, West View and The Senator and a few theatres that no longer exist. I never saw it at either the Carroll Towne or Carroll theatres. My parents took us kids to see Smokey & the Bandit at the Laurel Drive Inn. It is long gone. I never saw That Darn Cat (that I can remember) and I have only seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail on video and DVD. Now for the grand total. If you count theatrical viewings, video, DVD, conventions, special showings and re-releases, I have seen Star Wars Episode IV over 600 times. I used to have a paper journal (what’s that you old geezer?) that I kept track of things like that in and all sorts of sketches of Star Wars vehicles, space ships and battles. It is long gone.

Actor John De Lancie... Will Burnham twin from a parallel universe?

The “legend” and rumor about me dressing up as the character of Q - played by actor and Will look-a-like, John De Lancie - from Star Trek: The Next Generation is true. I have four Q costumes. The red judges robes (made by friend Patricia) from Encounter at Farpoint, his Sheriff of Nottingham costume (made by friend Amanda), the red & black captain’s uniform (made by friend Thomas), and I have worn my Civil War colonel’s uniform (made by friend Katherine) to Star Trek cons as part of my wardrobe. Yes, I have personally met John De Lancie four times. Yes, he was amazed by the resemblance. Yes, there are photos. I will put them on the web site at some time… when I find them. I am sure Jenne has a bunch in our scrap books. By the way, Jenne and I met at the Shore Leave Star Trek convention July 1989. I was wearing the red/black uniform and she asked me to dance. The rest is history.

“I really enjoy the web site; it keeps the cult of everything that is Will alive.” That line gives me a good happy laugh. Heh heh Cult of Will heh heh heh.

About Darth Vader meaning Dark Father in Dutch, I can tell you that that is not true and I have that straight from a Dutch reader of my web site. Sounds cool, but unfortunately it’s not true.