1978 Topps Close Encounters of the Third Kind Non-Sport Forum

It's interesting that cards for Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) were not included in this set. Does anyone know if Richard Dreyfuss didn't want his likeness on a trading card?

Topps did not secure the rights for Richard or Francois Truffaut's likeness, therefore centered the story arcs of the film around the other characters.

That's like Topps not securing the rights to Luke Skywalker and Han Solo :)

Or Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial

I'm not sure what month the cards were available, but the film was pushed for a much earlier release date in late 1977 than originally planned by Spielberg of early 1978 (due to financial difficulties at Columbia Pictures, and also the want to piggyback off the Star Wars phenomenon).

Topps wanting to have cards distributed along with the initial release may have been a factor to not being able to tie everyone down in time its' cardboard production.

I understand wanting to piggyback off the Star Wars phenomenon (dozens of films did) but Close Encounters was certainly strong enough on it's own merits to be successful, of coarse hind sight is 20/20!