The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) (TV)

User Rating:

3.7/10   

Director:

Steve Binder
(more)

Writer:

Mitzie Welch (writer)

Release Date:

17 November 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Musical | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Luke Skywalker and Han Solo battle evil Imperial forces to help Chewbacca reach his imperiled family on the Wookiee planet - in time for Life Day, their most important day of the year!

Plot:

Chewie and Han Solo are trying to get home to Chewie's family, so they can celebrate Lifeday.

Plot Keywords:

Planet | Star Wars | Empire | Cartoon | Spacecraft

Cast

Mark Hamill	...	Luke Skywalker
Harrison Ford	...	Han Solo
Carrie Fisher	...	Princess Leia Organa
Anthony Daniels	...	C-3PO
Peter Mayhew	...	Chewbacca
James Earl Jones	...	Darth Vader (voice)
Bea Arthur	...	Ackmena
Art Carney	...	Saundan
Diahann Carroll	...	Mermeia Holographic Wow
Marty Balin	...	Holographic Band Singer (as The Jefferson Starship)
Craig Chaquico	...	Holographic Band Member (as The Jefferson Starship)
David Freiberg	...	Holographic Band Singer (as The Jefferson Starship)
Paul Kantner	...	Holographic Band Member (as The Jefferson Starship)
Harvey Korman	...	Krelman / Chef Gormaanda / Amorphian instructor
Mickey Morton	...	Malla
Paul Gale	...	Itchy
Patty Maloney	...	Lumpy
Jack Rader	...	Imperial Guard Officer
Stephanie Stromer	...	The Great Zorbak (Holographic Gymnast)
Michael Potter	...	Imperial Guard Officer
Wazzan Troupe	...	Holographic Tumblers
Yûichi Sugiyama	...	Ringleader
Mum Brothers	...	The Reeko Brothers
Claude Woolman	...	Imperial Officer (wallscreen)
Lev Mailer	...	Imperial Guard #1
John McLaughlin
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don Francks	...	Boba Fett (voice)
Mary Ann Hay	...	Dancer
Linda Hoxit	...	Teenage 'Wookie'
Art James	...	Announcer (voice)
Alec Guinness	...	Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi (archive footage) (uncredited)
Marcus Powell	...	Rycar Ryjerd (uncredited)
David Prowse	...	Darth Vader (uncredited) (archive footage)
Arthur Rowton	...	Zutton Zutmore (uncredited)
Leslie Schofield	...	Chief Bast (uncredited)

Directed by
Steve Binder
David Acomba		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mitzie Welch		writer

Produced by
Monroe E. Carol	....	associate producer
Dwight Hemion	....	executive producer
Joe Layton	....	producer
Rita Scott	....	associate producer
Gary Smith	....	executive producer
Jeff Starsh	....	producer
Ken Welch	....	producer
Mitzie Welch	....	producer

Original Music by
Ian Fraser

Cinematography by
John B. Field

Film Editing by
Jerry Bixman
Vince Humphrey

Art Direction by
Brian Bartholomew

Set Decoration by
Garrett Lewis

Costume Design by
Bob Mackie

Makeup Department
Silvia Abascal	....	hair stylist
Keith Crary	....	makeup artist
Donna Barrett Gilbert	....	hair stylist (as Donna Gilbert)
Verne Langdon	....	makeup artist
Michael Lorenz	....	makeup artist (as Mike Lorenz)
Jim Nielsen	....	makeup artist
Evelyn Trimmer	....	hair stylist

Art Department
C.B. Chisam	....	props
Ralph McQuarrie	....	illustrator
Leslie Parsons	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Ben Burtt	....	sound effects
Ed Greene	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Jenn de Joux	....	video animation
Elizabeth Savel	....	video animation
Tom Tcimpidis	....	ultimatte operator

Camera and Electrical Department
Diane Biederbeck	....	camera operator
Jeff Chang	....	lighting technician
Larry Heider	....	camera operator
Bob Keys	....	camera operator
Peter Lomprakis	....	key grip
Fred McKinnon	....	lighting
Wayne Orr	....	camera operator
John Rook	....	lighting designer
Ron Sheldon	....	camera operator
Howard Smith	....	gaffer

Animation Department
Charles Bonifacio	....	animator (uncredited)
Robin Budd	....	animator (uncredited)
John Celestri	....	animator (uncredited)
John Halfpenny	....	animator (uncredited)
Frank Nissen	....	layout artist (uncredited)
Clive A. Smith	....	animation director (uncredited)
Bill Speers	....	animator (uncredited)
Ken Stephenson	....	animator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ellis Burman Jr.	....	costumes: "Wookie family"
Thomas R. Burman	....	costumes: "Wookie family"
Stuart Freeborn	....	costume: "Chewbacca"
Robert Turturice	....	assistant costume designer
Stan Winston	....	costumes: "Wookie family"

Music Department
Billy Byers	....	orchestrator
Ian Fraser	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Frank Khoury	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Peter Barth	....	stage manager
Ray Brannigan	....	supervisor
Gene Crowe	....	technical director
Mike Erwin	....	stage manager
Miki Herman	....	consultant: "Star Wars"
Sheila Lauder	....	script supervisor
Marty May	....	production assistant
Charkie Phillips	....	assistant choreographer
Elle Puritz	....	assistant to producer
Carol Englehart Scott	....	associate director
David Winters	....	choreographer
Stephanie Zilgitt	....	production assistant (as M. Stephanie Zillgitt)

Production Companies

• Smith-Hemion Productions
• Twentieth Century Fox Television (in association with) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Television)
• Winters Hollywood Entertainment Holdings Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Burbank Studios, The  videotaped at
• Group IV Recording  music recorded at
• Jefferson Starship  group appearance
• MVS Television Complex  technical facilities
• Neiman-Tillar Associates  sound effects
• Nelvana  "Star Wars" animated story by
• Sunwest Recording Studios  post-production studio
• Winters Hollywood Entertainment Holdings Corporation  choreography

Also Known As:

The 'Star Wars' Christmas Special (USA) (unauthorized video title)

Runtime:

97 min | 120 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Smith-Hemion Productions

Trivia:

George Lucas famously attempted (and failed) to buy up all master copies of this special to ensure it was never broadcast again.

Quotes:

Holographic wow: I am your fantasy. I am your experience. So experience me. I am your pleasure. Enjoy me. This is our moment together in time that we might turn this moment into an eternity.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Undergrads: Jerks (#1.7)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Star Wars Themes

Lucas tried to burn every copy of this (tried)

I can see why Lucas would take the action he would against this piece; TV took his characters and actors and created a spectacularly cheesy and laughably stupid special with characters never created by Lucas (or even the writers from the Star Wars novels). Who are these characters? Well, it gets in part with the story, where in which Han and Chewie have to get back to Chewie's home planet and, yes, family- his wife Mala, his father Iggy, his sone Lumpy, to celebrate life day.

The highlight of this program, of course, is the cartoon where in which we see the first sign of Boba Fett (although with episode II in chronological order that comes first), and the rest of it has the cast members singing songs and delivering bad, bad acting. But what was weird was that I couldn't take my eyes off the screen the whole show, it was basically the Star Wars train wreck. You will laugh at its incredible ridiculousness if you have a sense of humor, but if you are a strident Star Wars fan who loves the intense action and mystery from the saga (and believe me I'm one of them also), walk away from it, never happened. Art Carney, Bea Arthur, Jefferson Starship and Diahann Caroll co-star. B-