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| Death Star commanders Harry FIelder and Ron Conrad (right) watch Darth Vader interrogate Princess Leia in a scene from STAR WARS. Image: KURTZ/JOINER Archive. |
STAR WARS: BEHIND THE
SCENES NOTES FROM COLLECTORMANIA 2010 – MILTON KEYNES (28th – 31st
May)
Compiled by Ian Trussler
Gary Kurtz (Producer-STAR WARS and EMPIRE)
I spoke with Gary and
asked him something I have been meaning to for ages about the character of the
Grand Vizier, mentioned on Kenner’s Star Destroyer play set. Gary confirmed that
the part was never cast for EMPIRE and therefore the scene never filmed. The
scene would have appeared towards the very end of the film had it made the cut.
Due to the success of SW, Kenner wanted a very early lead-in time to toy
production and therefore had a very early script in 1978 to start gearing up
for production, hence the reference to a character that was dropped well before
principal photography ever took place.
I also asked him what his views were on Dave Prowse being barred by LFL
from any future Official conventions. He actually did not know this info before
I told him but commented that Dave has been very outspoken in the past and
soured his relationship with LFL. However, he did think it was unfair
regardless.
Mark Kirby (Rebel Trooper, Blockade Runner- STAR WARS)
After getting the part
via Central Casting, who were basically looking for men approx 6 feettall, he
spent about a week filming scenes running around the lime Blockade Runner
corridors. He felt that as he fit the costume, like many other background
artists, that was why he got selected. During filming Mark lost the black visor
part of his Rebel helmet and was amazed that no one picked up on it at the time
of filming. This makes it fairly easy to pick him out from the group of Rebels.
However some of his scenes are also with the black visor on.
Jerry Baker (Death Star Scanning Crew – STAR WARS)
Jerry spent just 2 days
on set filming the scene. He actually never got to know the name of the other
guy who played his counterpart crew member. The other actor was not
particularly sociable and left as soon as his filming was over each time and
didn't mix. The box the two of them had to carry was actually very heavy and
took them by surprise on the day and they really did struggle to carry it up
the ramp. At the top of the Falcon’s ramp was just an empty shell
of the Falcon prop but there were 2 Imperial Stormtroopers standing
inside, out of sight from camera. Jerry is very proud to be a part of SW and
enjoys meeting up with fellow cast members when doing conventions. When filming
in 1976 it felt like a family and group of friends to him. He still regularly
gets fan mail asking for signed photo's, even now at the age of 79.
Ron Conrad (Death Squad Commander- STAR WARS)
Ron got into film
work via his brother who was a stuntman- he used to cover for his brother
sometimes, actually pretending to be his brother as they looked so alike. He
did occasionally get caught out. He worked for about 2 weeks on SW, playing the
Death Squad Commander alongside Harry Fielder in the detention block/Leia
interrogation scene. He has remained lifelong friends with Harry Fielder ever
since filming. Ron said there was a small continuity error in his scene as the
DSC, at the very end of the scene it isn't him as he was not available on the
day they finished the scene, it was a Wednesday as he remembers. As well as the
DSC, Ron also filmed scenes as an X-wing pilot in the cockpit mock up and
appears in the medal ceremony as an X-wing pilot amongst the troops lining the
Yavin Temple. He was 28 when he filmed SW, after the movie he stopped acting and
moved into the role as props master and worked on both EMPIRE and JEDI in that
capacity. He said that he also appears very briefly in JEDI as a DSC, as
they used some existing footage taken from SW.
Annette Jones (Mosep alien- STAR WARS)
Annette spent about 2
weeks working on SW and really enjoyed her time on set, making some lasting
friendships, one of which was Barbara Frankland (Denham) whom she still sees
today. She played the Mosep with the reddish hair without the top knot
ponytail. The other Mosep (white hair) was also played by a woman. Her costume
and mask used to take about 2 hours to put on, with the help of Stuart and Kay
Freeborn whom she remembers fondly. She filmed scenes both inside the Cantina,
of which she has a strong memory of being on set when an explosion effect went
off next to her, and also on the Mos Eisley back streets set as Luke and co. approach Docking Bay 94. She still works regularly on movies and has worked on
HARRY POTTER most recently.
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