EPISODE I: FRIENDS, WARRIORS AND HEROES!

The two Jedi heroes who'd excitingly kick off the Prequel Trilogy of 1999, and help cement a new legacy for worldwide fans and audiences of all ages alongside the existing Original Trilogy, pose for a great image with the iconic Artoo Detoo, taken within one of the Trade Federation vessel corridors at the UK's Leavesden Studios.

 A terrific shot from 1997 for Episode I, one of numerous character publicity images for magazine/media usage, taken by popular US lensman Matthew Rolston.

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AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: MEANWHILE, ON THE COMEDY VARIETY SHOW PLANET!

Taking their first steps on a comedy variety show planet!

Frank Oz helped bring the magic of Yoda to the Star Wars saga, so it was only fair that the compliment was returned back to him, Jim Henson and the Muppet Show, as Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and the remote controlled Artoo Detoo made an hilarious special appearance on the UK/international comedy hit during 1980, filmed at the nearby ITC Elstree Studios. Hamill, notably, would get to stretch his comedy muscles in a double role (himself and Luke Skywalker) alongside Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear and the legendary Miss Piggy, give a notable 'Gargling Gershwin' rendition, and even indulge in a little bit of musical variety!

Hamill and Daniels rehearse the finale with Kermit.

Luke and Threepio discuss the bizarre universe they are in!

Mark/Luke with his new porky Princess!

Original preview press cutting, from the files of the Kurtz/Joiner Archive.

'EPISODE III' AT TWENTY: A HERO AND HIS DROID!

They've been through the most incredible of times, challenges, and genuine ordeals in the last three years, have Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his trusty Astro Droid in Artoo Detoo (seen above in CGI form). Things seem better and quieter with their return to Coruscant after the Outer Rim sieges, the epic battle to rescue Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, and the ultimate defeat and slaying of Count Dooku. 

But how long can such calm last before the next storm of drama and battle?

"Every minute detail (of the story and character) is pre-thought out by George, and I was only there to help realize his vision. By the time we got to Sith, I understood why he had me hold back (with his prior performance on Clones). So will the audience."

Hayden Christensen - TV Guide magazine - May 1st, 2005 

CLASSIC IMAGE: CAPTURED BY THE JAWAS!

First it was Threepio, now it's Artoo who is soon captured and in the grubby hands of those pesky little collecting critters that are the Jawas, attaching a restraining bolt to it and then sucking it up into the main hold of its massive Sandcrawler vessel. A classic moment from the original Star Wars.

Filming at a small canyon location in Tunisia called Sidi Bouhlel, located in Tozeur, on Tuesday March 30th, 1976, the key sunset scenes involving the Jawas having neutralized Artoo, and their carrying him to their Sandcrawler, would be shot (when the rushes are viewed in London later on in filming, however, the wide establishing footage of the Sandcrawler is discovered to be scratched and the film stock poor - it is decided that this will have to be mostly re-shot States-side in 1977, once extra funds are secured from Fox). 

For the overall Jawa location filming sequences/going into the Sandcrawler scaffold prop for the night shoot, the small in height cast included Kenny Baker's longtime friend/showbusiness partner Jack Purvis (listed on one call sheet as 'Head Jawa'), a French/Tunisian midget (named Mahmoud or Mahjoub?) who had been helping the film crew in the location filming, between three and seven local Tunisian children (according to call sheets), the young son of Giles Instone, manager of the British lorry drivers transporting sets and equipment to Tunisia, and Gary Kurtz’s two daughters Melissa and Tiffany. 

For the scene where Artoo is sucked up the tube into the Sandcrawler, the effect was simply achieved by dropping the empty prop down from the tube and then reversing it in post production.

The Jawas and their new capture prize.

The Jawas at work!

The originally shot footage of Artoo getting his restraining bolt.

The re-filmed restraining bolt sequence at ILM later in post production. ILM staffer/production assistant Penny McCarthy is on her knees in the Jawa robes.

'JEDI' AT 40: NEW EMPLOYMENT!

Now finding themselves employed to Jabba the Hutt's cruel services, Threepio and Artoo are soon herded by Gamorrean Guards to the palace's doom-laden droid dungeon, where, amongst the litter and carnage of destroyed and tortured protocol droids and astro units, they encounter the menacing droid master EV-9D9, who swiftly assigns Threepio to ongoing duties as an interpreter droid. Meanwhile, Artoo heads to Jabba's unique sail barge for a role that it will prove well suited for...

Lovely production painting art by Ralph McQuarrie used within his later Return of the Jedi portfolio, as well as numerous types of promotion linked to the film by 1983.

ROGUE ONE: DROIDS TO SCARIF!

"We're going to Scarif?!"

Sometimes not finding out what dangerous mission you're going on with your Rebel Alliance owners can be an enormous worry, especially if you're a protocol droid like C-3PO, back with his ever-faithful sidekick R2-D2. A lovely cameo return for the characters, and actor Anthony Daniels, at the Yavin IV base in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. But how come Threepio doesn't ultimately remember being there for A New Hope?

Back in the suit and behind the scenes.

CLASSIC ART: 'MELTDOWN ON HOTH'!

It's an incident referred to at the start of The Empire Strikes Back but sadly one never seen onscreen- as an angry Threepio berates his comrade Artoo for an earlier 'accident' in the Hoth hidden Rebel base - the thermal heater melting of ice within Princess Leia's quarters and the subsequent water damage done to her clothing. A fine moment for humour linked to the classic duo and Leia thankfully brought to life by that excellent artist Chris Trevas a few years back.

'STAR WARS' AT 45: THE JEDI 'HERMIT'!

'Old Ben' Kenobi has proved himself a great friend and protector to Luke, what with his rescuing the boy from the Tusken Raiders. But as tragedy hits Skywalker's life, the potential Jedi-to-be soon needs Kenobi's critical help and guidance more than ever, as they arrive at Mos Eisley spaceport in searching for travel to Alderaan...

A lovely shot taken of Sir Alec Guinness near the end of Tunisian location filming in Spring 1976 at the small fishing port of Ajim, having fun with Artoo Detoo, and most likely with Kenny Baker having probably been inside the two-legged droid shell in prior filming.

Originally, when first contacted to play the role of Kenobi in Los Angeles (whilst filming the comedy thriller Murder by Decree), Guinness, despite being prior aware of George Lucas and American Graffiti) was not initially impressed with the script or genre type, but nonetheless found it a page-turner to read, where he had to find out what happened next with the story and characters- a good sign for the actor. As well as a strong pay cheque, the actor is ultimately helped along into the role with the help of US casting guru Fred Roos, who explains just how pivotal Kenobi will be to the film.

George Lucas's script suggested to Guinness something of a Samurai Warrior in the way that Kenobi was to be dressed. And something of a wise man- a monk-like character, with obvious but fun borrowing from Tolkien's classic fantasy books, not only with Kenobi but in the overall story and characters of Star Wars, a factor which appealed greatly to the actor's potential positive impressions of the film in the run-up to production.

Keeping in some of his frustrations about production hiccups starting out, Sir Alec would ultimately be a vital 'rock' to Star Wars production, inspiring the troops with humour and dedication to the role as best he could, especially at times where diverse weather disruptions, equipment breakdowns and personality clashes between George Lucas and cinematographer Gil Taylor were commonplace. Guinness would assure Anthony Daniels, then starting his film career, that these kind of problems making movies weren't commonplace. Indications were that Guinness only visibly lost his cool on one day of location filming apparently, when a series of key problems delayed his work before the cameras.

  

'MERRY CHRISTMAS!' (2021)

 

The Christmas Holidays mixed with the original Star Wars saga characters always make for a successful combination - an earliest success being with Artoo and Threepio getting into the holiday spirit with none other than Santa Claus himself, as seen in this great art by Ralph McQuarrie for the memorable Christmas in the Stars - The Original Star Wars Christmas Album, first released by Meco/RSO records sometime in November, 1980.

https://www.starwars.com/news/10-things-about-christmas-in-the-stars

STAR WARS AFICIONADO wishes all its worldwide readers a safe, happy and very MERRY CHRISTMAS and 2022! 

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: ARTOO'S HEROIC ACT!

He can't provide blaster fire cover, but at least brave Artoo Detoo can spray the area with his hard to see through fire-fighting spray, in this crowd-pleasing moment... 

Colour variation shot opening the scene..

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: ESCAPE IN SIGHT!

Artoo's work communicating with the cranky Bespin control terminal finally yields results as the once shut shield door rises and the beautiful sight of the Millennium Falcon comes into view on the landing pad, and just in time as Imperial Stormroopers pin our heroes down from both sides...

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: LEVITATION - PHASE TWO

Luke's training reaches its next stages and is proving successful to the watching Yoda, before visions of Han and Leia in trouble, in pain, shatter the boy's powers of control and concentration.

A blonde-wigged Colin Skeaping and Peter Diamond watch over the supported Mark Hamill on set.

Hamill's legs would be supported over a scaffold prop, watched over by on set resident stuntmen Colin Skeaping and Peter Diamond, whilst a Kenny Baker-less Artoo shell, with a remote control operated dome, would be lifted into the air, followed by a lightweight version dropped when Luke accidently releases his Force power.

B/W image variation publicity image from 1980.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: LET ME IN!

No longer willing to stay and watch over the camp, a lonely Artoo, caught in a rain deluge, has clearly used his scanners to discover Yoda's hut, in a scene that was partially cut for time and pace reasons. 

Preparing for filming. Note the covered remote controlled Artoo.

Artoo skiddles towards Yoda's home whilst the rains pour down.

Both types of Artoo were used for this scene: the remote control three-legged unit, and Kenny Baker in the shell looking through the window, helped off camera into position by a stage hand. 

Artoo is unable to gain inside access to Yoda's hut.

Unused footage of Artoo by the ground entrance to Yoda's hut.

Filming Artoo looking into the separate hut interior window which is raised on a scaffold for puppeteer work.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: A MESSY ARRIVAL!

Continuity polaroid of Hamill and a dirtied Artoo taken between filming.

With a wrecked and muddy Artoo having been jettisoned from the Dragonsnake creature - metal clearly not to its appetites, Luke rushes to his friend's aide. Coming to Dagobah may indeed prove a bad mistake for the duo.

Soon to be the only actor listed on the studio filming call sheet for the next few months, Mark Hamill would endure the tough filming on the Dagobah soundstage with great patience and humour, despite some trying times and a sometimes underlying tense relationship with his director.

Hamill and Artoo in between takes.

Conferring with Kershner and also Gary Kurtz on the 'bog planet' set.

Hamill confers with Kershner and Kurtz whilst Pamela Mann references the script.

Clapperboard take for the scene's filming.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: UNWANTED MEAL!

Brian Johnson prepares Artoo for his blast off!

For the comedic sequence of Artoo swallowed and ejected from the Dragonsnake, a specially built lightweight droid shell was created and literally detonated like a cannon from a specially constructed hole at ILM, supervised by Brian Johnson. The hole would be covered with mist and the area around it with vines and foilage.

With the original filming of Artoo being ejected by the swamp creature shot at ELSTREE not looking right, Brian Johnson, now heavily involved with US ILM duties, is in charge of the re-shoots. He recalled in an internet interview to fan preservationist Brandon Alinger: “They tried to do it (the original scene) by pulling it out of the actual water, but you can’t suck an R2-D2 out on a cable. So I re-did the top of the lake, but we did it on a big table, about half the size of this pool. We made an oval hole through the top of the table, and I got a big air ram, relatively short. I had a spare R2-D2, and we put a tube inside the R2-D2, that went up the whole length of it, and blocked it off at the top. And then fitted that over the end of the air ram, with a seal in it, and I put tiny scalpel blades on the roof of R2-D2. And I had these silicone rubber sheets made which we stretched over the oval hole, and we covered the whole thing in liquid nitrogen, so there was all the mist, and reflected bits."

Joe Johnston comes in to see the shoot.

Brian Johnson oversees the operation.

"Richard Edlund lit it for me and I stood on the stage with my little button in my hand, and a compressed air bottle set up, and R2 was loaded onto this thing. We said right, let’s get ready to go. The cameras were set up, we had three cameras on it, and the door opened, and George Lucas walked in, with Francis Ford Coppola, and half of the Paramount chiefs, and FOX people, and Christ knows what – it was like a Garrison of producers and everything else. So I said alright, we’re ready to go. And I thought, “holy shit, I’m standing with this thing behind my back.” And on the wall, we had this net to catch the R2-D2. Because we knew we were going to have to do it more than once. And there were about 12 of these skins, and I picked the one I liked, just prior to the people coming. So I stood there, cameras rolled at high speed, 3- 2- 1- go… and on the net, the boys had put up a bulls eye. They asked me where they should put it. I told them how high I thought it would go, and they placed bets on where the R2 would go, or whether it would never even get there or whatever. And it came out – and it was perfect. It hit the net, and it the bulls-eye right in the middle of the net. It was perfect. Pure luck. Not only that, all the suits went, “ oh, great, thanks very much.” And off they went. And I was thinking, “ oh shit, it worked the first time, it doesn’t ever work the first time.” And then we put another membrane on and tried it again, and the membrane just stretched. It went “twang!” We did it again and again. I didn’t know but what happened was the guy in the model department, who had been given the job of molding, pouring, mixing the silicone and pouring it out had run out of the right stuff. He only made one sheet out of the 12 that was the correct consistency. So I had picked the one out, just when there’s someone looking over my shoulder, and that was the right occasion wasn’t it? So we had to have more made with the right mixture. That would just stretch slightly and then slap. I could have had this condom like R2-D2, with this mass of producers, and they’d be going, “oh… bloody English.” 

And Artoo goes flying!

The final shot, which would be slowed down in later post production.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: DESTINATION - DAGOBAH!

Located in a system not too far from that of Hoth, Luke Skywalker, delivering on the instructions of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his trusty Artoo (currently worried about Luke's state of mind post Wampa injuries, in a brief filmed but deleted scene moment) have now arrived at Dagobah - a world teeming with life according to scanners, as well as being home to the mysterious Jedi named 'Yoda'.

An image not used in the film, this was a special composite by ILM used in publicity and merchandising for The Empire Strikes Back.