54 | DECEMBER 19 • 2019 

A 

Star Wars T-shirt — with bold 
Hebrew lettering — stands out as 
a prized possession of Kenneth 
Friedman. He can’
t wear the shirt because 
it’
s not his size, but he smiles whenever he 
comes across it among the many items of 
Star Wars memorabilia he owns.
Friedman, 49, an Oak Parker and long-
time member of Congregation B’
nai Moshe, 
has been a Star Wars fan since he was 7. His 
interest launched when he was taken to an 
early movie by his uncle, Russell Jacobs. 
Caught up in the galaxy adventure series, 
Friedman decided, at 25, to turn his hobby 
into a career and left behind the world of 
professional photography. Using money 
saved from his bar mitzvah and various 
jobs, he began working through fan shows 

and conventions 
that trade in an 
array of merchan-
dise, from comic 
books to multi-
media products.
“I remember how 
my uncle was a 
collector of coins, unicorns and Star Wars 
action figures,
” Friedman recalls. “I thought 
the action figures were pretty cool, and I 
also remember he explained that someday 
they may be worth a lot of money.
”
While deciding to deal in those action 
figures, which then sold at $2 and have 
gone up to as much as thousands of dollars, 
he expanded his inventory to original and 
replicated props, costumes, toys and auto-
graphed pictures. While items 
linked to Star Wars account 
for about 70 percent of his 
business, memorabilia from 
other science fiction media 
take up the rest.
Away from day-to day 
work, Friedman is looking 
forward to seeing this week’
s 
release of Star Wars: The Rise 

of Skywalker, the final episode in the film 
saga. 
“What I like about the Star Wars films 
and gear is that it’
s all not part of reality,
” 
Friedman explains. “The good guys are 
going to win, or maybe the bad guys are 
going to become good guys. Watching gets 
me away for two-plus hours from what is 
troubling in the real world.
”
Friday’
s release, also known as Episode 
IX and showing the final battle between 
imagined galactic forces, was produced, 
co-written and directed by J.J. Abrams, 
who also has worked on television series 
and comic book creations. 
The cast includes Mark Hamill, Adam 
Driver, Daisy Ridley, Keri Russell, 
Ian McDiarmid and Billy Dee 
Williams with clips of the late 
Carrie Fisher. John Williams 
scored the film.
The feeling of escape from real-
ity will not be available to every 
fan. The Walt Disney Co. is warn-
ing that the film’
s special effects 
could pose a seizure risk to those 
with photosensitive epilepsy.
“I tried selling merchandise on 
the web, but it never was good 
for me,
” says Friedman, who also 
works through wholesalers and 
retailers and can be reached at 
kifs@comcast.net. “I used to do 30 
shows a year. Now, I do 10 or 12.
”
Friedman has had conven-
tion help through family — his late father, 
Bernard; mother, Judith; sister Debbie; wife 
Sharon; and sons Zachary and Kevin. They 
have accompanied him to shows in America 
and on distant shores, including Japan, 
England and Saudi Arabia, most recently.
“In Saudi Arabia, it was the first-ever big 
media convention with 10 other dealers 
besides me,
” Friedman says. “It was unique 
to find people who had never seen Star 
Wars and had no idea what it all was. Some 
people just got to see the first Star Wars 
movie, which is over 30 years old.
”
Friedman, who will participate in Motor 
City Comic Con May 15-17 at the Suburban 
Collection Showplace in Novi, defines no 
common demographic among his custom-
ers. 
“They span all ages and professions,
” he 
says. “I even recall meeting two rabbis.
” 

Arts&Life

collecting

Longtime Star Wars fan turned his hobby 
into a business that caters to other fans.

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Still 
Fascinated

TOP: Star Wars memorabilia dealer 
Ken Friedman’
s booth at a fan trade 
show. Friedman with a fan dressed as 
Chewbacca.

PHOTOS COURTESY KEN FRIEDMAN

A Star Wars Chanukah
A capella group Six13 released its latest video Dec. 12 
to celebrate the festival of lights. This year, they are 
paying homage to the Star Wars franchise with “Star Wars 
Chanukah” to coincide with the release Friday of Star Wars: 
The Rise of Skywalker. Members of the group admit to being 
huge Star Wars geeks. Check for it on YouTube.

