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Greg Hildebrandt, one half of the twin-brother art team behind some of the best-known late-1970s Star Wars marketing artwork, died in 2024 at age 85. Lucasfilm’s memorial gives the year and age; Rehs Galleries reported that he died on October 31, 2024, citing an announcement by his wife, Jean.
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The Star Wars artwork many fans remember
A distinct image from the theatrical poster
Greg and his twin brother, Tim Hildebrandt, painted the vivid blue Star Wars artwork widely used in the original film’s late-1970s marketing. It is often remembered alongside the movie’s poster, but it is not the same image: Lucasfilm credits the familiar theatrical release poster to Tom Jung.
Lucasfilm says the brothers painted their widely circulated marketing artwork in 36 hours. That extraordinary deadline is part of the story of an image that helped introduce the film to audiences, but the credit belongs to both Hildebrandts—not Greg alone.
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Returning to a galaxy far, far away
The brothers came back to Star Wars for the 1996 Shadows of the Empire campaign. Lucasfilm says they created 100 new pieces for the storyline, which appeared as a card series and an art book. That body of work offered a broader canvas for their imaginative approach than a single promotional image.
Lucasfilm also highlighted Greg’s later Star Wars x Oreo packaging artwork, a reminder that his connection to the franchise continued well beyond its original marketing era.
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Hildebrandt’s work ranged across fantasy, illustration and calendar art. Simon & Schuster’s publisher page highlights his Tolkien calendars and lists his 2023 calendar Heavy Metal Presents: American Beauties. These works point to the breadth of a career that cannot be reduced to one franchise or one famous image.
His long connection to Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, also remained part of his story. In May 2025, the Lake Hopatcong Foundation described a special exhibit celebrating his varied portfolio and noted that he had lived in the community for more than 33 years.
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Tributes to Greg Hildebrandt
Lucasfilm’s November 4, 2024 memorial closed with the words: “Greg Hildebrandt, the second half of that inspired and timeless masterpiece, will be missed.” The tribute recognizes the brothers’ shared place in Star Wars history while marking the loss of Greg himself.
In its November 1, 2024 obituary, Rehs Galleries reported that Jean Hildebrandt described her husband as “the sweetest man I ever knew.” The gallery attributed that description to her announcement.
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