The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) (TV)

Director:

Steve Binder
(more)

Writers:

Pat Proft
Leonard Ripps
(more)

Release Date:

17 November 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | 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 | Wookiee | Empire | Alien | Star Wars Spinoff

Cast

Mark Hamill	...	Luke Skywalker
Harrison Ford	...	Han Solo
Carrie Fisher	...	Princess Leia Organa
Anthony Daniels	...	C-3PO
Peter Mayhew	...	Chewbacca
Kenny Baker	...	R2-D2 (as R2-D2)
James Earl Jones	...	Darth Vader (voice)
Bea Arthur	...	Ackmena (as Beatrice Arthur)
Art Carney	...	Saun Dann
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 (as The Wazzan Troupe)
Yûichi Sugiyama	...	Ringleader
Mum Brothers	...	The Reeko Brothers (as The Mum Brothers)
Claude Woolman	...	Imperial Officer (wallscreen)
Lev Mailer	...	Imperial Guard #1
John McLaughlin	...	Imperial Stormtrooper #1
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Prowse	...	Darth Vader (archive footage)
Don Francks	...	Boba Fett (voice) (uncredited)
Alec Guinness	...	Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi (archive footage) (uncredited)
Mary Ann Hay	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Linda Hoxit	...	Teenage 'Wookie' (uncredited)
Art James	...	Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Larry Mollin	...	Pilot (voice) (uncredited)
Marcus Powell	...	Rycar Ryjerd (uncredited)
Arthur Rowton	...	Zutton Zutmore (uncredited)
Leslie Schofield	...	Chief Bast (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Steve Binder
David Acomba		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pat Proft
Leonard Ripps
Bruce Vilanch
Rod Warren
Mitzie Welch

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
Dean Okrand	....	sound recordist

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"
Lola Bullion Chambers	....	costumer
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"
Peter Kimmel	....	production assistant
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

• CTV Television Network (1978) (Canada) (TV)
• 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:

WILLHELM SCREAM: When Han Solo shoots a storm trooper off of a balcony in Chewbacca's home.

Quotes:

Han Solo:Would you look at Lumpy! He's sure grown, huh? And I think his voice is changing
Lumpy:Arrgararrggaar!
Han Solo:Come on, I'm just teasing.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 25 Most Hilarious Holiday TV Moments (2010) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Good Night But Not Goodbye

Now I know how Belloq Felt!

As many other posters stated, I had been warned. And the legends are true! And like the Nazis, once you remove the cover to the Ark, you have to deal with the consequences. I paid 13 bucks for it, and it is a pile of crap. For the stouthearted who choose to soldier on, I have two recommendations:

1. Do not watch this alone! Like any other emotional trauma, the support of friends is crucial to survival. By the end, you will either want to climb a steeple with a rifle, or go into the garage and start the car.

2. Do not operate while unimpaired. An altered level of consciousness can cushion your psyche. I tried it straight, but within ten minutes I was forced to seek the companionship of my foamy 12 ounce friends.

At any rate, this helping of dog goo brings to light painful questions about Chewbacca and his people long ago in a galaxy far, far away. Questions probably better left unasked. Such as, despite the treetop setting, why does their dwelling place resemble a 70's ski lodge with an Astroturf floor?

Why does the local trader wear black plastic Earth glasses? How were the Wookies able to convert an ordinary cassette player into a Holograph projector? And, regarding said projector, why is the youth Lumpy (who is probably yelling "Franks and Beans!" in Wookie), so fascinated with the freakish flailings of a poor man's Cirque de Soleil? Finally, why in God's name does the patriarch of the clan, Itchy, get so aroused over a pseudo Irene Cara performing a sickening disco song and dance? It was highly disturbing.

Those are the questions that torment me. The other posters have done a far better job than myself covering the horrid sequences with Starship, Bea Arthur (shudder), Harvey Korman and Art Carney. But I must add this: I thought the animated sequence sucked. The story with decent artists probably would have been a cool comic book, but the animation and artwork was terrible. Too cartoony. Artoo physically jumping, his rigid metallic body curving about. And something about Han's head looking like it had been run over by a truck, all squashed...

Like Lot's wife, you have been warned...