Legendary toy designer Mark Boudreaux has turn into one with the Drive.
Finest recognized for his work on Star Wars, Boudreaux retired from Hasbro in 2020 following a 43-year profession engaged on a few of the most iconic toys and autos impressed by a galaxy far, far-off.
Boudreaux joined Kenner as a College of Cincinnati co-op scholar in 1977, the yr that George Lucas’ Star Wars first hit theaters. Throughout his prolonged profession, he designed all the 3.75-inch scale Millennium Falcon autos, together with the Star Wars: The Drive Awakens Battle Motion model for which he was honored with a 2015 TAGIE Award on the Chicago Toy and Sport Truthful for Excellence in Toy Design.
As senior principal product designer for Hasbro’s Star Wars workforce, Boudreaux’s work got here full circle in 2020 when a 40-year-old toy made its live-action debut on Star Wars: The Mandalorian. Developed as an authentic toy that children might use to increase the Star Wars journey at residence, the Imperial Troop Transporter by no means appeared within the authentic movies and didn’t enter the Star Wars canon till it appeared in animated type on Star Wars Rebels. Following its live-action look on The Mandalorian on Disney+, the car headed again into shops as a part of the Star Wars Classic Assortment lineup.
Boudreaux additionally designed the large Jabba’s Sail Barge, which was efficiently crowdfunded by means of the Hasbro Pulse HasLab platform.
Final yr, Boudreaux was positioned on a ventilator following the consequences of COVID-19.
“His work had an immeasurable influence on the Star Wars universe, the Hasbro neighborhood, and the toy business general. He touched so many along with his design abilities, mentorship, friendship, and his enduring ardour and dedication to the Hasbro Star Wars neighborhood,” Hasbro mentioned in a press release. “We’re without end grateful that his legacy lives on by means of the followers of all ages who will proceed to play with the unbelievable toys that he created, and the numerous product designers he impressed and mentored all through his profession. Our ideas and prayers are along with his spouse, Judy and their household and associates throughout this tough time.
Thanks, Mark for permitting us all to be part of this epic journey. The galaxy won’t be the identical with out you. Might the Drive be with you, all the time.— Hasbro assertion on the passing of Mark Boudreaux
