Biographic - Sunday May 21, 2017 Comic Strip Licensing and Permissions

Transcript

This week marks the 40th anniversary of the release of "Star Wars" later retitled "Star Wars: Episode IV-A New Hope" The movie that smashed box-office records, garnered 10 Oscar nominations and launched the merchandising empire that made creator George Lucas a multibillionaire. It also spawned a string of incredibly successful sequels, prequels, and spin-offs, creating a universe that represents one of the most successful franchises in movie history. In 2015m total revenue was estimated at more than $42 Billion! Diminutive Carrie Fisher had to stand on a box for her scenes with Harrison Ford- but the role of Princess Leia in the series made the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds a star in her own right. Before achieving sci-fi immortality as Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill enjoyed a successful, TV career, with credits ranging from "The Partridge Family" to recurring roles on the likes of "General Hospital" the is now a prolific voice actor in video games, and animated features, voicing characters ranging from The Joker on "Batman" to Pierre Fluffbottom on "Biker Mice From Mars." Sir Alec Guiness received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi. He also received 2% of the gross, which made him extremely wealthy. Fellow brit Grand Moff Tarkin, wearing carpet slippers in most of his scenes because the riding boots that accompanied his costume were too uncomfortable! Harrison Ford supplemented his acting income by working as a carpenter. His big break came when director George Lucas cast him in the 1973 movie, "American Graffiti," before handing him the role of Han Solo in the "Star Wars" movies. He went on to star for George Lucas and Steven Spielberg in the blockbuster "Indiana Jones" series. James Earl Jones voiced Darth Vader- but the man in the suit was bodybuilder Dave Prowse, an actor familiar to U.K. audiences as the Green Cross Code Man in road safety TV commercials. In 2012, The Walt Disney Company acquired the Lucasfilm production company for $4.06 billion!

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