'STAR WARS' AT 40: "HERE THEY COME!"

ILM storyboard by Joe Johnston.

The Death Star surface has been pestered by X-wing fighters, and now the Empire's TIE fighters have joined the conflict, fast engaging the Rebel forces and delivering crippling losses to them, starting off with John D (as in 'Doe', as known behind the scenes), played by Jack Klaff, the first onscreen victim to the TIEs' speed and firepower.

https://starwarsaficionado.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/classic-image-death-from-above.html

Original model for John D.

Originally it was written and shot with John D shooting down a TIE fighter before being destroyed by another of the enemy craft fast on his tail, but in the end it was decided during editing that it would have more impact if the TIEs were seen being fast and lethal from the offset.

https://starwarsaficionado.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/JOHN%20D

AFICIONADO CLASSIC BEHIND THE SCENES INFO PART FIVE

STAR WARS CAST MEMORIES AND NOTES FROM THE MEMORABILLIA SHOW AT THE NEC BIRMINGHAM-MARCH 29TH 2008

Compiled by Scott Weller and Ian Trussler

Jack Klaff as the doomed John D in STAR WARS.

JACK KLAFF

Respected stage and screen actor Klaff played the fight pilot John D. (as in John Doe) for two days of filming in July 1976. According to the script, the pilot he played was a veteran of many fighter missions. They (Lucas/the technicians) asked him beforehand if he was okay about being blown up in the fighter cockpit and after it happened they gave him a wet towel to put on his face to help him acclimatize whilst getting out of the set. He recalls a modest Lucas quietly thanking him for his work. Klaff was then asked by LUCASFILM to come back for some extra filming a short time later, but, at the time, he was in numerous Shakespearean theatre acting roles and wasn’t available.

Zuckuss has a sit down between bouts of bounty hunting!

CATHERINE MUNROE

Yes, the actress who played the legendary Zuckuss-she’s alive-she exists-she’s real!!!

Coming straight out of acting school, EMPIRE was one of her first film jobs and she was the best fit for the costume of Bounty Hunter Zuckuss. The mask was very heavy and attached on her almost like one of those ancient diving helmets, which was clasped onto a neck section (like her fellow alien, Bossk’s, as worn by Alan Harris). In the heavy costume, and being the only female actress to inhabit one on the set, she had a personal helper who would assist her in sitting down on a chair between takes (as can be seen in the classic black and white image). After completing her four weeks at ELSTREE (most of the time spent on the Star Destroyer Bridge-it took a long period to set up each part of her filming with the other Bounty Hunters for that brief scene), she was asked to come back for two weeks for some additional Bespin shooting and played a female Mrs. Snaggletooth (the actor playing Mister Snaggletooth is unknown to us), wearing a blue outfit, who can be seen very briefly in the final film.

She became very good friends with Chris Parsons as they were roughly the same age and both very young, "we were only kids really" was her phrase. She is still in contact with Chris Parsons and they remain friends. She recalled how tight the security was on the EMPIRE set and that, although she has some personal Polaroid shots of herself and some of the other background artists as aliens on one of the Bespin Cloud City corridors, nobody was allowed to take pictures of themselves on the actual sets.

She had done a little TV work before doing EMPIRE (including a part in the 1979 DOCTOR WHO story THE HORNS OF NIMON, playing a sacrificial victim alongside BLUE PETER presenter to be Janet Ellis). Sadly, unlike Chris Parsons, she didn’t get a chance to play any parts in RETURN OF THE JEDI.

When asked why she has been rarely seen at fan events/conventions (she has appeared at one Japanese event (which she thoroughly enjoyed and was overwhelmed by the friendliness and emotions of the fans there), and at least two signings in the UK), she explained that fans have had difficulty finding her due to her name Catherine Munroe having changed to Katy Jarrett.

AFICIONADO CLASSIC BLOG: THE 'LOST' PILOT

"Red Ten standing by..."

For thirty years we have thrilled to the daring exploits of the X and Y-wing fighter squadrons taking part in the final battle over the DEATH STAR in STAR WARS. Numerous magazines over the years have gone into depth about the brave characters in their fighter planes, and the majority of the surviving speaking part actors who have played those roles in the original July 1976 filming have been tracked down and interviewed…except one major contributor.

Red Ten.

In my research over the last fifteen years, no one has ever found out who the British actor was that played the recently Expanded Universe named Theron Nett. Internet forums have incorrectly listed him as the US actor Maury Chaykin. Considering he has several lines in the film, and plays a key part in Red Leader’s trench run, he is one of the only main pilots not credited in the movie-the result of a 1976/77 UK production office mistake when the titles were being put together by the US optical teams in Post Production.

Now, STAR WARS AFICIONADO, with the kind help of Red Four actor Jack Klaff, whom myself and Ian Trussler met at the Birmingham MEMORABILIA show this weekend (2008), can reveal the name of the actor who played the brave Red Ten, who died at the hands of Imperial forces whilst shielding Red Leader (Drewe Henley) in the DEATH STAR trench run.

His name (for atmospheric purposes, please pretend there is an exciting drum roll…)

Robert O’ Mahoney.

A British actor, Robert (Bob) O’ Mahoney was a theatre/ acting buddy of Klaff’s, whom he hasn’t seen in years-he doesn’t know if he is still alive or not. He is listed on IMDB and his last screen credit was in 1990 for the TV production BLOOD ROYAL: WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.

And that is pretty much all we know about him. But at least it’s a start…

This information helps complete the documented list of on-screen dialogue speaking Rebel fighter pilots seen in the finished movie (at least eighteen to twenty pilots were filmed in the original cockpit scenes shot in the blistering hot summer 1976 of Elstree UK, many of which were not used in the final edit and whose names remain unknown (with the possible exception of actor John Chapman, who says he played the pilot call signed as Red Twelve-Gil Vilray. Until we see film or photographic proof that he shot his scenes, I’m afraid we don’t yet count him)).We also don’t count Red's Seven, Nine and Eleven, who call in off-screen, as the X-wings bear on the DEATH STAR as they are US actors voice overs only (their names also unknown) who were added on in the film’s 1977 Post Production.

If anyone out there can help with more info please get in touch...

A look at the classic pilots of STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE: THE REBEL FIGHTER PILOTS OF 'STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE' - 102362154648182938349 - Picasa Web Albums