Bryan Stalder
Contributor

When the first Star Wars film appeared on the silver screen in 1977, it sparked the imaginations of millions. For one young boy in Wisconsin, it also ignited a lifelong passion that would eventually lead to a nationally-touring museum exhibit.

Jarrod Roll, now a museum curator and collector, grew up in a small town north of Milwaukee, where he first encountered Star Wars in a one-screen movie theater. “It’s no longer a theater,” he recalled, “but it’s still a landmark in my mind because of all the great memories I had seeing the Star Wars films there.”

Roll’s fascination with storytelling and tangible objects began early. “I’ve always loved miniatures and dioramas,” he said. “When I was in elementary school, if I had the choice between a book report and a diorama, I always chose the diorama. I loved creating a 3D representation of an idea.”

That same creative impulse later shaped his career. After studying at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Roll discovered a new path. “I thought I’d go into psychology or archaeology,” he said, “but I quickly learned that I wanted to become a museum curator.” He went on to earn his Master of Arts in Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program in New York.

“I’m a curator by training,” he explained, “but I was a toy lover first.”

For Roll, the Star Wars action figures made by Cincinnati-based Kenner Products were more than just toys — they were storytelling tools. “When I held those toys as a child, I was empowered to create my own stories of heroes and villains,” he said. “Having something tangible allows us to do that.”

His first Star Wars figure, given to him in 1978, began what would later become a lifelong collection. He and his brother Kevin collected the toys every year for birthdays and Christmas. “After Return of the Jedi, the toy production started dying down,” Roll said. “By high school, I was feeling some pressure not to care about toys anymore.”

That changed years later, in an unexpected way. “I was home from college in 1992 and went to a vinyl record convention in Milwaukee,” Roll said. “I came across a magazine called Toy Shop that advertised antique toys for sale. I saw the Millennium Falcon I owned listed for around $80 and realized my toys had value — people cared about them.”

That discovery reignited his collecting mission. “My mom had stored our toys in a box in the garage,” he said. “When I opened it, I remembered them being in better condition — but it sent me on a mission to collect all of them again, including the ones I used to have.”

He began hanging flyers around Milwaukee that read “I’ll buy your kids’ Star Wars toys.” He’d buy, sell, and trade toys — even ones from other lines like G.I. Joe and Dungeons & Dragons — to rebuild his Star Wars collection.

“I had rules for myself,” Roll said. “Every item had to be original, complete, and in good condition. If it was broken or missing pieces, it didn’t belong in my collection.”

For years, the project remained a personal hobby — until 2015, when The Force Awakens reignited global Star Wars fandom. “A museum colleague encouraged me to display my collection,” Roll said. “The exhibit drew people from all over the Upper Midwest.”

The success of that first exhibit led to more opportunities, including a library display in a suburb of Chicago. But its most significant chapter began when the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures in Kansas City invited Roll to bring his collection south.

“It’s a perfect fit,” Roll said. “The museum is dedicated to preserving childhood and craftsmanship, which are both at the heart of this collection.”

Now, The Nostalgia Awakens invites visitors to relive the joy of the original trilogy through hundreds of meticulously curated toys. The exhibit not only celebrates Star Wars but also explores the artistry and imagination that connected millions of kids to that galaxy far, far away.

“There are people with much larger collections than mine,” Roll said, “but they don’t have a public exhibit like this one. I’m thrilled that people can share in the excitement these toys once brought me.”

The Nostalgia Awakens: Retro Kenner Star Wars Action Figure Toys at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures (5235 Oak Street) — recently extended through May 4, 2026 (“May the Fourth”) — features every action figure produced by Kenner from 1978 to 1985, the golden age of George Lucas’s original trilogy.

Visitors can meet Roll in person during “Meet the Experts: Jarrod Roll,” a special program on Thursday, October 23, from 6–7 p.m. at the museum. Guests will hear about the history of Kenner’s legendary toy line and explore the full exhibit before or after the talk. Admission is $10, with refreshments provided by Boulevard Brewing Company.

General admission to the museum is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 17. Admission is free on the second Sunday of each month — including November 9 and December 14 — making this an easy outing to add to your fall and winter calendars.