The Archduke of Geonosis

Quote of today

"Let the executions begin!"

Poggle the Lesser want to see some dead jedis.
Attack of the Clones

Today we celebrate...
Marton Csokas at his 45th birthday (born 1966)

Marton Csokas is the voice of Poggle the Lesser in Attack of the Clones. He was born in Aotearoa, New Zeeland to a Hungarian father and an Irish/Danish mother.

Poggle the Lesser is the Archduke of Geonosis, he was the leader of the Geonosians. Apart from the other Geonosians Poggle wears the insectoid equivalent of a long beard.

The Geonosians was computer-generated characters. Their voices was developed very late in production. Sound Designer Ben Burtt delivered a suitably bizarre mix of guttural speech and clicking insect sounds.

Today we remember...
Luis De Jesus at his birthday (born 1952 - dead 27 July 1988)

Luis De Jesus was born in New York, US and played one of the ewoks in Return of the Jedi. He died of a heart attack only 36 years old.

Ewoks are sentient furred bipeds native to the moon of Endor. Initially, the Endor moon was going to be shown as having two indigenous species -- the Ewoks and the Yuzzums. The Yuzzum ended up as a rifle-toting background character in Jabba's palace.

Today...
year 2003 was the first day of principal photography for Revenge of the Sith.

Always at Jabbas side

Quote of today

"Die Wanna Wanga!"

Bib Fortuna welcomes the two droids.
Return of the Jedi

Today we celebrate...
Michael Carter at his 64th birthday (born 1947)

Michael Carter was born in Scotland, United Kingdom. He played Bib Fortuna in Return of the Jedi. To put on the make-up as Bib Fortuna took over eight hours in the beginning of the five-week shoot. By the end of the five weeks the make-up process was streamlined down to 58 minutes. Michael Carter think it's weird that Bib Fortuna is much more famous than he is and that he still get letters from Star Wars fans.

If Michael Carter was Bib Fortuna bodily then Erik Bauersfeld was his voice. Erik Bauersfeld is a leading American radio dramatist and voice artist. He has also done the voice of Admiral Ackbar in the video game Star Wars: X-wing (1995).

Today we remember...
Declan Mulholland deceased today 1999

Declan Mulholland was the stand-in for Jabba in A New Hope in the scene that didn't make it into the film until Special Edition. He was born 1932 in Northen Ireland, United Kingdom.


Bib Fortuna is Jabba the Hutts attendant. He is a Twi'lek with red eyes, pointed teeth and pasty face. We first meet him with Jabba the Hutts at the Podrace on Tatooine. His life probably ended on the sail barge when Luke Skywalker blows it up at the Great Pit of Carkoon. In the expanded universe of Star Wars there are a lot survivers from the sail barge so maybe even Bib Fortuna survived.

Before he became the slug we know as Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi the creature was referred to as a "hut". The script establishes the "hut" to be a large, repulsive creature, fat, slug-like with eyes on extended feelers and a huge ugly mouth. This was an effect that George Lucas could not realize at the time.

Not exactly a stormtrooper

Quote of today

"Boba Fett?! Boba Fett?! Where?"

Han Solo understands Chewbaccas warning.
Return of the Jedi

Today...

year 1978 was the first ever Boba Fett costume officially unveiled to Lucasfilm in a screen test shot

The article Proto-Fett: The birth of Boba tells us that he and his costume emerged from Darth Vader. The first prototype was white but the plan was to give the costume a muted color scheme, visually placing the character somewhere between the rank-and-file stormtrooper and the fearsome Dark Lord of the Sith.

Every movie has a beginning

Quote of today

"Captain."

Qui-Gon Jinn utters the first words in the movie.
The Phantom Menace

Today...
year 1997 did the filming begin for The Phantom Menace
year 2000 did the filming begin for Attack of the Clones
year 2003 was the release in USA of the Star Wars Galaxies, An Empire Divided

The filming of The Phantom Menace took place in the Tunisian desert for the Tatooine scenes. The podrace was filmed in a canyon near Sidi Bouhlel and Oung Jmel. A set was built near Oung Jmel to represent Mos Espa on Tatooine. The Slave Quarters Row was filmed in Ksour's near Tataouine and Ksar Medenine. Small parts were filmed in Royal Caserta Palace in Italy, Whippendell Woods in the United Kingdom. Studio work was mainly done at Leavesden Studios in the United Kingdom.

Above information can be found in the documentary "The Beginning" Making Episode I, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace DVD documentary, [2001], bonus disc". The documentary follows the producton team from five month before the start of filming to the premiere day.
Source is Wookieepedia and Answers.com

Principal photography of Attack of the Clones primarily took place at 20th Century Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia. Location shooting took place in the Tunisian desert, at the Plaza de España in Seville, Spain, in Italy at the Villa del Balbianello on Lake Como, and in the former royal Palace of Caserta. Pick up shots took place in Ealing Studios in United Kingdom.
Exactly where the information come from is not noted at the sources Wookieepedia and Answers.com

Star Wars Galaxies, An Empire Divided, was the original part of this MMORPG.

The younger Hamill

Quote of today

"The boy is here to see Padme."

A Naboo palace guard doing his job.
Phantom Menace

Today we celebrate...
Nathan Hamill at his 32nd birthday (born 1979)

Nathan Hamill was born in London, England, UK and played a Pod Race Spectator and a Naboo palace guard in The Phantom Menace. But most of all is Nathan Hamill a comic artist and a art producer, read more in his own blog at Blogger, follow him at Twitter and like him at Facebook.

Naboo Palace Guard served as bodyguards for the ruling Monarch of Naboo and their court. The guard outside Queen Amidala's room at Coruscant is Rehtul Minnau.

Jawa, rebel and a ordinary citizen

Quote of today

"Utinni."

A jawa want some attention.
A New Hope

Today we celebrate...
Tiffany L. Kurtz at her 42nd birthday (born 1969)

Tiffany L. Kurtz was born in California, USA and played a jawa, Hoth Rebel and a Bespin citizen in A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back.

Her father, Gary Kurtz, is the producer of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. Tiffany was eight years old when A New Hope was filmed and probably because of her father she and her three years older sister got to play jawas. Tiffany was an extra also for The Empire Strikes Back where she played a Hoth Rebel and a Bespin citizen. After that she preferred to make her career behind the camera instead of in front of it.

Jawas are meter-tall scavengers living in the desert on Tatooine. They scurry around like rats completely hidden behind rough robes and with glowing yellow eyes.

Despite the impression that they are everywhere there ar no more than eight jawas in the movie (and in the credits).

A young moister farmer and a French Luke

Quote of today

"I had a feeling you might show up some day."

Owen Lars was expecting to meet his step-brother
Attack of the Clones

Today we celebrate...
Joel Edgerton at his 37th birthday (born 1974)

Joel Edgerton was born in Australia and played Owen Lars in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

Today we remember...
Claudio Capone who died 2008

Claudio Capone was born in Rome, Italy and was the Italian voice of Luke Skywalker in the Original Trilogy. Mr. Capone got his first big break in the world of dubbing when he was cast in the late 1970s as the voice of Luke Skywalker in A New Hope.


Owen Lars is a moister farmer on Tatooine. He and his wife were made the wards of Luke Skywalker, the son of Owen's stepbrother, Anakin.

Luke Skywalker is the farmer boy who became a hero.

Yet another Darth Vader, a Imperial General and a foreign Princess

Quote of today

"Alert my Star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival"

Darth Vader wants to leave the Cloud City
The Empire Strikes Back

Today we celebrate...
C. Andrew Nelson at his 49th birthday (born 1962)

C. Andrew Nelson was a digital paint and rotoscope artist for The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. He is also an actor and has played Darth Vader in an additional scene in The Empire Strikes Back, Special Edition: "I walked across the blue platform for the shot where Vader leaves Cloud City and goes to his shuttle". C. Andrew Nelson is the only actor to have ever officially portrayed both Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker (in different video games).
Read more about him and his work at his own website and see a short interview with him.

Today we remember...
Don Henderson who died 1997
Lykke Nielsen at her birthday (Died 29th Aug 2006)

Don Henderson was born in England, United Kingdom and played General Tagge in A New Hope. He was an active actor all until his dead.

Lykke Nielsen was born in Denmark and did the voice of Leia in the Danish audioplay of "Star Wars".


Darth Vader is a fearsome leader in The Empire.

General Cassio Tagge is an Imperial officer stationed aboard the Death Star. 

Draft scripts of A New Hope often swapped the names of General Tagge and Admiral Motti and maybe that is the reason for that in the end credits for A New Hope, General Tagge is mistakenly named Commander Taggi.

Princess Leia is a rebel leader trying to fight The Empire.

Today...
year 2005 was http://www.starwars.nu/ put down after seven years on the Internet, only the Forum is still alive. www.starwars.nu arranged the Pre Cantina Party every premiere night for the three prequels.

A cloner

Quote of today

"Magnificent, aren't they?"

Lama Su is proud of his work
Attack of the Clones

Today we celebrate...
Anthony Phelan at his 57th birthday (born 1954)

Anthony Phelan was born in Australia and did the voice of Lama Su in Attack of the Clones.

Lama Su is a tall, lithesome male Kaminoan and the Prime Minister of the planet Kamino. Kaminoans are kept to themselves and known for their cloning technology.

An Admiral and a Royal Pilot

Quote of today

"My Lord, there are so many uncharted settlements. It could be smugglers, it could be..."

Admiral Ozzel doesn't share the same opinion as Dart Vader
The Empire Strikes Back

Today we celebrate...
Ralph Brown at his 54th birthday (born 1957)

Ralph Brown was born in England, UK and played Ric Olié in The Phantom Menace.

Today we remember...
Michael Sheard at his birthday (born 1938, died 31 August 2005)

Michael Sheard was born in Scotland, UK and played Admiral Ozzel in The Empire Strikes Back. His birth name was Donald Marriot Perkins and his stage surname "Sheard" is his mother's maiden name. He is remeberd at starwars.com.


Ric Olié is a human male pilot in the Naboo Fighter Corps. He has the honor of flying the Royal starship in the service of the Queen of Naboo.

Admiral Kendal Ozzel is the Imperial Navy officer in command in the beginning of Battle of Hoth. He is telekinetically executed by Darth Vader.

A French Dooku

Quote of today

"Twice the pride, double the fall."

Count Dooku thinks Anakin is cocky
Revenge of the Sith

Today we celebrate...
Bernard Dhéran at his 85th birthday (born 1926)

Bernard Dhéran was born in France and was the dubbing voice of Christopher Lee in The French post-synchronized version of Revenge of the Sith (La revanche des Sith) and Attack of the Clones (L' attaque des clones).

Apology accepted and Snaggletooth

Quote of today

"(drawing a breath) Get a shuttle ready. I shall assume full responsibility for losing them, and apologize to Lord Vader. Meanwhile, continue to scan the area."

Captain Needa knows what has to be done
The Empire Strikes Back

Today we celebrate...
Michael Culver at his 73rd birthday (born 1938)

Michael Culver was born in London, UK and played Captain Needa in The Empire Strikes Back.

Captain Needa was an Imperial Captain on the Star Destroyer Avenger. After loosing sight of Millenium Falcon Captain Needa went to Vader's flagship, the Executor, to apologize.

Today we remember...

Alf Mangan who died today 1988

Alf Mangan was playing Takeel, one of the Mos Eisley Cantina alien, in A New Hope.

Takeel is a Snivvian, a short humanoid with broad toothy snouts, sparse hair and coarse skin.


The Snivvian mask was reused with new wardrobe for background aliens in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The Snivvian Wiorkettle is seen in Cloud City and was portrayed by Cathy Munro who also portraited an insectoid bounty hunter called Zuckuss and a E-3PO droid.
The Snivvian Geezum is seen in the Jabba's Palace and was portrayed by Peter Allen.

Special Effects Artists

Quote of today

"I hate you!"

Anakin Skywalker's last words to Obi-Wan Kenobi
Revenge of the Sith

Today we remember...
Stan Winston who died 2008 (born 7 April 1946)

Stan Winston was born in Virginia, USA. This Academy Award–winning special effects and makeup artist worked on the costumes for Chewbacca's family for 1978's The Star Wars Holiday Special.

Dave Elsey was a creature shop creative supervisor for Revenge of the Sith. He developted Anakins burnt look in Revenge of the Sith. Eight massive furry costumes, crafted by the Creatures Department under his leadership, formed the central core of live-action Wookiee performance.

Read how he is remembering Special Effect Artist Stan Wilsson and how this book inspired him.

A golden rebel

Quote of today

"Computer's locked. Getting a signal... The guns. They've stopped."

Gold Two notice something strange
A New Hope

Today we remember...
Jeremy Sinden at his birthday (born 1950, died 29 May 1996)

Jeremy Sinden was born in England, UK and played Gold Two in A New Hope.

Gold Two aka Tiree was a starfighter pilot in the Rebel Alliance. He was killed during the battle of Yavin above the first Death Star.

A background artist

Quote of today

"I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee."

Leia turn down Han Solo's offer
The Empire Strikes Back

Today we celebrate...
Ralph McQuarrie at his 82nd birthday (born 1929)

Ralph McQuarrie was born in Indiana, USA and is a conceptual designer and illustrator for A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. He also have a cameo part in The Empire Strikes Back as General McQuarrie. He passes in front of a large self-created matte painting of several GR-75 medium transports. Read more about him and his work on the McQuarrie official website and read about him Designing Star Wars or like him at Facebook.

General McQuarrie is second in command on the Hoth rebel base to General Rieekan.

A mother of twins

Quote of today

"Something wonderful has happened. ... (continuing) I'm pregnant."

Padmé tells Anakin that he will become a father.
Revenge of the Sith

Today we celebrate...
Natalie Portman at her 30th birthday (born 1981)

Natalie Portman was born in Jerusalem, Israel and played Padmé Amidala Naberrie in the Prequel Trilogy. Her birth surname was Hershlag. She left Israel for USA at the age of three. At age eleven, Natalie was discovered in a pizza parlor by an agent for Revlon, who offered her an opportunity to model. She asked to be introduced to acting talent scouts and quickly got an audition for the film Léon. She made her movie debut at the age of twelve.
Read what she thought about her work as Forbidden Love in Attack of the Clones.
If you are a fan of Natalie Portman here are also two fan sites that still get updates: natalieportman.com and Adoring Natalie Portman.

Padmé Admidala Naberrie is the young Queen of Naboo that continue serving as a Senator when her terms ended. She is secretly married to Anakin Skywalker and the mother of Luke and Leia.

In Return of the Jedi, Leia tells Luke that she remembered her real mother:

Luke: Leia... do you remember your mother? Your real mother?
Leia: Just a little bit. She died when I was very young.
Luke: What do you remember?
Leia: Just...images, really. Feelings.
Luke: Tell me.
Leia: She was very beautiful. Kind, but...sad.

Since Padmé dies, in Revenge of the Sith, while Leia is a newborn, it is not clear how Leia has these memories. This inconsistency is not yet addressed in the Holocron continuity database kept by Leland Chee at Lucasfilm, but there are a lot of speculations.

A Master and an Moff

Quote of today

"The Emperor's coming here?"

Darth Vader convinces Officer Moff Jerjerrod to double his efforts to having the Death Star II ready in time.
Return of the Jedi

Today we celebrate...
Liam Neeson at his 59th birthday (born 1952)
Michael Pennington at his 68th birthday (born 1943)

Liam Neeson (birth name William John Neeson) was born in Northen Ireland, UK and played Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace. Before he started his actor career he worked as a forklift operator for Guinness, truck driver, assistant architect and an amateur boxer. Liam Neeson is an Academy Award-nominated Irish actor.

Michael Pennington was born in England, UK and played Moff Jerjerrod in Return of the Jedi. He is a British director and actor who, together with director Michael Bogdanov, founded the English Shakespeare Company. It was an English theater company to present and promote the works of William Shakespeare on both a national and an international level.

Qui-Gon Jinn is a Jedi and the Master to Obi-Wan Kenobi. He is a timeless, wise soul with supreme confidence. Qui-Gon Jinn has great powers and humility and is well skilled in the Jedi arts.
Listen to Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn talking about the life as a Jedi in The Phantom Menace commercials: One destiny

Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod is the Imperial officer supervising the construction of the second Death Star.

The use of archival footage from Return of the Jedi (1983) in the Special Edition of The Empire Strikes Back (1997) means that Jerjerrod has a cameo in The Empire Strikes Back. When Vader's shuttle arrives aboard the Executor, it is Jerjerrod waiting to greet him.

Became a bounty hunter

Quote of today

"Dad! Taun We's here!"

Young Boba Fett informs his father that he has invited Taun We and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Attack of the Clones

Today we celebrate...
Daniel Logan at his 24th birthday (born 1987)

Daniel Logan was born in Auckland, New Zealand and played Boba Fett and several young clones in Attack of the Clones. More about what he has done and does can you read at his official website and at his twitter.

Boba Fett is the unaltered clone of Jango Fett raised as the son of Jango. He sees his "father" die by the lightsabre of a Jedi.

Today...

is also the National Day of Sweden.

Demolition day i the Galaxies

Quote of today

"Well, there's a price on my head. If I don't pay off Jabba the Hut, I'm a dead man."

Han Solo explains to the General why he has to leave.
The Empire Strikes Back

Today...
year 2007 was the Structure Demolition day in the MMORPG Star Wars Galaxies

Star Wars Galaxies is a MMORPG (multi mass online role playing game) where you can fight for the empire or the rebels to free the galaxy.

Demolition day was the day when any house, factory, or player association hall that has been abandoned by its owner (since April 16, 2006), has been targeted by the Galactic Vacant Building Demolitions Crew for destruction.

the first computer-controlled motion control system

Quote of today

"Traveling through hyperspace isn't like dusting crops, boy!"

Han Solo gives Luke a lesson in spacedriving
A New Hope

Today we celebrate...
John Dykstra at his 64th birthday (born 1947)

John Dykstra was born in California, USA and was a special photographic effects supervisor for A New Hope. For A New Hope he designed and built the first computer-controlled motion control system. This system was called the Dykstraflex.

Young Jedi Knights

Quote of today

"We'll have to destroy them ship to ship. Get the crews to their fighters."

Darth Vader is ready to defend the Death Star
A New Hope

Today...
year 1995 was the release of Heirs of the Force, the first book in the Young Jedi Knights series.


While exploring the jungle outside the academy, the Solo twins (Jaina and Jacen Solo) make a startling discovery - the remains of a TIE Fighter that had crashed years ago during the battle against the first Death Star.

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